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Harvested this 8 pointer today.

Saw someone in Hopkinton MA with a deer on their hitch carrier. Rack was covered, but looked like a nice spread
 
Ok, details of the hunt: I went out about 0830 and sat down at my chair. Got situated and put out a few long grunts. I heard some activity in the wood to my right a little distant. I gave a couple more short grunts and just sat quiet and could hear him walking in on me. I looked over to my right and could see him standing off in the brush about thirty yards away....steam rising from his breath. He continued towards me moving more towards my front then a doe walked out in front of me( I hadn't even seen her until just then). She started crossing in front of me right out in the open and he was following her about 80 feet behind. She continued to cross my lane and sauntered off down into a mowed pasture and the buck came out into the clear and stopped, nose up sniffing the wind. He didn't even notice me (too much sex on his mind)
so I raised my rifle and drilled him.
He ran down the hill and dropped in some tall grass.

Shot him with an AR15, 55gr lead tip. Honestly, I won't do it again. It was a lung shot and I'm very fortunate that it hit a large artery and he went down, otherwise the chase would hve been on and I could easily have lost him. From now on its 30 cal or larger to drop them in their tracks.

The last deer I shot here before this one was with a K98 Mauser in 8mm and it knocked a large six pointer right off his feet at about 35yds.
Thats what I want all the time so the AR stays in the rack from now on during deer season.

Don't know the weight of this 8 pointer but I'd estimate it at about 130-140 whole.

For those who asked, this is on my property in south central Kentucky. 110 acres of woods and fields, surrounded by corn and soybean fields.
I have about 20 acres unmowed and they bed down in those fields. Three running creeks and plenty of browse for them along with corn and oats supplied by me all year.
 
Last edited:
Uzi2 said:
Thanks, I'm in Kentucky Jack.
Click to expand...

I can't get back to my Folks' place in Ohio County often enough to enjoy Sunday hunting, but the bow season goes through Jan. 21 and I may try to get a week down there when New England is all done.
 
I have never hunted anything outside of MA, and thus don’t own any deer rifles. Being almost 40 years old and just starting to have kids it seems unlikely I’ll ever get to experience hunting in such a place as your land. Sounds awesome though!
If I had the opportunity to go hunt deer with a rifle tomorrow, I would have to choose the .308 Garand I think. Yes the AR is much lighter, easier to shoot and I’m more accurate with it, but that tiny .22 round just doesn’t seem like a great game getter. Yes, I understand tons of animals have been cleanly taken with a .223/ 5.56. I would just feel better about taking the shot with something a lot heavier.
 
45collector said:
I have never hunted anything outside of MA, and thus don’t own any deer rifles. Being almost 40 years old and just starting to have kids it seems unlikely I’ll ever get to experience hunting in such a place as your land. Sounds awesome though!
If I had the opportunity to go hunt deer with a rifle tomorrow, I would have to choose the .308 Garand I think. Yes the AR is much lighter, easier to shoot and I’m more accurate with it, but that tiny .22 round just doesn’t seem like a great game getter. Yes, I understand tons of animals have been cleanly taken with a .223/ 5.56. I would just feel better about taking the shot with something a lot heavier.
Click to expand...

Having just experienced the .223 on a deer for the first time with this deer, I must say I fully concur with your sentiment about using more gun. It was the first and last time for me unless its all I've got, and I'd try to use a heavier bullet. The 55gr is small.

I would use the .223 on just about anything smaller though, fox, coyote, etc. makes less of a hole in pelt if thats what they are taken for.
 
Uzi2 said:
Ok, details of the hunt: I went out about 0830 and sat down at my chair. Got situated and put out a few long grunts. I heard some activity in the wood to my right a little distant. I gave a couple more short grunts and just sat quiet and could hear him walking in on me. I looked over to my right and could see him standing off in the brush about thirty yards away....steam rising from his breath. He continued towards me moving more towards my front then a doe walked out in front of me( I hadn't even seen her until just then). She started crossing in front of me right out in the open and he was following her about 80 feet behind. She continued to cross my lane and sauntered off down into a mowed pasture and the buck came out into the clear and stopped, nose up sniffing the wind. He didn't even notice me (too much sex on his mind)
so I raised my rifle and drilled him.
He ran down the hill and dropped in some tall grass.

Shot him with an AR15, 55gr lead tip. Honestly, I won't do it again. It was a lung shot and I'm very fortunate that it hit a large artery and he went down, otherwise the chase would hve been on and I could easily have lost him. From now on its 30 cal or larger to drop them in their tracks.

The last deer I shot here before this one was with a K98 Mauser in 8mm and it knocked a large six pointer right off his feet at about 35yds.
Thats what I want all the time so the AR stays in the rack from now on during deer season.

Don't know the weight of this 8 pointer but I'd estimate it at about 130-140 whole.

For those who asked, this is on my property in south central Kentucky. 110 acres of woods and fields, surrounded by corn and soybean fields.
I have about 20 acres unmowed and they bed down in those fields. Three running creeks and plenty of browse for them along with corn and oats supplied by me all year.
Click to expand...


Contrats! Nice buck!

I loved bowhunting in Kentucky. The land is beautiful out there and the people were really nice.
Had lots of opportunites and passed up an 8 with a little more mass than that. (Have bigger on the wall, and would
have had to deal with flying it home, was looking for a Smasher). Seeing deer every day was great.

Next time I go back I want to take the rifle and drive, and shoot a few deer.

I agree, .223 a little too small, can be done, but I would go .243 or larger.
 
edmorseiii said:
I was going to say, slap a 6.8 or 300blk together if you still want to use your AR.
Click to expand...

Yes, I've been thinking of a 300blk for one of my spare lowers. Might have to get one just for hunting purposes as I do like the AR type rifle, its light, easy to carry and maneuver.
This has pretty much decided the issue for me. I won't keep a lot of ammo round for it, probably just a few boxes of lead tip bunting ammo.
 
Dennis in MA said:
It isn't. The deer couldn't find a suitable mate so he hung himself from the nearest tractor-with-a-chain-on-it. It's a shame. He had so much to live for.
Click to expand...

[laugh2][laugh2][laugh2]

Now that's funny! I can't figure out gow he got the thing hooked though. I checked his hooves and didn't see a thumb on any of them. I guess gravity worked in his favor.[smile]
 
Uzi2 said:
Yes, I've been thinking of a 300blk for one of my spare lowers. Might have to get one just for hunting purposes as I do like the AR type rifle, its light, easy to carry and maneuver.
This has pretty much decided the issue for me. I won't keep a lot of ammo round for it, probably just a few boxes of lead tip bunting ammo.
Click to expand...

That's what I do. I put together a 16" 300 blk upper that sits on a rack in my shop for the other 11 months of the year. I used a Green Mountian Rifle Barrel Co barrel and it shoots groups just shy of 1" at 100 yards with the Barnes 110 black tips.

IMG_20171109_095144_010.jpg
 
Did you paint that or is it tape? I have a similar setup with the same barrel.

edmorseiii said:
That's what I do. I put together a 16" 300 blk upper that sits on a rack in my shop for the other 11 months of the year. I used a Green Mountian Rifle Barrel Co barrel and it shoots groups just shy of 1" at 100 yards with the Barnes 110 black tips.

View attachment 255486
Click to expand...
 

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