MeatBuck
Hammer Time Executive member
| meatbuck Platinum Member 
Sep 1, 2021 at 8:20pm harperc, riceman, and 1 more like this | Quote 
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| farleg Platinum Member
Sep 2, 2021 at 2:28pm harperc, riceman, and 2 more like this | Quote
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Great idea
We all have a different interpretation of successful & I for one have a wide interpretation & some memories that I will hold close to my heart till the day I die or can remember lol
I’ll post a few as time permits but first & foremost here’s my number 1
Cheers
| jb338 Full Member
Sep 3, 2021 at 3:37am harperc and farleg like this | Quote
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| farleg Platinum Member
Sep 3, 2021 at 4:08am | Quote
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you doing side work for Steve ?
Gday JB
SHHH its for Brian as he’s the bourbon drinker
cheers
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| meatbuck Platinum Member
Sep 3, 2021 at 10:38am harperc, jb338, and 1 more like this | Quote
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Smoke from the fires was rolling in from the north as I sat my glassing point. The visibility choked out my efforts after only seeing half a dozen deer including two small bucks that sparred for a bit. About 9:30a I decided that glassing was futile and debated heading back to the truck. Since I already had some elevation I decided to work to the ridge top and have a look around up there before making the decent to the truck.
Within a few minutes I was into deer and had a covey of quail less than 10yds that miraculously didn’t blow out and spook the deer. I crept past them and bumped a doe that I didn’t see as I was focused on the quail. She blew and bounded off in the direction I was going so I blew back to give the impression that I was just another deer and then continued on at a snails pace keeping my eyes on the direction she headed. She blew back at me two or three more times and I was unable to locate her through the thick brush.
As the terrain started opening up more to my left I let my focus shift away from the doe and back ahead. That’s when I saw a deer through an oak tree about 100yds up the hill. I sat down and could then see antlers through the tree. Which prompted me to pop my scope caps open and have a look. No time for binoculars with him staring me down already. I was ready to shoot. But upon further inspection it was a small forkedhorn so I relaxed and watched him walk behind that oak tree. Nearly immediately a deer is standing in the same opening but facing the opposite direction. Toss scope back up and see it’s clearly a mature buck. Big dark body and antlers nearly twice the size as the buck that had just been there. I decided immediately that I was going to shoot but could see obstruction in my hole in the oak tree. I had to slide my *** over a foot or so to ensure a clear shot to his neck. Ran the dial up to 16 power and held the dot under his chin and let the 156g hammer hunter fly. Heard the flesh pop but as I ran another round into the chamber a buck bounded through the opening and gave me a moment of panic.
Thinking I may have shot the oak tree I eased up towards the bucks position and realized quickly he was down and the smaller buck had bounded away. Walked up on him and saw him all twisted up with a leg going through his heavy antlers and knew he was dead. He sported a 2x3 frame maybe 16” wide with tiny eye guards but his mass carried way out along his main beam. From there I took a moment of appreciation for his life, snapped a few photos and made a call to the house to let the fam know I was coming home with a buck.
Then the work began. It was nearly all down hill to the truck so I decided that it would be easier to drag him than bone him out. Especially with his body size. So I gutted him and began the drag out about 11am after hydrating and eating my fruit to lighten my load and give me some energy. I knew it was at least a mile as the crow flies but I’m no crow so snaking my way out with him took til just after 1p. My hands blistered and legs weak I managed to load him into the truck and hit the road for home. I hadn’t realized just how much the smoke had effected me until the drive home where I couldn’t catch my breath. Mouth breathing heavily and feeling a leg cramp coming on I knew hanging and skinning him by myself was out of the question. So I stopped in at my cousins place, luckily he was home and willing to lend a hand. He also called his son in law to come help. As he’s on the phone I overhear him say, “Ive seen dead men in better shape”. Anyhow he’s got an electric rafter mounted winch which made things a hell of a lot easier for everyone. Took me a bit to get back to functioning but I eventually helped finish skinning and that’s when I saw just how bad the bullets damage was.
The entry was mid neck and exit top of back between shoulder blades. The bone frag and soft copper was directed at the front half of the back strap between the shoulders. Two copper petals were recovered in the soupy bloodshot mess. They looked like pennies on a train track. Flat and thin about half the size of a dime. The bloodshot continued down between each shoulder and the ribs. Needless to say the neck was not savable and there’s definitely some loss of backstrap and shoulder meat. I’ve had the same experience before going to copper with a ballistic silver tip but didn’t expect the copper to be so devastating. Guess that’s what happens when a 2900fps+ soft copper hollow point hits bone.
Since I’m new here and am computer illiterate I haven’t figured out how to post pics so if someone is willing to post em for me or walk me through the process give me a pm. I’d appreciate it.
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| meatbuck Platinum Member
Sep 7, 2021 at 8:54am harperc, ButterBean, and 1 more like this | Quote
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Where’s everyone else’s success stories? It’s after sept 1, should be some animals hanging at the butchers.
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| meatbuck Platinum Member
Sep 9, 2021 at 10:53am harperc, hndldr, and 3 more like this | Quote
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As we climbed a few hundred feet we glanced back across the canyon to see two does watching us make our ascent in the now breaking dawn. We kept heading up towards our left and as we eased up there I could clearly see why the other guy wasn’t worried out us going that way. His boot tracks hiked up and back on the drag marks, both morning and evening. I told my son something like, “ what a dick” ... “we’ll just do our thing and hope for the best”.
Bumped one deer from there on up to the glassing point, a doe.
We then glassed for a couple hours only seeing one deer in heavy cover until I glanced up at the ridge top to my left and there’s a big dark deer standing almost skylined. We realize it’s a pretty good buck but almost as quickly he disappeared. Was over 600yds and a long walk up there so we hung back and waited. No sense going in after him right then, lots of season left to find a closer vantage and try to turn him back up another day. So we packed up a short time later and continued up the hill as I had on Tuesday when I killed mine.
I knew that the way I had gone wasn’t the best for seeing deer before they saw me so we hiked straight up to the top and looked into the spot I had killed mine. A doe bumped out but wasn’t looking our way and after a minute we saw a coyote nose down headed her way. They both slipped out of sight and we kept glassing. Was nearly noon by now and I was in my pack looking for snacks. Glance over behind us and there’s a buck standing 40yds feeding. Tell my boy not to move and got my binos up to see that it’s just a spike. Not legal to harvest. After 5-10 minutes he winds us and runs closer to make his escape. He ends up going down the hill and up the side we were glassing. Had my son practice getting gun on him and getting set to shoot. Would’ve been 230yds if it were legal to shoot. He thought sure he’d have killed it.
Anyway we sat til 2p when it was getting a bit toasty (into the 90s). As we stood up to leave my son sees a buck run through the trees across the hill. I popped binos up just to see it crest the ridge. From the looks we both got we were convinced it was a different deer than the spike. So we made a plan to be back there first thing instead of stopping off at the long distance glassing point first.
Sunday morning rolls around and my neck it a complete wreck, tighter than a ticks *** and hurt to move. It’s 3:30am and I see that lights are on in the kitchen. It’s my son who had been up since 3a eating breakfast and getting ready. (Alarm was set for 4a). Anyhow I tell him about my neck and that we might not go if it didn’t loosen up quickly then head back to the bedroom to do some stretches and brush my teeth. After a bit I decided to man up and just deal with the neck issue. Put an 800mg ibuprofen in my pocket and got ready to go.
Pulled into our spot and nobody was there. We were earlier but were also exhausted so we cat napped and waited for a little light to start our hike. As we made our way up the hill we stopped short of where we’d bumped a doe the am before to quickly scan the hillside to avoid the bumping anything again. Spotted two doe cresting ridge and after making sure we were clear we headed up towards the glassing point. Since we were there already we had a quick scan of the area to make sure we weren’t missing anything obvious and continued on up to the final location where we would spend the day.
After only just setting up there a flock of pigeons circled and about 4 of em landed in the tree tops around us. They checked us out and we all settled in.
Must have been 10a before my son says “dad”, “think there’s a coyote over here”. He watched it go into the trees and lost interest. Probably an hour later it’s the same thing. “Dad, another coyote”. But no deer had been spotted and things were starting to look like a third consecutive day of hunting pressure was too much. He was dozing off behind the glass so I kept glassing over his lap every now and again throughout the day to make sure he wasn’t missing anything. It’s now almost noon when through a small hole in the oaks I see a buck. I don’t think my son thought I was serious when I said there was a buck but he could’ve just woke up from cat nap.
I told him to get his gun ready and tried to show him the hole I was looking through. After moving himself and the gun over a bit he finally sees the deer. Now it’s a matter of getting the rear of the rifle steadied so I moved his pack behind him to lean on and put my rolled up shooting mat under his elbow. Now seated with bipod and solid rear rest he sees the buck bed down. It’s still in his shot window but one small oak branch looked like it may be an issue so we took the time to slide over just enough to get the branch away from the vertical crosshair. I dialed up 2.2moa for the 300yd shot and let him get calmed down. I told him to line up the vertical crosshair on the left side of his neck as the deer was facing us, quartered slightly right. Wanted the bullet to enter in front of shoulder and exit back of the offside shoulder. Told him whenever he was comfortable to go ahead and shoot. I stayed on binos and watched buck. He glanced back after a minute and gave a little nod, clicked safety forward and got still.
The .243 barked and I heard a small whack as the buck flew up and out of sight. No dust. The small window we had the entire experience through was now vacated and we were unsure of exactly what had happened so he ran a fresh round in the chamber and we kept an eye on the hillside for movement. Being that this was the first critter we’ve attempted to take with the little 70g hunter bullet and knowing that they’ve only been tested to 300yds on whitetail, I wasn’t going to rush over there and bump him. So we sat 30min and waited. Eventually there was nothing left to do but go look so that’s what we did. Eased down to some shade dumped our packs and slowly crept into the spot. Scanning and moving at a snails pace we weren’t seeing any sign of a deer or the bed he was in. That’s when we saw a deer across the draw in the shade bedded. Quickly scoped out as a doe. A thick manzanita patch was just ahead and I told my boy to hang back in case the deer busted out when I was in over my head. I no more than get a few steps in to the manzanita when I see scuff marks in the dirt followed them with my eyes and there piled up in the brush was his buck. No blood, just a small area where he did the which ways up dance and piled up.
I could see it sported 3x4 rack and turned back to tell my son what I’d found. I gave him a slight rash of **** for having killed a 4pt at 13yrs old, then took his gun and told him to go in and get his buck. After clearing our guns and getting the buck out of the brush we snapped some photos and I started the tutorial on gutting. Was his second deer but the first one we had time for me to teach him.
After gutting we made a plan to drag it back just as I had done with mine a few day before. The bucks were killed about 100yds apart so I knew what was ahead. I also knew it would be twice as easy as it was Tuesday since there was twice the able bodies.
Shot it at noon, found it at 1p and we were back to the truck about 3-3:30p. The shot was placed with perfection. Entry was just ahead of the point of the front shoulder and out just behind the other. Lungs were soup but heart was the next days lunch. Thoroughly impressed with both his shot and the bullet performance. And, to toot my own horn, the through the oaks 300yd spot I made on the deer. Still cannot believe it bedded right there. Two yards in any other direction and we probably sit all day without seeing anything.
Kids happy, I’m happy, freezer soon to be happy. And he’s still got a premium late season tag in his pocket. Things are lining up, should be eating a lot of deer meat in the next year.
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| farleg Platinum Member
Sep 9, 2021 at 2:50pm harperc, carsyn22, and 3 more like this | Quote
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Thanks for sharing
Nothing better than a kids smile & a proud dad
Take a bow you 2
Cheers
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| hndldr New Member
Sep 15, 2021 at 4:45am harperc and meatbuck like this | Quote
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| rausch Senior Member
Sep 15, 2021 at 8:09pm rh300um, harperc, and 7 more like this | Quote
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Just got back from Wyoming and all I can say is wow! Never dreamed of looking over roughly 600 bucks in 3 1/2 days. I shot this one at 398 yards with the .308 160 gr HH. He was bedded quartering towards me. POI was just in front of his left shoulder and exited at the last rib. 25” of penetration and a quarter sized exit hole although no petals exited that I could find. The buck managed o get to his feet and stumble 20 yards give or take before crashing down the hill. The left lung was liquified and the heart was severed completely from the aorta. Very little blood shot and no meat loss. 
| harperc Global Moderator 
Sep 15, 2021 at 8:30pm hockeynick39 likes this | Quote
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| farleg Platinum Member
Sep 16, 2021 at 2:41am harperc, ButterBean, and 1 more like this | Quote
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If you’d only have used the 124hh in that 08 it wouldn’t have got up lol
Thanks for sharing that’s one impressive animal congratulations
Cheers
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| rausch Senior Member
Sep 16, 2021 at 8:05am harperc likes this | Quote
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Your first time to WY.?
Sure was! I’m hooked
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| rausch Senior Member
Sep 16, 2021 at 8:07am harperc likes this | Quote
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Gday Rausch
If you’d only have used the 124hh in that 08 it wouldn’t have got up lol
Thanks for sharing that’s one impressive animal congratulations
Cheers
It’s a .300 win mag and I have them going 3260. We had a hell of a time with the wind drift already. That’s why I hesitated on going lighter.
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| harperc Global Moderator
Sep 16, 2021 at 9:33am | Quote
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Gday Rausch
If you’d only have used the 124hh in that 08 it wouldn’t have got up lol
Thanks for sharing that’s one impressive animal congratulations
Cheers
I think I hunt different antelope than others, I've found them tough. Open country makes them easier to find, but covering ground after hit is impressive, and the speed they do it awesome.
My partners son we started with a .338 Winchester. Everything he shot moose, deer, sheep, dropped. His first antelope he lowered the rifle expecting to see 4 legs to the sky. Instead he saw an animal running hard with a lung hang out the off side.
Wyoming wind earned its reputation.
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| farleg Platinum Member
Sep 16, 2021 at 2:36pm harperc likes this | Quote
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farleg said:
Gday Rausch
If you’d only have used the 124hh in that 08 it wouldn’t have got up lol
Thanks for sharing that’s one impressive animal congratulations
Cheers
It’s a .300 win mag and I have them going 3260. We had a hell of a time with the wind drift already. That’s why I hesitated on going lighter.
Gday Rausch
I was in a stupid mood sorry & should have been clearer the 124 was a bit of tongue in check & a joke hence the lol as what I’ve read about hunting goats shots are seldom close & even further than yours
so I applaud you for going the 160 as it covers a lot of bases & potentially is the best all round pill ? As everyone has different needs
what I do like is your numbers & I’ll check the impact velocity & no idea on how tough a goat is but it kinda fits with a impact getting in the 2400 or below range
it’s my anal side coming out & I’m not having a go in anyway it’s extremely valuable info
& thanks for sharing
cheers
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| rausch Senior Member
Sep 16, 2021 at 5:15pm farleg likes this | Quote
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rausch said:
It’s a .300 win mag and I have them going 3260. We had a hell of a time with the wind drift already. That’s why I hesitated on going lighter.
Gday Rausch
I was in a stupid mood sorry & should have been clearer the 124 was a bit of tongue in check & a joke hence the lol as what I’ve read about hunting goats shots are seldom close & even further than yours
so I applaud you for going the 160 as it covers a lot of bases & potentially is the best all round pill ? As everyone has different needs
what I do like is your numbers & I’ll check the impact velocity & no idea on how tough a goat is but it kinda fits with a impact getting in the 2400 or below range
it’s my anal side coming out & I’m not having a go in anyway it’s extremely valuable info
& thanks for sharing
cheers
They’re definitely tough little critters. I shot a buck many moons ago that ran 150 yards at full speed before tipping straight over backward. When I cleaned him out there wasn’t a chunk of heart bigger than a quarter left intact and the exit hole I could put my fist through. I agree that fast is better. I question the drift though. It blew 25 everyday we were there and you seldom get close to antelope. Oh and don’t worry about offending me. I have thick skin!!
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| farleg Platinum Member
Sep 17, 2021 at 3:32am harperc and rausch like this | Quote
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Did a bit of ticking & ill start a new thread so not to derail anymore
Cheers
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| meatbuck Platinum Member
Sep 20, 2021 at 8:55pm harperc, riceman, and 1 more like this | Quote
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First shot acted right. Entry mid body exit behind off shoulder. Nothing of it found but there was extreme internal damage. Some guts blown into offside shoulder From being too far back. Bloodshot. Didn’t do much looking around for petals in there.
Anyway I’ll do a better write up later, even tho it’s not as eventful as the other hunts.
Anybody else have a hollow point act like this? I’m not thrilled with it but perhaps the antler had something to do with it.
| jamesmuhlbeier Full Member
Sep 20, 2021 at 11:18pm harperc, riceman, and 3 more like this | Quote
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| jamesmuhlbeier Full Member
Sep 21, 2021 at 2:50am harperc likes this | Quote
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| jamesmuhlbeier Full Member
Sep 21, 2021 at 3:58am | Quote
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| ButterBean Platinum Member
Sep 21, 2021 at 4:22am riceman and farleg like this | Quote
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Another blacktail down. Good 4x4 this time. 156g hh. 440 yds. Second shot the bullet went clean through antler and into backstrap. Dropped him. Found 153.4gs of bullet under hide near his ***. Zero expansion. 2425fps at that range according to my data. No meat damage from beyond its entry to the ***. Just a baseball sized hole in hide and backstrap from what I’d say was a tumbling bullet. No blood shot either.
First shot acted right. Entry mid body exit behind off shoulder. Nothing of it found but there was extreme internal damage. Some guts blown into offside shoulder From being too far back. Bloodshot. Didn’t do much looking around for petals in there.
Anyway I’ll do a better write up later, even tho it’s not as eventful as the other hunts.
Anybody else have a hollow point act like this? I’m not thrilled with it but perhaps the antler had something to do with it.
I would agree with James, hollow point was filled with horn material and turned into a solid, although Farleg shot a Buff through the horn and the bullet performed flawlessly but he was at a much higher velocity
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| harperc Global Moderator
Sep 21, 2021 at 4:33am riceman, ButterBean, and 1 more like this | Quote
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harperc What do you think? You guys have the brains and experience for this one.
I'd like to see a picture of the bullet, but I suspect the horn closed the HP.
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| farleg Platinum Member
Sep 21, 2021 at 4:48am harperc, riceman, and 2 more like this | Quote
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jamesmuhlbeier said:
harperc What do you think? You guys have the brains and experience for this one.
I'd like to see a picture of the bullet, but I suspect the horn closed the HP.
I’m with you Carl
it’s either squished it inwards or on a slant ( one side pushed in other outwards & rolled over )
I’ve got a few of these now & trees are different to horn & all are different
antler I’d suspect will be the same no h2o no open
cheers
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| meatbuck Platinum Member
Sep 21, 2021 at 10:00am | Quote
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This is where my theory comes from;
the target I shoot is made of two pieces of half inch plywood with 4 sheets of half inch sheet rock sandwiched between. That hangs in front of three layers of old 2x6s. (Seems similar to bone/antler.) I’ve recovered several .277 156g hh petals but no bullets as they all pass through and tumble into the field. I have recovered one 70g .243 hh bullet that at 300yds had shed petals at first impact on plywood/Sheetrock then tumbled through the 2x6s. Could see clear as day where it hit them sideways. And was recovered from last 2x6 facing almost backwards. (About the same distance from pw/sr to 2x6s as from antler to backstrap.) This is with a bullet less than half the weight going about 2740fps. (Maybe it’s apples to oranges as far as weight and velocity? Idk)
My figuring is that the 156g hh should have acted as they do when shooting my target. Shed petals and keep on truckin. But I’m not an expert.
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| meatbuck Platinum Member
Sep 21, 2021 at 10:10am harperc, ButterBean, and 1 more like this | Quote
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| farleg Platinum Member
Sep 21, 2021 at 9:28pm meatbuck likes this | Quote
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We need to get back to the basics of how hammers work & what's needed to get the projectile to work & that's a fluid in the HP to start the process its that simple
We've had a lot of discussions on what medias are best suited to replicate animals
& personally I dont care as long as its repeatable & yours is i believe but the part i do believe is utterly important is that fluid & the only part that id add to get a consistent outcome for the way hammers work
This maybe as simple as a plastic drink bottle ( like coke300 or 500ml )put up just in front of your testing media or multiple ones side x side if you are shooting @ distance
Its just a thought
On the big picture of your antler hit ive witnessed a very wide base of different brands & styles that have either hit antler or trees & a couple other medias prior to the animal & in no case even include solids im yet to see a same as normal impact behaviour some dont even make the animal or wound very badly
Move to hammers & my observations with them its no different to a lot of other brands of similar makeup its not what I like to see but im a poor shot so ill hit horns & trees again & as long as the trees not to big it will plough on into the animal with weird results on buff horn they all still killed
Hope that helps & if you want ill post a pic of these pills or hit that search button they are in show your recovered shanks ( from animals )
To post pics by you someone will chime in who puts it in a easy format for you to follow
Cheers
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| harperc Global Moderator
Sep 22, 2021 at 1:50am meatbuck likes this | Quote
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Since I’m new here and am computer illiterate I haven’t figured out how to post pics so if someone is willing to post em for me or walk me through the process give me a pm. I’d appreciate it.
Check your messages in a few minutes.
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| harperc Global Moderator
Sep 22, 2021 at 4:21pm farleg and meatbuck like this | Quote
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veNice blacktail. I'll post pictures below.
I gave it 3000 fps MV, and standard inputs, and got a 1.466 stability factor. Some of us are preferring a factor of 2+ with mono's.
I would prefer more, but perhaps there was a slight yaw, and the bullet did not land square at 440 yards.
I've had this happen with a Barnes 230 grain .338, and a big hog. Much closer, with more bend, but very similar. Even the larger bores aren't immune.
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| harperc Global Moderator
Sep 22, 2021 at 4:25pm ButterBean, gltaylor, and 6 more like this | Quote
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Nice deer!
If when you click on reply, and add attachments doesn't appear, let us know maybe it can be fixed.
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| harperc Global Moderator
Sep 22, 2021 at 5:01pm gltaylor and meatbuck like this | Quote
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ts as they all pass through and tumble into the field. I have recovered one 70g .243 hh bullet that at 300yds had shed petals at first impact on plywood/Sheetrock then tumbled through the 2x6s. Could see clear as day where it hit them sideways. And was recovered from last 2x6 facing almost backwards. (About the same distance from pw/sr to 2x6s as from antler to backstrap.) This is with a bullet less than half the weight going about 2740fps. (Maybe it’s apples to oranges as far as weight and velocity? Idk)
If you're running a standard 1-10" twist your stability factor is in the same range with the 6mm (1.477).
Length is more a factor than weight. JBM has a free online stability calculator that is useful.
1.5 is generally considered minimal for best flight. Terminal I think 2 is a better number.
They may not yaw a bit every time on contact, but it's the one time I like to avoid.
I'm learning mono's are a little different beast, and I'm dropping weight across my line. There is a new 6mm 55 grain that should work well where legal, and a new .277 148 grain that deserves a look.
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| meatbuck Platinum Member
Sep 22, 2021 at 5:18pm harperc likes this | Quote
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Stability factor 1.624 at muzzle according to my numbers.
3040fps mv. Impact velocity should have been 2425fps.
I posted the load in a thread about 270wsm a while back.
I use the jbm.
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| meatbuck Platinum Member
Sep 22, 2021 at 5:24pm harperc likes this | Quote
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My 2x3, my sons 3x4 and my 4x4.
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| harperc Global Moderator
Sep 22, 2021 at 6:34pm ButterBean, gltaylor, and 3 more like this | Quote
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More meatbuck photo's I think I got them all in now.
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| jamesmuhlbeier Full Member
Sep 22, 2021 at 6:34pm harperc, gltaylor, and 3 more like this | Quote
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Again this is a 1-8” twist (26”) barrel.
Stability factor 1.624 at muzzle according to my numbers.
3040fps mv. Impact velocity should have been 2425fps.
I posted the load in a thread about 270wsm a while back.
I use the jbm.
On this one I would guess it wasn't the stability it was the hollow point not opening and bending due to not hitting fluid. You can see the bend where the petals normally would of shed. The bend when it hit the horn probably made it tumble. I would guess this is a fluke thing and we could try it 100 times and not end up with the same results.
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| meatbuck Platinum Member
Sep 22, 2021 at 8:15pm harperc and farleg like this | Quote
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View AttachmentView AttachmentView Attachment
More meatbuck photo's I think I got them all in now.
Thanks again.
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| cbjr Senior Member
Sep 22, 2021 at 8:34pm harperc, riceman, and 3 more like this | Quote
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| meatbuck Platinum Member
Sep 22, 2021 at 11:04pm harperc likes this | Quote
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Beautiful buck!
Which one?
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| meatbuck Platinum Member
Sep 23, 2021 at 12:31am riceman, farleg, and 1 more like this | Quote
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Called forest service Friday morning as I was loading up to leave for the hunt. They say forest closed til midnight. So I planned to get there midnight. Well I got there more like 1:20am. Parked in a flat spot near where I planned to glass the morning and jumped in the cot I had preset in the back. Got up daylight Saturday and did about two hours worth of glassing before the rain started to get blown into my face. So I walked the hundred yards or so back up to the truck and put my gun and pack in the passenger seat and then got in what would be my spot for the rest of the day. Minus a piss break or three and to quickly snag some lunch from the ice chest. Other than that the rain and wind was in for the day. And I was too.
I basically napped and snacked til dark with the occasional road hunter turning around either next to my truck or 30 yards up the road from me. It was good to know that every time a rig came down that road it meant no trees had blocked my way back as I was at the end of the line. Hit the cot around 9p and at daybreak more rain. So I snoozed. Waited til I woke up and had no pitter patter on the roof and got dressed. About 8am I walk about ten yards from the truck and have a look around with my eye balls. Maybe look for 20 minutes without seeing anything move or otherwise. Decided I’d just head on down to my glassing point so I head that way, now I’m closer to the truck and hear something across canyon from me. I fully expect it to be a bear but to my surprise it’s a big red bodied deer. Toss up the binos and it’s a good buck posturing and advancing towards another good buck. They lock up antlers and go to pushing each other around the steep burnt hillside. I immediately knew I had to get to my vantage point asap. They were about 550yds at that point and occupied. So I had no worry of being too careful or quiet. Got to my spot undetected as planned and rolled out my shooting mat. Tossed down my pack and balled up my rifle cover to make a rear bag.
After getting my dope chart and rangefinder handy I got on the gun. Realized the pack was too tall so I swapped it out for my rain jacket. Perfect. I then struggle to get a range, little bit of nerves and some trees in between me and the bucks were giving me a false read. Got the range 438. Dialed up 3moa and cleaned up the parallax. Found them in the scope, zoomed into 32 power and clearly see the aggressor buck had 4 points. He was facing left, slightly quartering away and was clear of obstruction.
I settled down, took a minute to pull my binos off and unstrap my bibs so there wasn’t anything funny between buttpad and shoulder. Flipped the safety off and let one fly. I could see and hear the hit and knew it was a touch back so i chambered another round and waited for him to clear some trees. I could see he was hit fatally but I always shoot again if they’re up. So as he starts to get sick looking the other buck locks up with him again before realizing something was wrong and backed off.
That’s when I took the second shot. Now facing right and quartering to and downhill slightly I aimed for high shoulder. He dropped with a loud smack reporting back across the canyon. I watched the other buck try to make sense of the situation as I did I made sure my buck stayed belly up. Waited there about thirty minutes or so and then knew I had a long day of meat hauling ahead.
Packed up camp, you know, put my pack and rifle in the truck and got in. Drove to a slightly closer and less steep location up the canyon about a mile away and got my pack ready to haul meat. The rain had let up completely now and wouldn’t start again. Cloud cover was my friend from there on out. Left the truck around 10am or so and dropped into the canyon.
I approached the downed deers location with caution, one because of bear but two I wanted to be certain he was there when I got there just in case there was a follow up shot needed. But there wasn’t. He was just as dead as he was when I last saw him. No bears. I snapped a few pics and noticed the hole in the antler. Snapped a pic of that and then gave him a send down the hill. He made it about ten yards before that antler blew off in epic bone shattering fashion. Large chunk ended up missing but taxidermist says he can repair without it. I kinda got meat minded after that and didnt snap any pics of the bullet recovery or the big entry hole in hide. Or get any better pics of the deer as he was now all busted up.
Filled my tag out and Worked the deer up into quarters. I used a nearby stream and tree to rinse and hang them. Pulled straps tenders neck and rib meat and then deboned the quarters I had hanging to crust and cool. Could tell right away that I would be better off taking two trips with meat because the post rain made for steep slippery terrain. And there was plenty of daylight left. So that’s what I did. Shuttled the meat to the base of the hill then packed it up to the truck. Made it there 5p with second load. Stuffed the meat in the ice chest and got some food and drinks out for the ride home. 11p I pulled in the yard. Was a short hunt but the results were as good as I could ask for.
2021 California blacktail season is done for me. Killed two mature public land bucks, put a good load of meat in the freezer and got to watch my son do the same. My son also has a premium late season buck tag still So expect a story, successful or otherwise there. Now on to black bear. Gotta do my part to help the deer population.
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| jamesmuhlbeier Full Member
Sep 23, 2021 at 8:53am carsyn22, ButterBean, and 2 more like this | Quote
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Not sure if the pics will work let me know if they don't.
So baby was due yesterday and the wife told me to go hunting in the am. Of course I didn't argue. I had this buck come to the stand I was in. I had a bad angle on the shot but had done my research and trusted my archery gear. Shot him Right where I wanted clipping the spine cutting it in half on the way in. It cut off two and a half ribs right after. On exit it cut through two and a half more ribs before sticking in the dirt. He went five yards and was done in seconds. Not sure I would of taken this shot if I wasn't shooting a big beefy 150 gr single bevel head with a 1.5 inch cut.
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| jamesmuhlbeier Full Member
Sep 23, 2021 at 9:16am harperc, carsyn22, and 7 more like this | Quote
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| cbjr Senior Member
Sep 23, 2021 at 2:42pm harperc, riceman, and 1 more like this | Quote
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cbjr said:
Beautiful buck!
Which one?
Well, all of them!
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| meatbuck Platinum Member
Sep 24, 2021 at 11:23am harperc and cbjr like this | Quote
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meatbuck said:
Which one?
Well, all of them!
If your talking to me, then thanks. If your talking to everyone who posted bucks well, I agree.
| 1stsgt New Member
Sep 25, 2021 at 1:31pm harperc, riceman, and 6 more like this | Quote
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around and dropped like a rock! Very impressed with the Hammers they worked as advertised, the second picture is the exit wound.....
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| ButterBean Platinum Member
Sep 25, 2021 at 2:59pm harperc and gltaylor like this | Quote
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I've elk hunted before but have never had success until this year. I just got back from hunting in Colorado, man what an awesome experience! I took this bull at just under 200 yards with my .300RUM shooting 181gr HH at 3350fps. He turned
around and dropped like a rock! Very impressed with the Hammers they worked as advertised, the second picture is the exit wound.....
View Attachment
Congrats
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| farleg Platinum Member
Oct 4, 2021 at 2:37pm harperc likes this | Quote
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Congrats to James & 1stsgt
& thanks for sharing pics & info
Cheers
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| meatbuck Platinum Member
Oct 27, 2021 at 11:10am riceman, farleg, and 1 more like this | Quote
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Fast forward to October, he’s still got a b tag in his pocket and only 5 days experience under his belt so I told him I’d take him up to try to fill it. He was hesitant to kill one without having the knowledge of field butchering. Our first trip was hindered by vehicle troubles as I made a simple mistake doing front brake job. Took several days and a new master cylinder before I realized I had the calipers switched which put the bleeders in a downward position that would not allow them to bleed. So dumb. In the midst of that we decided to take a different vehicle while we waited for that master cyl to show in mail. So all packed and ready to go that rig wouldn’t start. Next day that rig goes to shop and it’s determined nothing is wrong, fired right up. Ok so we’re back on track, time to reload and go. All reloaded and ready to go, again rig won’t start. So now this trip is off while we figure this crap out. Next day he takes rig to same shop and they determine that one of the keys wasn’t recognized by the computer system and it was triggering an anti theft ignition lockout. What a joke. So next day the brake parts are in and I figure out the issue I had with calipers and we’re back on track. We load up the next morning and get on the road. Finally we make it to camp just after dark.
The next few days were spent looking over the burnt canyon with a handful of does spotted each day. Think it was day 3 or 4 we finally got eyes on a buck but he was 950yds out. No play. The spot he was living was a diamond shaped glade so we started calling him Neil. The Neil I saw through my 32power scope was a 16-17” wide maybe 15-16” tall forkie with a possible third point on right side. Later in the day we relocate a buck just downhill from last buck. Thinking it’s the same deer I never put scope on him again just binos. My buddy says looks like a smaller forked horn. I was just looking at the body and told him I thought he was a very mature buck as his brisket hung out in front of his front legs. And his body/neck was fat and dark with a pronounced white face. I wrote it off as him not getting a good look at the antlers through his binos.
On day 6 we finally decided to make a move to a different area and basically spent that day familiarizing him with the road system and glassing over some new country. Once we hit a ridge top I asked him to check cell phone service and sure enough he had some. Enough to check weather. Weather showed several days rain for the last week of the season so we left the 70 degree weather and came home to wash clothes and reload ice chests as well as grab rain gear. Was also my son’s birthday weekend so I did family stuff while my buddy spun his wheels waiting for me. Sunday morning he’d had enough waiting so I told him I’d meet him at camp later that day. Sometime midday he messaged me that he made it up there and it had begun snowing. I was three hours behind him and ran into the snow he was talking about just at dark. Wasn’t enough snow to cause any trouble for me but a small buck had a hell of a time getting out of my way on the slick asphalt. Poor guy went down in a heap and struggled to get back to his feet. I slowed and gave him some time to regroup and get off the road. Pulled into camp about 7p just below snow line.
Rained all night and we were certain that day we would be seeing deer everywhere. Not the case. Had our asses handed to us on morning glassing session. Made a small loop around a ridge top near camp midday and bumped some deer but couldn’t identify them all before they were gone. The rain was gone and weather was warmer by then and our evening glassing went only one deer better than the morning. Next day was partly cloudy with chances of rain. Morning glassing session turned up Neil and another buck together feeding. The second buck had a larger rack but smaller body than Neil. Again 950-1000yds off. We made our move as they fed below the ridge line between us. Plan was get to that ridge to cut distance in half, relocate them and try to get a shot.
This required a walk back to camp then a ride to an easier entry to the canyon. Then of course a hike down the canyon and up the other side. I’d say it was close to two hours later that we finally got to a position on that ridge that would be most advantageous for glassing and shooting. It was a big overgrown scrub oak that had burned and regenerated lots of new growth at the base. It had half a dozen trunks that split off in several directions and another tree similar just a bodies width away. So even though we were certainly skylining ourselves we had plenty of backdrop from the tree trunks.
By now it was midday and the clouds were blowing in. I hadn’t even gotten settled in to glass when he says he sees a buck bedded in the open. I had just got my rangefinder out and so after finding him myself I ranged him at 498. The buck was bedded in a perfect location for a shot but his vitals were covered by a small oak tree trunk. I’ve got the .270wsm set up for these type of opportunities but his .270win, scope, and factory ammo didn’t give him the confidence to take that shot. I told him I’d just set up as if i were going to shoot then he could lay in behind my gun and I’d adjust the cheek rest for him. It didn’t take too long before he was feeling solid and ready to take the shot. Now we waited for the buck to stand. In the meantime I located the second buck. His head was covered by brush but his vitals were open. We could clearly see Neil's headgear and it was just an average fork. But my buddy was set on the bigger bodied Neil so we waited some more. Now 2pm Clouds and wind had temps down and as we were adding a layer of clothing Neil stands up.
Back on the gun my buddy is slightly jacked and had to take a few breaths before feeling ready to shoot. I was on the deer and told him when I heard the safety come off I’d be ready and he could just shoot when he felt good. Neil walked about 5 steps and turned broadside just below the tree he had been bedded behind. I heard some murmuring and then quiet. Then the shot. I watched to buck jump and run as I’ve seen a thousand times on tv. He runs right and crosses the small draw then runs towards us before spinning a 360 and going downhill hard left. I could see one front leg was broken and he was starting to loose it as he went behind some cover and never came out. Hoping for the best but expecting the worst we gave an hour before I sent him down to look. Gave him a rundown of hand signals and told him to wave orange cap when he found the deer. I would watch from there just in case.
About 40 minutes later I watch him walk right past the last location I had on the buck. “Great” I started thinking. He must have made it into the draw after he went out of sight. Then my buddy throws up his hands so I start giving hand signals. After two rounds of hand signals I see him go into the patch I’d lost the buck in and then I could see the orange cap coming out of his bag and seconds later he’s waving it and pumping fists.
I gave a little ridge top dance, gathered my belongings and headed back to get the truck. Had to drive it around the canyon to get above the kill site for an easier packout. Took 45min to return to truck then about 15-20 min drive before another 15min walk off the hill to the kill site. By now it was 5:15p and starting to rain. Found my buddy was tarped up next to Neil. In his mind I wouldn’t be there for about another hour so when I came skidding down the steep hill not long after he heard my truck fire up he was relieved. Being his first time field butchering and packing meat I took over the skinning job he had started before having him hold legs and whatnot while I worked up the buck. That 156g hh did a number on the shoulders. Bloodshot to hell. Lungs were chunky and attempting an exit from the rib cage. Heart was fine. Just as darkness took over I had all the meat sacked up and we loaded our packs for the steep dark wet walk out.
The first hundred or so yards was the worst of it as far as steepness goes but once we got up on the ridge the wind and rain took over. Was a good stiff wind blowing the rain sideways at times so we dropped off the top slightly to use ridge and big oaks as blocker. I was burning up hot from rain pants but had ditched jacket from the start. My t shirt was soaking wet and my arms were burning from the cold. The bright side was all the blood washed off my arms by the time we got to truck. Was about an hour before my buddy says he sees the truck. I scan ahead with my headlamp and determine that it was not the truck but eyeshine. The animal held its ground and we advanced several yards towards it before finally making some aggressive sounds that turned it around. Just about the same time I see the truck to the right and knew we had made it.
After a couple fist bumps we got packs loaded and stripped a few wet layers before hopping in the warm cab. After a warming ride back to camp we hung the meat sacks from the undercarriage of our rigs as it was the only dry place around. Thankful for all my help, my buddy made up some food and a protein shake for me under a tarp on the tailgate and I smashed it and we turned in for the night. Rain persisted all night and the next morning still spit a bit while we packed up our wet gear and meat for the ride home. About 2p we rolled into the yard and started shuttling gear and meat into the garage and meat fridge. I had a 4p appointment to make so I washed up a bit before going straight back to into civilization.
After rethinking the two trips I determined that Neil Diamond was both the bucks we saw. Not one or the other. I’d seen the larger antlered buck in my scope first trip. But later that day when we saw “him” again that day it wasn’t him, it was the bigger bodied smaller antlered buck. Never saw them at same time during that encounter so we never thought it was possible that there were two deer. The next encounter we had we were able to size them up body wise but only determined that the smaller bodied deer had bigger but more spindly antlers. We never got a good look at the bigger bodied bucks antlers until my buddy determined that was the buck he wanted to take. By then it was all about the meat and the bigger bodied buck got the ride home. So Neil is both dead and still alive. He’s both roaming the diamond glade and resting in the freezer. Feeding my buddys appetite and his motivation to get back out there again next season.
| sawfish New Member
Oct 28, 2021 at 4:43pm rh300um, harperc, and 7 more like this | Quote
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Scored 126 5/8 SCI #10 in Columbia Blacktails killed with a Handgun. Live weight 167 lbs. 8 points plus, eye guards. Official Score is yet to be determined but I estimate him to be in the SCI Top Ten Columbia Blacktails taken with a handgun. Armament was the same as last year, with the addition of the Shock Hammer bullet. Blued Steel T/C Encore Frame tuned by SSK and fitted with a Pachmayer Grip and Bullberry modified rifle forearm. The Bullberry 16 7/8" barrel in .35 Whelen Improved ensured consistent accuracy. Optics were a converted Burris Ballistic Plex 3 x 9 scope clamped to a Bullberry 6-hole elevated base by four Warne steel Maxima rings. I use this mounting set up on most of my hunting pistols, and it is a rock-solid arrangement.
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| jb338 Full Member
Oct 29, 2021 at 4:26am harperc and farleg like this | Quote
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| warrbuk Junior Member
Oct 29, 2021 at 9:01am rh300um, harperc, and 7 more like this | Quote
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My buddies 2021 CA Tule Elk
300 Win Mag. 174 HH
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| meatbuck Platinum Member
Oct 29, 2021 at 10:57am ButterBean and sawfish like this | Quote
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My buddies 2021 CA Tule Elk
300 Win Mag. 174 HH
Public or private? Looks like cattle land.
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| warrbuk Junior Member
Oct 29, 2021 at 4:10pm rh300um, harperc, and 2 more like this | Quote
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warrbuk said:
My buddies 2021 CA Tule Elk
300 Win Mag. 174 HH
Public or private? Looks like cattle land.
San Luis Reservoir tag No elk on the 800 Acres of public land you can archery hunt.
Plan B was to pay for private land access. Yes cattle land
Super fun hunt.
The 174 hammer hunter did the trick.
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| meatbuck Platinum Member
Oct 29, 2021 at 8:02pm harperc, ButterBean, and 1 more like this | Quote
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| spoonwasher New Member
Oct 30, 2021 at 4:29pm harperc, riceman, and 5 more like this | Quote
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| farleg Platinum Member
Oct 31, 2021 at 2:21am harperc, riceman, and 2 more like this | Quote
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Congrats
every animal no matter how big or small is a trophy IMO if it’s on the wall or just coming out of the oven it’s one to cherish & one that you can display with pride like you did here
Cheers
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| nwhunter55 New Member
Oct 31, 2021 at 11:46am harperc, riceman, and 5 more like this | Quote
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This load is 67 grains of W760 behind the 186 gr SH, showing no pressure signs. Not sure of velocity, I had readings of both 2750 and 3250 over my old shooting chrony.
I shot this big forked horn after watching two smaller horned forks since the season started. This guy I had never seen before.
I shot him at less than 50 yards so this was not really much of a test.
It was a bang flop with the bullet through the neck just forward of the shoulder.
This was the first game I have harvested with a Hammer.
Entrance and exit were both 338 caliber with very little blood shock.
I have used this same shot with other cup core bullets with the result being a large exit wound, blood shock and lots of blood on ground.
Anyway I don't have any doubt that this will be an effective elk load.
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| jakesch Senior Member
Nov 2, 2021 at 11:16am harperc, ButterBean, and 3 more like this | Quote
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Long story short, missed a great 330 class 6x6 on day 3 due to my turret off by a full rotation. Went back to zero instead of zero stop after shooting at 1000y. Last day of the season (day 5) took the first legal bull i had an opportunity at. The shot was steeply quartering away and went through flank, guts, paunch, lungs, and exited front shoulder (see exit in image below). That is a baseball sized exit wound after 3 to 4 feet of penetration.
I always wish I would take more photos of terminal performance but always forget in the moment. I found petals in the top round, in the hide off the guts, and in the lungs and several other locations.
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| dmii New Member
Nov 7, 2021 at 6:30pm harperc, riceman, and 3 more like this | Quote
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275 yd frontal shot , went 75 yds and fell over 1 petal pierced belly , zero meat lose
270 Winchester hammer hunter 117
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| me78569 Junior Member
Nov 22, 2021 at 8:13am harperc, riceman, and 3 more like this | Quote
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~50 yards with a hammer 124hh out of a 6.5 creedmanbun, worked great
The good news is the buck I have been watching for 2 years made it through the season and should be ready to take next year.
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| rausch Senior Member
Nov 24, 2021 at 7:49pm harperc, riceman, and 5 more like this | Quote
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| farleg Platinum Member
Nov 24, 2021 at 10:31pm harperc, rausch, and 1 more like this | Quote
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Congrats to you & your son
Cheers
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| ButterBean Platinum Member
Nov 25, 2021 at 8:06am harperc, riceman, and 7 more like this | Quote
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| discosteve Junior Member
Nov 25, 2021 at 10:28am harperc, riceman, and 10 more like this | Quote
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Anyway, I also put down a buck this morning with the 124gr. Shot out of my .308 CA MPR with a 16" barrel at 2800 fps. Shot was broadside, just inside 100 yards, the buck ran about 20 yards and piled up. Both lungs were jelly with a nice exit on the far side. I didn't hit either shoulder, so no wasted meat.
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| 140grain New Member
Nov 25, 2021 at 4:49pm harperc and farleg like this | Quote
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| quintus New Member
Nov 29, 2021 at 7:12am harperc, riceman, and 4 more like this | Quote
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| Tikka Full Member
Nov 29, 2021 at 6:15pm harperc, ButterBean, and 1 more like this | Quote
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Gday meatbuck
Great idea
We all have a different interpretation of successful & I for one have a wide interpretation & some memories that I will hold close to my heart till the day I die or can remember lol
I’ll post a few as time permits but first & foremost here’s my number 1 View Attachment
Cheers
Umm, some folks have alcohol addiction and some have drug addiction, you sir have a Hammer addiction!!!
And that’s a good addiction to have…
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| meatbuck Platinum Member
Nov 30, 2021 at 7:23pm harperc, riceman, and 3 more like this | Quote
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| harperc Global Moderator
Nov 30, 2021 at 8:22pm riceman and meatbuck like this | Quote
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| jamesmuhlbeier Full Member
Dec 1, 2021 at 2:44am harperc and quintus like this | Quote
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First Hammer kill for me. After 7 days of hard hunting West River South Dakota public land finally spotted a good mule buck at 1,400 yards. He was locked down with a doe in a side cut of a big draw. The wind was in my favor and I got into the draw un-noticed and worked all the way down where I could get onto a small rise. The doe and buck came out of the cut working to the pines. The tall 4x4 was kind enough to pause broadside at 237 yards and I sent the 117 grain HH on its way. I shot high shoulder and at the shot he reared, stiffened up, and fell over backwards. I was shooting a Weatherby Mark V SBGM (Ultra Lightweight) in .270 Win topped with a Vortex Razor LH 3-15x42. The bullet punched through the scapula and destroyed 3" of spine. The shank turned down a little and right and exited the opposite side leaving a 1.5" exit. That load is running 3405 from the muzzle from a W-W case, Federal 210M primer, and 61.8 grains of H Super Performance powder. I did not lose one ounce of meat! The little bit of both shoulders that was bruised/blood-shot is still easily clean enough to grind. I could not ask for better bullet performance. Thanks for all your help Steve!
Awesome! Which unit did you draw? I am in So Dak as well
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| jakesch Senior Member
Dec 3, 2021 at 9:25pm harperc, riceman, and 3 more like this | Quote
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Quartering to me, broke front shoulder and exited out ribs on far side. Bone is completely destroyed and liquified the lungs and yet she somehow still went 50 yards.
| carsyn22 Senior Member
Dec 4, 2021 at 1:35pm harperc and farleg like this | Quote
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I scratched on rifle season whitetail this year Thursday was our last day and I didn't see or hear or even jump anything except this coyote this ran past me. 143 gr LH through the shoulders folded her in her tracks just how she lay in the picture, only 35 yards but still it's fun and fast action as they move pretty quick when they are cruising trails. Great confidence builder.
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| harperc Global Moderator
Dec 4, 2021 at 2:36pm | Quote
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What kind of damage did you see with the LH?
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| meatbuck Platinum Member
Dec 4, 2021 at 11:10pm carsyn22, farleg, and 1 more like this | Quote
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First thing was prepping the old (2door) 4runner for a 10 day road trip. That entails removing the rear seats and installing a deck (that is our bed) with storage underneath. We each have a plastic underbed tote with clothes as well as one with camping possibles and a fourth with food and cook ware. Next a rug goes down on top of the deck then bed pads and bags, all covered with a canvas and a tarp. The foot of our bed folds up and the ice chest and case of water, boots, as well as last minute food items go there up against the back window. Have a rack that goes in the front receiver that has 5 gal water and 5 gal gas cans. Doubles as cooking surface, as well as a place to put bloody or tick infested game for the haul home. Can not access the underbed storage if the rack is in rear receiver location because it blocks the tailgate. Everything else like guns binos and packs go right on the bed behind our heads. Guns accessible from front seat in case a quick deployment is necessary.
Plan was to start making large loops, traveling through large swaths of the unit but always ending back at gas stations. We had a few loops mapped out and headed up Friday before the opener to run the first one. It took us to some good looking country but unfortunately a gate stopped us short of halfway. So we double back to the best looking country to glass it for the evening and make a plan for the morning hunt. We spotted three bears and a handful of deer including two small bucks. The plan was to cover the same country with glass again in the morning in hopes of a mature buck being in with those deer or somewheres else in the area.
By using the rig as camp we are able to sleep right where we want to hunt. We only have to remove the items from on top of the bed and place them atop the rig. But the ice chest goes next to the driver door for easier access to our beds. The food box pulls out on the tailgate for quick meal prep and each evening we get clean socks and unders out for the next morning. Packs stay outside overnight and guns move to the passengers seat for the night. Boots go on front floorboards and clothes go behind the seats under our head area. Water jug flops down on the rack for use washing hands, teeth and utensils.
Anyway we’re set up on the spot, rig in plain view, we are in plain view of the roadway while glassing that evening when a guy and kid pull up. They see us, then stop a couple hundred yards down and set up chairs and begin glassing the same stuff we are. I pull up stakes and walk down there to see what the deal was. I end up asking if they generally hunt right on top of other hunters or if they just weren’t aware of us. The guy says something about his son having a late season deer tag for the area and I inform him my son did as well and we start conversation. We talk in circles about who’s going where in the morning and ultimately I was undecided as darkness fell, due in large part to my glassing session being cut short and having to plan for these guys to be in the area. I’d explained that our approach would be to stay out of the canyon until we had a reason to go in after something. They were the walk through it and hope to jump one up kinda guys so I knew there was gonna be an issue from the start. Conversation ends with the guy saying he’ll stop and talk in the morning before hunting. Ensured they wouldn’t interfere with our tentative plans and even said we would likely not even see them.
Next morning comes, they buzz right on by us, park up the road and hike into the head of the canyon we were glassing. I knew eventually we would see them but it wasn’t until about 10am that they appeared on the same ridge I told them the deer were on. We had already seen the deer and no new bucks had shown. But it was still discouraging so we pulled out and hit the north face to do some still hunting along the forest service road. That turned up nothing but a squirrel hunter, a sxs full of old men, two yuppies on electric bikes and the guy and son j4 hunters.
I asked the guy where they ended up hunting and he gives me a runaround answer about the whole deal, everything from driving past us and not talking to walking down the ridge we told them the deer were on. Eventually he starts in about a forked horn buck they jumped and about how on Thursday he saw a big buck in there and blah blah blah. Apparently they didn’t have a back up plan in case they ran into other hunters so he pulled what I would refer to as a “dick-move” by walking through the stuff we were glassing. Somehow we got on the subject of hammer bullets and they hadn’t heard of them. Gave em a quick rundown of hammer and told em about the forum. (Think guys name was Zach)
After all the people went by, they hit the gate, turned around and a while later they went back by us. We went back to camp to eat lunch and reassess. The j4 hunters had even stopped midday to glass the canyon while we were away from the spot (we could hear their vehicles exhaust stop and not come back down the switchback so I knew what they were up to). A bit later they drive away and another truck comes past us. I decide that we would just do our glassing thing there that evening in hopes of seeing or shooting something that would give us reason to enter the canyon. However no sooner do I make that decision when another truck pulls up where the j4 guys were glassing. They dump out two dogs and start yelling “ find a bear, get a bear” repeatedly. I waived to them from camp but they were distracted with something in the truck. About 10min go by when they yell at the dogs to load up and come cruising up towards us. A massive cloud of marijuana smoke is billowing out of the cab as the passenger asks us if everyone is ok. I just shook my head and said yup. That was the last straw. We loaded up immediately and got back on the road. Hit the gas station for a top off, snagged some tortillas at the store and attempted to get past the private land and back to public before dark. We put eyes on some of the country and crossed off one road (too thick with reprod) before dark. We pulled off on the next road that looked good on the map and made a new camp. (Pulled into flat spot, unloaded ice chest and whatnot, dropped tailgate, bam, camp ready for dinner).
We ate dinner, made a game plan for the following day and then climbed in the sardine can for the night. Next morning we walk that road out towards private and what I guessed would be another gate. The area was burned and logged so it made for good visuals (as I hate the confinement of timber). We still hunted the road until we found a trail camera so naturally I drop pack and go snag the sd card. Drop the files to my phone then replace the card. This camera points at the road near a water source. As I scroll the photos my jaw drops. There’s a giant Boone and Crockett buck on there. Full velvet, massive 4x4 buck. And there’s not just one or two crappy pics, it’s a full blown photo shoot with all the angles of his rack. An incredible show from an incredible buck. Now we are jacked to be there even though it was 10am and we hadn’t seen a deer. We end up covering about 2.5 miles back along that road before it opens up to a brush field and then the private timber cuts. Took most the day to get there but I knew we walked extra slow so walking a normal gate back to camp would put us there just about dark. We definitely hunted our way back to the truck but at a much faster pace... the results were the same, no deer.
On the walk back we make plans to snag the truck and drive it to a point along the road that allows us to get to the open country much earlier in the day. We pack up quickly and make the short drive to our third camp destination in as many nights. Planned to still hunt the road up to the openings then glass. We’d only do a half day unless the deer activity warranted more time. 8amish we hit the open country having seen nothing in the burnt timber. Make our way out a small logging skid towards a corner of public land. As we ease down the road we look downhill and ahead, Eventually coming to a corner. My boy had the outside line and asks me “what’s that?” In reference to the road ahead, I don’t see anything so I ease his direction and immediately see what he sees. A deer. A buck. My son just kinda stands there and watches so I start barking orders.” Put a shell in”. “Pop your scope caps”. “Sit down” “ take off your backpack strap from your shoulder”. He’s dicking around while the buck is slinking up the broken hillside, stopping and presenting shots from 100-200yds along the way. Finally my son gets his act together as the buck crests the ridge. Gone. It was just a young forked horn buck and I let my boy know he had just failed his practice test and that he was lucky it wasn’t a big buck. We kinda joke around a bit then head the direction the buck went. Jumped a doe downhill from the road shortly after but saw nothing while glassing so we stuck to the half day plan and ended up having late breakfast at the truck at noontime. Made a new plan, picked a new area, loaded up the truck and we’re back on the search for deer.
We decided to really move this time so we headed for the southwest side of the unit from the northeast. In 4 hours we crossed off a handful of short logging roads that didn’t produce oak trees or deer, the two things we were in search of. I was just saying how in 4hrs of travel through the forest we hadn’t seen a single deer when in the road in front of us stood a buck. A small forkie once again. I told the boy to get out and practice. He got out, popped scope cap, loaded a round and got a good rest (in the door frame) and could’ve filled his tag right there. Passed this practice test. I watch the buck listening behind him and knew there was likely more to this encounter. I told the boy to ease over there after the buck walked down off the road and look for more deer. As he is screwing around up the road I shut down the rig and watch him do his thing. After a bit he raises his rifle and scans something down to the right out of my view. Then again but this time he’s attempting to kneel while looking through the glass. I’m getting the feeling he sees a bigger deer there and finally he kneels down and sets the rifle down on the bipod. Now I’m confused. He no sooner looks back and gives the universal sign for big buck. The kind that requires you to put down your gun to make antlers with each hand. So I whisper up to him “you gonna kill it?” And he gives me this strange look and murmurs something about no clear shot.
This prompts me to exit the rig and ease up the road edge to his position. I get a quick rundown on the situation and see the buck is further out than I’d take an offhand shot and there’s some roadside foliage blocking the shot. Ends up being a couple does and smaller bucks there too so I know immediately this buck is thinking with the wrong head and is in big trouble. My son was being too cautious based on his general season hunting experience of these super weary critters. Which wasn’t a bad thing but I knew we needed to get aggressive and move in closer. So as the buck followed one of the does away from us and out of sight we cut off 75ish yards. Thinking the deer were going around the small knob and would reappear back on the road ahead of us I was surprised when my son stopped and said “there he is”. About 100yds out standing atop the knob facing us, had us pegged. This is where I thought it may end. The boy pulls up, gets ready to hit the bang button on the bucks throat and the buck puts his head down and starts our direction. A few steps, stops, stares. Boy gets ready to shoot, buck starts walking. Same thing happened probably 4 times before a few trees in a row block our movement and I have him drop to a knee for a more steady shot as we are now both shaking like a leaf. Finally the buck walks into view, probably 45yds out, slightly quartering too. I stop him with a classic excited “bet, beeet” mouth grunt. By now I can clearly see this buck is what we came for, 4x4 outside the ears, clean forks, big eye guards. I’m jacked. Glance at my sons finger that’s now on the kill switch and just had time to look back at the buck when he let er rip.
Buck takes it hard, jumps up and holds the near side leg up as he turns and bounds downhill out of sight. In excitement I squeeze the life out of my sons shoulders as he’s trying to rack another round. Then I quickly ask if his gun is safe and reloaded and we run off the hill towards the buck. Look off over the burnt clear cut and just see a doe standing there. No buck, no noise, just a doe that looks towards where the buck went then goes back to feeding with no concern for us or otherwise. I start to get that uneasy feeling and start back towards the bucks position when the shot was fired. I confirm the tracks we saw lead to that spot so we have that to go on but not a single hair or blood drop. The rocky ground was colored so that each dark spot on the rocks looked like a spot of blood but every time it wasn’t. By now we’re catching a bit of a chill and it’s getting dark. Suns down and dusk is closing in, the truck is abandoned in the road with the doors open and we turn our attention back to the spot of the shot. So as I retrieve the rig my son finds his empty case and I drive down a bit further to pull off. We get an extra shirt on, get headlamps and I get the tp roll for marking the tracks.
After getting back on the bucks track we find it goes into some short brush and without any blood in the foliage to follow the tracks get lost. We continue downhill the direction I thought the deer went and the same doe is still there acting like there’s nothing going on. In the fading light I made sure my son scoped her to ensure it wasn’t the buck. I made a comment like “hopefully he’s dead on that old logging skid road between us and her”. After about 60yds I got back on his track. Now really pronounced and looking like he’s loosing it the scuff marks continue downhill past a big stump. I stand up on the stump and look down over the old road and there laying dead in that skid road is the buck. I verbally nudge my son to turn his attention down to the road and he sees the buck. I grab him and give him a big hug and told him “that’s it, it’s over, we did it”.
I then start talking to the doe who had come up to the road to check things out. She couldn’t have cared any less about us, I was saying ,” ma’am, excuse me ma’am, can I help you with something?” She didn’t even look just mosied off up the road. After we messed with the doe I asked my boy if he was gonna go check out his buck so we dropped down to the road and walked upon the buck. His dark chocolate colored antlers were covered in green shreds of freshly stripped tree bark. He smelled like rut and was laying there as if he had peacefully laid down and kinda tipped over to one side. A small bit of blood was there beside him.
There was just enough time to get some decent photos before having to use the flash on the camera but we made the most of it and before long the fun was over and the work began. I left him to fill out his tag while I walked that road back up to the main road and to the rig. Unfortunately there was a downed tree about half way up so I drove down to it and walked back to the buck to tell my boy we had some dragging to do. Luckily it wasn’t more than 100yds or so but it was all uphill. I gutted the buck and we noticed just how tick infested the poor guy was. Had engorged ticks all over his belly. Thought we’d found the exit but it was just some popped ticks. Anyway we drug him up to the truck and realized the he was too heavy to lift to the rack so we repositioned the truck and deer to where I could drive head on into the hillside and roll him on the rack. Pulled up to the main road and just across was a burnt ranger outpost/station. The cement pad was still there so I nosed up to it and split the buck open some more to cool as well as pulled the lungs and heart out. Dumped the blood out there and then strapped him on the rack so his hair didn’t rub off on anything and so his antlers didn’t do the same while driving off the mountain and back home. Was careful in doing so as we knew he was headed to the taxidermist. I propped a stick in his ribs to keep the cavity open. That forced the cool mountain and eventually moist valley air into the body cavity as we drove home. Shot was around 4:15p, we left the scene about 8p and got home about 11:10p.
Even though the trip was shortened by success it was all we could ask for. Except for weather, coulda used some cooler wetter weather. For me it was about seeing my son harvest a buck of a lifetime and have a great time doing it. He definitely got a lesson on being too slow behind the gun but he learned from it and capitalized on the opportunity when it counted most. For him I think it was more about getting a week off from school to spend with me. Obviously he loves to hunt and takes it seriously but I don’t think he would’ve been too terribly disappointed if darkness fell on the last day and he still had a tag in his pocket. That would’ve been the tenth day stuck sleeping in a sardine can with his stinky old dad. The tenth day of chasing that buck he’d been dreaming of. The tenth day of adventure that goes along with the chase. I know more memories would’ve come from a longer trip but I don’t think I’d change anything except, well, for the love of god, just shoot the dang thing in the neck next time!
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| meatbuck Platinum Member
Dec 4, 2021 at 11:43pm farleg likes this | Quote
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| farleg Platinum Member
Dec 5, 2021 at 12:46am harperc and meatbuck like this | Quote
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Memories forever
Courtesy in this world is becoming a think of the past which is a pity
Cheers
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| farleg Platinum Member
Dec 5, 2021 at 1:26am harperc likes this | Quote
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Nice animals everyone!
I scratched on rifle season whitetail this year Thursday was our last day and I didn't see or hear or even jump anything except this coyote this ran past me. 143 gr LH through the shoulders folded her in her tracks just how she lay in the picture, only 35 yards but still it's fun and fast action as they move pretty quick when they are cruising trails. Great confidence builder.<button disabled="" class="c-attachment-insert--linked o-btn--sm">Attachment Deleted</button>
Gday carsyn22
fast & fun nothing better
Love taking young ones out & watching the running shots connect it brings a smile like no other regardless of the game & yes great confidence builders
well done sir
cheers
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| meatbuck Platinum Member
Dec 5, 2021 at 10:56am harperc, carsyn22, and 1 more like this | Quote
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Thanks for sharing meatbuck that’s a pi$$er
Memories forever
Courtesy in this world is becoming a think of the past which is a pity
Cheers
Agreed.
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| carsyn22 Senior Member
Dec 5, 2021 at 1:20pm harperc, riceman, and 2 more like this | Quote
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I love shooting coyotes. Rarely skip an opportunity regardless of the hunt.
What kind of damage did you see with the LH?
Very little damage actually I didn't bother opening up the chest cavity because I'm confident the petals would go right through based on info that farleg has posted, these thing aren't more than about 4" thick at the shoulders. entrance was caliber size exit was about 3/4" and only one hole so I'd say the petals were still hanging close to the shank.
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| sawfish New Member
Dec 6, 2021 at 1:51pm harperc, ButterBean, and 7 more like this | Quote
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The little gun as envisioned by J. D. Jones was chambered for the .358 JDJ sometimes referred to as the .358 x .444 because it is based on the .444 Marlin case necked down to 35 Caliber. This Little Beast delivers the power of a .358 Winchester rifle in a handgun sized package. Its throaty roar and hefty recoil leave no doubt that you have indeed encountered a J.D. Jones “Hand Cannon”. Squeezing the trigger on the Contender destroyed the reverie of the forest and put my quarry unto full flight. I mentally replayed the aftermath of the shot. My sight picture was good. Tail down. Flat out running. No leaping. All of these can be indicators of a fatal hit. I received a text from Cousin asking about the shot. Told him I thought it was 50/50 without inspection. We agreed to wait two hours before taking up the trail.
After the appropriate wait and a little searching, we found a handsome Louisiana Swamp Buck piled up a next the creek bank. The little JDJ had done its job as had the 200 grain Remington Core-Lokt. The old deer sported a perfect 8 Point Rack and weighed 160.2 pounds.
T/C blued Contender frame; Custom 10.5” barrel with MagNaport porting. Simmons 2 x 7 scope clamped to a TSOB base by four Burris Zee rings. Custom tuned trigger, fitted with Pachmayer Gripper grips and forend. Standard hunting load is the
R-P 200 gr PSP over 53.0 gr. of AA-2520. Distance to kill 71 yards.
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| justjay New Member
Dec 18, 2021 at 5:33pm harperc, riceman, and 8 more like this | Quote
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So it's been a few months, due to getting my arse kicked by COVID and life in general since the trip here's my 2021 Wyoming Mulie. 7mm WSM 131HH (per Steve's recommendation, and I cannot thank you enough!) 218yrds. 1/4 away, shot entrance on the near side hind quarter bullet made it to the far side front shoulder under the hide. He was DRT, no meat loss.
The new guy I was up on the mountain with jacked the night up by deciding to walk right thru the bedding area and push everything out where we intended to sit. I decided that rather sit and waste time, I moved back about a mile closer to the truck and chill out on a rock formation that overlooks a sliver of dark timber. I didn't even get set up when I saw him feeding out into the sage..Poof done, 10 minute sit.
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| sawfish New Member
Dec 21, 2021 at 11:38am harperc and justjay like this | Quote
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| mausermike Full Member
Jan 11, 2022 at 12:14pm harperc, ButterBean, and 6 more like this | Quote
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| meatbuck Platinum Member
Jan 12, 2022 at 7:55am harperc likes this | Quote
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2021 was one for the books. The 4 elk were all taken in less than 2 weeks and all required quartering and packing out, thank god none of them long packs. I could have filled my tag as well but with 5 whitetails and my wife's cow in the freezer already it seemed a bit much, so I just reveled in the success of others. It's a good thing, we'd have had to buy another freezer. Those two bulls were taken the same evening with about an hour of daylight and we got them both out by 9 with an army of help that showed up.
How many were hammer kills?
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| mausermike Full Member
Jan 12, 2022 at 8:27am harperc, jb338, and 1 more like this | Quote
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mausermike said:
2021 was one for the books. The 4 elk were all taken in less than 2 weeks and all required quartering and packing out, thank god none of them long packs. I could have filled my tag as well but with 5 whitetails and my wife's cow in the freezer already it seemed a bit much, so I just reveled in the success of others. It's a good thing, we'd have had to buy another freezer. Those two bulls were taken the same evening with about an hour of daylight and we got them both out by 9 with an army of help that showed up.
How many were hammer kills?
None, I just discovered Hammer Bullets. I'm slow on the uptake. My wife's cow was killed with a single Barnes 200gr TTSX from my 35 Whelen AI, my whitetail buck and the doe and little buck killed by my youngest killed were Nosler 100gr Partitions from his 6.5 Grendel, the doe my older boy killed was with a Sierra 140gr Game King from his 6.5x55 Swede, and my doe was killed with my 54 Hawken and a 425gr Hornady Great Plains. The 2 bulls, my nephew used a 6.5 Needsmore Ruger American, Tris used a Pre 64 Mod 70 he inherited from his grandad in 300 Win mag, I know nothing about the ammo they used, likely factory stuff. The cow my buddy Don (the boys godfather) was killed with his handloads from his old Rem 700 06. I don't know what bullet he used, but I do recall it failed miserably. Spine shot at 360yds and it didn't penetrate all the way through and failed to expand to boot. Luckily she went down and was unable to get back up before we closed the distance and finished her.
| richcotte Platinum Member
Jan 12, 2022 at 9:04pm harperc, riceman, and 3 more like this | Quote
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Well, my personal success this year happened in archery season with a nice whitetail doe. Can’t really call it hunting since I shot her in the front yard, but at least I put meat in the freezer. A bad back put me down for most of rifle season, so that was all i could manage.
The real success for me this year was taking this young man out and introducing him to the sport we all love. After dodging a grizzly that decided to haunt our chosen creek bottom for most of the afternoon, Drew managed to get within 50 yards of a good sized doe (all he had was a doe tag) and spent about 15 minutes staring at each other until she turned and gave him a pretty broadside.
Drew’s a 100% disabled veteran who was medically retired due to injuries received in Syria. His great grandfather was the last in his family to hunt, and his goal is to learn as much as he can about all kinds of hunting so he can bring the tradition back to his family.
I can’t wait to take him turkey and bear hunting this spring…
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| farleg Platinum Member
Jan 13, 2022 at 1:48am harperc and jb338 like this | Quote
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Not Hammer related, but I’m going to get him started reloading so he can fall prey to the same addiction we all suffer from.
Well, my personal success this year happened in archery season with a nice whitetail doe. Can’t really call it hunting since I shot her in the front yard, but at least I put meat in the freezer. A bad back put me down for most of rifle season, so that was all i could manage.
The real success for me this year was taking this young man out and introducing him to the sport we all love. After dodging a grizzly that decided to haunt our chosen creek bottom for most of the afternoon, Drew managed to get within 50 yards of a good sized doe (all he had was a doe tag) and spent about 15 minutes staring at each other until she turned and gave him a pretty broadside.
Drew’s a 100% disabled veteran who was medically retired due to injuries received in Syria. His great grandfather was the last in his family to hunt, and his goal is to learn as much as he can about all kinds of hunting so he can bring the tradition back to his family.
I can’t wait to take him turkey and bear hunting this spring…
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Gday rich
I wholeheartedly disagree with you
This has everything to do with being hammer related
I need say only one more line
I tip my hat to you sir your a gem
Cheers
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| quintus New Member
Feb 18, 2022 at 8:52pm ButterBean and gltaylor like this | Quote
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quintus said:
First Hammer kill for me. After 7 days of hard hunting West River South Dakota public land finally spotted a good mule buck at 1,400 yards. He was locked down with a doe in a side cut of a big draw. The wind was in my favor and I got into the draw un-noticed and worked all the way down where I could get onto a small rise. The doe and buck came out of the cut working to the pines. The tall 4x4 was kind enough to pause broadside at 237 yards and I sent the 117 grain HH on its way. I shot high shoulder and at the shot he reared, stiffened up, and fell over backwards. I was shooting a Weatherby Mark V SBGM (Ultra Lightweight) in .270 Win topped with a Vortex Razor LH 3-15x42. The bullet punched through the scapula and destroyed 3" of spine. The shank turned down a little and right and exited the opposite side leaving a 1.5" exit. That load is running 3405 from the muzzle from a W-W case, Federal 210M primer, and 61.8 grains of H Super Performance powder. I did not lose one ounce of meat! The little bit of both shoulders that was bruised/blood-shot is still easily clean enough to grind. I could not ask for better bullet performance. Thanks for all your help Steve!
Awesome! Which unit did you draw? I am in So Dak as well
We were in 49B. it was tough this year. We put 65 miles on the boots this year and saw one mature muley. Even driving around looking at private land I was amazed at the limited numbers compared to most years. I have hunted out there for the last 18 years in zones 15A, 15B, 49A, and 49B and this year we saw notably less dear than any other. Still, a fantastic hunt.
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| jamesmuhlbeier Full Member
Mar 27, 2022 at 12:30am ButterBean likes this | Quote
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jamesmuhlbeier said:
Awesome! Which unit did you draw? I am in So Dak as well
We were in 49B. it was tough this year. We put 65 miles on the boots this year and saw one mature muley. Even driving around looking at private land I was amazed at the limited numbers compared to most years. I have hunted out there for the last 18 years in zones 15A, 15B, 49A, and 49B and this year we saw notably less dear than any other. Still, a fantastic hunt.
I saw the same a bit further north than you.
