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Ok, I owe you guys a couple pics!

Story is, went back in there with the plan being to sit and glass till dusk if necessary. Already had a great overlook from yesterday- flat rock, great sight lines out to waaay out there, get prone, snipe 'em. That lasted about an hour. Instead, I decided to go through the terrain, roust something up, and kill it.

And THAT lasted about 5 minutes. Got up, started working my way down the rimrocks, and a deer appeared about 100 yards coming up a gully that was obscured to me by big rocks. He was a spike. He had a buddy. I saw forks. Then commenced some weird movements on their part- I don't know WTF, just had a window between some rocks. When I was sure I had forkie lined up I crushed him at 89 yards with a 162 AMAX. He vanished, Mr. Spike ran out of the top of the gully all confused and stood there for several minutes. I was just making sure forkie wasn't gonna jump up so I waited since I couldn't see him down. I waited. We waited. Felt sorry for the spike but, he sure just got an education into how October works around here!

Gonna post this before something crashes....

We ain't going to tell your wife you killed a two point the first day and have been in vegas partying all week.

As he lay



Notice how his horn went through his ear when he crashed! Haven't seen that before.



I will admit to a little nostalgia and plus a little superstition. Found a single old 30/30 casing in a canyon and I always feel almost like I found an arrowhead! A hunting artifact. So, put it in my pocket for good luck. Like 8 fückin' days go by, not killing [bleep], so maybe it's BAD luck. Take it out. Today I noticed it rattling around on my camp table. Dropped it in my pocket.

Kinda cool how it burnished in my pocket from getting carried all those days:

Boy that deer looks small in the pic!

Funny, cause it sure felt like a "win!" Not like a bragging-rights win but a win over "I could've gone home a week ago".

Also funny, I could've made the shot with an open sights 30/30 and I've been lugging my semi-heavy LR rig with a big NF scope around!

I'm sure there's plenty more that's funny. I'll leave that to y'all.

Tomorrow, plan is, wake up with a mild hangover, big greasy breakfast, go bone him out and pack him to the truck, 3/4 mile, break camp, go home, GET LAID!

Might have to throw a shower in there somewhere.

Was fun guys-- we are blessed and lucky men to live like this. Amen.

Cool.. if your happy that's all that matters. He'll look good in a lot of macaroni..

That'd keep any man off the internet for three hours.

My wife specifically requested a young tender deer. I figure I'm delivering the groceries.

One cool thing is even that little guy is as big as a year-older blacktail would be. I've shot a few REALLY small blacktails.

Killed him about ten feet from a nice little spring so cleanup is easy. I think I'm gonna cut a piece off the silver tarp that I use to cover the coolers, to process him on....... I've only boned a couple elk and a couple deer in the field and it seems like doing it on a tarp might result in less crap on the meat to pick out later when butchering- since I have the option.

Tagged, gutted, dragged back in the shade, see ya tomorrow

I was able to stream the debate on my phone!

Congrats on the buck. You certainly stuck it out!











Let's hope that by the time you get it home your wife hasn't found a young buck on her own.




You teed that one right up. I couldn't help myself! .

We'll be glad to see each other. I'm gonna grab....... oh never mind.

Within the constraints of the situation.... I'm happy.

Preliminary and subject to adjustment tomorrow upon full autopsy.... the 162 Amax hit the onside ribs and grenaded in the chest. No exit. No HINT of an exit.

Congrats JeffO!

I've seen that exact same performance from the 162 Amax... interested to hear your report.

Congrats Jeff

It's more fun to say "the plan is to wake up tomorrow morning with a mild hangover!" than it is to actually do it.

Thanks guys. The buck is small but the adventure was big. Or some such [bleep].

Bleah. Must... have.... coffee....

Thanks Fred and thanks for remembering that I built that rifle! That wasn't its first blood, that was last year's (much bigger) buck up here at 602 yards. That's more what it was built for. It was a bit of a pig to lug around. I call it the "Lite" because it's like a Sendero Lite, but the sucka ain't light <grin>.

It got a lot of love this year- a lot of shooting, and that 5-22 Nightforce NXS. The buck at 602 I actually killed with the legendary <grin> "Fishwhacker" Zeiss Conquest 6.5-20 that was on it before.

It's north of 1000 rounds now but still shooting great. Since I have invested in the reamer and gauges, and had so much good results from it, I think I'll stick with 7 WSM for the next barrel on it. I'll probably set this barrel back and rechamber it at least once, since I can. Hopefully the chamber comes out as good as this one. Concentricity at the throat/chamber interface was under .0001". Hopefully not beginners luck. I did take an eon setting it up on the lathe.

I've the parts ordered or bought already for this winter's build- a midweight 6.5 SAUM on the GAP Xtreme Hunter blueprint. I'm calling it the fauXtreme. Got the action trued up, the PTG bolt in hand, etc. Still need reamer & gauges and some other small parts and, of course, the Bartlien barrel and the Manners SL stock, which won't be done till about February. Anyway she'll be a midweight with a profile fatter than Rem magnum but thinner than Rem Sendero. If I can swing it, plan is a Nightforce 3.5-15 NXS on it. The NXS I have now is spectacular across the board. If I can't swing that a Bushnell LRHS, though I'd rather not have just one scope in Mil's and they aren't offering the 3-12 in MOA yet.

If I like THAT, then my Kimber likely becomes a 6.5 SAUM for its next barrel... it's well north of 1k rounds as well, but still shooting great. Stepping the recoil down a solid notch while giving up nothing ballistically wouldn't suck! Since my brain injury recoil is a real factor in my caliber choices going forward. I used to be a recoil sponge, I'm not anymore.

It's the hunt not the kill.
Your welcome just think some get high and mighty because they put on a crown. Lol

Now I gotta drag my hung over ass out there and bone out the little bastid.