8 point Buck with Marlin 336w

[TomG]

Well today is the opening day of Deer Season here in Kan tu kee.
I headed out with my Marlin 336W in 30-30 and my hunting knife.
I was walking across the pasture headed for my hunting spot when I ran head on into this 8 point Buck.
He was grazing in tall grass and we looked up at the same time, about 50 yards apart.
He just stood his ground and didnt run.
I still had the cross bolt safety on and at half cock and the chamber was empty.
I chambered a round, took it off safety and shot him in the forehead, between the antlers, he dropped where he stood.
He caught me totally off guard.
I used a Winchester Power Max 150 grain hollow point.

[OH25shooter]

He was grazing in tall grass and we looked up at the same time, about 50 yards apart.
He just stood his ground and didnt run.

That deer must have missed survival class. When you spot a man face to face with a rifle in hand, do not stand your ground................RUN.

Nice buck. Sometimes deer hunting is quick and enjoyable.

[TomG]

Thank you OH25.
It happened real fast.
Over before I new it.

[Bull Chitter]

I don't think that a head shot with a 30-30 rifle is a very ethical shot - but a man has got to do what a man has got to do.

Congratulations on the success.

I'm glad to see that you didn't blow the rack right off the head.

[1911 guy]

Nice deer!

I don't take head shots either, but that's due to my fear of missing, not anything about the shot itself.

Whacking one at first light is always preferable to sitting in a stand all day and freezing your tuckus off.

I did this one year, popped one while walking to my stand. Mine was a doe, not nearly as impressive as getting an eight point at first light.

Congrats! Let us know how he tastes. I'm a sucker for venison chops slow cooked with mushroom sauce.

[TomG]

Thank you Bull and 1911 Guy.
This was the first time I took a head shot.
When I walked up on him and he wasnt about to run away, I found myself in a bad situtation.
I knew he could close that 40 or 50 yards really quick, and running away wasnt an option.
I didnt even have a round chambered.
I just new I had to drop him real fast before he charged me.
That 336 is fast handling, I brought it up, levered a round, took the cross bolt safety off and fired as soon as I got my sights lined up.
That Buck was bigger then me.
If I had a saddle I could have rode him.

[waterhill]

I would bet that you didn't even hear the gun shot.... or don't remember...lol

Nice. I say well done.

I have been there...

[TomG]

Thank you Waterhill.
I dont remember much of anything, happened so fast.
Adrenaline rush didnt hit until way after the shot.
Reminds me of Wyatt Earps advice for a gunfight.
He said: take your time in a hurry.
There was a guy out hunting on horseback the same day.
Buck charged him, horse threw him, then Buck went after the horse and tore it up real bad.
Hunter went to the hospital.
First I heard of a Buck attacking a horse.

[Steve48]

You have long shots here in Kansas if your not in a blind. A 30/30 would have even come close here.

[TomG]

That 30-30 does a real good job.
Its sighted in at 100 yards.
I would take a 200 yd shot if need be.
Dont know if I would go past that or not.

[Selena]

Hmmm, I have a smokehouse and you have venison hams.

[TomG]

Ive considered building a smokehouse, just never got around to it.
Would definitely come in handy if times get bad and electric becomes a thing of the past.

[Selena]

We inject the hams with a mix of saline, honey, blackstrap molasses, vinegar and bourbon then smoke them. Once you have tasted the result corned beef loses all it's allure. Our smoke house gets more use than the freezer when it comes to game and pork.

Some day, I'm going to tell my in-laws that the Salmon they love so well when they visit is actually smoked carp.

[TomG]

My wife and daughter didnt like the vennison that much, mainly a little chewy.
And a little gamey.
Smokehouse would help that I do believe.

[Nicky]

Tom...Try having your steaks tenderized the next time you have one processed (gets rid of the "chewey") and throw about a half teaspoon of minced garlic in the oil before frying (gets rid of the "gamey" ).

You can "tenderize" the ones you already have by placing the steaks on a cutting board after thawing and pounding it with one of grandma's old tenderizing hammers with the cleats on it.

Venison is very good if prepared right and much more healthy than beef.

Congratulations on the great shot. !!

[TomG]

Thank you Nicky for the great info.
I will give that a try.

[Selena]

The tenderizing hammer works well. As for the gamey flavor there are many methods. Oddly enough brushing the carcass with a strong thick brine several times many hours apart and letting it hang an extra day also works but tends to draw more of the blood out of the meat. Marinating the steaks in bourbon (real bourbon not blended or sour mash) overnight in the fridge also takes out the game flavor while adding one of it's very own. (If you have an idiot brother dispose of the marinate immediately!) You can add various spices to the marinate as well. Dad's favorite was just a pinch of sage and a slice of onion. My own is a pineapple ring that also helps to tenderize.

Unfortunately cooking game is an art form and very few, including yours truly, are qualified to teach. Even worse there are several, sometimes contradictory schools of thought on the process. For example, I make jerky to cook with, I use it in cooking the same way some use hamburger. My idiot brother will eat jerky as is to the place if I want to be able to make chili or rice and beans I have to keep the jerky hidden in a locked cabinet with intruder alarms and attack dogs guarding it.

[Selena]

The following is also a way of reducing 'wild' flavor.

SUGAR CURE MEAT

15 to 18 # meat
¾ pints course salt
3 Tbl brown sugar
2 tsp pepper

Mix salt, brown sugar and pepper together. Make sure meat is dry. Rub hams and shoulders
With mixture until they are well covered. Wrap in cloth and hang until ready to use.

Show some respect for this recipe, it's older than the both of us put together

[TomG]

Thank you for those great suggestions and recipes.
I will give them a try.

[designfirm]

well done.I really like the post.........

[paintballdude902]

sounds like he was a little bit confused LOL.

i walked around a hedge row one day with my trust marlin..... and ended up face to face with a huge doe.... we both stood there surprised as heck then i pulled up my gun and the doe took off..... thanks to the crossbolt safety i dropped the hammer and no bang.

by the time i realized what happened she was gone

[Freiheit]

How did the head shot work out? Looks like a clean entry from the pic. Did it exit?

(If you have an idiot brother dispose of the marinate immediately!)

I think we can guess the story there.

[ArfinGreebly]

It has been said that . . .

Fortune favors the prepared mind.

Well done.

[peacefulpatton]

If you're having problems with gamey flavor and etc, Can it. We can every other deer. It is great for whenever we have company, pot luck and etc. PEOPLE don't even know what it even is.