Success In The Field

I was extremely fortunate to be in the right place at the right time this morning. We had a request from neighbors two days ago to trespass onto the ranch I hunt to look for a deer they’d shot and had run into our place. Permission was given and they commenced to looking, not involving us at all. This morning as I started saying, I happened to look behind me and see a buck walking across one of the pastures.

I notice he’s got something hanging from his mouth, I grab binoculars and look. I immediately recognize his lower jaw hanging down, sadly he’s 200+ yards away. I’m armed with my Blackhawk Hunter and no idea what holdover would be for a shot at that distance. I take off downwind of him trying to cut him off, when he comes to the pasture cross fence, he is very reluctant to jump or crawl under.

I’ve got a 50/50 chance that he’ll head towards me, he doesn’t!! I can see him try and get through the fence, but he is very cautious of any contact with his head or mouth. I get into the next pasture and try to get in front in case he does get across. When I come to the spot where I saw h8m last I’m glassing to try and see if he is anywhere nearby. I’m hoping he will bed down, but instead he has continued down the fence line. I am now adjacent to that fence line and spot him now coming towards me. He is still looking for a gap in the fence to cross, but doesn’t want to jump or crawl. Luckily he clears some light brush and is 65 yards from me.

I place the crosshairs on his chest as he faces me almost in-line, I squeeze the trigger and he bucks, and takes off running. He covers 47 yards and piles up. I have never been so grateful for a quick kill in my life, I am elated that his suffering is over. I am also thoroughly pissed at the shooter who chose to head shoot this magnificent animal.

They will never know of the bucks final outcome as I will keep this kill from common knowledge here at the ranch.

This buck was taken with another CEB 200gr. bullet and while success is difficult to argue with, again terminal performance leaves me unimpressed. I am thankful, they did thier job well overall.