Paul gets the big -5 QI points!!!
We'd seen this chap and his two ladies grazing in a three acre field yesterday morning but just couldn't get into a suitable position. Completely snookered, we left them with the whispered promise that we would be back. Returning today we found them much more suitably positioned with the buck being the absolute gentleman by standing a little away from his female companions and presenting us with his full flank. However, despite a leisurely sneak along a thick hawthorn hedge we were nearly stymied by a deer friendly gate, i.e. steel on loose hinges with a chain threaded through its clasp. After much manouvering I managed to build a suitable firing position and tried to calm myself. As I regained control of my breathing up went his head to scent the breeze. This continued for what seemed an age but he obviously decided not to take offence at my BO and resumed his grazing. "Righty- ho, this is it", I decided and squeezed the trigger.
Back went his ears, up went his rear with an almighty kick and off he went in a straight line. "Good shot", said the voice behind the hedge. Then the buck stopped and stared back at his fast disappearing does.
"Good enough?" I asked.
"Yes. He'll be down in just a moment".
Hmmm...
"
Really good enough?" I asked.
"Yes. I can see the entry wound. He won't go far with that."
"He still hasn't gone down though, has he." I was starting to worry.
"No need to worry. He'll be down any time now."
The does were a field and more away by now while their escort just stood there, staring.
His posture changed.
"Is he going now?"
"Yes. Give him time."
We gave him more time.
Then, very slowly, he sat down and rolled over, kicked once and lay still.
It had felt like an eternity although it was probably more in the region of thirty seconds or so (certainly longer than I've ever experienced before) and I still had a nagging doubt I had bodged it. This wasn't the result I was hoping for, particularly since I had abandoned my long courtship with 165gn Barnes TSX in .308, having heard how they were prone to pencilling, and splashed out on a stock of Norma Alaska at 180gn in the same calibre. Surely these blunt bricks weren't prone to the same weakness?
As the original pictures indicate, there was every indication to suggest that my fears were to be confirmed. Then came the gralloch...
That the bullet had passed between two ribs on the way in hadn't helped but I still can't get over how long he took to drop given the severity of injury.