I wish I could figure out how to post pics, I just can't get it to work but here is the story of the buck I got on Saturday:

We left for my ranchette at 1900 on Friday night, got out to there around 2100. Got the truck unloaded, as we were working, we were talking and hoping the bucks would finally be in the rut.

The next morning we got up around 0600 and was in the stand at 0620. The weather was not the best, temp around 35 degrees with a 20 mph wind. I did have the wind in my face, so other than being really cold (for TX anyway), I was just content to be out there. As daylight broke, I heard my first feeder go off, but not the second, So immediatly I was thinking I had work to do after the morning hunt.
About 10 minutes later I heard a cow mooing over the edge of the hill, this was around 0700. I decided to try to use the grunt tube and do some rattling to mainly scare off the cow. So I rattled and grunted for about 20 min. I took a 10 min break and didn't hear the cow any more, so I let out a challenge grunt, about a minute later I see a buck coming from my left at about 40 yards, not walking or runing, but "walking with a purpose" if that makes sense. So I brought my Dakota up and though only thought that went through my head was "oh, #!#!# that's a nice buck". I held in front of the deer and as soon as the front of the shoulder hit my crosshair I squeezed the trigger. The buck took off like a rocket. I saw none of the tale tale signs of a hit. No hunched back, the tail didn't drop, no back leg kick, nothing. I shucked the shell out and reloaded the rifle. But it was too late the deer was gone. I heard, what I thought, was a crash in the woods, but with the wind blowing so hard I couldn't tell. So, I waited in the stand for a few minutes hoping that if I made a bad shot I was going to let the deer die in piece. I climbed down from my stand and walked over to where I thought I shot the deer fully expecting not to find any blood as I was sure it was a miss. Low and behold there was TONS of blood. This got my heart excited and my spirits better. I followed the blood trail and after about 20 feet I found a piece of lung and knew right away this deer was dead. I followed the massive blood trail for about 40 yards and found a beautiful Texas Hill Country 8 point.

The deer had circled back to me and died about 10 yards from my stand. I drug it out of the brush and took pictures and started gutting the nice buck. I was very curious as to my hit. The entrance and exit wounds were perfectly behind the shoulder but a touch high. After the autopsy, I had taken out the top half of both lungs and a third of the heart. I just figured the buck was on pure adreniline looking for a fight with the buck that challenged him (my grunt call).

I used my Dakota 76 in 330 Dakota loaded with 180 grain Nosler Ballistic Tips, running about 3300 fps. Meat loss was minimal as I did not hit the shoulder. The exit would was about the size of a silver dollar.

Wish I could post the pic, but oh well. Hope you enjoy the story.

Jim

Jim-
First of all, congratulations on the buck. I was hunting in the Hill Country Saturday morning as well, and that brisk wind did make it seem a bit nippy.

As to posting a photo, go to single-shot-forums.com

You can upload a photo there for no charge. Then, open the photo, copy the link and paste it here.

Jim,

Thanks for sharing your story. My place is about an hour north of San Antonio, so we're in the same part of the world.

I don't think anyone would doubt that a .330 Dakota with a 180 grain bullet isn't plenty for whitetails. Your shot effectively destroyed the function of both the deer's heart and lungs, yet it ran 40 or so yards. I've seen them in the same condition run more than 100 yards. Yet when they are calm and just feeding, the same shot will often drop them on the spot and they never get up.

That brings to mind a discussion going on over on the Kodiak Bear thread, where folks are arguing about "stopping" a grizzly. My point there is that it doesn't really matter how big a gun you use, unless you hit the brain or spine, an angered grizzly isn't going to stop until it runs completely out of "juice" -- and that could be a hundred yards or more. Off the subject, but shooting your buck with a big caliber reminded me of it.

Congratulations!

I deleted my Pic since, Longbob posted a smaller pic for me.

Trying to post pic

[ 12-11-2002, 01:21: Message edited by: 338Lapua ]

Well, Finally! I got it to post, but how do I make it smaller?

Interresting and Stonecreek is absolutly correct, you must stick'em in the right spot...A 250-3000 Savage would have had simulair results on this little hill country deer, that seldom break a 100 lbs.

The only time a bigger gun seems to show its worth is on big massive animals like Buffalo or Elephant, but even then the difference is hard to prove....within reason.

338,

Maybe this will help. Nice buck!

Well Ray how about you hunt with what you want and I'll do the same. I won't post anymore pics of my animals if this is the kind of response people give. Totally unbelievable that someone can't make a post without some sort of negative comment about the caliber, size of deer, or whatever. I happen to enjoy my 338's, yes I could've used a smaller round with the same results but what difference does it make to you. I always believed there is no such thing as overkill, dead is dead and there aren't varying degrees of it. BTW, the deer did break 100lbs in weight.

Lonbob,

Thanks for the help with the pic, at least some folks are courteous.

Jim

Hey Jim,

Congrats on the nice buck!

Bob

338,

No problem. Actually, I could have told you that the properties of your picture had the properties listed " http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid42/p76df48d557b4edbfb66ba4c80917d214/fcf270f6.jpg.org.jpg"

You needed to remove the ".org.jpg" after the first "jpg" and then it would work. Clear as mud?

338,

I may be way off here, but I think what you percieved as negative was only an observation that no matter how powerful a given round (within limits) the animal can still take a solid hit and not appear to be affected immediately. Maybe I didn't read the same thing you did?

Cool set of antlers!

Great story.. 40 yards or so.. wow, that was close?

Great Job
jeffe

338, congrats on that mighty fine deer you got there.

Great buck 338

.338:

Nice buck. I like the medium bores for general use myself. That kind of shot placement with a .338 bullet on whitetail usually drops 'em on the spot - and I'll bet that it does next time. A 40 yard run isn't a big deal anyway.

Here is a little 8 I took Sunday morning, at my lease near Junction, with a double .400/.360 NE.


I used a Hawk .364" 300 grain round-tip soft which this rifle gives 2000 fps. The bullet passed through the lungs over the heart. He was moving at a fast trot trailing a doe and dropped to the shot. I've never had a whitetail keep his feet after being hit with it. Less bloodshot meat than with a .270 and kills quicker.
---------------------
"Serious rifles have two barrels, everything else just burns gunpowder."

[ 12-13-2002, 08:57: Message edited by: 400 Nitro Express ]

Nice buck, nice rifle.

If I hunted in the West, the 330 Dakota is exactly what I'd get. Now I only get to go every once in a long while. I've got 338-06 Mauser and it's a great rifle but it's nothing compared to the long range power of your rifle.

400 Nitro,

Very nice buck and a beautiful rifle! Other than this year, I've never had deer take a step from my 338's. But I shot one with the Lapua and it ran 20 yards and of course this one. But they're both in the freezer and that is that matters.

Thanks all for the kind comments.

Jim

338Lapua

Congratulations, a really nice buck

What is your opinion about the 330 dakota, I'm thinking of a 340/330 or something simular.

Cheers
/ JOHAN

Anyone that has a "ranchette" is a fag!

There we go another ignorant person...

Charles,

hkr is my OLDER brother, he is just giving me a hard time.

Jim

I'm sorry...

.338:

If one shoots small bucks, one will never get the chance to shoot a wall hanger.

Any fool can kill a whitetail buck but shooting a wall hanger takes big-game hunting to the highest
level. Once one begans to hunt the "big boys" seriously your life will never be the same.

In re: Above post from "Woody":

Illustrates how even nice threads are eventually hijacked by trolls. There seems to be no end to the supply of riff-raff who will piss down your back for the immense pleasure of telling you that it's raining.
------------------------------
"Serious rifles have two barrels, everything else just burns gunpowder."

[ 12-21-2002, 02:19: Message edited by: 400 Nitro Express ]

Woody,

Kiss my ass.

Jim

.338

As time goes by you MAY get over the over-riding desire to kill and return home without killing some 2 1/2 year old buck. It takes more character to go to work and report to your co-workers that you left deer camp without killin anything than it does to shoot some immature whitetail.

NO doubt, you call yourself a trophy hunter. Look in the mirror closely and you will find a stumble-bum with no woodcraft and who is ALL HAT AND NO CATTLE!

338

That is a nice Hill Country buck. I hunted several years about 15 miles NW of Johnson City, but haven't been back there in almost 20 years. Now that I live in Utah I don't get to hunt whitetails.

Maybe Woody is not familiar with the Hill Country. In the area I hunted there were approx. 140 deer per 1,000 acres, so they weren't big. I am sure yours was more than a 2-1/2 year old. It may not compare to the whitetails Woody can hunt in Montana, but it is definitely nice for the Hill Country. In my opinion, trophy status should be partially based on the area where an animal is taken.

The problem with shooting "wall hangers" is those big racks will not fit in my dehydrator!!!

Woody,

I don't call myself a "trophy hunter", just someone sho enjoys hunting and likes to share my stories with friends on this message board.

I enjoy the conversations hear and wanted to show some pictures of my latest trip to my small piece of land and share what I thought was a good story.

You can continue to be a dick if you wish but until you come to the Hill country and shoot a nicer free ranging buck, your comments will be thrown into to the asshole pile of this board.

Good luck this season.

Jim

338Lapua,
Thank you for the story, I enjoyed it. Am I green with envy? You better believe it. Thanks again.

Dude I've seen pics of your deer, you've seen pics of mine. Mine dropped in its tracks and mine did not blink an eye. Just goes to show my $650 300WSM is better or equal to your $4000 D
akota. Do you have money to burn?

P.S. Tracking sucks, Should have got a 300WSM

P.P.S How much is a guided hunt on the ranchette?

P.P.P.S Are the guides gay????????????

[ 02-02-2003, 01:49: Message edited by: hkr ]

338Laupa, Nice buck and I wouldn't have cared if you shot it with a .375Ultra, it's your hunt! My main deer rifle is a .270, but I have a .338win on order and next season it will take a whitetale or two. No I am not a "Trophy Hunter" either. What ever the Hell that is??? Don't let the wanna bees get to ya, again nice buck.

[ 02-02-2003, 02:03: Message edited by: Mark G ]

Ksduck hunter I did not mean to piss you off I was just giving 338 Lapua a hard time we have been friends for years if you can not give a Buddy a hard time what else are thay good for.338 Lapua you will have to thank your big brother for helping me wright that post(REMBER THAT)when he comes to Texas in a couple of weeks so you can give him a GOOD kick in the ASS. !!!!!

Congrats on your buck and getting the pic to prove
it. I hunted in Mills county this past season and
saw a lot of bucks the size of your's with much smaller racks than that. I saw a fork horn that
would probably weighed 160lbs. but too far away
for a shot. Would have been a good management buck
and I definately would have taken him. They are
beggining to produce some bigger 150lbs+ deer in
that area due to food plots and herd management
practice. The genetics are out there if could just get rid of more of the smaller bucks and let the big ones breed. Too many spikes at 2.5 3.5yrs
old. Anyway congratulations, and good hunting and shooting to you! BLR7!

338

A good read, the kind of thing I like about real hunts rather than the "professional hunts" in the magazines.
Glad to see you had a good hunt. I wish you many more!

LouisB

Just my opinion of course!

OH, and . . .

of course one should always ignore opinions of pretentious horses asses whereever they may appear.

[ 02-02-2003, 04:39: Message edited by: TCLouis ]

Fine buck fine rifle and fine story but I agree with your brother about the ranchette .
Congrads on a great hunt.
By the way I would show some pictures of my dear but if people call that to small then they would demand that I never post here again.

Not everyone cares about the size of the rack...

Ive never taken a "wall-hanger" and have no desire to do so. There is a distinct difference between a trophy hunter and a hunter.

There is also more to a deer then just whats on top. You can't very well eat deer horns.

BTW that is a very nice deer, and personally I wouldnt even mind shooting something that size with a 375. Neck shots!

Take care.