I hope its not going to be one of those days

I got my new Tikka 223 1.8 twist with a Z5 scope yesterday and today I headed out for a sight in then a hunt.

I tried 5 different types of ammo, a 50gr 3 55gr's and a 60gr hornady whitetail which is what I settled on as it was under MOA at 100 meters, it just didn't seem to like the lighter stuff.

I started my hunt and it wasn't long before I spotted 2 fellow deer, a quick range with the finder showed them to be just over 300 meters (too far to take a shot at game with a new riffle I still wasn't familar with) and already wishing I had the 7mm Rem Mag.

The wind was favourable for a stalk so off I set but hadn't gone far when the front tops of my thighs started crying out in pain (I was going down hill) not sure if fitness or just different muscles but shit they hurt.

Anyway I stalked up a steep hill then sided around to about where I thought they should be, then I saw the ginger one come down the hill into the gut below me all of about 50 meters away.

I got down low behind the tussocks and waited the wind hard in my face but nothing came so I continued forward ready in anticipation, I got past another tussock and another but still no sign so I started to wonder where have they gone right at that instance I looked up on the opposite face and I could see the ginger one laying down under a thorny bush.

I raised the riffle and could see some off the thorny branches were in the way but didn't want to risk spooking it so decided to take the shot bang, up and off it ran the brown one jumped up and moved behind another bust so I got ready then it bolted bang (bugger another miss).

Both deer gone and after inspecting the whole area nothing :oh noes:.
Ok off for a bush stalk I went to try my luck with that however nothing to be seen there (was this going to be one of those days)

I headed over to the back of the property and hunkered down, I decided to pull out the roaring horn and gave that a go and I got plenty of replies but nothing showing itself.

It was now about 30 mins before dark and I thought I heard something over to my left but didn't take it too seriously when all of a sudden 3 red spikers came running past me flat tact, one of them got such a fright when it saw me it jumped high in the air and bucked like a bronco and although I tried whistling it would not stop and the other 2 headed into thick bush almost straight away so 3 more deer went begging (one of those days).

It didn't take long and it was dark so on with the spotlight and off I went across a paddock of lush grass, I was half way across the paddock when I looked up and there were 2 deer about 150 meters ahead of me.

I up with the riffle and held the light on them, they were in a bit of a dip so only had the heads to aim at so decided to keep walking towards them, I got close enough to see the heads and about 2 inches of their backs when they decided to bolt for it (now that's 7 deer seen for nothing) one of those days :oh noes:.

I turned around and walked with the wind up my bum and decided to follow a track all the way back to my truck, I was approaching a sweed paddock and when I lifted the spotlight there were 2 deer stearing back at me so was this going to be it, the first blood for my new riffle.

The deer were within 100 meters and it had to be free hand so I squeezed off bang! over she went so quickly over to the other one a quick line up and bang over it went as well, yippee! first blood for the riffle even though it did take seeing 9 deer to do it.

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Ok it's getting late so after I gutted them out I decide to leave them and pick them up in the morning as I still had several km's to go to get back to the truck, I walk off and get over the next rise and there up ahead is another 4 deer grazing away on sweeds.

I just keep walking towards them with the spotlight on them and they just keep going about their business eating sweeds, I pull out the rangefinder and I'm now 100 meters away so what the hell up with the riffle and bang flop over goes a nice spiker.

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I was sure I shot another one as well but couldn't find it amongst the sea of sweeds, I got to work and gutted the spiker before heading back to the truck and off home with a some what mixed bag.

I saw another mob of 5 on my way out but I was now on a mission to get home. It's the most deer I have shot in a hunt so that was a possitive and first blood for the riffle which is also pleasing. All up 18 deer spotted which made for an amazing day full of excitement.

:thumbsup:

Nice one, a few less deer raiding the swede paddock.

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Originally Posted by 300wsm for life

Nice one, a few less deer raiding the swede paddock.

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Thanks mate, yep the farmer will be happy, just about to go and pick them up before it rains

Go the 223 and be a bit cheaper to run than the 7mm mag:D

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Originally Posted by tikka

Go the 223 and be a bit cheaper to run than the 7mm mag:D

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Yeah it is. I still love my rem mag

Got back about 9am with the goods, its always good to get them back home secure.

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Bloody hard getting them into the truck on my own.

Now the work begins :D

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Originally Posted by outdoorlad

Now the work begins :D

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Yep you are right there.

Back legs will be going to the butcher to get made into bacon and silversides.

Some will go to the bakery to get made into pies, I will cut the back steaks into steaks and the rest will go through my new industrial sized mincer.

Epic trip that one, always good to blood your new rifle first time out, when I got my Mod 7 223 many years back my son and I shot 3 deer the first night out too. Well done plenty of good meat there.

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Originally Posted by Mooseman

Epic trip that one, always good to blood your new rifle first time out, when I got my Mod 7 223 many years back my son and I shot 3 deer the first night out too. Well done plenty of good meat there.

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Thanks @Mooseman it was a great time on the hills, although its farm land its ruggered and not the sort of country to take lightly.

I like how I can shoot open terrain, bush stalk and shoot crop as you get plenty of variety.
I must have walked some big km's as I was determind to get something.

I'm just happy it all came together in the end and the meat is going to be put to good use.

Good result! I find my 1:8 Tikka shoots best with Sierra 69 grain HPBT (0.5 MOA) which are available in factory loads from Aussie Outback, Fiocchi, GGG (Aoraki Ammunition Co), and other makers. It gives good results on game as well.

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Originally Posted by gundoc

Good result! I find my 1:8 Tikka shoots best with Sierra 69 grain HPBT (0.5 MOA) which are available in factory loads from Aussie Outback, Fiocchi, GGG (Aoraki Ammunition Co), and other makers. It gives good results on game as well.

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Thanks for the advice on the ammo, I just need to find some now.
So far I have checked out the 2 stores in Oamaru, Southern wild Wanaka and h&f Cromwell but can't find heavy factory loads anywhere.

The 60gr hornady american whitetail gave me .800 of an inch at 100 meters, none of the lighter grains came close.

Try belmont they do 62 and 77, for me the 62 is perfect (slow twist zastava) at $800 per 1000 best value anywhere.

Thanks @Marty Henry I will see if I can get my hands on some. I would start with a box of 20 and if they shoot good then buy in bulk.

Thanks to everyone for your kind help on ammo, its great to receive this good info and this forum never fails to deliver

Cheers Guys

Finally finished the processing :)

Started yesterday, 3 back legs to the butcher first thing this morning. 2 getting made into bacon and one into silversides.
Dropped over 4kgs of primo meat to the bakery to get made into pies, cut up the back steaks and shanks and bagged them up.

Finally minced all the rest, 13 hours later and sitting down reading the forum. I'm glad that's over :thumbsup:

fallow are my nemesis animal.....cant seem to get a single shot kill on them,no matter how hard I try. reds ,no worries...but them pesky fallow just seem to get under my skin some how. the offer to load some rounds up for you if you want,is still there.

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Originally Posted by Micky Duck

fallow are my nemesis animal.....cant seem to get a single shot kill on them,no matter how hard I try. reds ,no worries...but them pesky fallow just seem to get under my skin some how. the offer to load some rounds up for you if you want,is still there.

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Thanks so much MD, I am able to get some more 60 gr hornady whitetail and a box of 64gr winchester super x which I am picking up tomorrow.

If I'm going up your way in the future I will pm you and call around for a chat and I would love you to load a couple for me to try. How was your trip up north to see your folks? I hope you had a great trip.

was an awesome break...and got to do little jobs that a good son should be able to do....
the flight up was best ever...we flew onto north island,looking out window at wanganui..... then Im watching mt taranaki trying to get bearings..then looked down and spotted crater lake,we were directly above it,traced road back to national park,down to taumarunui in dstance...then spotted mill...hmm maybe kinleith...then town with puddle beside it confirming Tokoroa...town of my birth...not long after could see the east coast..and town with big hil...buggerme its mt maunganui..then descent into rotorua.....was a real buzz to be able to link towns together from air.
sure is good to be home in own bed,not kept awake by crickets chirping as they were in whitianga LOL...
Off to look for public land bambi tomorrow...better dig out all my dazzle clothing I guess.

Glad you had a good trip, good luck with the hunt tomorrow I hope you get something and look forward to the report :thumbsup: