Leverguns Texas Summer Safari After Action Review

[awp101]

The official AAR thread starts here!

[O.S.O.K.]

OK, here's AWP's AAP (after action pic)

[O.S.O.K.]

and mine:



AWP's is an Axis Doe and mine's a Jacob's 4 Horned Ram.

[awp101]

Actually this is a Blackbuck doe. When I heard "doe" I naturally thought deer (even if it was a funny lookin' deer ), found out last night it's an antelope species! I wonder if they taste like chicken?

The weapon of choice was a Win 94AE Legacy in .44 Mag using altinak's 245g LSWC reloads, SUPER load for this rifle! (Thanks again altinak!)

And now for the rest of the story...

I had sighted in before leaving with the Grizzly .44 Mag 300g load but when I went to get more for the hunt, Cabela's was out. The Grizzly .44 Special load had shot well at 25yds but I hadn't tried it at 100yds. Bought another box of it but couldn't make it to my range for sight in. Got to the ranch and tried to do a quick sight in. Found out the lighter .44M load I had brought was only a partial box. I decided to stick with the .44S loads but it took the whole box to figure out I was out of scope elevation at 100yds and I was still 12-16" low. That's when I found out the second box of .44S was only a partial box as well!

86er had spotted some Blackbuck doe near the front of the property and we headed that way with rjohns94 providing another set of eyes. We watched and followed them until they presented a shot. I held over and proceeded to shoot UNDER the doe. They lit out and we gave chase. Tried again, held over and hit below and BEHIND. They took off again and I tried a running shot with the same results. We went back to the living quarters and altinak graciously offered some of his .44M ammo for me to try. Had it sighted bang on within 10rds at 100yds. Spent the rest of the afternoon with Paul guiding but never could get a doe to stand still long enough.

After dinner we went back out (with Paul guiding again) but the doe were still pretty skittish (can't imagine why though? I mean, anytime a vehicle drove by they could be getting dinner or they could BE dinner... ).

Later that night 86er said he'd seen those doe again and asked it I wanted another go. "Shoot yes!" Got in the truck with him and RKrodle and we started working them from one corner of the field to the other then back again. We finally got within about 100yds of where they had stopped but they would only present me with one of two shots: straight on or a broadside with all three bunched together.

Eventually two of them moved out just enough and the remaining one gave me a front quartering shot which I took somewhere around 100yds. She went down (and I didn't see if she got back up and went back down or just stayed down as I was working the lever) and we found her within just a few seconds. As I got out she made an effort to get up but a finisher through the shoulder took care of her for good.

This one was truly a team effort! 86er and his crew went above and beyond to get us where we needed to be, RKrodle and rjohns provided additional eyes, altinak covered my ammo foul up and everyone kept each other upbeat and positive about all of our opportunities. I think all I had to do was keep the nut behind the trigger from getting cross-threaded....

And now for the rest of the story part two:
I had gone back out after dinner and RKrodle met me when we got back. He had contacted Grizzly about how odd that .44S load was acting, it was almost like the rounds weren't stabilizing or obdurating. The box said 900fps and coming out of a 24" tube I should have gotten even more, right? Remeber the old cigarette ads talking about a "silly little millimeter"? In my case it was a silly little 0.010" which is the difference between a .44M and .44S case. The rifle has a Mag chamber and that 0.010" was enough to get blow by and velocity loss. The owner of Grizzly figured I MIGHT have been getting 550fps which explains why the durn thing was patterning instead of grouping. I felt MUCH better about missing the two "gimmie" shots earlier in the day and I felt darn lucky that I hadn't just wounded one of the surrounding doe when I took the running shot.

Again, I can't say enough good things about 86er and his crew and the members who were there, it was great to meet each and every one of you! I'll sure try to make the next one! Once again, many thanks to one and all!

[O.S.O.K.]

OK - I got the doe part right anyway.... All's I know is it ain't a whitetail

And my ram really lead us on a chase - kept hiding in his gang and the group as a whole would run away every time we got out of the truck. I'v got some vid of if and will put it together and post it on youtube.

[Griff]

Congrats guys. Looking forward to more reports! Hint, hint!

[O.S.O.K.]

Well, I just got through making a compilation video and posting it on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wTmdb5HfNcI

Wish the "embed" comands would work here- that way I could just stick the video in the post.

[awp101]

Well, I just got through making a compilation video and posting it on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wTmdb5HfNcI

Not bad!

[rjohns94]

OSOK and AWP,

Congrats on your trophies. They are certainly unique and beautiful animals. It was a pleasure to hunt with you and to fellowship with you. I hope our paths cross again in the field of life. Blessings

mike

[GANJIRO]

Actually this is a Blackbuck doe. When I heard "doe" I naturally thought deer (even if it was a funny lookin' deer ), found out last night it's an antelope species! I wonder if they taste like chicken?

I popped one of those back on the February Safari, the meat is very tender, with if any gaminess. I found them just as tasty as Axis Deer. We've tried barbeque after marinating in teriyaki sauce, as well as antelope chili made with Texas Chili powder, both turned out great, and i'm getting low on antelope meat already. I guarantee you will enjoy it. Thanks again Joe, Ricky, Richard, Tycer, Brian, et al for the great memories.

[RKrodle]

awp101 probably made to hardest shoot of the hunt. Once he got his his ammo straightened out he was dead on and deadly. Good shooting dude.