HandgunHunter
Well-known member
Ernie Bishop and I were looking to fill a few tags in Wyoming. First up was his mule deer. Around 7 am on a crisp morning I spotted a lone buck heading over a 300′ ridge. Knowing that bucks tend to run in groups in early October we climbed up to see what we had. Upon cresting the hill I spotted 3 bucks and one doe. Ernie set up the tripod and got the 6.5 creedmoor xp100 ready to go. At just under 300 yards the first critter was down for the trip.
Next we began looking for antelope. We covered some ground and located a doe and fawn, luckily we had a few tags for those. We didn’t have a stalk we could work towards them so we doubled back and climbed over about a 200′ ridge which put us 150 yards from the lopes and above them. I was up with the 629 performance center smith and wesson chambered in 44 magnum. I took a probe position and rested the butt on a Holland field bag. I adjusted my aim with the Leupold 2x handgun scope to compensate for the 4″ of drop from my zero and pressed the trigger sending the 240 Sierra JHC on its way. The impact was very audible and the damage was graphic. The lope went about 50 yards after the 150 yard shot. Animal number 2 was down.
Now we were on the look out for a antelope buck for Ernie. While covering some ground we came across a yote. I handed Ernie my 44 magnum and he took care of that just under 100 yards.
Now back to looking for that buck lope! We located a buck and Ernie began setting up the Bog Gear for a 100 yard chip shot with his 44 magnum Franken-Ruger. With a pull of the trigger a 240 grain xtp loaded by Black Hills was on its way and animal number 4 was down.
We wanted to fill one more of his tags that day so we would both only have one each for day two, now to find a doe lope! A quick look around and we located a heard. Ernie has to crawl to the crest of a ridge and go prone. He was 125 yards away with my 686 Smith and Wesson 357 with Leupold Delta point. With another press of the trigger a 158 xtp was on its way to the lope and animal #5 was down.
Day 2
We spotted a heard early in the morning. We had a lot of ground to cover and decided to make use of a creek bottom. We covered about 1800 yards through the creek bottom. Once we got near the heard it was my turn. I slowly crested a finger and had a doe goat at 20 yards. I leveled the scope and cocked the hammer. As she heard the click she was gone in a flash! I turned around and spotted more lopes about 400 yards away, back into the creek bottom we went. I got to where I thought I would be in range and crested another finger. 134 yards away stood a doe lope. I set up my shooting sticks and lined her up in the 2x Leupold on the 629 Smith and Wesson. Another press of the trigger and the meat report was once again loud and animal number 6 was down. The Lance Nixon chest rig is carrying this large handgun well on these stalks!
One more doe lope to go! As soon as we finished taking care of mine, there they were! At about 600 yards. We got back into the creek bottom and cut the distance to 250 yards. Ernie was up and crested the finger. He took a prone position and set up with his 6br xp100. One final press of the trigger and animal number 7 was down!
A lot of rapid action and a lot of wonderful critters for the freezer! All in a day and a half.
Next we began looking for antelope. We covered some ground and located a doe and fawn, luckily we had a few tags for those. We didn’t have a stalk we could work towards them so we doubled back and climbed over about a 200′ ridge which put us 150 yards from the lopes and above them. I was up with the 629 performance center smith and wesson chambered in 44 magnum. I took a probe position and rested the butt on a Holland field bag. I adjusted my aim with the Leupold 2x handgun scope to compensate for the 4″ of drop from my zero and pressed the trigger sending the 240 Sierra JHC on its way. The impact was very audible and the damage was graphic. The lope went about 50 yards after the 150 yard shot. Animal number 2 was down.
Now we were on the look out for a antelope buck for Ernie. While covering some ground we came across a yote. I handed Ernie my 44 magnum and he took care of that just under 100 yards.
Now back to looking for that buck lope! We located a buck and Ernie began setting up the Bog Gear for a 100 yard chip shot with his 44 magnum Franken-Ruger. With a pull of the trigger a 240 grain xtp loaded by Black Hills was on its way and animal number 4 was down.
We wanted to fill one more of his tags that day so we would both only have one each for day two, now to find a doe lope! A quick look around and we located a heard. Ernie has to crawl to the crest of a ridge and go prone. He was 125 yards away with my 686 Smith and Wesson 357 with Leupold Delta point. With another press of the trigger a 158 xtp was on its way to the lope and animal #5 was down.
Day 2
We spotted a heard early in the morning. We had a lot of ground to cover and decided to make use of a creek bottom. We covered about 1800 yards through the creek bottom. Once we got near the heard it was my turn. I slowly crested a finger and had a doe goat at 20 yards. I leveled the scope and cocked the hammer. As she heard the click she was gone in a flash! I turned around and spotted more lopes about 400 yards away, back into the creek bottom we went. I got to where I thought I would be in range and crested another finger. 134 yards away stood a doe lope. I set up my shooting sticks and lined her up in the 2x Leupold on the 629 Smith and Wesson. Another press of the trigger and the meat report was once again loud and animal number 6 was down. The Lance Nixon chest rig is carrying this large handgun well on these stalks!
One more doe lope to go! As soon as we finished taking care of mine, there they were! At about 600 yards. We got back into the creek bottom and cut the distance to 250 yards. Ernie was up and crested the finger. He took a prone position and set up with his 6br xp100. One final press of the trigger and animal number 7 was down!
A lot of rapid action and a lot of wonderful critters for the freezer! All in a day and a half.
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