Take the Varmint gun & see the big buck

603Country · December 30, 2011, 08:07 PM

I knew it would happen when I picked up the 223 to go to the woods this afternoon. All season I've been looking for the big 10 point that I saw 2 days before the season opened. Since then I've been hard at it, and armed with the 270 or the 260. Finally I gave up and took a nice 8 point (in this county you can only kill one basket rack buck and he has to meet minimum rack measurement). So today, knowing that I wasn't going to shoot a buck and hoping that the live coyotes would come to the dead one (aka 'bait') that I had dumped in the field, I took the 223. As I did so I did think to myself, with a smile, that I'd probably see that big buck if I had the little rifle. Well, as sure as death and taxes, here he came - walking slowly within about 80 yards of me around 5 pm. And then, about 30 minutes later he came back from my right and walked 40 yards in front of me. Nice buck. Real young. Wait till next year.

BIGR · December 30, 2011, 08:21 PM

Usually that is the way it happens. Relax, maybe he will make it to next season and will be a big boy.

shortwave · December 31, 2011, 05:50 PM

I usually have the wrong gun in my hand also when the big buck shows up.

Saltydog235 · January 4, 2012, 07:26 AM

Pin him in the high shoulder right and you can take him with a .223 or in the ear, a good Taxidermist can hide the mess.

jrothWA · January 4, 2012, 11:20 AM

Winchester 64gr Power-points in pocket for these occasions.

80 then 40 yds, you would have no problem,placing the shot right!

But there's alway next year.

603Country · January 4, 2012, 01:14 PM

I had the varmint gun, but I shoot the 65 gr Sierra GK in it, so I could have taken the buck if I'd wanted to. Once I saw him up close in good light, it was obvious that he was real young. Best to leave him for next year, since I already had all the deer meat that I needed (says my Wife). The next evening I took the 260 and I saw him again. He stayed out in front of me for maybe 45 minutes, sniffing each of the 9 does that showed up before he did. He didn't 'approach' any of them, so I guess they were out of heat. When the season died with the light of the last day, I was happy to know that buck was working hard on my whitetail gene pool.

December 30, 2011, 08:07 PM	#1
603Country Senior Member Join Date: January 6, 2011 Location: Thornton, Texas Posts: 3,998	Take the Varmint gun & see the big buck I knew it would happen when I picked up the 223 to go to the woods this afternoon. All season I've been looking for the big 10 point that I saw 2 days before the season opened. Since then I've been hard at it, and armed with the 270 or the 260. Finally I gave up and took a nice 8 point (in this county you can only kill one basket rack buck and he has to meet minimum rack measurement). So today, knowing that I wasn't going to shoot a buck and hoping that the live coyotes would come to the dead one (aka 'bait') that I had dumped in the field, I took the 223. As I did so I did think to myself, with a smile, that I'd probably see that big buck if I had the little rifle. Well, as sure as death and taxes, here he came - walking slowly within about 80 yards of me around 5 pm. And then, about 30 minutes later he came back from my right and walked 40 yards in front of me. Nice buck. Real young. Wait till next year.

January 4, 2012, 11:20 AM	#5
jrothWA Senior Member Join Date: November 11, 2006 Posts: 2,519	carry some extra rounds of .. Winchester 64gr Power-points in pocket for these occasions. 80 then 40 yds, you would have no problem,placing the shot right! But there's alway next year.

December 30, 2011, 08:21 PM	#2
BIGR Senior Member Join Date: June 13, 2000 Location: Mountains Posts: 1,385	Usually that is the way it happens. Relax, maybe he will make it to next season and will be a big boy.

December 31, 2011, 05:50 PM	#3
shortwave Senior Member Join Date: December 17, 2007 Location: SOUTHEAST, OHIO Posts: 5,970	I usually have the wrong gun in my hand also when the big buck shows up.

January 4, 2012, 07:26 AM	#4
Saltydog235 Senior Member Join Date: October 20, 2010 Location: Pawleys Island Posts: 1,563	Pin him in the high shoulder right and you can take him with a .223 or in the ear, a good Taxidermist can hide the mess.

January 4, 2012, 01:14 PM	#6
603Country Senior Member Join Date: January 6, 2011 Location: Thornton, Texas Posts: 3,998	I had the varmint gun, but I shoot the 65 gr Sierra GK in it, so I could have taken the buck if I'd wanted to. Once I saw him up close in good light, it was obvious that he was real young. Best to leave him for next year, since I already had all the deer meat that I needed (says my Wife). The next evening I took the 260 and I saw him again. He stayed out in front of me for maybe 45 minutes, sniffing each of the 9 does that showed up before he did. He didn't 'approach' any of them, so I guess they were out of heat. When the season died with the light of the last day, I was happy to know that buck was working hard on my whitetail gene pool.