Hi guys, once again you have helped us work up a good load for my daughter/son's A-Bolt .308 (150GR E-Tip 46.7 gr of IMR 4064, LC brass and CCI 250 primers.) I did actually test six different primers w/the same powder charge and yes it did make a difference, the CCI 250's would all touch a quarter at 100y. Good enough for the north woods.

So my 15yr old is sitting in a portable stand about 15ft up last sat. eve. overlooking about a one acre opening in the trees. Pic-1 A trail enters from about 15yds over his right shoulder and passes about ten feet from the base of the tree. He starts hearing/seeing deer moving in the trees to his right, a huge doe and twin 'button' bucks. She's feeding, they're playing and calling back and forth, especially when mom gets too far away. He's never heard this before so what a great experience especially when he's learning to call. The doe came out the trail over his shoulder and passed right under him, turning away at about ten yards. A fawn called to her and she turned toward him almost broadside 8 yards from the tree, then looked right up at him. Pic-2 He froze with the barrel pointed her way telling himself "don't move, don't move". He'd never been in a face-off before, but she blinked. When she dropped her head the E-Tip did it's job very impressively. I'll measure my words so as not to be graphic, but suffice it to say she didn't go far. Oddly enough there was no blood trail(not related not the bullet's performance), but he saw which way she went and we walked right to her. It wasn't his first deer but no doubt one of the most memorable. What a time, my son and I, in the woods, in a camper, for three days. No TV, no lights but a 6v lamp, and a lot of memories for years to come,(like the skunk in the full moon at 2:30AM -never mind) That is after all why we do this.
Anyway, thanks again guys for helping create a memory.

Greatfully, Barry

P.S. If you have a Son or Daughter memory from this season please do share.

Barry,
Congrats to your son and you! Nothing like time in the woods with your children. And him getting his first deer is even more special!!

I had a father/son hunt a few weeks ago in which I won the 'Worst Dad of the Year" award. The second weekend in our season I took my 5yr old son on his first morning hunt witht the intent of taking a doe for the supper table. He has been hunting with me since he 3, but always in the afternoon. Anyway we were sitting in a ground blind overlooking a hardwood ridge. We had seen a few does and a spike, but I was not able to get a shot on the does. I then saw a nice buck walking up the ridge towards us. My son hadnt seen him yet and I didnt want to tell him until I could get a better look at the deer. The deer continued his was towards us and eventually stopped broadside at 30 yards. My son had seen him by now and was urging me to shoot. He was a stud of an 8pt, that would easily go 125" maybe 130" His brow tines were the longest I had ever seen on a live deer with his right one probably going 8 or 9". He milled around the ridge feeding on acorns for 10 or 15 minutes and then went back the way he came, pausing again broadside at 30 yards. I could have shot him easily, but I had taken a 10pt opening weekend and I did not want my season to be over with two months left in the season. (We have a 2 buck limit in GA)

In hindsight, I should have shot the deer as it would have been a treat for my son and a good deer for me. He has yet to let me live it down either. Almost daily I am told by him that I should have shot that deer because he knows a big buck when he sees one!

Congrats again to you and your son!!

Adamhunter, that's a neat story for a 5yr old to experience, most 5 yr olds will never have a big deer that close let alone for that long. I think "worst dad of the year" is a little harsh though. You're probably right about it being a treat for him if you got that deer. Just make sure he understands your reasoning, he'll get over it.

Congratulation to your son..

I suggest you quit the E-tips and use the Balistic Tip Huntings or the partition..I distrust bullets that don't leave a big time blood trail, if they make many tracks and find a hidy hole and they can do that, you have lost the animal. I have seen this many times and as a matter of fact mostly with monolithic bullets, the sole exception being GS Customs for whatever reason. All the failures have been with Barnes bullets that I have witnessed although I know many knowledgable folks that swear by them. In all fairness I have only seen them fail on the deer size animals, they have always performed perfectly on large animals.

quote:

Originally posted by Atkinson:
Congratulation to your son..

I suggest you quit the E-tips and use the Balistic Tip Huntings or the partition..I distrust bullets that don't leave a big time blood trail, if they make many tracks and find a hidy hole and they can do that, you have lost the animal. I have seen this many times and as a matter of fact mostly with monolithic bullets, the sole exception being GS Customs for whatever reason. All the failures have been with Barnes bullets that I have witnessed although I know many knowledgable folks that swear by them. In all fairness I have only seen them fail on the deer size animals, they have always performed perfectly on large animals.

I have also purchased some Nosler E-tip and going to try them in winter 2012 (South Africa). What I like about the Barnes X type bullets is that it does not leave the meat so bloody. Especially when you use the meat for cooking this is much better. It give a clean meat fracture. I have found the Ballistic tips to be too destructive on medium size game. I have also purchased some Accubonds and would also try them.