I finally got a deer today,,,

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contender

Ruger Guru
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Sep 18, 2002
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Lake Lure NC USA
Well, it's been deer season here since right before Thanksgiving. I have either passed on small bucks, or not had a doe clear in my sights when I could take one. (Almost happened once,, but she never gave me the shot,) Anyway,, we are in our last week here,, and it's either sex,, so,,, I've been seeing 4 deer running together,, and this afternoon,, they finally decided to come out where I could get a clean shot. I used my T/C Contender in 7x30 waters,, and it was the 90th deer with that gun,, and the 89th one shot in the neck,, with an instant drop in the tracks kill. Range was about 55-60 yds. This year will go down as one of the "leanest" years for me harvesting deer,, but I don't care. I could have taken a couple of bucks,, but passed,, and I do have a freezer full of elk,,,! I may try for another doe this week,, but if I don't get anymore,, I'm not worried. It's been a good season!

snowcatsdeer007.jpg
 

valkrider8

Single-Sixer
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Oct 14, 2007
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110
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PA
Wow, 90th deer with that gun! :shock: :shock: Congrats on a nice deer and a successful season.
 

contender

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I've been using that T/C for many years now. And with NC having a liberal bag limit,, many years I was getting 5-6 deer with it. I would have taken more this year,, but I already had an elk,, so I was even more picky than normal.
 

sixshot

Buckeye
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Aug 20, 2006
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soda springs, idaho
Congratulations Tyrone, sounds like you worked hard for that deer, makes it all even better. You're the one guy I know that I won't really give the raspberries to over shooting in the neck.......I know you can do it!

Dick
 

45acp230

Bearcat
Joined
Nov 19, 2006
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76
Location
Hanover,Va.USA
Nice doe Contender!!! They are better on the table than the bucks,in my opinion. And that's a nice picture from your stand in the Lounge section. We got 13" of snow here in my section of Virginia, more in some of the areas NW of Richmond. I usually pass on the small bucks and shoot does,but this year I've dropped two bucks, although I thought the spike was a doe when I shot him. I'll try for more,since I don't have a freezer full of that fine elk meat. Good Luck!! Hnak.
 

gunman42782

Hunter
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Jan 4, 2004
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KY
That is just great, 90 deer with one gun! Must be a record! I have probably only killed around 20 my entire life.
 
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contender":cvg6v3mr said:
I've been using that T/C for many years now. And with NC having a liberal bag limit,, many years I was getting 5-6 deer with it. I would have taken more this year,, but I already had an elk,, so I was even more picky than normal.

:shock: :shock: 5-6 a year! Here in Washington state we are allowed ONE deer a year and it must be a buck, unless you draw a doe tag or hunt in certain units. Even at that it is just ONE. WOW! :shock: Maybe I should move to NC. :)

By the way, congrats on the doe. :)

Dave :wink:
 

contender

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Lake Lure NC USA
Thanks all.
Now,, as sixshot has alluded to,,, a neck shot is NOT the shot MOST folks should take. I teach NC Hunter Safety,, and I do NOT teach it as a preferred target spot. So,, a little history here.
I killed my 1st deer at the age of 16,, with a 30-30. My first shot was in the heart lung area. The deer turned & ran. As a newbie,, I freaked a bit,, and shot 4 more times at the deer. I missed 3 of those. The last shot hit the neck,, and the deer cut a flip backwards off the hill it was going up. I started studying the neck shot a bit, but didn't persue it right away. Well, as I grew up, and hunted more,, and shot some deer in the heart/lung area,, I found myself tracking deer a lot in some rough mountainous areas,, and losing some deer. I hated losing any deer. Then the stories of how hunters have shot a deer only to have it run off & someone else put a bullet into it,, or even have a deer fall & they fire a shot to "claim" the kill, caused me even more concerns. I know of this happening around here more than once. I started studying things a bit more. And,, I recalled how my 1st one stopped cold with a neck shot. That & biology taught me that if you hit the neck/spine area,, an instant, drop right there reaction was the result. Along about that time,, I had gotten a sweet little Ruger M77 in .243,, and it was accurate. I could shoot dimes at 100 yds,, so the gun was great. I figured I'd try a neck shot one day to see what happened. The little 6 pointer dropped so fast I almost thought he totally disappeared. So began my neckshooting. I didn't have to track one,, no chance of someone else claiming one,, no lost deer,,, no wasted meat to being bloodshot,,,etc. The downside was I KNEW I had to be able to precisely place my shots, and it had to be on a standing,, unaware deer.
During the years I was using the 243,, I got interested in handgun hunting for deer. I was already small game hunting with a handgun,, so,, it was a natural. I bought into the "need" for a Redhawk for this. I bought the first Redhawk I found for sale. I made myself a promise; The first deer I took with it would be a "wall hanger." Well, for several seasons, (6 of them,) I'd carry my Redhawk,, the first 2 weeks of a 3 week season. I'd pass up smaller deer, and then the last week, I'd break out the 243 & drop some meat for the freezer. Finally season #7 with the Redhawk,, and it was the day after Thanskgiving. I was a bit late going uphill to my stand,, as I'd helped 3 others whoi had come into camp find a stand. It was already daylight. I was about 150 yds from my stand when I realized a deer was walking my way. A doe,,,, in heat,, followed by a heavy horned 7 pointer. That was him,, I was gonna bloody my Redhawk. Now,, I was gonna use the heart/lung area shot as I wasn't sure of myself enough to try a neck shot with the Redhawk. (It was capable as it was extremely accurate,) I was finally presented with a broadside angle, at 35 yds, and I dropped the hammer. I missed completely, and the deer just stood there. Another shot,, and another miss. I was stunned. Since we were camping,, I didn't leave the area to check my scope,, I figured "it was me." The next day,, I had a small buck show up,, and again,, I shot two complete misses. Well, we broke camp that night,, and I went to my range the next day to check the gun. The scope was so far off I got VERY pissed. It was 18" off. I just put the gun up,, drug out a T/C Contender in .223,, and it shot tiny groups,, so I switched guns. The next week a deer gave me a chance at him,, and I knew the Contender would do it,, & I was presented with a good solid rest & neck shot,, so I took it. So began my pistol hunting & neck shooting at the same time. I actually killed 3 deer that year,, with the Contender, all neck shots. The 243 was on it's way to gathering dust. Well, when I gave the 243 to my son,, I'd taken 21 deer with it,,! (I'd bought it one day with the knowledge I'd pass it to my son one day anyway.) And then I found the 7x30 Waters caliber,, I was hooked on it. The 7x30 quickly became a favorite of mine. It was accurate,, even at longer ranges, mild recoil in my hands, fully capable of dropping deer even if I had to do a heart/lung shot. So, yesterday,, I go my 90th deer with the 7x30,, and it's still just as accurate as ever. (As long as I do my part.)
Now,, neck shots,, are NOT for everybody. I have let a LOT of deer walk because I didn't get my standing, clear neck angle I need to make the shot. That includes a few very large bucks I could have taken otherwise. I even let a deer walk this season for that exact reason, no clear neck to shoot. I know that a deer's spine in the ncek area is about 2-1/2" in diameter. My Contender can place shots inside an inch when I do my part. That gives me a small margin of error,, but not much. I have to be patient,, and feel it's gonna be true. Anybody remember last year??? I posted about shooting a deer & it running off & then a couple of weeks later I killed the same deer and it had a bullet wound in it's front leg. I had squeezed the trigger just as she raised her head,, and shot her front leg. I have all this on video,, so I know what happened. Her leg was healing up,, but she gave me another chance.
So,, yes,, I've killed 90 deer with the Contender in 7x30,, but I've also killed many more than that. The 243 took 21 neck kills itself as well. There has been a mix of others,, but those 2 account for the major totals. I've used other guns as well, and will most likely do so again. I match the gun, the shot, & the caliber to whichever style of hunting I'm doing.
And yes,, the numbers are higher due to the fact we have a liberal bag limit on deer, and as the population increases,, we have more liberal either sex hunting dates. In parts of NC we can gun hunt from sometime in Oct to jan 1st,, and harvest does anytime as well. We are required to only take 2 bucks,, as they want to reduce the number of does we have. Locally, we start gun season on the monday before Thanksgiving,, and go until Christmas. In that area, I have 2 weeks of either sex. Then on another piece of my property,, I only have 3 weeks of season,, and the last week of that is either sex. So,,, I get 3 weeks of either sex all close to home. It makes the numbers add up.
And as for numbers,, to me it's NOT about the numbers,, it IS about the hunting log I keep. In fact,, if I hadn't been keeping a logbook for so many years,, I wouldn't have a clue as to how many or where I've killed them all. That & I take the deer I need to fill my freezer for a year. We eat venison as our main meat here at home. I do not visit the meat counter in the grocery stores.
Sorry to be so longwinded,, but please understand,, it's not about the numbers,, and especially do not try a neck shot until you KNOW you can make them.
 
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gunman42782":1wskqi21 said:
That is just great, 90 deer with one gun! Must be a record! I have probably only killed around 20 my entire life.

For me, it has been 26 in 48 years of hunting, less 4 years for military service.

I agree, it is not about numbers, it's the memories of the hunt, successful or not.

Dave :)
 

BIgMuddy

Blackhawk
Joined
Feb 15, 2007
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556
Location
Linn Creek MO
Congratulations and thanks for the "long winded" write up. It is a great read. It may not be about the numbers, but sharing your experience is appreciated I know.

I wish I had kept a log book like you did. When I was younger I used to sit in tree stands, and re-live each deer I had taken. Now...I can remember most of the stories but have no idea how many.

I am going to start a log on my handgun kills . Those I can remember for now, so I need to record them. (It is seven so far). Unlike you Tyrone, I seem to use a different gun all the time for handgun hunting. I have taken 7 deer with 6 different handguns.

As for the neck shots, I have taken several but all with rifles. I agree too with your assessment on patience and knowing you can "thread a needle" with the bullet. I don't have that confidence with my open sighted handguns, and I don't use scopes on them. So for me it is chest/lung shots and good blood trails with both entrance and exit holes preferable.

Thanks again for sharing!
 

contender

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BigMuddy,, I read a story about deer hunting when I was a teen about how to become a better hunter by keeping a logbook to "learn" from. Well, I didn't start doing it until I was in my early 20's and after I'd been in the military where I had to keep a helicopter logbook. My early ones are not as detailed as my later ones,, which have now progressed into a journal of my hunting season. One day,, my son will inherit them,, and with it,, he'll have a lot of family knowledge & history of Dad hunting.
So,, YES, it is NOT about the numbers,, it's about the experience,, and keeping up with facts. I'm able to look back at mine & say,, hmmm, "that kind of area is like the area I hunted back in,,,, and I should look at doing this,,,!"
Plus,, we talk occasionally about how "if this gun could talk," well, MINE can! (Sorta!)
Who knows,, maybe my granddaughter will get a kick outta these journals one day too!
 

callshot

Blackhawk
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Pocatello, Idaho
Does your log book contain TRUE FACTS or are they stretched out just a little? You know how fishing stories get bigger each time told. Knowing you, they are probably very accurate. Sorry to say it, but mine is kept between my ears where nobody else can read them. :cry: The pictures are still pretty clear in my head so far? :lol: Steve
 

Jeff Hoover

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Feb 25, 2009
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Congratulations Buddy, that's alot of deer for one pistol. I like to rotate the stock, so to speak..... Give a little history to each gun. At your rate, your gonna burn that barrel out pretty soon :D .

Steve, the only thing between your ears is sailboat fuel. I think moisha was posting for you before, time will tell........ :lol:

You got me in trouble today ! I tried to use your Artic Circle coupon at the local Dairy Queen, I even used your name, to no avail . The girl behind the counter made a quick phone call, and I started hearing sirens. I figured it was time to go......pronto.
 

contender

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Steve,, just facts, & observations about that day & time. Even times where I let big deer walk,, or watched the very young bobcat, or the time I had a screech owl land on my stand & stay for about 30 minutes,, or,,, ah heck,, you get the idea.
I'll keep using that barrel for as long as it stays accurate. PS; My load isn't a hot, chamber burner. It'll last a lot longer!
 
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