OT - Deer hunt w/ bonus featuring 300 Savage

[86er]

On Thursday evening I sat in a box blind near a cow pasture with a feeder in it. It is late season doe and spike time in South Texas. One lone doe came in and my 81 Woodsmaster in 300 Savage sent a 165 grain Speer BTSP into her shoulder at 100 yards. The deer ran towards the 4 - strand barbwire fence so I got the front bead back on her and fired again. The barbed wire represents the neighbors property so I left the deer until morning so I could let the neighbor know I was going to look for it. In the morning I found a sparse blood trail but it led to an opening. As I looked out over the opening a deer stood up just a few yards from me. Could it be? The deer ran with a flopping leg and I shot it again. The first shot missed the heart by no more than one inch and the deer made it through the night! I was glad to find her. I went out there in the evening again since I had one tag left for a doe/spike. At 4:18PM I noticed movement. Imagine my surprise when I saw and axis buck sneeking across the pasture! There's no season on exotic game and even though this one was not a big shooter that you'd take on a high fence ranch I figured any free-range axis buck was just fine! Again the 300 Savage rifle spoke and the deer ran a short way and I hit it again when it slowed, and it piled up. The 300 Savage has yet to impress me, but I think I have to find the right bullet/velocity combo to meet my expectations. I took photos of myself, using the timer feature on my camera. That night I took a young man that is my friends's son to the pasture and put him in a stand while I went into the box stand again. Nothing came out on my side but the teenager saw a hog and a bobcat, both out of range. As I left the property and turned onto the road I knew why I didn't see any deer on my side. My headlights lit up at least 75 and maybe even 100 deer across the street on the neighbors land where he had a commercial sprinkler system running. Texas is super-generous with the deer seasons and tags - 5 deer later I still had one tag for whitetail (that does not include the mule deer tags). Here's the axis buck with the Model 81 (1947 vintage) that I used.

[kimwcook]

Good job on the deer, Joe. My uncle shot a Savage 99 in 300 for years and anytime I was with him hunting I never saw a deer DRT with that rifle. It was always a track with one of those tracks covering many a mile. My uncle isn't what I'd consider a good shot and that could of been the contributing factor. I was around him a lot until I was about 14. I'm interested to see what you work out with yours.

[win38-55]

Good looking deer with a good story congrats. Always good to here these old obsolete cartridges
can still kill these new bullet proof deer.

[crs]

Those Axis deer are supposed to be very good eating. Enjoy.

[Nath]

Good photo Joe.

Perhaps that bullet is to tough for the 300, how about the Speer flat points in 150 and or 130 grains. The 300 should bump them up a treat.

Nath.

[Hobie]

I think your problem is the bullet. Ask Buffboy's wife what she uses. Grace absolutely slays 'em.

[TedH]

Nice bonus there!

Is that custom wood on that rifle?

[86er]

The rifle is a model 81 Woodsmaster "C" grade with original wood.

[M. M. Wright]

Beautiful buck and rifle 86er. The 300 Savage should be almost equal to the .308 so I too think maybe the bullet is too stoutly jacketed for it's velocity. Try some 150s, they should give you more velocity, flatter trajectory and expand better for you.

M. M.

[Ysabel Kid]

Sweet! That's an interesting rifle. Hope you get the round figured out for it.

[handirifle]

Maybe even try the 150gr flat nosed hollow point Barnes TSX that is meant for the 30-30. If your shots are within 100yds it will not affect trajectory and will open easily and provide a huge wound path.
http://barnesbullets.myshopify.com/prod ... -30-30-win