Well, my 26” MGM Contender barrel in 6.5 Bullberry IMP (6.5x30-30 AI) got to see a little action this past weekend. After passing up a nice (though young) buck Saturday, I decided to take out an older, management-type buck just before dark on Sunday..

He was chasing a doe in the rain and was in and out of the brush. He stopped at 195 yards (thanks to a handmade grunt call given to me by a fellow forum member) and was almost facing me. His neck looked large and swollen, so I used that as my target since there were a few weeds in front of his chest. At the shot, he flipped backwards and buried one side of his antlers in the soft, rain-soaked dirt.

I generally don't care for neck shots, but when the time came, I didn't even think about it. He had been bird-dogging a doe and constantly on the move, so when he stopped in response to a grunt call, I guess instincts took over. I don't remember pulling the trigger but clearly recall the audible "whap" of bullet impact and the way he lurched rearward and literally went head-over-heels. (That's the first time I recall an animal having that dramatic of a reaction.)

The 129 grain Hornady did not exit, though his neck was massive (for this area) and the bone structure a stern test for that bullet. (The damage from this moderate-velocity catridge was devastating with this impact.)

I had never seen this buck until he showed up on a game cam about a month ago. I’m not sure where he came from, but I am glad he stopped in to visit...

Also, as to calling him a "management" buck, I use that term in the loosest form. To me, he's a true trophy.

There were a couple bucks I watched over the summer with better spreads or longer tines, but this was an older buck with good mass, and his teeth were pretty well worn, so that is why I used that term.

Around here -- even with the Texas Parks & Wildlife’s 13" minimum ruling in effect for the county -- bucks seldom get to that age. For my part of the state, I consider him to be a very nice buck.



Well, the bullet held together better than I thought. I shot the deer in the neck (not my preferred shot but that's the best I had). The buck's neck was swollen from the rutting activities and fairly massive, and the bullet then plowed through and ripped up the spine/vertebrae. I figured it probably went to pieces considering the hard impact and the fact there was no exit.

I was wrong.

Here is the bullet after cleaning it up a bit. It only lost a little over 30 grains of its original weight. The bones did help shred the jacket pretty well, but I certainly can't fault the overall performance.

Its performance here is perfect testament to why it has been working so well on the hogs (no recent recoveries there as they shoot clean through them).

Nice buck Bobby.

Good buck!

I hope to tag one like that in TX next weekend.

I'd be very happy with that buck, and a neck shot at 195 is something to brag about also. Way to go.

Tony-

What part of the state are you hunting? Where I am at, the rut is in full swing, and the bucks are really moving.

Good luck on the hunt...

Very good deer. Nice shot too BTW.

Congrats Bobby. Nice buck with a sweet rifle.

Thanks for the kind words.

My only regret with the hunt is that I did not get to finish the butchering process. By the point in the day that I took the buck, my health problems were already taking their toll, and I simply did not have the strength and could no longer ignore the pain to finish the job.

But at least it went to a family that will put it to good use.

Heck, I am just thankful I got to hunt at all. The way the week had been going, I figured I'd miss opening weekend once again.

quote:

Originally posted by Bobby Tomek:
Tony-

What part of the state are you hunting? Where I am at, the rut is in full swing, and the bucks are really moving.

Good luck on the hunt...

I'll be between Camp Wood and Uvalde. I'm going there to hunt a maverick scimitar oryx that has wandered on to the ranch and has been hanging around for a couple months. Once I get that done, I'll hunt deer for a couple days.

Are you anywhere near there or between there and AZ near I10??

Tony-

I am several hours east of there, almost equidistant between San Antonio and Houston and maybe 30 minutes south of the I-10 line.

Back in the 80s, I hunted the area you'll be in. The stalking in that rugged, rocky terrain can be tough, but it's some beautiful country nonetheless.

quote:

Originally posted by Bobby Tomek:
Tony-

I am several hours east of there, almost equidistant between San Antonio and Houston and maybe 30 minutes south of the I-10 line.

Back in the 80s, I hunted the area you'll be in. The stalking in that rugged, rocky terrain can be tough, but it's some beautiful country nonetheless.

Aha, you're closer to where my son lives, though not quite as far east and north. He's near Lufkin, north of Houston.

I just got done talking to the ranch manager. He said the deer there aren't rutting yet. He also told me to expect temps in the 80s-90s during the day. So I guess I can leave my longjohns home.

Nice Deer Bobby.Sure has dark Horns!!!!

While they rub on a variety of trees and bushes, I think it's the huisache that gives them the somewhat chocolate look with the yellow undertones.

Below is a picture of the buck I took last year. He had a similar coloration of the antlers.

Bobby,
congrats on the buck.
I hunted friday am/pm, sat am/pm
sun/am and only shot one hoglet. Didn't even see a deer in five hunts. I've hunted with the same guys in the hill country for the last 11 years. This is the first year out of 11 years no one took a deer on opening weekend. Kudos on your buck. You continue to be the whackmaster
Best to you and yours.
GWB

congrats on the buck,bobby.I guess your area has recovered from the floods nicely.
Sorry to hear of your health problems.

Bobby,

Kudos on the EXCELLENT Buck!!
Good job!!!

Don

Vey nice buck...great story and photos. Love those practical velocities and cup an core bullets.

Nice Deer Bobby, and good shooting. I love hearing about your hunts because you always give such a detailed report on bullet performance without a bunch of bunk served up on the side. Good for you and hope you are at least feeling better soon.

Best regards,
Graham

Nice deer and rifle!

Thanks for the kind words. I appreciate it.

I had a couple PMs asking about the spread on the deer & the TPWD rulings I alluded to in my original post

I finally got an accurate measurement (rather than the crude tape measure effort I put forth on that rainy night) of the inside spread; he went 13.70".

From the game came photos, I figured he went 13.5, so I knew he was a legal buck. In many counties in Texas, a buck must have an inside spread of at least 13" to be legal, must be a spike or have at least one unbranched antler. In my county, there is a 2-buck limit, and only one may be a 13'+ deer. The other must be a spike or have an unbranched antler.

TPWD enacted this to prevent the shooting of younger bucks. While it may not be effective in all areas, it certainly has helped in my part of the state. I've seen many more older bucks as a results. In this area, seeing just one buck per season was something to get excitied about. This summer, I saw groups of older bucks together on several occasions.

It does put a crimp on taking some inferior deer, though. There's been a tall-racked buck that appears to be a spike until you take a closer look. His antlers go up for about a foot before splitting -- barely so -- on each side.

He needs to go, but he is not a legal deer.

That's a really nice buck for that area, Bobby.
Congratulations on a good hunt well told.

Bobby, that is a great buck for any area. I love the "premium" Hornady Interlocks.