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Doe gone !!!!

AjaDog

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Joined
Nov 28, 2023
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129
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Dorchester SC 29437
Ok this past Sunday morning,my 30-06 is on the back porch, I have my .223 benched on the front, there has been alot of deer hanging out on my 75 yd corn pile, very cloudy morning, temp had dropped,as I look out to my left my 125yd lane is nothing, just 500+ squirrels, I turn around to look at my short shot, a big ole doe, being my rifle was already set up, I slowly sat down on my barstool chair, moved my sand sock to the back of the stock, bring my elevation down, cross hairs on her heart, about a inch back from the front shoulder, not quite half mass, Aja my German shepherd, she knows what she is going to do, she is at the steps, waiting for the crack of the rifle,I squeeze the trigger, with the deer I have downed with this exact rifle using the same bullet I have never seen what happens next, 62gr Federal Fusion soft point, knocked her down on her side, before I get off the rifle, Aja is already on the way, but the damn deer gets up, tail between her legs and gone, well the tail between the legs, and her low posture, I knew that I hit her, Aja smells the corn pile and off she goes through the woods, I get there, no blood no hair, just a mark in the sand where she fell, and hoof marks, a good 20 or so ft, I'm watching the dog, 25 yds in the way the deer ran? Aja stops, she can't find a scent, nothing, I think she got confused with all the well worn deer trails every where, me and that dog comed every square ft of the woods I mean all of it, there were parts that I have never seen before and I've been there 10 years, somebody give some kind of input on what happened, I would have just thought ok I missed her, no because I knocked her I her feet, never found her,
 
The blood trail can take a bit to start with those, especially on a heart shot. Think bowhunt not rifle hunt. It likely would have laid down and died within a hundred yards had there not been a dog chasing it.
I bet a dollar buzzards find it with 200 yards of the corn pile.
 
I totally agree with you, and it was my over confidence relying on my dog and her ability to track a wounded deer, she found all of them except for the doe, I won't shoot another deer with .223 I bought that rifle for coyote,and one day last year there was a nice 6 pointer 150 out that rifle was closest to grab, dropped the deer right there, since then I have recovered 5 other deer with that long gun, I was thinking maybe the round went straight through her at 75 rds it is still at 3200+ velocity, and didn't hit bone or have time to expand??? Just a hopeful thought, that's only the 2nd deer im some 50+ years, bullet placement is everything I was trained in the Army and laterby a Marine scout sniper instructor, but it bothers me she ran off Thank you for replying
 
maybe the round went straight through her at 75 rds it is still at 3200+ velocity, and didn't hit bone or have time to expand???
Not a chance 62gr fusion would have caused some serious damage at that distance. Sounds to me like either a high shot or a brisket shot...shock of the hit knocked her down and she recovered.
 
Maybe have your dog stay with you until you head over to the shot site.
Yes, she is so focused on being a part of the deer recovery, I got greedy and just knew in my mind my dog was a fail safe scenario, yes that cartridge is a wicked nasty bullet,
 
But you know my rifles are zeroed in at exactly 104 yds, I verify at 225, I might have shot high, .223 has a bullet rise of 1.4 inches straight out the muzzle, who knows I have been upset about it all week,
 
Well it's not the bullet or the cartridge. It's just a bad hit.. That bullet is a very solid performer on mid sized deer. I've seen it consistently kill deer even larger Whitetail very well. Plus I'm not talking a small sample size.

I've been at 2 different people's hit sites this year with the same reaction and no recovery, one with an '06 the other with a 270 Win. Both around 100 yard shots give or take 10 yards..
 
Well it's not the bullet or the cartridge. It's just a bad hit.. That bullet is a very solid performer on mid sized deer. I've seen it consistently kill deer even larger Whitetail very well. Plus I'm not talking a small sample size.

I've been at 2 different people's hit sites this year with the same reaction and no recovery, one with an '06 the other with a 270 Win. Both around 100 yard shots give or take 10 yards..
Thank you for the input and reply, I've also killed several deer with the same setup as with the Doe, the chic staying with me said yesterday she saw buzzards flying in the distance the direction she might of ended up on the run, but I get off work it's already dark, so I don't get to see the birds direction but only 2 lost in 50,+ years good kill % I guess thanks man
 
Thank you for the input and reply, I've also killed several deer with the same setup as with the Doe, the chic staying with me said yesterday she saw buzzards flying in the distance the direction she might of ended up on the run, but I get off work it's already dark, so I don't get to see the birds direction but only 2 lost in 50,+ years good kill % I guess thanks man
I absolutely love my 30-06 the reason my .223 is on the front porch, all my rifles are set up with bipods,slings, ammo straps on the stocks, these rifles are set up focused, and on target,I have yardage markers on every corn pile ( 7) of them, from 75 yds out to 300, I leave them out all night if I know I have the next morning to shoot, my 30-06 set up the same way on the back porch, but the back porch, is my longest shots 200 to 300 out, don't want to use the .223 that far, to many variables, even though I know it's capable of greater distances, just more confident with a .30 cal. cartridge, being that said I might have to switch up and bring my Remington 700, it's a 300 WM, 12x32x 56 night force scope, the damn thing rattles my brain eyes my whole body, it's a cannon, anyone has ever shot one knows this, not only that, 1000 to 1500 rounds your rifling is pretty much burnt out and history
 
You took a knife to a gun fight.
I know, I had a false sense of security and reliability with the 6 or 7 going down prior, not only that the yotes that went nighty night with it, the tissue damage and traumatic damage that round inflicts crazy thanks for your reply, and hope your season goes well, I have 1 month to finish out my deer stock up for the year
 
I know, I had a false sense of security and reliability with the 6 or 7 going down prior, not only that the yotes that went nighty night with it, the tissue damage and traumatic damage that round inflicts crazy thanks for your reply, and hope your season goes well, I have 1 month to finish out my deer stock up for the year
The blood trail can take a bit to start with those, especially on a heart shot. Think bowhunt not rifle hunt. It likely would have laid down and died within a hundred yards had there not been a dog chasing it.
I bet a dollar buzzards find it with 200 yards of the corn pile.
Yep!! Buzzards on something way in the back unless I walk back there, I looked like a good 300 maybe 400 yds I took some pics to show you all my ( Deer stands) if you want to call my back porch, and front porch that but that's where I kill all my deer from IMG_20231203_150926391.jpgIMG_20231203_150009138.jpg
The blood trail can take a bit to start with those, especially on a heart shot. Think bowhunt not rifle hunt. It likely would have laid down and died within a hundred yards had there not been a dog chasing it.
I bet a dollar buzzards find it with 200 yards of the corn pile.
IMG_20231203_145624623.jpgIMG_20231203_145643498.jpgIMG_20231203_145609879.jpgIMG_20231203_150923558.jpg
All these pics above are my back porch, all the antlers you see are from 6 years ago till now,IMG_20231203_145320172.jpgIMG_20231203_145323513.jpgIMG_20231203_145223121.jpgIMG_20231203_145310797.jpgthis set of pics are off my front porch,IMG_20231203_145300056.jpgIMG_20231203_144549007.jpgIMG_20231203_144455581.jpgIMG_20231203_140036347.jpgIMG_20231203_144513312.jpgIMG_20231203_140032515.jpgalright now you can get a idea of how my place is set up, I'm a very lucky person to be here and enjoy the rewardsIMG_20231203_145355802.jpg
 

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Yep!! Buzzards on something way in the back unless I walk back there, I looked like a good 300 maybe 400 yds I took some pics to show you all my ( Deer stands) if you want to call my back porch, and front porch that but that's where I kill all my deer from View attachment 304509View attachment 304507

View attachment 304514View attachment 304515View attachment 304517View attachment 304518
All these pics above are my back porch, all the antlers you see are from 6 years ago till now,View attachment 304519View attachment 304520View attachment 304521View attachment 304524this set of pics are off my front porch,View attachment 304525View attachment 304529View attachment 304530View attachment 304531View attachment 304533View attachment 304534alright now you can get a idea of how my place is set up, I'm a very lucky person to be here and enjoy the rewardsView attachment 304535
Best picture is the Budweiser on the riding lawnmower!🤣🤣
 

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