I didn't get to go deer hunting at our club here in middle Georgia until today. No matter . . . the bucks are finally getting a tad stoooo-pid now during the pre-rut.

The 8-point pictured had only been seen, to this point, at night . . . fighting with another, larger buck, on a trail cam.

At 8:40 this morning though, I nailed this 175-pounder as he worked his way through the woods . . . doing what bucks do this time of the year.

Not my largest, of course . . . but still a nice buck. Best of all, I took him cleanly with the .44 Magnum . . . my most satisfying way to deer hunt. Ah, the memories continue with my tack-driving M29-5. Lots of deer taken with this wonderful revolver through the years.

Very nice, congrats.

__________________
Lynnie, Professional Pest

Way to go.
Nice buck..good shootin.

Nice Buck! Congratulations, I have hunted the last few years with a S&W .44 mag also. This year intend to try my new .460XVR. Great Photo.
Glen

__________________
NRA Life 1969
OGCA

Congratulations! Our firearms season opens on the 15th and I’ll gladly take a buck like that with a rifle.

__________________
"I also cook."

Nice buck Tom! Whats up for tomorrow? Don

__________________
"Don't worry be happy"

Tom,

What load/bullet did you use to take this buck? Did it put him down immediately?

Thanks,
Andy

Congrats! Nice buck, nice shot!

__________________
Misty

nice deer! looks like you will be eating backstraps soon

__________________
WILL WORK FOR AMMO!

Nice job, Tom.

My congratulations as well. A noble conquest.

__________________
I am a sheep dog!
1601 (ret)

Way to go Tom, thats a beautiful buck.

Great job! Congratulations.

Hi Andy,

Good question!

For years I've gone with a cartridge that my M29 really "likes," the Federal Premium 300 grain "Castcore" flat-nose hard cast hunting round. I've never lost a deer since switching from the hollowpoints . . . and I'm talking since about 1998 or so for this round.

It usually plants 'em right where I pop 'em . . . and if they run, they don't go far . . . and generally have a massive blood trail since that hard cast bullet is ALWAYS going to punch all the way through.

THIS TIME THOUGH . . .

I shot him broadside, only 21 yards out, right where I meant to hit him . . . a tad below the center line of the right shoulder, about 1 1/2" from the back of the shoulder (where you can see a white spot in the photo. It exited the left shoulder on the same line, though a little lower of course.

He kicked and turned and ran off. I could see him run only about 70 yards and never heard him fall . . . though he was technically dead when I shot him. However . . .

There was no blood trail at all. Zero! I carefully began working a grid pattern where I thought he'd run and fall. The first hour I worked it to 100 yards. Nothing.

The second hour I expanded the grid to 200 yards out . . . and found him 180 yards out. There was no blood from the exit wound at all, nor from his mouth or nose . . . nor did he bleed at all when putting him on the ATV!

I took him straight into town to the processor's place, since he'd been down 3 hours got him to camp, so I didn't get to field dress him. Obviously though, the bullet took out the heart, for it surely wasn't pumping!!!

I'm surprised it could run 180 yards like that, but I was sure of my shot . . . and thus sure he was out there. I shot another buck, on a full run broadside like that a few years ago with the identical shot . . . and he didn't bleed either! Found him 80 yards out.

One thing's for sure . . . the bullet works!

T.

Tom, thats a great sixgun for hunting, congratulations! What bullet, distance, did the shot exit? Is that your first deer or are you an old veteran?

Dick

Tom, your marksmanship and sportsmanship are equally commendable. There are too many hunters who would have left that deer in the woods. I salute you.

What county, if you don't mind saying? I am in Taylor County. I plan to be sick a day or two next week, and probably at least one day the next week. I think our rut usually peaks about the week before Thanksgiving.

Again, congratulations on a good'un.

Mark

__________________
Georgia On My Mind

Interesting -no blood. I've never heard of that happening before -must have emptied it into the chest cavity(?)

Sounds like a very effective bullet -congrats!

Andy

Hi,

I hunt in the southern part of Laurens County, near Cedar Grove.

This deer's tarsal glands weren't black AT ALL!!! We got this deer, at night, fighting a larger buck a week or two ago . . . but he'd only been seen on the trail cams at night . . . never in the day.

Today . . . he got stupid.

Usually our rut here starts around the 15th and the really fun part . . . the bucks driving the does crazy chasing them around starts ramping up about now.

I've hunted with this rig since the late '90s. Lots of deer taken with it . . . including dropping THREE twice now, in mere seconds. The first time in a fresh clear cut on the only tree standing on a long ridge (the final one dropped instantly, broadside, at a measured 65 yards . . . and the second time in a thick bottom when the "ladies auxiliary came by.

Lots of memories with that M29-5!

BTW, I generally also carry a Remington 700LH (old LH early BDL) in .270, and use it if I'm not sure I can take a humane shot with the handgun. I do NOT shoot if I have any doubt about the shot. I don't believe in wounding deer!!!

T.

PS: While I was at the processor's place, a hunter came by to drop off a little doe to be skinned, dressed and processed. THE PROBLEM . . . HE SHOT THE LITTLE DOE RIGHT UP THE BUTT!!!

Worse, the deer was stiff as a board and the legs flailed out from being down a long time. It's belly was really bloated from that butt/gut shot. Needless to say, he didn't hang around long . . . and boy, were the comments made about that jerk!!!

I pity the poor guy who had to unzip that nasty, stinky thing! Then again, I hope that jerk tries eating that gut/butt shot, stinky/stiff deer later. That meat is gonna be RANK!

Some people . . .

Good job Tom! My first whitetail with a handgun was with a Ruger Super Blackhawk, the second one was with a S&W.

__________________
Stay safe people!

That looks to be a very satisfying way to use a nice M29!

Nice shootin' Tom. Tasty looking steaks you got there.

Nice! I'm jerous that you can hunt just with T-shirt. It is getting cold up here in NH. I hope you butcher him by yourself as I don't trust so called "Butcher" around hunters.

Nice buck. What scope or red dot do have on the 29? Interested in what you've found that works for hunting.

Hi,

Its a first generation Bushnell Holosight I got about 18 years ago. It ALWAYS holds its zero and has very accurate clicks when adjusting the sights.

Holosights allow one to keep BOTH eyes open and not have to focus on perfect blade alignment. Basically, the dot appears like it is magically ONE the deer and the bullet will go to that spot!

Keeping both eyes open allows the hunter also to make sure no branches interfere with the shot . . . a common lament of hunters using scopes!

Should a deer be walking briskly, or even running, in a stand of slash pines or such, you can swing with the motion and touch off a round when you aren't going to have to deal with trees or their branches.

I led a running deer (broadsides), in a stand of planted pines, and touched off the shot as it emerged into an area BETWEEN the trees. DISTANCE? Thirty yards . . . perfect heart shot. I can''t do this kind of thing with a scoped rifle in planted pines, that's for sure.

Another time, I dropped a doe like a stone . . . running full speed but also running broadside . . . at SIXTY YARDS in a fresh clear cut! She dropped like a stone right there.

I love the Holosight. The best thing since sliced bread! They work great on any target that won't sit still!!!

T.

PS: I dropped this piebald whitetail buck (hide shown) at 30 yards in a REAL thick bottom. The ONLY spot I could squeeze a bullet into was a tiny little 6-8" area where the vegetation was totally clear. When the deer and that spot came in perfect alignment I touched off the shot.



On other hunts I've dropped THREE deer in rapid succession . . . on TWO occasions. Yep . . . I love the Holosights, and they've just gotten better with Eotech taking over production from Bushnell!

veryyyy nice...congrats!