Deer Hunting With Milsurps 2014 Edition

[vintage hunter]

I killed my first deer 35 years ago today, January 1, 1980, with buckshot while on a dog drive with my dad. Today I killed my first one with a shotgun slug while on a man drive. Both were does. Today was also the first time in 35 years I wasn't sorry to see the season close. Except for a couple short spurts I just didn't get into it this year. Lots of firsts for a last day.
I was perched on the toolbox of my truck about midway down and on the opposite side of a field bordering a Carolina Bay when I saw 4 deer heading straight to me jogging along in single file. Uh huh, this is about to get interesting. Just before they came out in the open the lead doe spotted me as I shifted position for a better angle and they all came to a halt behind a big privet hedge just inside the wood line about 90-100 yards away. They weren't gonna get any closer and being pretty sure I had a slug up the spout( this gun also serves as my primary home defense weapon and usually stays loaded with 1 slug backed up by 7 buckshot) I drew a bead on the lead does neck and let fly. All I saw next was deer turning about face and running back where they'd came from so I let go a quick double tap with buckshot toward their retreating posteriors. No dice. I didn't see any go down so I just sat where I was thinking I'd missed. Finally I couldn't stand it no longer and went over to have a look just to make sure. I almost didn't bother but I'm glad I did because I hit the big doe right in the neck with the slug. That worked out just fine, I needed one more to turn into sausage.
BTW, I don't own any milsurp scatter guns so had to improvise. Would like a Model 12 trenchie but can't quite justify forking over that kind of $$ for a shotgun.

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[harry mac]

I let go a quick double tap with buckshot toward their retreating posteriors. dice. .

Flinging buck shot at deer from 90+ yards? Way to show respect to your quarry

[vintage hunter]

I haven't really been into hunting for a couple of years now. Not really sure why.

Me either. This year it was almost the same as going to work. It wasn't no fun and I didn't want to go but I did anyway. I was just in it for the meat.

making it more interesting by doing different things

Have'nt hunted with them in years but next season I'm thinking of digging out the muzzle loaders and the tree climber again.

I got the adult doe first and then the (weaned) kid came out to see what the bang was

Way to show respect to your quarry

What do you mean? Really I misjudged the distance, didn't realise it was that far until I got to where the doe was laying and looked back. But I will say this, hunting shotguns and the short barrel open choke riot types and worlds apart when it comes to the effective ranges. The gun I was using yesterday has a custom modified barrel and choke tube specifically designed to shoot 16 or 20 pellet #1 and 12 pellet single O buckshot loads and has an effective range of 75+ yards.