Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting Redemption, sort of.

Went hunting this evening in spite of the 10 mph NW winds gusting to 15. Checked with the other members and nobody else was going so had the place to myself which led to my decision to check out the swamp in the back corner that's about a mile from the parking spot according to On X. This 240'ish acres is 12-15 foot pines with a few roads through it.

The plan was to Put warm jacket, game bags etc in my Eberlestock pack, shove it down the back of the climbing stand and if I killed something in the swamp, hide the climber and pack the deer out.

Spooked a deer half a mile into the walk, looked like a Bucks body but didn't see the head.

Once I got to the swamp it looked OK but I wasn't seeing anything that totally loved so will do more scouting later.

Decided to take the long walk back, ditch the gear and hunt the last hour on a food plot.

9/10ths of the way back I see a little one horned buck standing in the road and I couldn't believe my eyes. Two weeks ago when I was supposed to be trying to whack one with the Whelen I got down to the lease and had the ammo box but the stinking rifle was at the house, in the case, right in front of the TV by the door! So I hunted with the rifle I had been using most of the year a Model 70, SS Classic, 7mm Magnum with a BOSS adapter. I did something for the 2nd time in my life completely missed at 44 yards off hand from a ladder stand and after no hair no blood and one hour search was sure I missed him but you always have that nagging doubt.

Fast forward to today and there that sucker is looking at me at a 3/4 angle. We stare at each other for 1-2 minutes and I re-position my feet a little to get more stable, arms and shoulders are barking from the 30+ pounds or so pulling on them.

Finally decided he wasn't going to run, so cranked the magnification up a little on the 2.5-8 Vari-X III and started easing the rifle up, safety off, breath, squeeze and BOOM! The .35 with 250 gr Nosler Partition going 2,400 fps (certainly not a max load) schwacked and the buck jumped to my left into the pines.

I waited impatiently for about 5 minutes and walked the 55 yards down the road, he was laying down 5 yards from the road, jumped and ran 10 yards and piled up in the briers and brambles further from the road when he saw me.

Waited another few minutes and heard him kick a time or two then walked over and stood on an old semi rotten log. He kicked another time so I put a .32 round in the top of his head for good measure.

Went and unloaded the rifle and put it on the pile of climber and pack. Got an antler and started dragging him out. Once out in the road, snapped another pic and loaded up. Went and got the game cart, got him loaded and rolled him back to the truck probably 200 yards or so. Got him gutted and on the truck, used my old faithful green Gerber. Clicked on the Georgia Game check app and got him registered.

Hit him farther back than desired, processor found the bullet in the right ham under the skin, approximately 24 inches of travel. Weighed 168.2 grains after cleaned all of the meat out of the cavity, 67% weight retention. Widest point is .770" and measure .660" across the two flared out pieces. I could push them harder but they feel good at 2400 fps and did fine!

First Whelen kill, first Mauser Kill, first time I've shot one with all of that stuff on my back, only the 2nd deer I've shot from the ground. Definitely the first one after walking nearly 2 miles.

I asked the processor to let me know if he saw any other injuries and stood there talking to him while he skinned it. There weren't any holes anywhere else and maybe a little swelling and bruising on the front of the front leg at the shoulder so who knows. Anyway my mind can rest now knowing he didn't die and waste.

Thanks for suffering my rambling..


Mike