Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Long Range Hunting What did you get in 2018? cartridge? bullet? rifle? range?

doe antelope 280AI, 140 gr NAB, Win M70, 300 yards

buck antelope 15", 280AI, 140 gr NAB, Win M70, 100 yards

doe mule deer, 280AI, 140 gr NAB, Win M70, 200 yards

buck mule deer 3x3, 280AI, 140 gr NAB, Kimber 84L, 100 yards

Drew great tags....family issues have, thus far, stopped our hunting! Missed out on great, very hard to draw, deer tags. Should get some elk hunting in! memtb

My season isn’t even half way through yet.....

So far filled two outta 3, well 4 tags.

Buck antelope at 210yds using a LAW Professional 280AI, shooting hand loaded 162gr Hornady ELD-x.
Buck mule deer at 142yds using a Kimber 8400 .30-06, shooting hand loaded 165gr NAB.

Still have general elk tag and an elk B tag to fill. If I get an elk it would be my first trifecta.

Whitetail 150 GameKing out of a 308
Too many pigs to count. 62 Barnes Rock River AR

Javelina....7x57....140 grain Nosler Partition......50 yards.

Nothing long range yet. I had a couple opportunities, but didn't have a rifle with me I felt comfortable with at the 400+ yard ranges I had opportunities at.

I have, however, killed:

Turkey at 10 yards with a bow
Roosevelt elk bull at 238 yards-.300 H&H with 200 grain original speer grand slam
Mule deer buck at ~80 yards-.300 H&H with 200 grain original speer grand slam
Antelope buck at ~200 yards-.223 Rem with 62 TSX
Shiras moose bull at ~80 yards-.300 H&H with 200 grain original speer grand slam

I can't find a Rocky Mountain elk here in WY to save my life, but still have a few days
Got a Montana deer tag and an extra Wyoming cow elk I plan to fill still, and one never knows what kind of ranges will be involved.

Not counting the craploads of hogs, I've killed two axis bucks. One with a 7mm08 and 120 BT, the other with a 6.5CM and 120 TTSX. I haven't even gotten started yet though. My buddy gave me 30 whitetail doe cull tags (MLD ground), and I've got big whitetails and mule deer to chase.

T cool rifles and cool game.. Nice work.. I am off for a mulie tomorrow..

So far, one antelope doe at 280 yards, with a .260/130 ELDM, during regular season. 27 white tail does on depredation permits this summer, with Creed, .260 and '06.. 10 regular season doe tags and one antelope doe to go. Have a newly-barreled .260 to get some blood on!

So far; antelope at 209 yards with a Shiloh Sharps 1877 in 45-70. When you hit them right they go right down...

damn, Shrap. You bring a big lunchbox......

That's just his ammo can, if Deflave comes along he needs a good selection.

Nada! I only got to bear hunt this spring and the first bear showed up on the last day of the season to bait, and I was at work. Took a contracting job overseas 15 days before caribou season opened, so I am dreaming of next season when I'll be back at home for good. That being said, in two more days, I can apply for 2019 tags.

Update: I took a 5x5 raghorn bull at almost exactly 600 yards on the last day of the general WY bull season. 6.5X284 NORMA and 140 berger. Chip shot.

79" antelope - 6.5 ctr, 139 scenar - 458 yards - 1 shot
22" 4 point mule deer - 6.5 ctr, 139 scenar - 312 yards - 1 shot (10 year old sons first deer)
3 point mule deer - 6.5 ctr, 139 scenar - 40 yards - 1 shot (wifes deer)
20" mule deer - 6.5 ctr, 139 scenar - 226 yards - 1 shot
2 coyotes - 6.5 ctr, 139 scenar - 346 and 404 respectively

Never had a chance at a good bull - but had the 6.5 in hand all season long. I am kind of hooked.

I spent hours in September rebarreling a 1949 Win M70 to 280AI with a Bartlein fluted barrel and McMillan stock and VX-6HD scope, bipod, cheek rest, etc.
I was getting groups at 400 yards.

But when I shot the antelope in October, I could have used a shotgun. It was at 100 yards, walking toward me, and I was shooting freehand.

For 2018...... 3 Deer tags drawn and 3 bucks down

Arizona..... 3X2 with Bowtech Reign 6 at 52yards

Colorado.... 3x3 with RBros Carbon Hunter 300 WM at 843 yards

California D zone..... 6X2 with RBros Carbon Hunter 300 WM at 504 yards

Nothing at real long range ..
hog about 125 yards 7mm08 120 NBTBT
hog about 90 yards 7mm08 120 NBTBT
hog about 75 yards .30-30 Marlin 24" 150 WW Silvertip.
axis doe 80 yards .300 WM 150 Part.
axis buck. 200 yards 300WM 150 Part.
gobbler 200 yards ,270 win. 140 Sierra 140 HPBT
gobbler 60 yards .22-250 50 gr. VMax
bighorn ram 300 yards .300 WM 165 gr. Sierra HPBT
antelope doe 125 yards .25-35 ww 117 Factory soft point
antelope doe 90 yards .220 swift 64 gr. ww.
whitetail doe 150 yards .270 win 140 gr. Sierra HPBT
3pt mule deer 225 yards 7mm RM 168 gr. Berger
turkey 65 yards .220 Swift 50 Blitzking
whitetail buck .25-06 100 gr. Sierra 250 yards
whitetail doe, .25-06 100 gr. Sierra 300 yards


Still have two elk tags.. Will go for one in Dec.. Will hunt a bit this week for the other..

Sorry, can't oblige. Both deer taken so far fell to my new crossbow.

35 yards and 32 yards, Excalibur Matrix Bulldog 380, Muzzy 125gr 3 blade






Passed on 5 does Monday, our rifle opener, hoping for better.

[img]https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/galleries/13298831/muley[/img]

6.5 Creed, 143 ELDX, 284 yards

Buck Antelope-262 yards Kimber Montana 270Win 140gr Nosler Accubond. Closest to long range.
Doe Antelope-71 yards Kimber 84M Classic 338 Federal 185gr Barnes TSX. Long range belly crawl.

Still have my Iowa deer season and will likely use a Marlin 1895 45-70 and 300gr Ballistic Tips. Maybe my 629 44mag.

Not long range, but fun hunting. For the third year in a row I went to Four Aces Ranch near Madras, Oregon. http://www.fouracesranch.net/contact.htm (451) 489-3467

I used a Weatherby Mark V six lug action in a Pendleton Composite Stock; which is nine ounces lighter than the factory setup. It has a Timney trigger set by the 'smith at twenty ounces. The barrel is a 24" about 8 1/4" twist that measures .600 at the muzzle. The muzzle has a home made brake. The Bushnell 6500 4 1/2-30X50 sets in Talley light weight rings. The cartridge neck and shoulder looks like a .257 or .270 Weatherby and was named by the 'smith "6.5Coyle". The powder capacity matches a .264 Win mag. The brass is necked down 7 Rem Mag Laupa with the belt turned off and the rim turned down to match a 9.3X64 Brenneke. The 6.5mm Hammer Sledgehammer 130 grain bullets were charged with H1000 sparked by Rem 9 1/2 Mag primers.

Jake, the guide, took us all over the 4,000 acres looking for a pig. Frustrated he said, “Normally we see a couple when we make that circuit.” After traveling over hill and dale in a four passenger quad we came around a bend into a small clearing and there were three big porkers. Tom, of MOA Precision, asked if I wanted to take one. Despite sighting the Weatherby in at about 250 yards and installing a bipod, I got out and range one: A whopping 24.8 yards. I informed, “I put this bipod on my rifle so I’m going to use it.” I laid down to fire. Jake said, “Put one behind the ear,” so I did. The pig weighed 320 pounds. But I wanted another.

Over hill and dale. Eventually we came to a clearing with a pink pig and a black pig. Tom volunteered to use my rifle in hopes of catching one of my bullets . I ranged the pig at 59 yards. Eventually the pink one turned face on and Tom fired. The Sledgehammer traveled 30 ” before exiting. Even the four petals exited. All of us were surprised. It weighed 290 pounds.

Whitetail buck 250 yards, 7mm-300 Win 180 ELDM
Bull elk 850 yards, 7mm-300 Win 180 ELDM
Whitetail buck 250 yards, 6.5-284 Norma 143 ELDX

The 7-300 Win 180 ELDM also filled 2 mulie buck tags for others at 275 yards and 509 yards.

Romaine lettuce poisoning. BUMMER!

Bull elk at 225 yards, Weatherby Mark V, .300 Wby 165 Barnes TTSX
Happy Trails

6.5-06, Looking forward to finding some good loads for it.

Didn't need many animals to fill the freezer this year, mostly due to my wife taking a VERY big cow elk last year, and me getting a good-sized mule deer buck and big pronghorn buck.

Ended the fall taking two mule deer bucks, one in New Mexico and one in Montana, both with "long-range" 6.5mm rounds. First, a Franchi Momentum in 6.5 Creedmoor, with a 143-grain ELD-X factory loads. The second I took with a 6.5 PRC, my Remington 700 custom rifle with a 24" Lilja, using it's most accurate handload with the 129 Nosler ABLR at around 3000 fps.

I lasered the the shots afterward: 101 on the New Mexico deer, 159 on the Montana buck.

Probably tag soup again. Got sick the one damn week we get for gun season here in blowhio.

Busy fall,

Spike elk- 30-06, 200 gr partition, Win M70, 15 yards
3x3 Coues - 6.5-06, 123 gr A-Max, Win M70, 320 yards
NRA LR Master card, sling, .308, 155.5 Berger, Win M70 Palma, 1000 yards

Update #2. Took a somewhat young cow elk on Saturday via 6.5X284 NORMA at 228 yards with the 140 berger. Not impressed at all with the berger's on game performance........again......

Would appreciate a detailed critique of the Berger performance.

I think he is expecting performance like a plasma rifle in the 40KW range.

My buddy and I have killed a LOT of stuff with the Bergers in the past 10 years, many of it with 180s out of a 7RUM or 7 WSM. In almost every case, exceptional performance.

On Saturday we had a hunter shoot a 6x6 bull with the RUM at fairly long range as her rifle wasn't going to work for a long shot. Bullet penciled right through and didn't expand at all. Took the bull a LONG time to finally die. They aren't perfect but normally, pretty darn good.

We shot 3 coues bucks at ranges from 600-800 yards in October and all the 180s expanded and killed nicely. Who knows why this one failed to expand on this elk.

Quoting myself, from a different thread:



To be clear: when I said "Not impressed at all with the berger's on game performance........again......"...I was referring to my experiences several years ago when the bergers were fairly new. I know a bigger sample size would be preferred, but Saturday evening I lost what little confidence I had in the bergers.

Not at all. I just really hate it when a critter is bawling like this cow did, let alone with with a solid hit (possibly two) in the chest. This can happen with any bullet, but my experience with the bergers just isn't consistent.

YMMV.

Pronghorn buck. 570 yards. Remington 700 SS 25-06. 110 Nosler Accubond.
Whitetail doe. 110 yards. Remington 700 BDL 270. 130 Ballistic Tip.

Hunting season here at home has been tough so far.

We are victims of our bias and I read that you killed 3 out of 4 elk with a single bullet each out to 600yds and had finish one elk at 5 yards with a second.

Not all elk die with a single bullet and you seem to be doing fine.

I am failing to see the problem.

So far...

8pt WT Buck - 6.5 PRC, 143gr. ELD-X, GAP rifle, 334 yds.

Coyote #1 - 6.5 PRC, 143gr. ELD-X, GAP rifle, 467 yds.

Coyote #2 - .204 Ruger, 40gr. V-MAX, GAP rifle, 241 yds.

Coyote #3 - .223, 77gr. TMK, semi-custom bolt gun, 117 yds.

I got one fork-horn meat muley, one cow elk. Both were killed with a Savage Weather Warrior in 270 shooting some older 150gr SST's at 2980mv. The deer was shot offhand at 130yds in the neck, and the cow was shot at 420 yds quartering-to in the shoulder.

The older SST's have a reputation for being a bit frangible, but that particular one did a fine job on the elk. She was a larger-than-average cow, about 550lb, and the bullet shattered the humerus, busted a rib, clipped the heart, obliterated the lungs, and ended up under the hide toward the rear ribs on the opposite side. Lost it during skinning, but I don't really save that stuff. It gets lost in the loading room. Impact speed was about 2450, IIRC.

I drew a cow tag in 2018, so I got an extra freezer:
Frigidaire 16.7 cu. ft. Freezer

I had 11 tags with me.

I called the wife. She said we have only eaten 2 of the 4 animals I shot in 2017.
I told her I have got 2 antelope and 2 deer at the butcher's already.
She said come home now. Do not shoot anymore animals.
So I came home.

Now we have 6 animals and 2 freezers.

I should put my cow elk tag on the big new freezer.

10 warthogs
6 black wildebeest
4 impala
10 springboks
12 blue wildebeest
13 zebra
270 Win
130 Federal Trophy Bonded Tipped @ 3050
ranges 110 to 260
Lone Peak Ti
Krieger 1-9 CM, 21”
NOTE: a 6.5 CM would have worked just as well, I believe. 😫

127 pigs, assorted sizes and colors, 40s&w, 223, 6.5creed, 264, 7mag, 7 ultra mag, 26 Nosler, 30-06, 300win mag, 308, 300 wby, 25-06

Wow, that is alot of pork!!!!

Added another yesterday morning,

8pt WT - 6.5 PRC, 143gr. ELD-X, GAP rifle, 408 yds.

Disregard. No need for that.

Update: for Mule Deer.

The quarters were finally thawed enough for me to process this elk. The onside shoulder was an absolute mess and the scapula blade was cracked and spiderwebbed like a rock chip in a windshield, but no actual bullet hole was there. I guess that means the berger (I presume my first shot, but don't really know) didn't penetrate the shoulder and blew up. I never found a trace of the bullet but had to cut a LOT of that meat away, which I really don't like doing. The amount of meat damage was kind of appalling. I rarely aim at the shoulder but guess I pulled my shot. Other more normal bullets do meat damage when put through the shoulder, but nothing near this bad and in my experience would have broke through that scapula with ease.

This is exactly what drove me away from bergers the first time, 10-12 years ago.

T interesting.. I have some loaded for my 7mm RM.. May give them a whirl if I hunt elk in Jan.. But from what I have seen, a shoulder shot would not be good.. I wonder if even good bullets preform perfectly everytime... I added a nice cow elk to my bag this fall, used 165 Accubonds.. .30 cal... I had one hit the lungs perfectly, but could not find an exit hole on the off side.. Makes me wonder.. When it is processed, I should have a few more answers, but nothing is perfect I guess, even good bullets..

T Inman,

Thanks for the post mortem.

Antelope buck - 298 yards, 7RUM, 145gr LRX @ 3400fps

Red Stag Spike- 55 yards, .308, 168gr Amax, barely flinched, turned away and tipped over

2 WT Doe, 1 WT Buck- 100-125 yards, .308, 168gr Amax, 1 bang flop, 2x 20yd death sprints (all 3 were heart shots)

Can't say I'm surprised.

About a dozen pigs, different colors and sizes and different ranges. Some at a feeder, others running. A couple of sheep as well. Used my Fieldcraft in 6.5X55, .270 and .223

One cull buck, 110 yards, 7x57 , Remington Classic, 139 gr. Corelock

Doe, GAP 308 Win., 155 Scenar ,, 540 yards

Kudu 150 grain TSX, 350+ yards
5 Hartebeests 150 grain Partition Gold and TSX 75-450 yards
Impala 150 PG 80 yards running
Blue Wildebeest 150 PG 75 yards walking
2 gemsbok 150 PG, 200 and 150 yards
3 warthogs 150 PG and TSX, 50-250 yards

Eland 450 grain Swift A-frame
African Wildcat 22 LR Winchester super X hollow points
Duiker 22 LR

Midwest whitetail buck 140 grain Sierra Game King 200 yards (6.5 caliber)
Javelina 50 grain Vmax
11 coyotes 55 grain Vmax
4 coyotes 95 grain TMK
4 gray foxes 12 ga

Guided animals:
3 bull elk 180 Berger Hunter,450-650 yards
4 coues deer 180 Berger, 143 ELD-X 400-750 yards

Only had one problem, a 180 Berger failed to expand on a coues deer at 450 yards. 150 Partition Gold is a much better bullet than the same weight TSX.

Colorado mule deer (nice 4x4), 7mm Remington Magnum, 168 Berger HVLD, Gunwerks RevX at 366 yards. Bullet did not exit, deer spun 180 degrees and nose dived. Deer tested positive for CWD, meat ended up in the landfill as directed by DOW. Unit 12 Meeker.

Cull WT buck @ 182 yards w/Kimber Swede using 108 factory Lapua ammo. Wish I had made more time to hunt this year.

Pigs. 20 foot. 308

So I don't think I've ever asked, but why do y'all shoot the trapped pigs with centerfires? I've never shot one in a trap with that, generally 22 of some type, sometimes even LRs and lately suppressed. Certainly doesn't take more than that, heck I shoot free range ones with a suppressed 22lr all the time too, albeit generally not over about 50-100 yards away.

I raised pigs for years. I would starve them the day before slaughter. Then I put food in the trough as an attractant. The muzzle of the rifle was 1" from the pig head. The guys that slaughtered them never had a problem with 22 mag to the brain, but a few times 22LR bounced off, and the pig would go hide in my woods.

I killed two mouflon cross sheep weekend before last and two pigs. Barrett Fieldcraft 6.5X55, 130 Swift Scirocco, Swarovski Z3 3-10X42.

I'm not done either. Headed back to the lease tomorrow.

I use whatever I have with me. I mostly use a suppressed 308 with subsonic loads. Caught this pig yesterday, killed him with a 45

Got the new Shiloh Sharps 1877 and shot a few critters with it. From turkey to antelope to deer. 45-70 with 405 grain cast bullets. Deer and antelope were both at 200+ yards, the turkey, maybe 50...

Two antelope, .257 Roberts, 110g AB @ 3163fps.

25 yards and about 400 yards.

Passed on cow elk at 476 yards so Daughter #1 cout try a shot. But by the time we were in her comfort zone (400 yards) they were in the trees. Truck problems cut the hunt short but Daughter #1 and her hubby both scored their first mulies, .300WSM, Barnes VOR-TX 165g ammo. 192 lasered for her, maybe 100 for him. If that.

They both scored their antelope as well, same rifle for him for two does, one for her with a .308 Win/130g TTSX handload for her.

More damn pigs

Antelope buck 389 standing
Antelope doe 250 standing
Antelope doe 320 standing
Antelope doe 515 bedded
Whitetail doe 140 yards standing

Remington 700 action, Bartlein 3b barrel at 26", 1:9.3 twist, Swift 210 scirocco at 3250 over 101 grains of H-1000, Leupold VX6 2-12

buck whitetail bow 26 yards
Buck whitetail bow 22 yards

Doe whitetail 75 yards bedded 450 bushmaster

12 YO Daughter
Buck WT 95 yards
Doe WT 80 yards
Doe WT 80 yards
Doe WT 90 yards
Doe WT 88 yards
Doe WT 135 yards

Ruger American 450 Bushmaster, 16" barel, Magnaport Brake, 3# added to stock, Factory Hornady 450 bushmaster ammo, Leupold 3x9x40 scope with CDS for 450 bushy

Aoudad - 300 WM, 200gr. Accubond, Christensen Arms TFM, 347 yds.

Another 8pt WT Buck Sunday night.. - 300 WM, 200gr. ELD-X, Eddie Fosnaugh Custom rifle, 286 yds.

2 wt doe, first one at 125 yards 2nd one at 248.
1 12pt wt buck 148 yards
1 Fallow doe 202 yards
All with a 6.5x55 SE and 142 gr ABLR running 2800 fps

Still have 2 more tags to use up then I start shooting axis.

Couple wt doe with bow with 100gr swacker
Couple wt doe with 300wm 180bt about 100yrd
6pt wt savage 338 laupa,285gr hornady-774yards. Longest shot to date on deer

Two doe antelope.

Passed on a cow elk at 476 yards in an attempt to get to Daughter #1's comfort range of 400. By the time we closed the gap the elk were in the trees. Probably could have waited until dark but she was 7-1/2 months pregnant and did not want to walk off the mountain in the dark, the same mountain where my hunting buddy badly sprained his ankle doing so a few years ago. (His foot swelled up like a black football.) We decided to try a different area instead but the truck broke down, pretty much ending the elk hunt.

I was able to help Daughter #1 and her hubby both get their first mulie bucks and in Wyoming we filled six of 7 doe antelope tags. Daughter #1 had to get a another freezer.



I did get a Ruger Security 9. Like I needed another CCW firearm.

Axis buck-40 yards 30-30 160 gr Leverevolution
WT spike- 40 yards 30-30 160 gr Leverevolution
Two WT does -30 yards 30-30 160 gr Leverevolution
WT doe-20 yards 30-06 168 gr TSX Rem Hog Hammer
WT doe-40 yards 30-06 165 gr Hornady SST Superperformance

Nothing, nada! I lost my lease right before the season. Threated a canned hunt but thought WTH, stayed home and worked on guns.

10 pt WT buck in Michigan, 150 yds, Custom 700, 6.5 Creed 143gr ELDX
WT doe in VA, 406 yes, Rem 700 Ti, 7 SAUM, 140 Core Lokt Factory load

Antelope at about 250 yards with the 30-06, 6x, 165 gr Nosler Ballistic Tip


Buck at about 355 yards with the 25-06, 6x, 115 gr Nosler Ballistic Tip


Those were both taken in Wyoming. Back here in Washington, I've just done some bird hunting. Chukar & pheasant.

Doe #1 T/C Encore 50cal ML 295gr Power Belt with 2 Triple 7 50/50 pellets, no picture. 60 yards

9 Point Buck Wicked Ridge crossbow 100gr Rage 2, 25 yards



7 Point Buck T/C Encore 12ga Slug Breneke 3" Magnum Crush, 50 yards



Doe #2 T/C Encore 12ga Slug Breneke 3" Magnum Crush, 25 yards



Doe #3 Wicked Ridge crossbow 100gr Rage 2, 15 yards

W-W 1885 220 Swift