Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game Things that worked / Things that didn’t 2024 version

bwinters, good to hear about the ambient jacket. I'm looking at getting one and like to hear it works. Is the 200 or 100 better?

What worked great for me this year was the Tactacam Reveal. I have one spot that gets crappy signal and this worked like a charm.
It was very dry this year so I was able to wear my hiking boots more than my rubber boots. My hiking boots breathed much better and my socks did not get damp. Adding in a toe warmer or artic shield boot cover and my toes never got cold this year. Even down into the teens.

What didn't work, Treesaddle. Even when adjusted the standing/leaning was tiring. Didn't like all the ropes. Has it's place but not my go to set up. Rappelling down was nice.

i purchased a Bog pod Death grip tri-pod for my permanent deer stand made it easier for 12 year old grandson too shoot more accurate and with less recoil too at this years deer a spike buck at 125 yards put that 1st bullet perfect thru that bucks lungs with his 257 Roberts Ruger #1 i gave him ,with my handloads using a 75 gr. Hammer Hunter bullet at 3600 FPS and after that i used this Bog pod too holds my rifle very nicely too in my deer stand for me. Pete53

too too.....

Better is a tricky metric. I wear the 100 hoody every day in hunting season, many days hiking and fishing in cool/cold weather. It has replaced almost every piece of fleece I own. The 200 to me is a niche piece. I bought it to wear on cold days that I still hunt. It provides enough warmth to keep me warm and moves moisture when I'm climbing. I wore both of them at the same time quite a bit last year. I pair either/both with a Black Diamond Alpine Start (wind shirt) and it will keep you warm while stationary for more than a bit. The BD AS weighs 10-12oz.

and F.U. TOO liberal !

Greencover fall release seed blend worked well for my deer and I had more deer feeding on the small plot I planted this year.


Norma whitetail ammo in .308 was a great bullet dropping a decent size hog in its tracks and my best buck year to date. They both were dead in place.

I took a moose with Interlocks this year, 180 grain pills out of a 30-06. Two shots at 60 yards, entered behind the near shoulder, punched through the offside shoulder blade, found nicely mushroomed under the hide.

I also took a decent WT buck with that load at 20 yards, to avoid hitting brush I had to make a shoulder shot. Bullet smashed both shoulders and was under the hide, DRT... I was pretty surprised that it did not exit.

Between those two experiences, and a few other deer I've shot with them, I'd consider that to be the best "all-around" 30-06 load I've used, though I could see the results on deer being less dramatic at long range.

I can't think of any real "Fails" on the gear list.

I did start using a Gunfighter's Inc. Kenai chest holster and have one for Ruger Blackhawks (also fits the Single-Six "OK") and a Glock G20. Total win in my opinion and plan to chest rig every handgun I carry in the woods from now on.

bWinters.

Years ago I safety orange spray painted my Gerber Gator knife. Now I also use some orange handled ones, Edge, I think. they work well.

I've never warmed to the idea of those replaceable razor blade things, tho I hear good raves about them. What I have works, so no need to buy more.

Didn’t work - my back after a 14 point stag.

What did work - enjoying smaller deer, my new wool shirt and probably best revelation - zip on/off thermal bottoms

What worked but didn’t like - thermal spotter for deer location. More efficient- yes, turn hunting into a low resolution b&w video - yes, returned - yes

Dewalt 20v pole trimmer was awesome for cutting back lanes, over growth in plots and roads.

Nosler 115 gr Ballistic tips worked every time I applied them to deer and hogs like every year.

GreggH

My Silky vs. Osage Orange

Did you buy those new last year? My cousin had the same experience on two different deer in 2024, on a buck and does with no blood at all. It was a brand-new box. The previous box he had, those 165gr bullets passed through his 2022 buck, 2023 buck, and a couple of does those same years with great blood trails. Where he hunts, all were shot within 50 yds. Wonder if they have a bad batch of bullets floating around.

I got really backed up on projects, because of the cancer/chemo. That was 2.5 years ago. I finally worked through the backlog this fall.

The first of the two remaining projects were a 7mm-08 139 grain Hornady IL SP load. I was already sold on the rifle, a TC Compass. I'd already taken deer and hog with the bullet, but I wasn't sold on Varget, the original powder. I finally got hold of some WIN StaBall 6.5. It boosted the velocity by 200 fps. Yowzah!

The second was a 25-06 100-grain Speer Hot-Cor load. I'd tried 117 grain Hornadys previously, but felt like more experimentation was in order. I've been using H4831 SC throughout. I caught a doe in the boiler room and she disappeared off the field. I was worried she'd headed for the ravine. I had already resolved to never shoot this load again, but I found her in the weeds just at the treeline. She hadn't gone more than 10 yards. It took a few weeks for me to rethink this. I finally decided that if I'd shot her with a 30-06, I'd have been overjoyed with the performance. The same would have been true if I'd shot her 10 yards further out in the field and actually watched her go down. In the end, I marked it a success.

I had one failure. In 2023, I went to the LGS to pick up new Ruger GP100, and there was a stainless Rossi M922 in 44 Mag. For giggles, I asked to see it. Zoot Alors! I could actually see the sights! You gotta understand, I haven't been able to work with irons in over 20 years. However, the chemo had screwed with my eyes and improved them. I'd just come from the doctor with the new prescription. This was in the 20" version. I ordered the 24" version in the spring, and had a ball with it in the summer. However, when I got it out in the fall, I found that my eyesight had worsened. Not only could I not see the bullseye, but I couldn't find the 8.5" X11" target on the cardboard backing. I had to shelve this one until next year. I went back to the doc and got a new script. I'll get my checkup again in early fall in 2025, well before season. The load for this rifle is already a proven deer killer.

One project is still on hold: the Brown Bess. It is still unblooded. I had bought it with the intention of taking a deer, a turkey and a squirrel all in one year. The thing of it is, I really only have one weekend of ML season to get the deer. KY has a late December season, but I'm usually mashing down the top of the freezer by then. Truth is, 11 Gauge is a bit overkill for deer. However, an advancing line of determined infantry is hard to come by these days. I'm open to ideas.

Schnee’s Kestrel boots and Athlon Ares Spotter were the new additions that worked great.

Loaned my Kifaru pack to my son and had to borrow a Mystery Ranch Metcalf for myself. It didn’t fail but I can’t say I was too impressed with the comfort.

A bit off subject..
Heart shot on a deer. I shot one that had been pushed hard. She ran across a field, into the woods, to within 5 yards of the base of my treestand. Due to the angle and distance, I ended up shooting her in the heart. I was using a 35 Remington, top end load of LVR powder under a Speer 180 JFP. Usually a great load. At the shot she bolted back through the hemlocks. I could see the blood on her chest. She still ran over 100 yards before collapsing. Upon dressing her I found that the entire bottom of the heart had been destroyed. But with adrenalin, she still ran that far. I had once heart shot another one with a 45-70 and top end Marlin loads of Speer 300 JHP and he still ran about 15 yards.
Shots through both lungs drop them where they stand. Same thing with archery. Heart shots run farther than shot through both lungs.

I find that almost every time we hit the bottom of the heart they can go a long ways. Up to 300ish yards.

Every time we hit the top of the heart they tend to not make 100. Often barely 50ish...

The other thing is there are other variables as to how far they run. And especially double lung shots. Its really rare for a double lung to drop a deer from years of hunting/guiding and seeing results from over 1000 animals. But it does happen.

I figure if they run a bit or drop I got lucky in a way. If they run further its not a big deal and just how it was.

Adrenalin. All bets are off. I shot a HUGE hog once, sow with little ones. I know pig weights and she was over 400 and probably over 500 actually. Perfect double lung.(which can actually heal up depending, have seen it both with rifle and bow) and a close shot. She was still going over half a mile of brush later following bits of blood... the adrenalin from having piglets kept her going. We never found her and never found buzzards or cara cara in the next 3 days...

Those things are like cheating. 8 year old used stand for first deer. Dead. Bog pod from stand 2nd deer. Dead. But he shoots much better overall with that bog pod. Its a shame grown men have to use them and dont' know slings and positions etc... BUT they are cats azz for doing what they are meant to do.

Used those years ago in the 308. They did what we wanted. Caliber in. maybe half inch exit or so. Perfect. Animals ran a bit. fell over.