Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting That didn't take long

Haven't seen anything to get excited about for the 2 months of bow season, pretty well resigned myself to a couple freezer does and tag soup on the buck tag. Yesterday afternoon a nice heavy 10 walks through the clover patch checking does and leaves. Figured he knew rifle season was this morning and was doing final checks before holing up for a while.
This morning I watched a few doe and forkies work through the patch on the way into the heavy timber. I thought the morning was pretty well done since this patch is close to the house and they don't stick around long. About 45 minutes into the season I noticed a couple more does wandering into the other end of the patch from the neighboring creek followed by a nice buck, maybe the same one as the afternoon before. Got the old Ruger M77 Tang Safety 250-3000 on him and waited for him to turn from facing directly away. When I got what I wanted, I slipped a bullet through the ribs aiming for the far shoulder. He dropped straight down and I never saw him move. I was trying a Speer 100 gr Hot Core this year to see how they compared to the 100 Hornady Interlocks I've always used and had good luck with. Load was 35 gr H4895.
When I skinned him out, I found the bullet between the shoulder and hide. It seperated when I pulled it from the hide but was intact when I found it. Weighs 66 grains after taking out a couple ribs on each side and centering the far shoulder. An example of 1 so not definitive, but promising for sure.
Rack was kind of narrow at 17 1/2" inside spread, but real heavy with a broken G2. After not seeing anything for two months I wasn't going to turn him down.
As he fell

With the old pre-warning Ruger M77

Nice! That was worth waiting for.

I would have waited for the

firing pin to hit the primer. grin

Goodun

Jerry

Nice buck!

Very nice. Congrats!

Congrats on a cool buck!

Well done, congrats.

Those are the kind of horns that get me fired up. That is a brute. Congrats

That's a lot of bone! Handsome buck. Well done!

Very nice buck, congrats!

Ole 270, Great Buck! What the heck is narrow about a 17 1/2" spread? Congrats, and if you ever get the feeling you want to sell that M77 please PM me. I bought my son his first deer rifle in the early 80's, a M77 Tang in 257 Roberts and have since sold it. Would love to get another M77 Tang in 250 or 257. Nice Buck.

That rifle isn't going anywhere while I'm still above room temperature. Told my wife when I bought it that I was getting it for our yet to be born 1st Grandkid. That Granddaughter is now 14 and using her own M70 Fwt Compact in a McMillan Stock, chambered in 7-08. I'm still working up loads and seeing if it will work well enough for her, or her little brother, or one of her cousins.
This rifle and my M77 MkII 257 Roberts are my two favorite deer rifles.

Thanks guys, guess I've gotten spoiled on the several 20"+ deer I've taken here on the home place.

Very cool rifle and awesome buck! Congratulations on patience that paid off!

I knew it was a long shot! Guys that have 'em never get rid of them. Good for you on passing it on down to the Grandkids. Great rifle and a great cartridge. Hope you have many more successful seasons with it, and thanks for sharing the hunt.

Just looked up the date of manufacture on the rifle, looks like midyear 1975.

Congrats - a nice heavy racked buck! Cold out there this morning. No snow in your area?

we had maybe half an inch, gone by Tuesday afternoon. Don't even pick up anything on the boots walking around.

Nice. You got a good gene pool there.

That’s a hell of a buck!

Good looking thick rack! Looks like the Hot Core is gonna work out fine.