Hey, just had to let you know about my recent adventure. Went hunting this afternoon and shot my first buck ever! A 4x4 whitetail. It was a 3 pt. minimum, whitetail only restriction, and after a few hours of stalking and tracking, I was able to take my 4x4. I've never got a deer before, ever, so this was really cool, I'm still pumped!

I shot him with my Remington Model 700 .30-06, equipped with a Harris Bi-Pod, and shooting Federal Premier Trophy Bonded 180 grain cartridges. When I finally shot him, he was about 300 yards out, on a steep uphill slope, with a strong head/cross wind. I put the shot right through his neck, taking out the juglar and breaking the neck. He dropped right where he stood, didn't move an inch, so I was thrilled about that. Glad to know my first kill was a good, solid, clean kill shot.

The rack isn't very big I guess, compared to what you see on the hunting shows on TNN, but for my first one, I'm still thrilled with it. It's roughly 12" across inside the tines, and nearly perfect symetrically. The tines are all pretty long, but not very big around. They do stick up above the ears pretty good, and the shape is pretty nice. The eye guards are at or just over 2" long I'd guess.

Only thing that would have made it better, was if I'd have had my 'Cat up there with me, and been able to haul it out that way. It was a long walk dragging him back to the truck.

Anyway, I'm still pumped, and had to let you all know-I've been hunting for quite some time now, and finally was successfull!

Thanks for listening,

Mike

 

Cool. DId you weigh him yet?

 

Hey, thanks Boner! No, I didn't get a weight yet. I called my parents to tell them about it, and to see if I should just take it home tomorrow morning (about a two hour drive). They said no, they didn't want it in the garage, as there was company coming over or some damn thing, but did say to take it down to a local butcher and they would pay the bill. So, I guess I'm going to head over to Moscow in the morning and see if they can cut it up for me. Probably get a weight then.

Like I said, he wasn't real big. Figure he was between 2-3 years old or so. The deer in the area run through the draws and canyons. They all border on farm land eventually, so there's lots of wheat and alfalfa close by, along with the river down below. He really didn't have that much fat on him though, mostly muscle. The hide alone, stripped down from the base of the neck, to the knee joints, weighed in around 40 lbs. or so, just guessing. I'd also guess that the head/neck weighed in around 50 lbs. or so. I do dumbell lateral raises starting with 45's and working up to 55's, and even 60's if I'm feeling frisky, so I'd say that's a pretty good guess for the head weight. Really can't even guess what the carcass weighs, we had three guys lifting it up and tieing it to the water pipes on the ceiling of the basement for skinning, so I couldn't get a good estimate there. Hopefully tomorrow I'll know what it weighs, but like I said, he really isn't that big. It was just awkward tieing him to the ceiling pipes-that's all they had to hang it by.

I'm just happy to finally get my first deer! After my last several years of hunting, I finally know what it feels like to actually bag one, and I must say, it's pretty cool! Can't wait till next year!

Mike

Oh, I took some pics, but not sure if they'll turn out or not. Light was bad, as it was after dark, with flashlights and such, then in the basement with minimal light. Also, the idiots who were supposed to develop my pics of elk hunting somehow lost the film, and have no idea where my pictures are. Kind of pissed about that one.

 

Hey Cowboy... CONGRATULATIONS!!! It's one of the best feelings in the world.

I wish we could use rifles here in New Jersey, but we can't. I would love to be able to shoot at a deer over that distance. The shotguns just don't go that far...ha! ha!

Take care.

Ron

 

Congrats Mike!!!

I'll never forget my first Whitetail buck. I was in a tree stand & he walked up under my tree. His shoulder was probably no further than 15 feet from the end of my muzzle when I shot and he went down like a rock (as you would expect from that distance). Actually the year before I missed a doe from the same spot because I was using a scope & all I could see brown, so I shot & she stood there & looked at me. I figure the bullet must have went between her legs because of the angle coming down from the tree. The next year I put raised scope mounts on my .308 so when my 6 X 4 walked up on me, I just put the open sights just behind his shoulder & Boom.... down he went. What a rush!!!

My Dad shot a 7 X 4 last Saturday morning about 6:45 am then about 30 minutes later he filled my brother's tag with a 2 X 2 about ten feet from where he shot the bigger deer. Sometimes I don't think deer are that smart.... oh well, right now around here, the Bucks are so into chasing does they can't think straight. Yesterday at 11:30 am I had a nice 6 X 6 chase a doe right in front of me on the highway going to my house, I thought he should have been bedded down for his afternoon nap but I think he had something else on his mind!!! Anyway, Congrats & enjoy the venison (sp).

Lance

 

Congrads Mike, brings back memories of my first one. Isn't it a great feeling. It will be good eating too. Next one will be a big boy.

 

Congratulations Cowboy!
Sounds like you made a nice clean shot. Way to go!
The first one is always special, but don't think the next one will be any less exciting. That's the fun of hunting, every one is differnt. Hope you enjoy your venison. We can't shoot deer here in the Yukon as they are only just starting to move this far north. We sure love our moose meat though.
Happy Hunting!

 

Cowboy- Congrats on the Buck. How do you like that 700. I saw a couple the other day in .300 Rem ultra mag, and 338 rem ultra mag. Sweeeeet looking guns. I'm looking into a new rifle in the next year and I'm going to go a bit bigger than average I think. I love the 700's, but I'm leaning towards an automatic. That only spells one thing. Browning BAR in .300 Winchester Mag. It would set me back about $700, but it would be a slick gun. I've been using the same old Marlin 30-30 for about the past 12 years now. Time to upgrade. A bolt action would be more accurate, but then again, around here, the longest shot you would be looking at would be around 80yards.

 

Thanks to everybody, can't hardly wait for next year now!

Catlance: Thanks for the story, definately enjoyed hearing it, maybe somebody else could share theirs??? Sorry, I love hearing old hunting stories and adventures, whether they turn out successfull, or not, they're still a great time.

Andy:

Yeah, I really like my Model 700. I bought it a few years ago now, and until yesterday, had not fired it at anything other than the usuall targets, sighting it in. It kind of looks like a sniper rifle I guess-that's what people tell me anyway. It is a black synthetic stock, with that powder coat type matte black finish. I've got a Leupold Vari X III 4.5x14 scope, and a Harris Bi-Pod, along with the usual 9-cartridge stock holder, and black sling. Looks pretty sharp, and as I found out yesterday, it shoots true to the money. As long as it shoots strait, it really doesn't matter what any gun looks like, but I do like the look of a nice gun.

Was at the Husky Sport Shop today and saw a brand new Rem. 300 Ultra Mag with a stainless barrel, and that synthetic grey wood looking stock. Had streaks of white and black in it. Also had a Leupold stainless scope on it, and DAMN!, it was a beautiful rifle! Pretty tag as well-$798 w/o the scope!

Out of curiousity, why are you looking for an automatic? They are nice, as they are fast chambering, but the bolts are just more accurate, and stronger as well. I guess I'm just a little old fashioned like that. I like my Beer Cold, my Four Wheel Drive to be a lever, not a button, and my Rifle to have a bolt, but hey, that's just me! Backwoods hillbilly? -Maybe, but this old country boy knows what he likes!

Boner:
Hey, got him weighed today. Just under 100 lbs., with no head, hide, legs and all the exterior fat completely removed. I thought he was small -and he is- but sitting next to the others in the locker, he was just as big as the rest, and bigger than a few, even with all the fat still on them. Whatever his size, there should definately be enough meat to feed me for a few weeks at least. I hope anyway! Heh Heh Heh.

Take care,

Mike

 

I just like the automatic for some reason. I have a lever right now, and if I tried to cycle a couple shots quickly, It takes more time for me to pull back up on something than it would with an auto. Like I said, its all woods around here and I wouldn't be facing any really long shots. (as if I would get the chance to need to fire two shots quickly very often)

The other thing is that its kind of a unique rifle as well. Nobody else makes an auto in magnum calibers. I think it looks cool with the Boss too. That thing is supposed to reduce recoil, but it makes it louder than hell I hear. Most people around here have Remington 742's. Mostly 30.06 caliber. Some have 7400's, and a lot have marlin 30-30's. There aren't a lot of major wall hanger bucks around here though. A 300 mag is overkill in this area, but I think it would be a cool gun.

One thing about the Browning, it is a heavy gun. I have a feeling that I would notice the weight pretty quick.

That Leupold sounds like a hell of a scope. I'd like to get a Nikon. Not for any real reason, just that most people with fairly expensive scopes have leupold and I always like to have something different. Those guys all ride hondas too, and nothing else. ever.