A sage brush nose dive ( Eastside Mulie ).

[Biggerhammer]

Well, knew I had one shot at the big boy I had been watching, because I knew the adjacent property owner had been watching him also. That didn't come together seeing three of them unloader their rifles and ran him into the deepest crap in sageville for the rest of the season. Had some clown packing a Tikka(Go figure) screw up a 207 yards shot on a basket rack 4 point. I'd had it, I was going to find something to test one of my 285gr Hornady's on. Layed up in a spot that usauly has some Mulie traffic when people are pushing them on the sorrounding fields.

Sure enough the deer started coming through in singles, triples and doubles. 15-20 does, several two points and a anerexic three. Which I passed on, three spikes came through together and walked past me 60 yards to my left. I saw two three points cut across and hit the trail I was watching about 300 yards out. They moved quickly down the trail in 5-6' sage brush closing on me quick. I was sitting on a small sage flat on the side of a steep draw. I would loose sight of the deer bellow me as they traveled the trail but they would emerge 60 yards to my left.  I tracked their antlers through the deep sage unit I lost view of them bellow me. As soon as I lost view,  I turned to me left where I knew they would emerged. In a sitting position with one knee up to rest the rifle on. I dropped the scope power to 6x and dumped 3 MOA from my 300 yards zero and watched the opening. I was sitting there with a crappy smurk on my face when I heard "Panting".

I thought WTF? I do a slow creepy eye turn of my head 90 degree's to my right and there that stinking 3 point is staring right at me at a max of 15' feet. Both our eye's meet and the "Gigs" up! All I can see is his neck and head because of the way the hill rolls off. I swing to him and he starts to move, I catch him in the scope and at that range it's horns and a eye. I look over the top of the rifle and swing with him like shooting a shotgun and pull the trigger "Nothing". He goes into Mulie overdrive straight away through the thick sage, I jumped up and ran forward to the first flat. Went to the prone with the bipod, ranged the first opening on far side of the thick sage(360 yards). I throw my 400 yard dope on the target knob and wait for him to make the opening. When the buck hits the opening he's still straight away and flat moving, a shot I don't want to take with a match bullet and a .338 Edge. Two bounces out into the opening he breaks right, I hold a little low off of center, pull my lead on the brisket and start tracking him but I can't track steady. I immediately swung ahead of him, locked up and used the "Trap" method. As soon as his brisket broke the vertical cross hair, I sent it. The 285gr Hornady flat "Crushed" him and the impact was as audible as rifle report.

Upon taking a look at him up close, my first shot had grazed him above his left eye. Also the 285gr Hornady flat "Handgrenaded". I'll stick with the Sierra's or Berger's. Range from the deer back to my pack where I shot from was 376 yards. All in all, it was a interesting morning.





Here's where the first round grazed him.



The David Winston Model 69 was a pleasure to work him over with.



HaHa!!! I also found another use for the hammer loop on a pair of Carhartt's. Works great for field dressing.



Here is all that was left of a .338 285gr Hornady BTHP Match bullet. It killed him stone dead but the bullet disintegrated, my leed was off and the shot was further back than I would have liked but the internal "Shotgun" effect of the bullet did the job.




Here's a pic of the off side where the bullet fragment above was found just under the hide.

[remington300mag]

Awesome!! Way to get it done! Nice to seen someone found something other than 2pts. (7 today) My 11 year old, who I am trying to get his first deer also says good job and nice buck!

[BOWHUNTER45]

I figured you would show us some blood ... good job 

[doyourtime89]

Great story, nice buck..thanks for all the cool pic's too!!!   

[fishngamereaper]

Nice buck hammer     Guess the smoke has cleared out now...

Sometimes I wonder why I still chase blacktail...didnt see a deer all day. At least I can live through others good luck.

[ellensburgpo]

Very nice deer. Nice to see all those fancy knives are not just for show!

[Biggerhammer]

Very nice deer. Nice to see all those fancy knives are not just for show!

Hell, if he had taken one more step. I may have opted for the knife over the rifle.

[rem/sav300]

great looking buck! and a quality opening day!

[buck man]

Great pics and story. Thanks for sharing. 

[Ripper]

Nice one

[X-Force]

Nice work 

[blackveltbowhunter]

Awesome! nice buck Thats great shooting and rifle handling as well  I see why your handle fits  WTG!

[bearhunter99]

He must have died with a little bit of a headache!    Congrats!

[oldleclercrd]

Good deal! Some good eatin! 

[Biggerhammer]

He must have died with a little bit of a headache!    Congrats!

Strange enough, it was only a flesh wound.  Almost never noticed it.