2023 Big Game Success Thread
- Thread starter MeatBuck
- Start date
This mature buck was taken with the .284 131HH in 7mm RM last week at 215 yds. Shot was broadside behind shoulder. Deer made a 35 yd. death run at impact. Chest cavity was full of blood and didn’t notice much petal damage unless they were close to shank. Exit hole was about 1-1 1/4”.
Attachments
andron
Hammer Time Executive member
This years success, 4x4 whitetail taken with 280AI 120 grain HH muzzle velocity 3470 fps. Shot was slightly quartered towards at 274 yds. I either slightly pulled the shot or he stepped forwards as I pulled the trigger as the hit was farther back than I would have liked, entry was thru ribs and the rear of lungs then passed Thru the diaphragm and front of the stomach exit was the shank and one large petal chunk. No bone contact on either entrance or exits. Most deer I have seen hit like this have run quite a ways before dropping, this buck jumped at impact and fell within 6 ft. Body cavity just sloshed and when field dressed everything more or less poured out. I was in a rush to get the cavity rinsed out and spaced the pictures, sorry.
DiscoSteve
Hammer Time Executive member
7mm strikes twice! Good pics and write ups!
joe16
Hammer Time Executive member
Congratulations and thanks for the story. What I love about Hammer bullets is that they kill at the edge of the pie plate. We all know the analogy "all you need to do is hit a pie plate", but that was never good enough. Now we have a pill that kills at the edge of the pie plate!!! Dead right there
That's what hammers do...
That's what hammers do...
Farleg
Hammer Time Executive member
Gday
Congrats to bodeen & andron
@bodeen what is the rough width of that the penertration length
@andron I really like your honesty on might be your shot or he moved
First class
By the way we relay this information on actuals we help everyone
Nice observations &
Totally agree with those shots are the ones that usually end in long runs or lost animals ( I’ve recovered most that confirms a pill’s weakness although some you need a mask for as stink after a couple days / weeks is terrible)
Cheers
Cheers
Congrats to bodeen & andron
@bodeen what is the rough width of that the penertration length
@andron I really like your honesty on might be your shot or he moved
First class
By the way we relay this information on actuals we help everyone
Nice observations &
Totally agree with those shots are the ones that usually end in long runs or lost animals ( I’ve recovered most that confirms a pill’s weakness although some you need a mask for as stink after a couple days / weeks is terrible)
Cheers
Cheers
Probably close to 12” +\-Gday
Congrats to bodeen & andron
@bodeen what is the rough width of that the penertration length
@andron I really like your honesty on might be your shot or he moved
First class
By the way we relay this information on actuals we help everyone
Nice observations &
Totally agree with those shots are the ones that usually end in long runs or lost animals ( I’ve recovered most that confirms a pill’s weakness although some you need a mask for as stink after a couple days / weeks is terrible)
Cheers
Cheers
Sprint1006
Active member
Southern Oregon double the second to last day of deer season and my Idaho buck from a couple weeks prior. The 131 grain hammer hunters did there job well this year.
I was successful in getting some fresh air this season, rifle season ended yesterday it’s only two weeks long, one month of muzzleloader season happened for the month of October. Saw a tiny little fawn second time out in muzzleloader season, some of you southerners would probably call it a big’un looking at you @joe16 and @gltaylor! I let it passed thinking I had lots of time yet. I saw a few but always so far through the bush all I could see was a glimpse or two of the white flags. Two most common methods of hunting here are truck hunting and pushing bush, and the deer are well trained on those, I’m not keen to participate in either, especially the truck hunting as that’s not even legal.
Yesterday morning I finally had a chance to pull the trigger on a small buck right at sunrise. My rangefinder had gone down so I was guessing distance, I couldn’t get him to stop or turn my way, he couldn’t hear me, so I held where I thought and touched off, he hunched and ran. I waited quite a while, had my coffee and watched a doe much closer but didn’t shoot because I had to go follow up the buck first.
Went to check the shot, and found the tracks hoof prints running at first the after he got out of sight slowed to a walk, only one drop of blood near impact. Tracked him 150 yards just by following hoof prints in the short frosted grass, and it became apparent that I just scratched his underside and scared him a bit.
I went back to my perch on the hill had a water break and a buddy came up a few minutes later, I borrowed his range finder and yup I was off exactly enough to only graze the deer. Oh well I’m going to have to upgrade my elcheapo rangefinder situation.
Yesterday morning I finally had a chance to pull the trigger on a small buck right at sunrise. My rangefinder had gone down so I was guessing distance, I couldn’t get him to stop or turn my way, he couldn’t hear me, so I held where I thought and touched off, he hunched and ran. I waited quite a while, had my coffee and watched a doe much closer but didn’t shoot because I had to go follow up the buck first.
Went to check the shot, and found the tracks hoof prints running at first the after he got out of sight slowed to a walk, only one drop of blood near impact. Tracked him 150 yards just by following hoof prints in the short frosted grass, and it became apparent that I just scratched his underside and scared him a bit.
I went back to my perch on the hill had a water break and a buddy came up a few minutes later, I borrowed his range finder and yup I was off exactly enough to only graze the deer. Oh well I’m going to have to upgrade my elcheapo rangefinder situation.
Attachments
unclecroc
Active member
I was presented the opportunity to fill up the freezer last Tuesday. I took both these does with my Winchester 1885 high wall 6mm creedmoor. I was using the 88 hammer hunter at 3480fps. I shot one behind the shoulder for a double lung and she only went 30 yards. The other stood behind a tree with only her head an neck showing and that’s all I needed. I shot her in the ear and she went straight down. Bothe shots were 50 yards.
Very typical hammer performance on the one behind the shoulder. 1.5” entrance hole in the ribs a mess in between and a 3/4” exit with two petals out the ribs. I don’t know if a petal went through the guts or if the gut ruptured from pressure but I had gut all through the chest cavity.
unclecroc
Active member
Filled my last tag last night with the 6mm creed and the 88 hammer hunter. 207 yards 2882 fps impact. Caliber entry in the ribs and the exit of the shank was 3/4 inch I’d say all petals exited. Dropped on the shot and barely twitched afterwards.
The liver was gone the back if the lungs were shredded and it popped the gut open.
Best I can figure there’s an immense amount of pressure in the body cavity on the shot to keep popping the gut.
The liver was gone the back if the lungs were shredded and it popped the gut open.
Best I can figure there’s an immense amount of pressure in the body cavity on the shot to keep popping the gut.
unclecroc
Active member
Thank you sirWell done and good job reporting!
I am Green with envy. What a beautiful rifle
greener (with envy) yet!
JakeSCH
Member
tagged a small buck, a young bull and an old cow with 260 gr HH out of my 338 RUM this fall.
Buck was close, 100y quarter away and DRT. Cow went a few yards and bedded (liver shot), and I finished her off.
The bull was most interesting, made a good shot 450 yards. He ran 15 yards and collapsed, got back up and reared like a horse and crashed into a bush. That crash sprayed his lungs 3' from his body.
This is my second bull that i have shot with this bullet / rifle combo who expired in a bush. It is interesting...especially in my second photo where it looks like it is still standing.
Buck was close, 100y quarter away and DRT. Cow went a few yards and bedded (liver shot), and I finished her off.
The bull was most interesting, made a good shot 450 yards. He ran 15 yards and collapsed, got back up and reared like a horse and crashed into a bush. That crash sprayed his lungs 3' from his body.
This is my second bull that i have shot with this bullet / rifle combo who expired in a bush. It is interesting...especially in my second photo where it looks like it is still standing.
Last edited:
