PA rifle opener Krag harvest

[bigben]

Im going to start out with a short story.  When I was a kid I my uncle used a gun with a different magazine.  The gun looked old.  It was fitted with a peep sight and had a metal butt plate.  As I grew older I Fell more in love with the gun.  To the point I was looking for one for my own safe.  About 8 years ago I was strolling threw a local gun shop and there sat a 1896 springfield.  The stock was heavyily modified not in the good way.  The gun was drilled for a scope mount but not done well.  It had a old buckhorn rear sight that wasn't mounted well either.  You could tell whoever cut the barrel did so with a hacksaw.  They had it marked for 210$.  I walked out without it.  That night at dinner at a local bar I was talking to my FIL and told him about it and he said so you bought it?  I said I didnt because I thought it was too butchered.  He said did you look at the bore?  I said I didnt.  Needless to say I went back to that store the following morning and bought it and a box of shells.  My FIL's father had sporterized a lot of them krags and if the action was sound the price was worth the gun.

In the following weeks I picked up a scope mount that matched the holes and mounted a scope.  I was pretty impressed that the gun held MOA at 100 yards with a scope.  At that point I was on the search for a no drill peep sight to fit in the mag cutoff.  I still hunted with it every now and then but not seriously. 

Last year I found a no drill peep.  I mounted it up before rifle season.  I had my buck tag filled already last year and told myself I was going to use that krag.  Well the season wore down to the last few days and no shots I decided to take my scoped rifle because I wanted a doe for my inlaws for family dinners.  Needless to say I didnt fullfill my goal of using the krag to fill a doe tag. 

SO this year I had it in my head I was going to use it every day of the season unless it was raining or snowing.  It is a 125 year old gun and i kinda want it to be around for atleast my life.  I took it to the range and it was obviously still on at 50 from the year prior.  But I wondered what if at 100.  I was pleasantly surprised of a 2" ground at 100 off bags.  So I knew whatever shot i needed this season I could make it. 

Opening morn I was sitting on a piece of private close to home.  Around 8 a group of 5 does were heading towards me.  The first two were small yearlings.  I seen two more coming in the back and when I lowered my binos I seen a fridge doe standing broadside staring me down.  I was standing behind a very large oak tree but my left side was exposed to her.  I told myself if I could get the gun up clean I would take her. 

I picked up the krag that was layin across my tree seat.  Steadied myself across the side of the tree I was hiding behind.  Settled the bead behind the does shoulder and squeezed the double action military trigger.  At the recoil I watched her just drop like a switch was turned off.  The other 4 ran off and I stood there watching her.  I racked another shell just in case not knowing where I hit her I watched for a few minutes.  It was then apparent she wasn't going to get back up.  I took a pic and sent to my family.  I was surprised at the performance of this old gun.  I didn't expect a bang flop but was happy there was no trailing.   

I gathered my stuff up and walked over to her.  There was a small spot of blood behind her shoulder and I figured that was the exit.  I layed the old man across her and snapped a pic.  Warming my hands I noticed a hole behind her ear.  After looking harder I caught her in the tear duct and the bullet exited behind her ear.  Confused beacause i definately didnt shank the shot that bad.  I shrugged my shoulders and drug her to the top of the hill where we could get to her with side by side. 

I got her taken care of and then went out for another hour till my father and wife was done for the morning.  It kinda ate at me that the first deer I took with the krag was a potshot.  That afternoon I took the krag again but was doubting my accuracy.  While sitting in the woods I looked at the head picture again and it just didn't look right.  Almost like the bullet was large.  It wasn't a clean hole in.  I turned back to where I shot this time the sun shown bright a starburst on the side of a hickory tree half way between her and I.  I glanced it off the left side of the tree which makes sense hitting the deer left and high of where i was aiming. 

So now the rest of the season I still plan on using this krag.  I am tagged out on does in my home wmu but the next door wmu has tons of state forest and i plan on using a doe tag there sometime.  With two weeks of season left im pretty happy to be able to explore new ground. 

Also that afternoon my wife made a great shot on another mature doe so now we have two nice meat does for the freezer. 

 

[bigben]

picture of the hit.  I was happy that the bullet landed with a clean kill and not a wound

[bigben]

The red arrow points to the starburst.  I was about a foot and a half to the left of where I shot at with this picture.  She dropped and slid down the hill a little when she dropped

[bigben]

The weather is great for hanging this week.  Probably will butcher on thursday night or friday night. 

Has anyone canned ground venison?  if you have I have some questions for you.

[nastygunz]

Cool gun!

[FinsnFur]

Did a little detective work  
Felt good to piece it all together didnt it.
Congrats on the harvest

[Hawks Feather]

Nice looking freezer stuffer and even better that it was with your 30/40 Krag.

[bigben]

Mostly it ate at me.  Dad was given me crap about missing that bad.  I told him I know I made a good shot something is wrong with the gun.  I said well im not triggering another at a target because everything was solid.  The sight was the right height and windage.  As I sat there in the afternoon it kept eating at me and as soon as I turned around I could see the white inner tree against the grey bark of the hickory i hit.  I threw the krag against the tree like I was shooting again and sure nuff it was dead center of that does kill zone when I shot.