Success on Opening Day

[Mako181]

First off sorry no pic but not much to show in the pic just a good little 6 pointer in Eastern NC about 140 pounds on the hoof.

Decided to use my Barnes 110 Factory as distances were short and many reports on their effectiveness. This little guy surprised me as I was watching a heavily used trail to my left side and being a righty was set up for a shot in that direction. This one came up on my right side and I saw him @ 25 yards out, couldn't take a shot as there was a brush pile hiding me from him that I could just see him through. I was able to shift a bit for a coming shot. He walked out past the pile @ 10 yards out, I sighted in for a lung heart but in my haste didn't think about how low the shot would be at that range. On pulling the trigger he did a complete forward flip took a couple leaps and was through the briars. I heard him fall and start flailing and waited @ 15 minutes. Not a Drop of Blood anywhere at the site of the shot, I was bummed. As I got to the briars, thorny vines and all that nasty stuff we all seem to have to go through I heard him flail and moving away so I waited a bit more. On proceeding I found where he had first gone down blood all over and a good trail but again super thick and had to cut my way through following the blood trail. After @ 40 yards at the most through this jungle I spotted him, he was trying to get up but couldn't. I finished him with my 22 Mag and on getting to him I found my shot had gone low on the left shoulder and shattered the upper leg bone traversed over and did the same to the same bone on the right shoulder. On dressing him out there was some heavy bone fragment damage to the left lung that created the blood trail. All the blood was coming from the mouth and nose none from entry or exit wounds.

All in all I feel fortunate to have recovered this one. If not for both front shoulders/upper legs being totally out of commission and the secondary damage to his lung he could have gone a long way. I am very impressed with the Factory Barnes 110gr Blacktip out of my 10" barrel.

All I can say is that you need to remember how low your shot will be compared to your line of sight. At that range I was @ 3" low and that could have spoiled my day. Thanks to the bullet holding together and doing the damage it did I was able to recover my first deer with the 300 Blackout Pistol I was able to build. I now have 9 rounds remaining in that mag and have 5 more tags to fill!!!

[tallburnedmidget]

Congrats on the first one of your season! Also thanks for openly sharing your experience, they aren't all rosy but they are all helpful

This year I also made a low shot with the 110gr Barnes Blacktip almost exactly like the one you mentioned. I believe I blew out arteries in both legs, shattered bones in the shot side upper leg and the shank and upper leg bone on the off side. My shot also caused enough damage in the lower chest for the animal to run about 70yds, crash out, and die.

If it weren't for the awesome penetration of an all copper bullet and the expansion of the Blacktip I would have mortally wounded that animal instead of getting a recoverable kill. I think my low shot was due to the animal being out further than I ranged (rangefinder might have caught the elongated hill in front of the deer), trying for a heart shot, and having to hurry and take a shot while the skittish doe was standing still long enough and in an open area broadside.

I need much more practice taking a shot where I get in the scope, acquire my target, and fire. Instead of taking very smooth and calm bench rest shots. My range shooting is just too different compared to my hunting shots. I need to get better for sure.

Anyhow thanks for sharing

[BlogSarge]

Congrats mako and thanks for the write-up.

TBM, I agree on both counts; 1-the blacktips rock for hunting/defense use and 2- hunting shooting is vastly different than sterile range shooting.

[gds]

nice detailed report.

[randyrucker]

grats. I got nothing so far.

[plant.one]

congrats, glad you found him.

[doubleshot00]

Congrats. What part of E NC?

[tXr]

Congrats on blooding the rifle.

I have used nothing but blacktips for hunting.

[Stormhawk]

hunting shooting is vastly different than sterile range shooting.

+1 on this. I'll spend maybe 10-12 rounds on the bench verifying zero and checking for drop at different ranges. Beyond that, I spend twice as much time shooting from improvised positions, especially kneeling and standing supported off a tree trunk. The deer I took this season was taken while kneeling looking uphill. Pretty awkward. I've never taken one from the prone.

[rebel]

Nice report, congrats on the buck.