My First Handgun Buck

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Bowhunter57

New member
This is my second year of chasing deer, in hopes of getting my first deer with a handgun. I've been hunting with handguns for over 30 years, but never gave a thought to hunting deer with one. I figured that I've killed nearly everything else with a handgun, so why not a deer. Plus, I've killed deer with everything except a handgun.

I was standing just inside the woods, looking across a ravine and listening. After hearing several shots in the distance, I see a buck and 3 does walking along the south edge, traveling west. Suddenly, they spook, decide to back-track and come into the woods with me. They didn't seem to be interested in crossing the ravine and as they walked by, so I rested my .44 Mag. Ruger Super Redhawk on a sapling. The buck hesitated, I settled the red dot on his shoulder and squeezed the trigger.

At the recoil the buck walked off, while the does ran off to the east. I wasn't totally sure I'd hit him, even though the shot felt good. I waited 10 minutes and decided to slowly cross the ravine and check for blood. No blood, but I noticed the does running off, while the buck was bedding down. I crept one foot at a time, toward him, while he got up and bedded back down 5x...over the next 2 hours.

Around 11:00 he got up and bedded on the other side of some blown down trees. I kept creeping closer, one foot at a time and by 12:15 he'd stood up and laid back down for the 7th time. The last time was in his 5th bed, facing to my right, while his chest was toward me. There was the shot that I'd been waiting to present itself. He looked my way, while I leaned against a sapling for a rest, settled the red dot on his brisket at 40 yards and squeezed the trigger.

When the Ruger recoiled, the buck rocked onto his back and I ran up to him. He attempted to get up and was throwing his rack at me...I was 10 feet from him. I gave him a second to settle, he moved his head away from his vitals and I shot him through the lungs. I'm getting him mounted, as I'll never forget this hunt with a handgun.





Bowhunter57
 
The first shot hit him on the shoulder, where I was aiming and that's why he bedded down so quickly...his shoulders were busted up.

I hated waiting so long for the finishing shot(s), but I wasn't sure how hard he was hit and I don't care for running shots. I didn't want to "bounce" him out of his bed, chase him all over creation and end up losing him.

I kept creeping closer, a little at a time, all the while reminding my self, "patience is the hunter"...wait him out and you'll get him.

The 7th time he got up and laid back down his chest was facing me and I had made it to 40 yards. I rested my arm against a sapling, put the red dot on his chest and squeezed off the second shot. Even though he was laying down, the shot to the chest rolled him onto his back.

I ran up to him, standing 10 feet from him, as he was swinging his head/rack at me, trying to get up. I held the red dot on his vitals, behind the left leg and squeezed off the third shot and that put him down for good. :cool:

The rest of the day was spent dressing, dragging and pictures. :)
Bowhunter57
 
Congratulations also on sticking with the slow patient stalk to make sure you didn't loose him. Did the shot through the shoulders miss the heart/lungs?
 
Panfisher said:
Did the shot through the shoulders miss the heart/lungs?
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Panfisher,
Yes, it was a couple inches farther forward than I cared for and that was enough to break the leg/shoulder, but too far forward to hit the vitals. I was glad that I chose to take my time, while stalking closer.

Bowhunter57
 
Figured as much, it happens. I still say kudos for sticking with it, in my mind once you have drawn blood you are obligated to finish it if possible, and you did so admirably.
 
Should'a could'a would'a? Main thing. You got your trophy in the end. And he's a dandy. No doubt about it.> That Super Red worked out well for you.

My congrats Bowhunter57 on your first deer taken with a handgun. That sure was a challenge.

Curious. What bullet weight were you shooting & who's? ~ and ~ Is that a Hogue grip I see?

S/S
 
Sure Shot Mc Gee said:
Curious. What bullet weight were you shooting & who's? ~ and ~ Is that a Hogue grip I see?
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Sure Shot Mc Gee,
I reloaded a hard cast 240gr. SWC with 19.0 gr. of 2400 that produced a 1" group at 50 yards...on a bench.

The grips are factory and might be Hogue style, but there's no mention of the name in the owner's manual for replacement parts. None the less, I love them and have had Hogue grips on other handguns and all for the same reasons...comfortable grip, good control of the weapon and affordable. :)

Bowhunter57
 
doofus47 said:
how far was the first shot across the ravine?
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doofus47,
I didn't mention that, but it was 58 yards.

Next year, I'm going to try some 180 gr. JHP Sierra bullets or perhaps one of the Speer or Hornady bullets. I'd prefer some more speed and shock vs. the penetration of the hard cast bullet. Whitetails are thin skinned and with good shot placement, I think it'll work and provide a quicker kill.

Bowhunter57
 
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Excellent story and kill. :)
As much of a Elmer Keith fan I am, bullets are light years better than anything he could have dreamed about.
I would like to recomend the Hornady 240XTP. I took a big doe last year at a way long 175yards and she fell over without even a kick. The 240xtp was loaded to mid level and performed flawlessly. It completely dumped its energy. The bullet was found on the opposite side under the hide.



44bulletnet.jpg


Obviously shot placement is everything but the Hornady will open up as low as 800fps. Hard to say what the velocity was at 175 yards but it was enough to let the bullet do its job and dropped her like a bag of sand.

Entryholenet.jpg

Huntingscenenet.jpg
 
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