Finally Got First Deer :) And Lessons Learned

[miykael]

Setup:
Remington 700 SPS Tactical (308 Win)
Promag Archangel Aluminum Bedded Stock
Mueller 8-32x44 scope (side focus)
Warne 30mm rings
Warne Tactical 1 piece base
10-rd, detachable box magazine
Magpul MS QD Sling

Sighted in at 200y
Barness TTSX, 165gn
8208 XBR powder, CCI BR2 primers, Lake City Brass
0.10" OFF lands
Scope left on 8x

Well after 3 years of being skunked, this was the year...finally!

First trip out in September (Region 3) saw a couple of Muley spikers but it was 4 points or better. At least we got 3 grouse, which was better than the previous years.

Second trip out, nada, nothing but rain (Region 2)

October, third trip out in Region 8 produced a fine little Muley buck...being my first I'll take it! Thankfully it's any buck in October and this showed itself as we left our hunting area and were driving back down the Mountain. I glanced up the hillside and made him out watching us, perfect broadside. I carefully got out of the truck, raised the Leupold RX-800i TBR rangefinder (best investment I made) and got 123y TRUE distance. Since I've already done load development and memorized the ballistics to 500y from my 'Shooter' ballistics app for iPhone, I knew the shot would be only a couple inches high, so adjusted for it. [All the prep is moot if it wasn't for a great hunting mentor taking me out and sharing his collective experience/wisdom]

I braced the rifle, put the dot just behind the leg (heart/lung) and gently squeezed the trigger...and squeezed the trigger...and forcefully squeezed the trigger...and !!! took the safety off...and gently squeezed the trigger - thank the Lord the deer froze like a zombie never moving, remaining almost perfectly broadside the whole time BOOM, still watching through scope as deer instantly dropped on front legs, then rest of body! Wow, being a person of faith, I first thanked God (for how perfect it all turned out), then my hunting partner/mentor My mentor took me through the field dressing (heart was obliterated, lung massive trauma, with a higher exit due to angle)) and we brought it back to Page Creek Cooler in Abbotsford, great guy and nice setup!

Needless to say, this experience made me believe far more in the adage about shot placement over magnumitis (even though I do want a 300WSM)!

LESSONS LEARNED (among many not listed):

• I learned from last year that this 'target' shooter NEEDS a rangefinder! Embarassingly enough my hunter buddy and I BOTH missed a deer last year due to ranging error. I was sighted in at 300y, he at 100. We both estimated the range by a large margin of error. This year, I bought a True Distance, rangefinder. You need horizontal range (physics of flight) to estimate bullet drop, not the actual range to target (on slopes). The further the distance, any slope will intensify ranging error (even with a non-true rangefinder). I would recommend the Leupold RX-800i TBR rangefinder to anyone, it is that good at a decent price.
• Rifle performed flawlessly, shooter...remember the safety if you're using it
• Shot placement is more important than massive trauma in the wrong place.
• Get a rifle that fits need. It's hard to jump out of a truck and get setup with a heavy rifle (it can be done but...). My dream is sniper style hunting from high vantage (perfect for my tac setup) but reality is I go with low patience road hunters on day trips (only thing we can do for now) Mountainous Southern BC is not exactly clearcut or meadow heaven. Now I want to get a lightweight hunting rig.
• Learned more about myself too - limitations, what I'm good at and that shooting nor field dressing bothered me at all. I actually felt worse having to kill a rabbit suffering from disease or something on my dad's acreage the day after my hunt. Guess I still have a conscience when it comes to suffering But this is also made me realize that hunting should be as ethical as possible, meaning shooter skill, proper equipment and shooting (notice I didn't say range, as that's your call to shoot within your skill level).

Already can't wait for the next one now Peace.

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[big al hunter]

Good eats congratulations on your first deer. Have fun shopping for the new hunting rifle.

[miykael]

Thanks! I am looking at X-Bolts now, they feel just right But we'll see what shows up. I'm selling everything to focus on competition and hunting. Just found a Savage F/TR for a great deal and now just need a great hunting rig

[AllenJ]

Great job and congratulations. Your first deer is something you'll never forget.

[miykael]

For sure, I won't forget this one!

[2damnold4this]

Congratulations on your first deer.

[jimbob86]

Congratulations on your first deer!

We have a new hunter!

Thank your mentor (thank him for me, too), and make it a point to mentor the newbs that come after you.

You need horizontal range (physics of flight) to estimate bullet drop, not the actual range to target (on slopes). The further the distance, any slope will intensify ranging error (even with a non-true rangefinder). I would recommend the Leupold RX-800i TBR rangefinder to anyone, it is that good at a decent price.

So this thing figure uphill/downhill correction for you?

Very Cool, though not something I really need in Nebraska

[mwal]

Excellent job and a fine buck. Looks like it should be good eating as well. Yes Savage makes a fine Rifle I love my 111 in 7mm08


Mwal

[mxsailor803]

Leaving the safety on is not that bad of a thing to happen to ya. Wait until you have the crosshairs on a deer, squeeze the trigger, and CLICK!!!! Forgot to put a round in the chamber lol. Luckily I had enough distance from the deer that it didn't hear me lol.

[jimbob86]

Leaving the safety on is not that bad of a thing to happen to ya.

BTDT, too.

....but when I did that, I cussed (I thought very quietly!) ..... it was one of those cold, clear, frosty mornings with no wind at all ...... and that doe heard me from 200 yards away out on the hayfield ....... her ears locked onto me like a pair of radar dishes, and she began to trot ...... I snapped off the safety and rushed the shot, hitting her too far back ...... she bucked and took off running to my left, headed for the unpicked cornfield on the other side of the hayfield ...... she stopped right at the fence, 400+ yards out, and I dropped her there ...... she went down behind a little rise in the ground and I thought I had missed and she had gone under the fence into the corn .....but when we walked out toward where I had last seen her, she was laying there, stone dead in the alfalfa with a hole all the way through her chest and one through her stomach ..... it was messy.

[miykael]

Thanks everyone! jimbob, I've been super thanking my mentor since deer and I think he's getting annoyed haha I will look to mentor someone when I've learned more, for sure.

Yeah I guess having safety on is better that not having a round in...but it's all learning for the next one

[shortwave]

Yeah I guess having safety on is better that not having a round in

...or not having a charge of powder in your 'half-loaded' bp rifle when that deer is in your sites and you only hear the pop of the percussion cap going off when you pull the trigger.

But hey, we all learn from our mistakes.

Congrats on your trophy.

[Kreyzhorse]

Congrats on your first deer, you will never forget it.

[jersurf101]

Congrats man. I hope you get many more.

[miykael]

Thanks all. Definitely won't forget it! Killed it and cooked it myself

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[kraigwy]

I agree with going light rifle wise but I think people are getting over dependent on laser range finders and other electronic gadgets.

When you need 'em the batteries are dead.

I don't road hunt, and I'm getting old so I like Light. I found that a mil dot scope works great and eliminates the dependency on batteries.

Simple find the MPBR (Max Point Blank Range) for you rifle/ammo combination and the size of the vital area of the animal your hunting and there is no need for a range finder (though the Mil Dot can determine range pretty accurately).

For an example you're talking about deer. The vital are of the average deer is about 10 inches (heart/lung area). The body size from the top of their back to the bottom of their stomach averages 18 inches.

You need to sight your rifle in where the MPBR is no more then 5 inches high or 5 inches low so you can keep their shots in the vital area.

For my Model 70 in 270 its 300 yards. I sight it in at 300 it drops 5 inches at 360 yards and is never 5 inches low.

At 360 yards the deer (18 inches) is 1.4 mils. So for fast shots I look in my scope and it the deer is 1.5 (easy to see on MD scopes) its in range. It its less them 1.5 mils I get closer or if I have time, range it with the mil dots and adjust for the longer range.

How ever its a rare occasion I find the need to shoot beyond 300 yard while hunting.

The point is I can keep it simple, and light, I don't have to depend on batteries.

You can do the same thing to any size animal you hunt, antelope, elk, etc. Just determine the size of the animal and the vital area and use the Mils that correspond.

Range finders are nice, but you need to learn to get by without them. Same with GPS's, they are great and depend on batteries. Learn to use a map and compass. They aren't battery dependent.

Of course if you road hunt or hunt from a blind, you can have a ruck sack full of batteries but if you hunt the mountains or prairie and get away from the truck, you'll find Murphy will take over and you're batteries are dead.

I'm of the KISS crowd.

I haven't hunting in BC but I know you've got some pretty nice hunting country up there. I'd get off the road and explore it.