Nimrod1960
Well-Known Member
03:30 alarm to be in high seat for 4:45, bumped a couple on the way to the seat as my stealth mode button appears to be faulty.
Settled down to look listen and wait amongst the joys of Dawn ( or was that Jill ? happy days!).
Should have said that I was down to last two rounds of Sako Blades for the .308 so took the .243 with Hornady CX instead. As last early outing from said seat yielded a brace inc a gold munty. Always like to think a round per deer with an extra each plus one.
Nice fat Roe Buck wanders into the ride 85m ish but a fair bit down hill and quartered , still a good backstop though. Thought about it, put the shot just behind the shoulder thinking about exit line. Bang no flop, jumped off into the thick with a fair bit a crashing about. No chance of spotting with the thermal so got down to look, bugger if I could find the exit splatter ! In these circumstances usual mild panic and self doubt and muttered profanities, followed the line I thought it took and searched with the thermal no joy, more self doubt. More systematic searching ended up spotting fresh blood some way off the assumed line. Switch on Tonto the Indian mode and followed blood 15m through thick cover to find him exactly where I though he would not be. A good half an hour had passed.
As is my usual M.O. I wasn't far from the wagon where I normally do a suspended off the back, but he was a heavy bugger (I know you all drag around much bigger lumps but my knees are buggered) so decided to do him there. Very pleased with my first go at improvised suspended using a nice clean stripped hazel between the legs and a convenient bracken branch. Nice clean gralloch followed. Bagged up and back to wagon. All is well that ends well but don't you just hate that period when the doubt creeps in.
Getting to the point I am slightly off the CX's , reduced damage but all the deer I have shot just go a little too far for my liking even with decent IMHO shot placement.
Out of 12 taken with this round I think only two bang flops. Rifle is 24" Shultz and Larsen so plenty of speed and energy.
Anybody else having second thoughts with this round ( Factory 80g) or am I expecting too much ?
Settled down to look listen and wait amongst the joys of Dawn ( or was that Jill ? happy days!).
Should have said that I was down to last two rounds of Sako Blades for the .308 so took the .243 with Hornady CX instead. As last early outing from said seat yielded a brace inc a gold munty. Always like to think a round per deer with an extra each plus one.
Nice fat Roe Buck wanders into the ride 85m ish but a fair bit down hill and quartered , still a good backstop though. Thought about it, put the shot just behind the shoulder thinking about exit line. Bang no flop, jumped off into the thick with a fair bit a crashing about. No chance of spotting with the thermal so got down to look, bugger if I could find the exit splatter ! In these circumstances usual mild panic and self doubt and muttered profanities, followed the line I thought it took and searched with the thermal no joy, more self doubt. More systematic searching ended up spotting fresh blood some way off the assumed line. Switch on Tonto the Indian mode and followed blood 15m through thick cover to find him exactly where I though he would not be. A good half an hour had passed.
As is my usual M.O. I wasn't far from the wagon where I normally do a suspended off the back, but he was a heavy bugger (I know you all drag around much bigger lumps but my knees are buggered) so decided to do him there. Very pleased with my first go at improvised suspended using a nice clean stripped hazel between the legs and a convenient bracken branch. Nice clean gralloch followed. Bagged up and back to wagon. All is well that ends well but don't you just hate that period when the doubt creeps in.
Getting to the point I am slightly off the CX's , reduced damage but all the deer I have shot just go a little too far for my liking even with decent IMHO shot placement.
Out of 12 taken with this round I think only two bang flops. Rifle is 24" Shultz and Larsen so plenty of speed and energy.
Anybody else having second thoughts with this round ( Factory 80g) or am I expecting too much ?
