trebark
Well-Known Member
This year's hunters retreat started out a bit sad for me when I found out that my nephew (with whom I have hunted with since he was nine) would not be able to attend the retreat. He is growing into a fine young man and these days he has a job and was not able to get the time off from work.
Nonetheless, made the best of the situation and enjoyed some time hunting with my brother. My brother hadn't killed a deer in a couple of years and he had never longrange hunted before. He was in for a treat because I brought My 300RUM by MCR along for its first deer hunt. This would also be an opportunity to field test the redesigned 208grain Hornady Amax. (Although the Amax has an excellent reputation for performance on game, I have not read any field reports since they were redesigned).
The first morning we got up early and took the long hike to a good longrange spot. We were set-up before dawn and started going over how we would communicate. Also took the opportunity for brother to get some dry-fire exercise done.
About 7:45, "deer in the field!" Brother was immediately stoked but the deer were too high on the hill to shoot and the first deer in the field were fawns. We waited for their momma to appear. After a short wait, out came momma. They were still too high on the hill for a safe shot. Now with deer in the field, while we waited for a safe shot, brother got a bit more dry-fire exercise done. We also used the time to measure the deer with the TMR reticle in the scope. We determined that from 400+ yards, fawns were 2mils long and mature deer were 2.5 to 3mils long.
At some point while we waited, a few more deer came into the field. After about an hour of waiting, all of a sudden a bunch of deer came into the field. (At this point, there's about 11+ deer in the field). Said to brother to get on the gun and look at the deer on the right. As he began to focus on them, I said, 'forget them' the big doe we want is in safe shooting position in the center of the field.
Ranged the deer at 425 yards, dialed the scope, zero wind, 'send it'. DRT! Brother smiled a huge smile, I slapped him on the back, shook his hand and told him 'good shot.'
One of the great things about longrange hunting is that the deer in the field didn't clear-out. So we switched positions so that I could get on the gun.
Another one of the big does came over to check-out the dead one on the ground. Ranged her at 415, dialed the scope, zero wind…DRT! And again, the deer stayed in the field.
We decided to wait until the field was clear before going after our deer. It's two deer per day where we hunt and more than once, brother had to be reminded not to shoot another as there was enough work to do with the one on the ground.
It was a great day!
It was such a great day, that we went out again the following morning to the same spot.
Again, the deer came out around 8 o'clock and they were high on the hill. They were only fawns, but my brother's wife likes tender young fawns, so he decided that if they would give us a safe shot, he would take one.
It was about an hour later that the deer came down the hill far enough for a shot.
Ranged her at 438 yards, dialed the scope, 'send it.' Deer humped up like a boiler room hit and she went for a gallop and managed get out of sight. We immediately got up and went after the deer. It was a perfect double lung shot and the deer managed to go just 50 yards before piling up.
At 438 yards, my brother holds the longrange record on deer for our family!
Here's a few pics….
Looking from our shooting position at the field/hill….
Brother and me (on the right) with our longrange trophies
Nonetheless, made the best of the situation and enjoyed some time hunting with my brother. My brother hadn't killed a deer in a couple of years and he had never longrange hunted before. He was in for a treat because I brought My 300RUM by MCR along for its first deer hunt. This would also be an opportunity to field test the redesigned 208grain Hornady Amax. (Although the Amax has an excellent reputation for performance on game, I have not read any field reports since they were redesigned).
The first morning we got up early and took the long hike to a good longrange spot. We were set-up before dawn and started going over how we would communicate. Also took the opportunity for brother to get some dry-fire exercise done.
About 7:45, "deer in the field!" Brother was immediately stoked but the deer were too high on the hill to shoot and the first deer in the field were fawns. We waited for their momma to appear. After a short wait, out came momma. They were still too high on the hill for a safe shot. Now with deer in the field, while we waited for a safe shot, brother got a bit more dry-fire exercise done. We also used the time to measure the deer with the TMR reticle in the scope. We determined that from 400+ yards, fawns were 2mils long and mature deer were 2.5 to 3mils long.
At some point while we waited, a few more deer came into the field. After about an hour of waiting, all of a sudden a bunch of deer came into the field. (At this point, there's about 11+ deer in the field). Said to brother to get on the gun and look at the deer on the right. As he began to focus on them, I said, 'forget them' the big doe we want is in safe shooting position in the center of the field.
Ranged the deer at 425 yards, dialed the scope, zero wind, 'send it'. DRT! Brother smiled a huge smile, I slapped him on the back, shook his hand and told him 'good shot.'
One of the great things about longrange hunting is that the deer in the field didn't clear-out. So we switched positions so that I could get on the gun.
Another one of the big does came over to check-out the dead one on the ground. Ranged her at 415, dialed the scope, zero wind…DRT! And again, the deer stayed in the field.
We decided to wait until the field was clear before going after our deer. It's two deer per day where we hunt and more than once, brother had to be reminded not to shoot another as there was enough work to do with the one on the ground.
It was a great day!
It was such a great day, that we went out again the following morning to the same spot.
Again, the deer came out around 8 o'clock and they were high on the hill. They were only fawns, but my brother's wife likes tender young fawns, so he decided that if they would give us a safe shot, he would take one.
It was about an hour later that the deer came down the hill far enough for a shot.
Ranged her at 438 yards, dialed the scope, 'send it.' Deer humped up like a boiler room hit and she went for a gallop and managed get out of sight. We immediately got up and went after the deer. It was a perfect double lung shot and the deer managed to go just 50 yards before piling up.
At 438 yards, my brother holds the longrange record on deer for our family!
Here's a few pics….
Looking from our shooting position at the field/hill….
Brother and me (on the right) with our longrange trophies
