I killed my first muledeer today
Snake River Marksman
9/26/10 8:01pm
It's going to take me longer to put this post together than the actual hunt did.
I've only been hunting muledeer for 3 seasons. I'm originally from Maryland. Anyway, two season ago I spotted some does in range but I couldn't get on them in the fading light as they manuevered through the aspens. That's the only time I've seen deer in range during the season, until this morning.
My alarm clock malfunctioned this morning and I overslept. I didn't have much time to devote to the hunt anyway as I have a pretty long honey do list because of working late all this past week. I decided I'd hunt a small stretch of river bottom in the Snake River Canyon between Hoback and Alpine. It's an "any deer" area, and considering my work load and other hunts planned, I figured it didn't matter what I saw, I was going to get some meat in the freezer.
I parked the truck in a turnout and grabbed just my Orange vest and my rifle and five extra rounds and set off down the embankment to still hunt the river bottom. It's a mixture of cottonwoods and firs that's about 200yds wide at it's widest end. I've hunted down in there before,(along with a whole bunch of other people) and seen lots of deer sign but never a deer before. It's pretty easy hunting and can be still hunted in about two hours or so. I hadn't been down there ten minutes when I spotted a lone deer about 75 to 100yds away looking right at me. I eased the rifle up and took off the safety a the same time. I noticed it was what looked to be a spike buck still in velvet. I steadied the crosshairs low on the neck and high on the chest and fired. The deer went straight down and didn't move.
After that it was all dirty work. The drag was rather short but that last uphill pitch to the road was pretty tiring. I'm going to need some Advil before I go to sleep tonight. I'm just not as young as I used to be LOL!
The bullet entered the neck went through roughly 12 inches of meat then 3 inches of spine before coming to rest between the spine and the backstrap.
It weighted 67grains That's 67% weight retention.
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Gear for deer: Stevens 200 with Adams and Bennet 250 savage barrel RP brass 100gr hornady interlock IMR 4895 powder Swift 6x fixed scope Rifle Basix trigger.
No pics of the deer, I couldn't find a working camera this morning
I've only been hunting muledeer for 3 seasons. I'm originally from Maryland. Anyway, two season ago I spotted some does in range but I couldn't get on them in the fading light as they manuevered through the aspens. That's the only time I've seen deer in range during the season, until this morning.
My alarm clock malfunctioned this morning and I overslept. I didn't have much time to devote to the hunt anyway as I have a pretty long honey do list because of working late all this past week. I decided I'd hunt a small stretch of river bottom in the Snake River Canyon between Hoback and Alpine. It's an "any deer" area, and considering my work load and other hunts planned, I figured it didn't matter what I saw, I was going to get some meat in the freezer.
I parked the truck in a turnout and grabbed just my Orange vest and my rifle and five extra rounds and set off down the embankment to still hunt the river bottom. It's a mixture of cottonwoods and firs that's about 200yds wide at it's widest end. I've hunted down in there before,(along with a whole bunch of other people) and seen lots of deer sign but never a deer before. It's pretty easy hunting and can be still hunted in about two hours or so. I hadn't been down there ten minutes when I spotted a lone deer about 75 to 100yds away looking right at me. I eased the rifle up and took off the safety a the same time. I noticed it was what looked to be a spike buck still in velvet. I steadied the crosshairs low on the neck and high on the chest and fired. The deer went straight down and didn't move.
After that it was all dirty work. The drag was rather short but that last uphill pitch to the road was pretty tiring. I'm going to need some Advil before I go to sleep tonight. I'm just not as young as I used to be LOL!
The bullet entered the neck went through roughly 12 inches of meat then 3 inches of spine before coming to rest between the spine and the backstrap.
It weighted 67grains That's 67% weight retention.
Gear for deer: Stevens 200 with Adams and Bennet 250 savage barrel RP brass 100gr hornady interlock IMR 4895 powder Swift 6x fixed scope Rifle Basix trigger.
No pics of the deer, I couldn't find a working camera this morning
5,112
Not only on killing your first muley, but on one of the few of use who appreciate the many attributes and gentlmen like qualities of the quarter-bore. No kick, super accurate, and kill like magic. Love the bullet pic too, glad to know I'm not the only one who digs those things out and weighs them before taking pics. I have a pill bottle with all the bullets I've ever retrieved from game.---------SS
I like the 250 savage. It seems to be just right as a deer and antelope round. It does a number on coyotes too. After spending the summer shooting the same rifle with a 223 barrel on it, it seems to kick a lot more. Then I shoot my 308 and I appreciate once again how mild the 250 really is.