TreeDoc
11-10-2005, 11:44 AM
I just got in late last night after splitting our drive from Glenwood Springs, CO to the California Coast in to a 2 day affair. I hunted the 3rd Rifle season there and met up with this nice 4x4 Muley as I was sitting on my ATV glassing a steep hillside. It was a complete comedy of errors when this thing walked in on me. Colorado says that you must transport your rifle in a closed container and it must be unloaded. Handguns are OK to have loaded.
This Buck walked right at me over this little rise at about 50 yards out. I damned near passed out fron the panic that set in when I realized my rifle was locked up in the case!!! I remembered my S&W 45 Colt Mountain Gun strapped to my side and went for it. He came in to about 40 yards and I had him in my sights but it was a long shot. 2 other hunting partners suddenly approached from 200 yards behind in their Jeep and I was positive that deer was going to bolt. I decided to take the shot.........click! "Damn, reloads!" ........click!!! "Unloaded revolver you idiot, remember making it safe when you were in camp?" :rolleyes:
The Deer just looks at me as I place my piece back in the holster and start dismantling the hard case Kolpin Gun Boot mounted on my ATV while I'm laying on my back to reduce my profile. It's my only chance and I'm positive this Buck is gonna run with all the activity going on and me looking like Moe, Larry, and Curly trying to get my rifle out! The soft sided case pulls out with my rifle....it's tangled around the scope and barrel now....I'm pretty sure I heard the Deer say something like "What the **** is that idiot doing over there?" My buddies stopped down the trail and told me later that they were trying to figure out the same thing!
I finally get the gun straightened out and get 3 cartridges loaded and the Deer has slowly walked out to what ends up being 85 yards. BANG! I couldn't tell you today where I aimed that shot. The deer jumps a bit and trots 30-40 yards over the small creek through the trees and stops like nothing happened. I take a second shot but in my panic I miss big and I knew it the very moment I squeezed the trigger. I rack the last load while watching the deer and put the crosshairs on his vitals as they are exposed through the tree line. BANG! Just as my brain was telling the finger to squeeze I notice the deer stumbling backwards but I let the shot fly. I drilled him and down he went. On inspection, the first shot did the trick, right through the vitals and on out the other side. The 7mm STW 140 grain Barnes XLC at some 3300 fps didn't have time to expand but it destroyed everything it went through. The second hit was a quartering shot and hit about 8" behind the first but exited almost exactly where the first did.
Now ,as they say, the "work" began. Here's the result....
This Buck walked right at me over this little rise at about 50 yards out. I damned near passed out fron the panic that set in when I realized my rifle was locked up in the case!!! I remembered my S&W 45 Colt Mountain Gun strapped to my side and went for it. He came in to about 40 yards and I had him in my sights but it was a long shot. 2 other hunting partners suddenly approached from 200 yards behind in their Jeep and I was positive that deer was going to bolt. I decided to take the shot.........click! "Damn, reloads!" ........click!!! "Unloaded revolver you idiot, remember making it safe when you were in camp?" :rolleyes:
The Deer just looks at me as I place my piece back in the holster and start dismantling the hard case Kolpin Gun Boot mounted on my ATV while I'm laying on my back to reduce my profile. It's my only chance and I'm positive this Buck is gonna run with all the activity going on and me looking like Moe, Larry, and Curly trying to get my rifle out! The soft sided case pulls out with my rifle....it's tangled around the scope and barrel now....I'm pretty sure I heard the Deer say something like "What the **** is that idiot doing over there?" My buddies stopped down the trail and told me later that they were trying to figure out the same thing!
I finally get the gun straightened out and get 3 cartridges loaded and the Deer has slowly walked out to what ends up being 85 yards. BANG! I couldn't tell you today where I aimed that shot. The deer jumps a bit and trots 30-40 yards over the small creek through the trees and stops like nothing happened. I take a second shot but in my panic I miss big and I knew it the very moment I squeezed the trigger. I rack the last load while watching the deer and put the crosshairs on his vitals as they are exposed through the tree line. BANG! Just as my brain was telling the finger to squeeze I notice the deer stumbling backwards but I let the shot fly. I drilled him and down he went. On inspection, the first shot did the trick, right through the vitals and on out the other side. The 7mm STW 140 grain Barnes XLC at some 3300 fps didn't have time to expand but it destroyed everything it went through. The second hit was a quartering shot and hit about 8" behind the first but exited almost exactly where the first did.
Now ,as they say, the "work" began. Here's the result....