Sabot
Active member
- Joined
- Dec 5, 2011
- Messages
- 193
Buddy of mine has some pasture land he lets me hunt on occasionally. His brother runs cows on the place and recently changed the gate lock. Confirmed with land owner I was GTG but he said you’ll have have to walk in because I don’t know the new combo. No problem, probably won’t see much anyway, just want to hunt.
Hop the gate at 530 next morning. Walk to the stand is about 900 yards. Get set up and I’m covered in hogs, but not a single deer.
Patience.
Now I’m covered in coyotes. 3 of them get within 40 yards and are yapping and baring teeth at each other. Can’t take it. BANG. Big male coyote shot. I don’t reload. Still 2 in the gun and probably won’t see anything.
30 minutes later. Spot a nice 8 point at 350 yards across the pasture. Go figure. After looking him over I decide to take him. Dial up my 300 yard dope. Max scope at 14x. Heart is pounding. I love this stuff! BOOM....nothing.
Deer looks around and starts slowly strolling along. Rack another one in. Breathe. Slow steady squeeze. BOOM....nothing.
Panic.
Gun is empty. Only brought 2 extra rounds....in the pack somewhere. Locate the rounds. Get one in the chamber. The other is in my support hand. Deer has now briskly walked to 175 yards right in front of the blind. Dial down some dope...not enough apparently. BOOM. Deer goes down. YES! wonder why I misssd earlier?
5 minutes go by. Deer still kicking. Crap. He’s spined. Only got one round left. Pack up my gear and climb down. Take my rifle and field cleaning gear and go over to him to finish him off. 5 yard heart shot. And done. Took this picture.
https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/91209/0ECB6DDD-6B24-4A21-82AB-8A038A83A3DB-405515.JPG
Now the work begins. Field dressed him. I know the truck is 1000 yards away. Mostly uphill. Been 17 years since I wore the uniform, but ooh rah Marine let’s do this!
30 yards later my forearms are on fire. Trial and error I figure out the best method is one hand on each antler walking backwards. I can make it 30-40 yards at a time and have to rest about 1-2 minutes and drink water.
Do the math.
Approx 2 hours later, I’m 100 yards from the truck. Victory is in sight. I decide to take my pack and gun to the truck and do the final 2-3 drags without them on my back. As I approach the gate to climb over...I notice....
SON OF A BITCH
The gate was left unlocked the whole time.
Drive the last 100 yards to the deer.
Don’t care what he scores. He’s going on the wall. Full shoulder mount with a plaque underneath that says “1000 yards”
When I am old, the unfortunate soul who has not heard this story from me before will ask if I shot the deer at 1000 yards, and I will smile like I am right now and tell them this same story.
Thanks for listening.
Hop the gate at 530 next morning. Walk to the stand is about 900 yards. Get set up and I’m covered in hogs, but not a single deer.
Patience.
Now I’m covered in coyotes. 3 of them get within 40 yards and are yapping and baring teeth at each other. Can’t take it. BANG. Big male coyote shot. I don’t reload. Still 2 in the gun and probably won’t see anything.
30 minutes later. Spot a nice 8 point at 350 yards across the pasture. Go figure. After looking him over I decide to take him. Dial up my 300 yard dope. Max scope at 14x. Heart is pounding. I love this stuff! BOOM....nothing.
Deer looks around and starts slowly strolling along. Rack another one in. Breathe. Slow steady squeeze. BOOM....nothing.
Panic.
Gun is empty. Only brought 2 extra rounds....in the pack somewhere. Locate the rounds. Get one in the chamber. The other is in my support hand. Deer has now briskly walked to 175 yards right in front of the blind. Dial down some dope...not enough apparently. BOOM. Deer goes down. YES! wonder why I misssd earlier?
5 minutes go by. Deer still kicking. Crap. He’s spined. Only got one round left. Pack up my gear and climb down. Take my rifle and field cleaning gear and go over to him to finish him off. 5 yard heart shot. And done. Took this picture.
https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/91209/0ECB6DDD-6B24-4A21-82AB-8A038A83A3DB-405515.JPG
Now the work begins. Field dressed him. I know the truck is 1000 yards away. Mostly uphill. Been 17 years since I wore the uniform, but ooh rah Marine let’s do this!
30 yards later my forearms are on fire. Trial and error I figure out the best method is one hand on each antler walking backwards. I can make it 30-40 yards at a time and have to rest about 1-2 minutes and drink water.
Do the math.
Approx 2 hours later, I’m 100 yards from the truck. Victory is in sight. I decide to take my pack and gun to the truck and do the final 2-3 drags without them on my back. As I approach the gate to climb over...I notice....
SON OF A BITCH
The gate was left unlocked the whole time.
Drive the last 100 yards to the deer.
Don’t care what he scores. He’s going on the wall. Full shoulder mount with a plaque underneath that says “1000 yards”
When I am old, the unfortunate soul who has not heard this story from me before will ask if I shot the deer at 1000 yards, and I will smile like I am right now and tell them this same story.
Thanks for listening.
Last edited:
Hilarious also and congrats,
