This one is for @gltaylor.
I have been hunting a specific buck since mid October. See him few times but no shots. Never saw him during firearm season here. I am beat up from age, back and recent knee strain. We got 5-6" snow yesterday, was 22° with 10-15mph wind perfect for a spot near where I park truck on public land. I decided if buck was "ok" was going to pull trigger since season closes Thursday. I was hunting a spot incredibly close to busy road. Everyone walks right by it. In 2019 I killed a 156 7/8 in same spot. Killed doe there earlier this year with new Wicked Ridge Fury 410 crossbow. So weather really cold, fresh snow, right wind added up to force myself to get there. Ride was 4x4 on many icy roads. Set up same spot, wind chill was 7° so was fun wind in face. About 45 min from last legal light, Buck steps out of small swamp and crosses in front of me. Everything is lined up perfectly. As he crosses in front of a 4" downed limb, I thought slug would clear since once he gets past there, tougher to get shot. Squeeze boom and he stops "WTH was that?".
I think "WTH" was that too? I made perfect kill shot on that limb!!! Shocked! He slowly slinks away and unexplicately worked his way around me. I think he did not feel shot was at him which was crazy! He was walking away then turned direction and small gap opened with quartering to shot at about 70yds. My slug gun is deadly accurate (HONEST 2" at 100 yds) out to 125 and ok at 150 with 1 1/4oz slug I reload @1450fps. Its a freight train when it hits. Shotgun is 870 with Hastings 26" bull barrel, Timney trigger spring upgrade at 2.5#. Old Nikon 2x7 still works fine. Remington thumbhole stock set helps a lot too. I put crosshair just inside his right leg on brisket and squeezed off shot. He shuddered and sat back on hind end like a dog sitting then death run 50yds. Its not a "big" buck but I am very proud of him due to how hard I hunted this year at my age and all the crap I was fighting to get into the woods. I felt the weather conditions were identical to when I killed the nice buck in 2019 so just had to go. Sometimes your gut feel just has to be played out. This time it worked. My son lives 35 min away but drove out to drag it out for since I just could not due to all the crap I was fighting. VERY lucky Dad. He is a good man.
So for you @gltaylor the buck was really run down from the rut so his weight was really down. You could feel his spine through his hide. When we hoisted him up on scale he was 160 dressed. I bet he would have been at least 30-40#'s heavier in October. He is a really long body deer.
Note: a shot like this when you run 1 1/4oz slug full length wise of deer, it's not "pleasant" to field dress.
I have been hunting a specific buck since mid October. See him few times but no shots. Never saw him during firearm season here. I am beat up from age, back and recent knee strain. We got 5-6" snow yesterday, was 22° with 10-15mph wind perfect for a spot near where I park truck on public land. I decided if buck was "ok" was going to pull trigger since season closes Thursday. I was hunting a spot incredibly close to busy road. Everyone walks right by it. In 2019 I killed a 156 7/8 in same spot. Killed doe there earlier this year with new Wicked Ridge Fury 410 crossbow. So weather really cold, fresh snow, right wind added up to force myself to get there. Ride was 4x4 on many icy roads. Set up same spot, wind chill was 7° so was fun wind in face. About 45 min from last legal light, Buck steps out of small swamp and crosses in front of me. Everything is lined up perfectly. As he crosses in front of a 4" downed limb, I thought slug would clear since once he gets past there, tougher to get shot. Squeeze boom and he stops "WTH was that?".
I think "WTH" was that too? I made perfect kill shot on that limb!!! Shocked! He slowly slinks away and unexplicately worked his way around me. I think he did not feel shot was at him which was crazy! He was walking away then turned direction and small gap opened with quartering to shot at about 70yds. My slug gun is deadly accurate (HONEST 2" at 100 yds) out to 125 and ok at 150 with 1 1/4oz slug I reload @1450fps. Its a freight train when it hits. Shotgun is 870 with Hastings 26" bull barrel, Timney trigger spring upgrade at 2.5#. Old Nikon 2x7 still works fine. Remington thumbhole stock set helps a lot too. I put crosshair just inside his right leg on brisket and squeezed off shot. He shuddered and sat back on hind end like a dog sitting then death run 50yds. Its not a "big" buck but I am very proud of him due to how hard I hunted this year at my age and all the crap I was fighting to get into the woods. I felt the weather conditions were identical to when I killed the nice buck in 2019 so just had to go. Sometimes your gut feel just has to be played out. This time it worked. My son lives 35 min away but drove out to drag it out for since I just could not due to all the crap I was fighting. VERY lucky Dad. He is a good man.So for you @gltaylor the buck was really run down from the rut so his weight was really down. You could feel his spine through his hide. When we hoisted him up on scale he was 160 dressed. I bet he would have been at least 30-40#'s heavier in October. He is a really long body deer.
Note: a shot like this when you run 1 1/4oz slug full length wise of deer, it's not "pleasant" to field dress.
!
