200SST performance

[sw]

:)My son, Zach, had a great opening day of "gun" season here in NE Arkansas. We only can use MLers, shotguns and certain pistols. 2 weekends - this and next. I hunt the wider open spaces and he hunts smarter than his father by sticking to brushy, grown up areas where the big deer live. Maybe someday the 24 year old "kid" will teach his father something. Anyway, he called me(I was hunting about 1/2 mile away) and said he had hit a "monster" and needed help tracking. He didn't just need "help" , he needed me to do it. He is color blind. Lot of blood at the spot where the deer was shot but very little after that. The trail was thru lots of briars, etc. We started tracking after dark. Took only 2 hrs to go appx 150-200 yds thru the briars, etc. One time there was nearly 60 yds between the tiny, single blood drops. Looked for over 1/2 hr between the blood spotting. Finally found it.
The gun, RB will recognize it, is an RB 450 PacNor barrel shooting 10/54 VV-110/2015, WW,Harv lt blue sabot, 200SST,CCIm. The shot was 60 yds and the hit was just behind the shoulder exactly in the center(a little higher than desirable). Lungs were gone. Appx 40 cal hole in and 60-70 cal out. NO bullet fragments found. This isn't a 250SST!!! It's a 200SST - a much tougher bullet. Anyway the deer scored 174 5/8 G and 154 4/8 N. 19 countable points( stickers on the back side). This is probably my son's 25-30th Sav kill(only 2 losses - 250SSTs going warp speed).
It's gratifying to have a son who gets out, finds great places , and gets the job done. He has a # of 120-140 deer, mostly bow kills, but this is his first big one. Please excuse me for being a proud dad. Tar, I'm proud of your son also.

[Dave W]

Great looking buck, mass, character, he has it all! Congrats to the happy hunter and dad!

[smokeless77]

Congratulations, Zach and Sw on a beautiful Buck.

John

[Slufoot]

Good story and GREAT deer!
Congrats!

GOOD SHOOTING!
Slufoot

[tar12]

That is a dandy!Congrats! The roles are reversed with this father/son team.I am the one who is color blind.Did not know this until my 4th CDL phsyical.. and when my son shot a doe to far back one night.That boy tracked that deer a unbelievable distance beyond what I was capable of! I am glad that you got to share that with him Steve...

[sw]

A post script: Zach's 13 1/2 year old Golden Retriver died on Tues morning after a valient fight against cancer. They had spent the night at a secluded spot on the St Francis river for the last time just the previous Sat night. Chester loved going to the river "with the boys". Zach, who is not married YET , always took Chester along for the first date with any new girl. The ones who bonded with Chester got a second chance. This deer kill couldn't have come at a better time as the entire family is just heart broken over loosing Chester. DaveW: your picture prompted this post.

[jims]

Fine deer, sorry to hear about his dog.

[wilmsmeyer]

Awesome deer and story. Dogs are great to have...especially good ones that you really love. It's tough when they die.

Usually a little time and a new puppy work wonders.

Is Zach going to mount that deer?

[herman]

Congratulations to your son.That sure is a dandy.

[deadon]

SW and Zack, WOOOOW!!!!!! What a great buck. SW, get Zack a pup asap. No dog will ever take Chester"s Place but a new pup will fill the Space. Rusty

[bigmoose]

Super looking buck
I trust father and son will go on many more hunts, you are both lucky to have one another.

Marty

[larry]

SW, that is one NICE BUCK. Congrats to You and Zack. Most folks will never get a chance at a 1745/8 in their lifetime.

[edge]

Wow, great buck...and sorry to hear about his friend.

edge.

[killitgrillit]

Very Nice, congradulations.

[Chris Champion]

Great buck and story SW.

[12ptdroptine]

The loss of a loved one is never easy.....I offer my condolences. And that is a great deer and time to spend with your family. I just went last Sat am on a "call from my son" Coery... He whipered...:Dad I just shot a monster" Will you help me go get him..I see he is down. I was thrilled also.. He bow killed a 325lbs MONSTER...huge 8 will score over 150. He weighed in at the locker plant at 287lbs. Great story there Drop

[rr]

Great deer, good shooting. This is one to be proud of.

[dave d.]

:)wow what a dandy buck there zach. Dad and son did a great job. Life is amazing and being a father is what life is about. I'm so proud of my little one at all the little things he does so I finally know what you must be feeling Steve great story. I am also sorry to hear of your loss.

[tasaman]

Great Scott what a nice buck. Sorry to hear about the dog. I remember when my first dog passed and your story brought back some feelings that have been forgotten for some time. Not in a bad way but a good way. Congratulations on such a fine kill.

[pposey]

Wow what a monster deer!

[spaniel]

After 40+ deer of experience with this bullet at BP velocities (2100 fps MV) I finally got a couple tests at smokeless velocities (2770 fps MV).

In short, I shot a buck at 40 yds and a doe at 150-200 yds. I purposely held low on the buck to avoid the shoulder, expecting explosive results, which is what I got. It went in just behind the leg low in the brisket, baseball sized entry and smaller exit. I found some shrapnel in the wound but that was all. It literally blew a six inch segment of the bottom of the rib cage loose and it was only held on my skin.

The 150-200 yd shot was another story. It was perfect placement, high heart/both lungs. The entry was normal, exit golfball sized, lungs and half the heart destroyed in between.

In short, if I planned on my normal shot being under 80-100 yds I would pick another bullet. If I expected most shots to be over 100 yds, I would (and will) continue using it and just be a bit careful where I put it if closer shots happen.

[Dave W]

Sorry to hear about Chester, Steve. The one pictured is our second, both females and both have been wonderful companions. Smart, easy to train and very people friendly. Took a while to talk my wife into getting a pup after Shasta had to be put down, they are like one of the family but better mannered.

[Billy]

What a beautiful buck and happy young man. Thanks for sharing the story.
Billy

[Jon]

Great to see a father and son bond. Great looking buck. Sorry to hear abouy Chester.
Jon

[Richard]

Steve..............great story! Man, you gotta' be proud of that boy! What a super deer ..........Sorry about Chester As you can tell from my av, the wife and I are big time dog people. I can not imagine when either of the two in the picture leave us. We have grieved over a lot of great dogs in the past. Time and a new puppy "heals "
Richard

[zakjak221]

Great story & deer, Thanks for sharin!!

Mark

[jeremylong]

In Arkansas! What?! Dang that is awesome! I have never hunted down there but never realized a big brute like this would grow down there.... He must be the talk of the county!
I just hope to get a chance at one like that up here in Illinois! Awesome deer and sounds like good timing. That deer would fit in on Cabelas wall! Congrats!

Sorry to hear about the Chester, I am a dog guy too and I too know the feeling.

[DBinNY]

Wow to the deer, what else to say? Sorry about Chester. Been through that with several dogs. Know the feeling.

[sw]

:You guys have been so nice. Yes, we do have some nice deer here in NE AR. I have a 170" a 161" and a # of 140+" bow kills and a few 120"-140" Sav kills but none quite like Zach's. It is important, sometimes, for a son to be more successful than his father and for the father to be glad it worked out that way. After getting out of the USAF, I went to dental school and have worked as a dentist for 28 years. I got my ATP slightly after dental school graduation and almost went to Delta to fly MD-80s but just had a gut feeling to stay where I was. 4 years later my line # would have been cut. I was in England the same time as Sully Sullenger(Hudson landing) and he says that the airlines wouldn't have been the best choice in many ways. I agree. (He flew F-4s and me, F-111s).
My son is an outstanding cropduster pilot and I hope to someday work for him. I've just missed flying as an occupation that much. I was his instructor for his pilot liscenses, and will be for his CFI. However, the baton passes eventually, and I will accept that there are areas of life in which he has and will surpass me . That's a great part of life when we look at our kid and say"what a great person he has become". It's nice to be able to look up at our offspring. I'm glad he killed this deer and not me. I'm sure I state the thoughts of virtually all of us.
Though I post way to little concerning this, I just read and marvel at Tar's kid and the father Tar is. And I know many of you others are very similar. DaveD's little kid doesn't have a chance at not being overly special either. Deer hunting, guns and bows, airplanes come in a distant last compared to our kids, wives and especially our God and Savior, Jesus.
Sorry for the ramble.

[dave d.]

great post Steve you said all that is important in life...