First Buck of the 2011 season

clivej

I've been out every week since the season started but I'm only seeing Doe's and calfs, and plenty of them at that.
So yesterday I decide to try another permission I have. Got there at 7.15 just as dawn was peaking through the hills. Got the gear on and headed up the fields beside the forest. Saw plenty of hares runing about but nout else. Got to the top of the fields and sat down for 'bout 1/2 hour to rest up a bit.
The cattle in the field next too me started to head down to the milking parlor. You'd think you are farely well hidden in the camo gear but they each took a good look at me as they passed by @50y off

So at bout 9am I started to head back down the fields, thought i'd make my way across to other fields at the botton of the farm. In the very last field next to the milking parlor there was this Buck. I nearly missed him 'cos I was looking at the field forest line but this Buck was in the middle of the field as bold as you like, not a care in the world. The cattle were heading back 8 at a time after getting milked and the Buck didn't mind them at all or the noise from the parlor.

I could only make out the top's of him as the field fell away from me. So I set up my tri-pole+1 and knelt there waiting. Ranged him @210 but it was difficult to get a good reading as he was only showing his head. He was heading my way up the slope and eating as he was going. He was now showing all the body but was head on to me so I waited some more until he was broadside on. I took the shot to the shoulder and spine @135y and he dropped like a sack of spuds. I think I'll be using the shoulder shot more often now.

Rifle is a Sako 75 Laminated Varmint (with a synthetic stock for stalking) in .308. Using Hornaday 155gr BT ammo. Bushnell 6-24x50 4200 elite with target turrets. No exit wound but the far shoulder had taken all the bullet brake-up from the near-side shoulder.

The tri-pole+1 worked out a treat as I could set up the shot easy and the cross hair never moved off him. I had that Buck in the sights for a full 10 mins waiting for the shot.





Buck in the car boot in the Homebase cement mixing tray @€;9. A great way to save the boot from blood and guts.




See this thread for the tri-pole+1
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=74297793&postcount=81

Vegeta

I love it when a plan comes together. Nice work Clive, good to see the effort put into the tri-pole working out.

He isn't the biggest beast but I'm sure it made for a handier drag.

clivej

Vegeta wrote: »

I love it when a plan comes together. Nice work Clive, good to see the effort put into the tri-pole working out.

He isn't the biggest beast but I'm sure it made for a handier drag.

It was a handy drag, on the front forks of the tractor. As it was the car was only across the field but I'll take any handy life that's a'going. I must remember to only shoot when the farmer it out'a bed.

The poles were so easy, I just had to adjust the back lockable telescopic rod-rest and it stayed on target. I can recommend it as an add-on :cool:

dax121

hi clive
well done on ur first buck. you can fill ur fridge full of stakes and burgers again is that the permission where you pictured a herd of deer last year?
on a side note any luck with a marlin?

clivej

dax121 wrote: »

hi clive
well done on ur first buck. you can fill ur fridge full of stakes and burgers again is that the permission where you pictured a herd of deer last year?
on a side note any luck with a marlin?

Near enough to the heard from last season about 5 fields away.




Put the license application in last Monday for the Marlin 1894 so only to wait now.

poulo6.5

well done clive. just goes to show you that a bit of sitting and waiting can often be better than trudging around making noise.

good job

tomcat220t

Well done Clivej ,great to see that shot placement worked so well .Bang/Flop:cool:

It wasn't me!

Nice to see the account opened well there Clive! Good start and a good buck. Hoping to get started myself tomorrow morning.

clivej

tomcat220t wrote: »

Well done Clivej ,great to see that shot placement worked so well .Bang/Flop:cool:

I'll be using that placement more often now I think. Less mess inside as well

poulo6.5

seen as how we are on the subject here is the last sika stag i shot

high shoulder


result

hit the ground dead as a stone

this was the bullet i recovered 95gr sst the jacket some lead and part of the red tip


it left a nice wound channel and stopped before breaking threw the second shoulder blade

i ment to take some more pics as i cut up the carcass but i forgot sorry:D

tomcat220t

Woo ..little .243 knocking a sika clean :eek::p:p:p Its simpley down to bullet placement !Well done Paulo Great result ,aswell .

poulo6.5

tomcat220t wrote: »

Woo ..little .243 knocking a sika clean :eek::p:p:p Its simpley down to bullet placement !Well done Paulo Great result ,aswell .

ya i know.. hard to believe a little 6mm could kill a sika.

anyway i dont want to hijack clive's thread

clivej

It was Tomcats thread that made me decide to try the shoulder shot. Well this buck didn't run at all. I see on a few of the American sites that the shoulder is popular over there.

deeksofdoom

Nice shooting clive and a nice write up, where did you get the plastic tray? looks a right handy yoke

Grizzly 45

Intresting how the Hornady .243 Vmax reacts to different hits on a deer body.
I salvaged the two from mine this season.


Pic 1 is from a running shoulder shot on a sika.Made burger meat of the upper joint,went onwards and totally destroyed the heart/lungs,very small exit wound on the other side of the ribcage,after nicking a rib.

Pic 2 from a heart shot on a weak red stag.Severd the upper arotas and chamber of the heart.Again very small exit wound appx 8mm by 3mm

Gotta say the .243 Vmax has it for dropping power.

tomcat220t

The .243 is more than capable of knocking CLEAN anything we have on offer here in ireland

dwighet

tomcat220t wrote: »

The .243 is more than capable of knocking CLEAN anything we have on offer here in ireland

squirrel gun:D

dwighet

Nice one Clivley....... Ya got the monkey off the back now... Bring on open season...:cool:

clivej

dwighet wrote: »

Nice one Clivley....... Ya got the monkey off the back now... Bring on open season...:cool:

Cheers mate.

That bloody monkey was getting bigger by the week. So that's the first one down. Not anyway as good as your fallow but I'm happy out to get this one.
I'm going to shoot this permission or at least walk it more now that the rut looks to be ending here.

poulo6.5

dwighet wrote: »

squirrel gun:D

ya we can shoot squirls with them too:p:p:p:p

when are you going to come down to kerry and show me how to shoot:D:D:D

clivej

deeksofdoom wrote: »

Nice shooting clive and a nice write up, where did you get the plastic tray? looks a right handy yoke

Homebase stores @€;9. Ask for the cement mixing tray

Tackleberrywho

Well done

stick shooter

Tackleberrywho wrote: »

Well done

Welcome back:D

FISMA

+1 - nice shot and thanks for the write up.

Sometimes it is better to be lucky than good, other times, you better be good. But no matter what, if you're not out there, you'll definitely get nothing.

Have you ever tried to make Bologna? I did a few weeks ago and could not believe how good it was.

How about canning? I tried some canned deer also. It looked gross, but tasted like stew!

Slan.

dwighet

poulo6.5 wrote: »

ya we can shoot squirls with them too:p:p:p:p

when are you going to come down to kerry and show me how to shoot:D:D:D

soon grasshopper...soon...you must me sick of of taking easy pickings out of Paddy`s fields by now...:)

clivej

dwighet wrote: »

poulo6.5 wrote: »

ya we can shoot squirls with them too:p:p:p:p

when are you going to come down to kerry and show me how to shoot:D:D:D

soon grasshopper...soon...you must me sick of of taking easy pickings out of Paddy`s fields by now...:)

Ouch

endasmail

nice one clive
good write up ,its nice to get out of starting blocks

poulo6.5

dwighet wrote: »

soon grasshopper...soon...you must me sick of of taking easy pickings out of Paddy`s fields by now...:)

not yet lad. there's a lot to be said for a handy retrieve. you know what i mean:p

tomcat220t

dwighet wrote: »

squirrel gun:D

An ounce of practice is worth more than tons of preaching .