BEST group of my Life!

[Master Carper]

Thank you magna19!

I've been on stand, or I guess more correctly, my shooting bench, since 6:15 this morning. So far, I have seen 9 coyotes traveling east to west in this big pasture I am hunting. I've spotted 19 deer do far, from a little guy that looked to be just out of spots, to a bunch of doe's and 4 or 5 small bucks...

These deer are either at a fast walk, too close or standing at the wrong angle...

There IS deer movement, the wind at least for now, is at a steady 7 mph and dang gone its cold out here!!! 19 degrees!!!

I will have a deer down before the day is out and I'll post a couple of pictures of my shooting set-up....

Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

 

[Master Carper]

Okay guys, here's how the day went:

6:15 am / 19 degrees - I made the 1/4 mile trek to my shooting bench this morning with my 19 lb. "Baby Ma Bell", set there and froze my fanny off till daylight...

8:35 am / 22 degrees - I've seen 19 deer out in this pasture since daylight, as well as 9 coyotes. By this time though, I had gotten so cold I decided to leave my rifle at the shooting bench and go back and get my truck...

9:10 am / 24 degrees - I finally get warmed up, drink a big cup of coffee and send the above post from my iPhone and then head back over to my shooting bench...

10:21 am / 27 degrees - I'm watching a fat doe running back and forth on a fence line, then she jumps the fence and disappears...

11:28 am / 28 degrees - I watch several large flocks of geese as they fly North and then several minutes later, I see around 20 or so mallards buzz over the tree tops...

12:33 pm / 30 degrees - I watch 2 coyotes chase each other out in the open pasture. They eventually head down to a drainage ditch and then dissapar...

2:02 pm/ 32 degrees - Nothing happening so I get my camera out and take a few pictures...

This is how I was set-up, waiting for just that 1 long-range shot to present itself...

Remember this tree - the big one in the middle that looks like it has shade under it...

This also shows the open pasture I was hunting...

3:00 pm / 32 degrees - I see 3 deer slipping along the fence line on the West side of the pasture. I watch them for about three or four minutes and then they disappear into the trees...

4:08 pm / 30 degrees - Nothing happening...

4:40 pm / DEER! DEER! DEER!

Remember the big tree I said to remember, there are three deer standing under it! I know from earlier experience (a couple of years), that this big tree was laser ranged at 879 yds.. These deer are standing on the other side of it and I figure that puts them right at 890-910 yds., so I called it an even 900 yds. and started getting ready for the shot. My rifle stays sighted in to hit point of aim at 600 yds. and my range chart says I have to make elevation adjustments on 9.2 moa. I then rotate the elevation adjustment on the scope from "0" to "9" plus 1 click. There is no wind blowing and everything looks like a go...

4:55 pm - I line the vertical crosshairs on the biggest deer's front leg and put the horizontal crosshair high on the front shoulder, get settled in behind the gun and begin applying pressure to the guns 10 oz. trigger. I'm looking through the scope at the deer for at least a full minute, making sure everything is right, the deer is fully broadside, has it's head up, still applying pressure to the trigger and then the gun fires. Two deer run off but, the one I have the crosshair on, is just standing there! 1-second, 2-seconds, 3-seconds, 4-seconds, 5 seconds, six seconds and then the deer crumples...

This is my 25th. year of shooting deer at long-range and here is this years "long-range deer"...

Deer has been tagged and checked and is hanging field dressed in the barn and will be processed tomorrow....

 

[dennishoddy]

Congrats on the long range shot David That's a ways out there!

 

[Dalyup]

Very nice! .........
Nothing more needs to be said.
Most don't realize the difficulty in this.


ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ

 

[makeithappen]

Wow David. I would give most people crap for attempting such a long shot on an animal by choice, but you put in more work and practice with your weapons than anyone I've seen. Amazing job. Congrats.

 

[Master Carper]

Thank you Dennis, Dalyup and makeithappen!

Yes, it is a long ways out there but, I practice for an anticipated shot like this all year long and burning up all those bullets and powder sure makes the effort worthwhile - when that one opportunity does present itself. You have to practice and practice a lot to stay proficient at this long-range shooting....

 

[Okie4570]

Congrats on the buck David!

 

[B Gordon]

More blood on the tailgate.
Nice shooting.

 

[distantfoe]

Ever have issues with doughnuts when necking up from .284 to .308?

 

[mightymouse]

Congratulations, David! Great story and great shooting!