msalm
Well-Known Member
Well, I'm hooked. I went to CO this year with my father-in-law. Last time I went with him I shot a very nice 5X5 that I spotted across a drainage and stalked up to him in his bed. This year I wanted to be able to shoot him where I spotted him so I shot my 300WSM a bit and sighted dead on at 300, 10" low at 400, 25" at 5 and 48 at 600. Now I did build myself a 338 edge this year, and it's shooting well but I didn't spend enough time with it and the scope to feel confident out to 800 where I want to shoot it.
SO anyway, I ended up glassing a slope of thick scrub oak last Thursday after a long hard 5 days of hunting a different area to no avail and here comes 25-30 elk filtering down in the evening feeding in the scrub. There was a beautiful 6X6 at one point that stopped broadside at 800 yards on the nose that my Edge was made for, but alas I had to wait until they fed a little lower. Half hour before dark a few cows and a real nice 4X5 bull stepped out of the thick stuff at 600 yards. I told Jim (FIL) to range him, 601 yards he says. I looked at my drop chart, 48 inches. Wind was less than 5mph, just a slight downslope breeze. I didn't click my scope as I hadn't practiced that with the Leu VXIII 4.5-14 that was on my rifle, but I felt 3' over his shoulder was a pretty easy estimation. I held my estimated 3' over and about 5" into the wind and broke the shot.
I tell you what...there is NOTHING more exillerating than a high shoulder hit. That 168gr TSX penetrated the shoulder, creased under the spine and punched though the opposide shoulder blade. The bull's legs disappeared as he dropped like an absolute stone. The bull has 12 and 15" eyeguards and was really a very nice bull with no tops on the main beams. I'm pretty pumped about it and kick myself for not getting out with my 338 more this summer.
Anyway, I'll get some pics posted when my wife remembers to pick up the pics from walgreens!
Shoot straight,
shoot often,
Matt
SO anyway, I ended up glassing a slope of thick scrub oak last Thursday after a long hard 5 days of hunting a different area to no avail and here comes 25-30 elk filtering down in the evening feeding in the scrub. There was a beautiful 6X6 at one point that stopped broadside at 800 yards on the nose that my Edge was made for, but alas I had to wait until they fed a little lower. Half hour before dark a few cows and a real nice 4X5 bull stepped out of the thick stuff at 600 yards. I told Jim (FIL) to range him, 601 yards he says. I looked at my drop chart, 48 inches. Wind was less than 5mph, just a slight downslope breeze. I didn't click my scope as I hadn't practiced that with the Leu VXIII 4.5-14 that was on my rifle, but I felt 3' over his shoulder was a pretty easy estimation. I held my estimated 3' over and about 5" into the wind and broke the shot.
I tell you what...there is NOTHING more exillerating than a high shoulder hit. That 168gr TSX penetrated the shoulder, creased under the spine and punched though the opposide shoulder blade. The bull's legs disappeared as he dropped like an absolute stone. The bull has 12 and 15" eyeguards and was really a very nice bull with no tops on the main beams. I'm pretty pumped about it and kick myself for not getting out with my 338 more this summer.
Anyway, I'll get some pics posted when my wife remembers to pick up the pics from walgreens!
Shoot straight,
shoot often,
Matt
