Missouri Whitetail Hunt - 2021

[gitano]

I figured I might as well get this started now as I have some stuff to report before we even leave.



My youngest daughter and I are traveling to sakorick's to hunt whitetail deer. It'll be a first for her. In prep for that hunt, we had to pick a rifle for her to take, and get it, and her, ready. Turns out, her husband has a Bergara chambered in 6.5 Creedmore. I think many of you know how I feel about that cartridge, BUT... this rifle ticked an important box: 'friendly' recoil. Also, my son-in-law said it shot very straight.

It's kind of a 'bench' gun, weighing in, with the Vortex scope, at about 11.5 pounds. However, we'll be shooting from a blind, so she won't have to carry it far, and it will be on a rest when/if she shoots. The weight of course helps mitigate recoil, and the recoil from this cartridge is very mild anyway.

But there's always some hang-up, and this time is no exception. The only ammo my son-in-law had was Hornady "match" in 140-grain. Not being personally familiar with the cartridge, and not familiar with Hornady's match ammo, I wasn't comfortable with using it for hunting. (That said, I was pretty sure it would be 'fine'; most "match" ammo IS fine for hunting, but...) I bought some reloading dies so I could load some "hunting" ammo. Trouble was, I couldn't find any bullets. I wanted Accubond 140s. (There's a saga associated with getting those bullets, more lying bullet sellers. :frown) I called Rick and he said he had some, so I tentatively planned to take the dies to Missouri and reload some there. However, my son-in-law works in a knife store, and someone came in with some 6.5 Creedmore Nosler factory 140s. He bought two boxes.

In the mean time, I found a video on YouTube comparing the match 140s to the hunting 140s, complete with ballistic gel penetration tests. (It's a good watch - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xm8wAXkVaxU) As I figured, there was no material difference between the match and hunting versions. Turned out, there was no difference at the range either. :D



Yesterday, the three of us went to the range to 1) make sure the rifle was sighted in for Caitlin, 2) get her at least somewhat familiar with shooting it, and 3) compare the point-of-impact differences between the Hornady match ammo and the Nosler hunting (Ballistic Tip) ammo. It was a successful day at the range, on several levels.

I had decided that we would use the match ammo to get on paper and get the scope dialed in for Caitlin. Once that was accomplished, we'd shoot the precious, (because of scarcity, and no ability to get any more before the hunt), hunting ammo to see if they shot to the same point of impact with the same point of aim. They did. And then some!

Sean thought the rifle was sighted in, so we started at 100 yard's, but it wasn't. After wasting a few rounds, I had them bring the target into 35 yards, and I bore-sighted it. When it was on paper, we moved back out to 100 yd. Caitlin shot three rounds for group and sight-in.


That's a nice group for 1) factory ammo, and 2) "unknown" rifle with 'new' ammo! Max spread is 0.85", windage max spread is 0.54" and elevation max spread is 0.84". That's good!

As you can see, the center of the group is a little left of point-of-aim (PoA), so I adjusted the scope and Caitlin shot three more.

Again, that's GOOD! Check out 'the numbers'. They're almost identical to the first three shots. Max spread - 0.84"; max windage spread - 0.50"; max elevation spread - 0.77". That's 6 shots at much less than MoA WITH FACTORY AMMO from a 'strange' rifle. Gotta tell ya... I'm impressed with both the rifle and the ammo! There are more pleasant surprises to come.

Sean shoots next. The last four match rounds.

Check out the numbers! Max spread - 0.87"; max windage - 0.64"; max elevation spread - 0.77. Darn near identical to Caitlin's groups! Now that's surprising!

At that point, I wanted Caitlin to try the Nosler Ballistic Tips to see where they shot relative to the Hornady match bullets. Look at this!

The one high and right was called by Caitlin; she said she 'pulled it'. Also, including the flier, that's FIVE shots. The lowest hole is actually for two bullets. Look at the numbers (without the flier): Max spread - 0.79": max windage spread - 0.45"; max elevation spread - 0.65". AND, STILL CENTERED! Honestly, I'm slack-jawed. I've never seen anything like this. Two different manufactures of ammo, one "hunting", one "match". Both hit to the same PoI AND have the SAME GROUP SIZES.

I'm impressed! First with the Bergara, and second with the ammo! It's enough to make me give up reloading! (Not really. ) MAN!

The extra good news is that Caitlin is fully confident in her ability to hit what she aims at with that rifle. And... we still have a full box plus 15 of the Nosler Ballistic Tips. :grin:

Of course I had to combine all the shots into one 'digital' target, and especially since the groups between Caitlin and Sean were so similar. Here's the digital target of all of the shots except the one flier.
 

Nice, huh! Here are the numbers: Max spread - 1.07"; max windage spread - 0.68"; max elevation spread - 0.99". Even with combining two shooters, two manufacturers of the ammo, and two types of ammo, It's STILL MoA over 14 rounds! That, to me, is impressive!

Sean shooting, me spotting.


The whole target.




Paul

[Paul Hoskins]

:MOGRIN:DAM !!! .....For some reason I'm not really surprised. ......Match bullets ARE good for  deer size & type game regardless of what anyone claims. Been using Sierra 80 grain 22 caliber match bullets for years on deer. Not a single failure.  ......GOOD LUCK, CATLIN. .....Paul H ....

[Jamie.270]

Looks like dead whitetail to me!


It's a pretty good shootin' iron that shoots multiple different loads/bullets etc to the same point of aim and the same or similar group size.


Go Caitlin!

[gitano]

At 40 minutes after first legal shooting light. More later.







 Paul

[Jamie.270]

LOL,...  Shoulda known.


Well Done Caitlin!

[Alboy]

Hurrah Caitlyn

[Paul Hoskins]

Great buck & a great job on your part. Congratulations, girl.....Paul H .....

[gitano]

We got to the blind at 0555. Still an hour before sunrise and half an hour before legal shooting light. Once we got our gear inside and got ourselves situated and the little propane space heater cranked up, I started giving Caitlin the lay of the land looking for deer.

Right away, she says "there's some!" It was a doe and this year's fawn. They were looking back over their shoulders, so I told Caitlin to look that direction for a following buck. In a few minutes a buck shows up about 150  yards out coming towards where the doe and fawn are. It wasn't light enough to get a good look at his antlers before he got into the woods. I expect to see him emerge near the doe and fawn . Meanwhile, another doe and this-year's-fawn showed up. They were 'looking back' the other direction. The four of them wandered around about 120 yards off for maybe 20 minutes. The does and fawns wandered back into the woods. It was 0700.

Shortly thereafter, that same buck, (we figured), came out of the woods from the same place we saw him enter them, and now he's headed away from us. I was able to look him over this time. He was a 'nice' but not noteworthy 8-pointer. I told Caitlin that he was not a shooter at half an hour into Opening Day. "Maybe on the day before we get on the plane to return, but not today."  I looked at my watch; it was 0709.

Moments later Caitlin looks out the west-facing window and says, "There's a deer!" I don't see it very well, and ask, "Is it a buck?" She says "Yes." I get a good look at him in my binos, and he looks, 'interesting'. He is turned away, and I can't see his rack except when he raises his head. The more I look, the better he gets. I decide he is a shooter and tell Caitlin so. Unfortunately, he is facing straight away. Since Caitlin is not an experienced big game hunter, I'd prefer a broadside shot. However, he's a rutting buck, on the move, standing at the edge of the woods, and facing into the woods. I tell Caitlin that he may not offer a broadside before he heads into the woods. I tell her that 1) she knows the rifle can hit where it's aimed, 2) she can make it hit where she aims it, and, "If you are confident enough, shoot him in the back of the neck next time he raises his head." She says she is, and when he raises his head she shoots, and he drops without so much as a twitch!

As we approach it, it keeps looking better and better. When we get on it, I AM STOKED! It's a GREAT buck, for anyone, and especially a first buck! I look at my watch. It's 0716.

The bullet hit a little left of the center-line, about  4" down from where the neck joins the head. It exited right on the center-line just below the white throat patch. DRT. :D

We got pictures and went back to get the four-wheeler. We had him hanging in Rick's barn shortly thereafter. Rick's son, Eric, and grandson, Evan, came off their blind at 0900, and Eric showed me his new setup using the four-wheeler for gutting the deer. The deer was gutted and the heart, liver, kidneys, and 'sweetbreads' we're bagged by 0930.

Linn county is a "mandatory CWD reporting county" for the first two days of the season. While Caitlin had filed her harvest report electronically in the field, we still had to take the deer to the county CWD testing site in Purdin, about 5 miles north of Rick's place. The good news was that the deer processor was about a quarter mile from the CWD testing site. We should get the processed meat back on Wednesday, including summer sausage and "sticks". Both great for air travel. We were back home from Purdin at 1130. Man! That was easy!

I'll post more pictures when I get them on to the image server.

Paul

[Paul Hoskins]

I like it when all the parts fit together tight like that.   ......Now you can relax & watch everyone else work at it. It's good to see the ladies make it look easy too........Paul H  .....

[sakorick]

Her first buck surpassed anything I've ever taken! I was very impressed with the buck and the shot.

[davidlt89]

thats a monster, congrats to the young lady!! Paul, did you happen to weigh the deer dressed?

[gitano]

Did not, David. :undecided: Everything was kinda whirlwindy. I would have liked to have known. That said, I'm pretty sure it was more than 200 and less than 250. I've been a pretty good judge of weight on critters since I worked in a feedlot as a kid. Plus, Caitlin and I hoisted him into the back of the 6-wheeler.

Paul

[davidlt89]

Yeah, I am pretty sure it is definitely over 200!

[gitano]

As promised, some more pictures now that I am back at a computer and not restricted to my cell phone.

This one:



This one,



You can see where he's been fighting by the missing hair on his shoulders.



This one,

 


This one,
 

And this one, give the most accurate representation of his size. This is a BIG buck. Most experienced hunters are calling it between 150 and 160 with it being closer to 160 than 150. Some have said over 160. This is the first deer in my life that seems to get BIGGER the longer you look at it. It's kinda weird.

 


A nice evening on the pond...
 

This is later, and that's the moon!



Another spectacular sunrise.



For those that want to try their hand at aging based on tooth growth and wear. If you make some estimates, I'll post what I think it is. This is both sides from the top.
 


The left side.
 


The right side.
 




Paul

[gitano]

How about some fish pictures:







Paul

[gitano]

How about some not dead deer.


















And the moon as Caitlin took the above pictures.


Paul

[Jamie.270]

If the photographs are any indication,...
It MUST HAVE been a great trip!


Thanks for sharing Paul.

[Hunterbug]

That's a great deer! So when is your 6.5 Creedmoor arriving?

[gitano]

So when is your 6.5 Creedmoor arriving?

What does impress me is the Bergara. I would seriously consider one in .308 Win. However, they ain't exactly in The Common Man's budget.

Jaimie.270 - It was, as usual, a GREAT trip!

Also, a couple of additional tidbits:

A quarter-inch-drive ratchet and socket are strictly verboten - by TSA - in carry-on baggage. However, a small mallet, also purchased at a 'junk store' in Purdin is just fine. I assume they thought I was going to threaten to disassemble the plane while in flight.

On a more positive note... I checked with Alaska Airlines regarding the maximum dimensions of checked baggage. This in the context of getting Caitlin's and my shoulder mounts from Missouri to Alaska. We measured my mount's dimensions, and came up with the size of a crate that would contain it. The 70"x38"x24" max for checked baggage is much larger than the 42"x22"x24" crate that my mount would require. :D

Paul

PS - I was planning my trip to Missouri in January, and thought I would check the above baggage specs. What I was told ain't QUITE the whole story. You CAN have a piece that is NO MORE than 115" when all three dimensions are added together. However, no single dimension can exceed the 70"x38"x24". In other words, if one dimension is 70" say, the other two dimensions CANNOT be 38 and 24, because the three dimensions would add up to 132", which is greater than the115" maximum. Nevertheless, the dimensions I need for my mount (42x24x22 = 88"), are both less than the 115" total max, but also not larger than 70", or 38", or 24". Unfortunately, any bag whose three summed dimensions are over SIXTY-TWO inches, incurrs a $100 fee. $100 is, however, WAY less than I would pay to have it shipped via UPS or FedEx!

Paul

[Nelsdou]

A very nice buck for Caitlin and wonderful experience! It's great when a trip works out this well.

[gitano]

Thanks, Nels. We were very fortunate.




I have cleaned up the jaw and cut off the 'excess'. These will be inletted into the back of the shoulder mount once I get my hands on it in April. This is a relatively common practice among Germans. It provides a record of the animal's age that can be kept with the mount "forever". I will, (also in the tradition of the Germans), write Caitlin's name, the cartridge, and the date of the kill, on the back of the mount.


Paul

[gitano]

Oh yeah... I forgot that Rick had pictures of this buck on his trail cams. I think it is cool when you can get pictures of a buck you took when it was 'walking around'. I was able to get similar trail-cam pictures of the big buck I took two years ago. Here are pics of Caitlin's buck.













Paul