Ive been favouring my Grendel and .223 AI lately so the Creedmore pup has been neglected.
Due to the frequent evening thunderstorms and higher winds it was however perfect for a late afternoon lay about on the hill top waiting for potential freezer filling reds to wander out of the tree line for a feed of fresh green grass.
I found a shady spot under a tree and had a relaxing lay about while ranging various animal tracks on the bush line and getting familiar with the turrets and Strelok data for my hunting load. There was a fairly strong but consistent breeze from about 2-3 oclock depending on what angle Id potentually make a shot and a 3 degrees decline from my vantage point down to the bush line.
The longest shot I could make form my position was 460 yards and the shortest which almost never happens is 190 yards.
The area is thick with hares, goats, pheasants and turkeys which I spent 3 hours watching and dialling in on to stay familiar with the various ranges and pass the time on a lovely warm evening. It was pretty hard not to pull the trigger on a few stinky goads passing through but it was not the target species tonight.
There was about an hour were the sun was directly in my scope which wasn't ideal and made it very difficult to see the bush line but I wasnt leaving my comfy shady spot and I figured the deer wouldnt venture out until the shade cast a bit further form the bush line anyway.
8:10pm and I spotted a red hind right on the tree edge keeping cover as she walked and grazed further from me up the tree line. I dialled her in and watched her for another 20 mins hoping she might have company but it was getting late and she was about to disappear over a small rise on the edge of the bush with a small creek behind.
I could only see the top of her back and head sticking up so I ranged her at 343 yards and dialled it in.
Holding on her head I sent a 130gr Seirra TMK att 2910fps across the gully, I heard a solid smack but there was a large kahikatea tree about 15 yards behind her so it may have been that impact I heard. She dropped down behind the rise and out of sight so a follow up shot was never on the cards.
I packed up from my comfy spot and headed down to recover.
I found the spot she was but she had dropped down the steep river bank and landed at the bottom. It certainly wasnt the easiest recovery getting back up to the paddocks but I got her dressed for the trip home and had her hanging and skinned in time for a cold one before bed.
The shot placement was spot on with my Strelok data and the 6.5 did its usual job of almost ignoring the wind.
There was a pin hole entry wound on the opposite side of these pics which show two small exit holes about an inch lower, everything in between was mush and the skull and jaw bones were just fragged but still all held together with the skin.
A much tider kill than some of the goats that have taken one to the Mellon inside 200y. The Sierra TMK has been a good all round performer in the Creedmore, I really should make time to test the 107gr TMKs I have loaded for the Grendel too.
A very satisfying single cold bore shot after a relaxing afternoon lay about out of the days summer heat.
Ill return over the next few days to clean up some more goats.
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