Wife is out of town so I got to skip off and head to the boss's ranch close to Austin, TX. I got there about 45 minutes before sunset. As we entered the portion of the ranch where the cows are at, I stopped to open a gate. When I closed the door, 3 deer, all doe, stood up 50 yards away to take a look see. Of course since we were in a hurry, I broke the cardinal rule of hunting. I didn't get the guns out as soon as we got inside the ranch. D'OH!!! 2 of the deer walked off but the 3rd just looked at me. I went on opening the gate and walked back to the Xterra like i didn't see her. I went to the back, opened the hatch and grabbed the clip for my gun and told my boss to open his door and get my gun from the rack above the visor. Walked up to the passenger side side of the car and handed him the clip. He loaded the rifle and the deer finally had enough and started walking off. One shot to the the base of the skull and he had his first deer of the season. I looked at him and asked, "I thought you said this was hard, I drive right up to them"...he's mad now because he has been hunting hard all year and hasn't even fired a shot. He tags her and we head to the stands. I didn't see anymore deer then but lots and lots of ringneck doves. Stop hunting 30 minutes after sunset and head to clean the deer. She was about 120-140 on the hoof with lots of fat.

Load data:
.223 Remington
Remington brass Full sized
55 grain Nosler Balistic Tip
23.5 grains IMR 4895
Remington small rifle primers
Intended use: head shots under 100 yards and neck shots under 200 yards (for neck shots, I am looking to break the neck and cut the veins and arteries to the brain)

Gun:
Sako 75 Varmint
1:12 twist
Simmons 6.5-20x44mm Scope
Sako Optilock rings
Harris Bench Rest Bi-Pod (the one with the locking grooves)
6 round clip alternating 55gr Balistic Tip and 60 Partition

Alternate load (same POI from 100-200 yards):
.223 Remington
Remington brass Full sized
60 grain Nosler Partition
24.2 grains IMR 4895
Remington small rifle primers
Intended use: Shoulder and spine shots under 200 yards

7 rounds fired at game this year by 3 diffrent people:
The BT has accounted for 4 doe and 1 buck
The Partition has accounted for 2 bucks

Rine--Are you trying to tell folks you killed a deer with a .223? You must not have been reading here. 7 rounds 7 deer--why am I not surprised?

No, No, im not saying it can be done. Of course it CAN'T. Its not ethical, never work, its a stunt. I just gave a hunt report for those poor souls that are stuck in an office (like I am today) that can't get away to hunt. 6 of them were actually shot near you in Eola. I went to ASU.

Rine--You mentioned near Austin--you live in Austin? I was stationed there at Bergstrom Air Force Base back in 60's and loved it. If not Austin, whereabouts? When were you at ASU? I hunt at Silver Texas (small place) go from San Angelo through Robert Lee and keep going 18 miles it's about 48 miles from San Angelo.

I actually live in Georgetown but comute to into Austin every day. I work right next to the capital. I was at ASU from 1996 through August 2000. Last group to graduate at the stadium. After our class, they moved graduation to the Coliseum.

The deer hunting is spotty out there, sometimes you dont see any deer for a week then shoot 2 at a time. They are not residents on my uncles place there, they just move through when they feel like it. I didn't use a feeder this year at all and I cant really tell a diffrence in the number of deer. The only real diffrence is that they are a bit harder to pattern... oh well. I'm running out of time, got to get on the stick and get one more so I can have a full freezer to last me for the year. (or two small ones).