243 strikes again

[jasnt]

Know your target and know your range!!


Sunday we decided to go to a new spot. Pulled in a few min before shooting light and with in mins we jumped some deer and they took off in all directions. Thought I saw 2 shooters drop off in to the bottom.  We set up and started glassing and could make out a few doe’s heading up the other side. They stopped about 300 yards away and stayed grazing. Few min latter they were joined by more doe’s and a spike.  Watched them work up the hill towards the tree lined ridge top.  I ranged the tree line at 710-730yards. Then I spotted a huge 3x5-6 muley buck just in the timber line. First thought was elk as the times where long daggers stretching high above the head!

I was hunting with a friend from work that has never killed a buck yet. I wanted him to get his deer this year and he has been practicing shooting long range all summer with his bergara hmr 300wm.

When my friend spotted the buck he got excited to say the least. That 730 yard reading must have gotten stuck in his head cause he dialed 17 min

The buck was still in the timber but heading toward the doe’s in the open. Few more deer moved in from the draw on our right and I spotted a small 4 dogging them. Ranged him at 690 and got set up.

Told my friend if you get a shot don’t wait for me just take it!
I dial 13 min and load the bipod.
Hear him shoot twice so I let out a breath and fired.... miss....reload... glance at my level and correct.... fire again and see my round hit just above the buck.
I had ranged a doe above him I latter realized. Dialed down a min and nailed him and he dropped,( he’s down)tried to get back up and I put one more behind the shoulder (didn’t need the 2nd shot. Both in the boiler room).  At this point I had shot 4 and my friend 2 and none of the deer had even acknowledged any thing off.
I glanced at my friend and he says. Idk if I hit him he didn’t even flinch but chased a doe in to the timber.
Now all the deer are staring at my buck wondering why he’s taking a nap and after a few min wonder up in to the timber.

I range my buck again and he’s at 675.  I did not see where the big buck went or the shots my friend had taken.  After quartering my deer and packing him on the packs we looked all over for the big buck and never found any sign of a hit. I asked my friend what he dialed and found out he was 2.4 min high minimum if not 3.  It was an exciting morning and a lesson that will haunt him for many seasons I’m sure.

Spent the rest of the day trying to find the buck with no sign of where he went.

[pianoman9701]

Nice big buck. Congratulations.

[jasnt]

Thank you bud. I’m happy with him

[CoryTDF]

That thing looks like a tank!

[Machias]

Nice job, congrats!

[jasnt]

That thing looks like a tank!

much bigger than the whitetail I’m used to packing out.

[Blacktail Sniper]

Nice buck!! Congrats.

[jasnt]

Thank you guys.  Now it’s on to cougar hunting!!!!

[gaddy]

Nice ! Now I want to hear about the cougar 

[huntnfmly]

Nice deer and story  congrats
Thanks for sharing

[bowhunterforever]

Nice work man

[elkoholic1]

 

[jasnt]

Nice ! Now I want to hear about the cougar 

my first cougar was quite the adventure. Story is here in the other big game section

[Ridge Hunter]

Nice buck, thanks for sharing!

[JakeLand]

 Nice !! C’mon we all know a .243 can’t kill a deer even more so at that range