The efficient killer

[Rick Mulhern]

Thanks Don!

Stephen

My experience has been over many years that it ain't what they're shot with....but where they're hit! I've had buddies in Alabama complain to me that their bucks run when shot and they've been confounded as to what they need to use to get a DRT effect! My reply was that unless an animal has the central nervous system destroyed, meaning a spine or neck shot....they're gonna run because they're tuff as all get out and will always make the mad dash to death! I've shot bucks with every caliber from the lousy .30 M1 Carbine (when a kid) to the .458 Winchester using various types of bullets! Once upon a time I was sitting on the side of a mountain northwest of Pagosa Springs, Colorado when a very large mule deer bounded down the mountain and stopped broadside on a ledge 125 yards from me. I stuck a 180 grainer from a 300 Win Mag into the middle of his left shoulder moving at 3200 fps and I saw the hair bulge up when it hit! That buck I knew was deader than a hammer but it turned....ran straight toward where I was sitting and at 50 yards it turned straight down hill like he'd been shot in the arse with a Roman candle! The next shot was into his neck and that ended his departure! When I got to him it was plain to see that both of his front shoulders were broken but he acted like the first shot was a clean miss! The second shot broke his neck! First shot I ever made on a whitetail with my Sharps was from a 45/90 and it was a yearling we wanted for camp meat! It wouldn't have weighed in at 75#! Deer was hit behind the shoulder with a 487 grainer from a mould that Bill Bagwell put me onto and best I recall was of 1-40 alloy...soft! That yearling wasn't but about 60 yards distance and it took off like a hot drag racer; ran 150 yards or so before piling up! Exit hole was about 3" diameter. I've never had occasion to shoot a buck with my 50 but maybe I ain't done yet!

MERRY CHRISTMAS to ya!