Snow Globes, Sixguns & Summer Sausage
Jeff “Tank” Hoover
They were calling for a skiff of snow during the wee hours of the morning and tomorrow was the last day of the firearms season. Things had been slow since opening day. Like everywhere, the deer herd up, pretty much becoming nocturnal. I figured I’d give it one last go, as hunting in the snow is absolutely gorgeous.
Winter Wonderland
Things really seem to settle down when it snows in the woods. It’s something only a hunter can observe and appreciate, be it man or beast. It’s like being in a life-size snow globe of your own little cosmos where you can solve the world’s problems, along with your own, through judicious thought. Packing a good sixgun doesn’t seem to hurt things either!
Sunrise was scheduled for 7:27a.m. Time to sleep in a little, and still have time to watch the world wake up, becoming alive with activity. I was in the woods, and in my spot at 6:50. Sitting at the base of a large oak tree, slowly the sun starts making day. I’m watching the world slowly come into focus, making out snow-laden cedars and shrubs. Believe me, they’re gorgeous. While absorbing all this splendor, I count my blessings of family and friends. Shortly, I make out the outline of a deer sneaking through the brush….
I know it’s a buck by the way he slinks along through the thick stuff, head low to the ground, as if playing a perpetual game of hide and seek. He was only 35 yards away….
Yeti Ready
By now, I’m pretty much covered in snow, Yeti-like, creating the perfect camouflage. While cocking my sixgun, I bleat to stop the unsuspecting buck, raising my Ruger Bisley Hunter to eye level.
Slowly raising my arms, I establish good sight alignment. I snug the front sight tight to his front shoulder, 1/3 the way up from his chest, as he’s quartering towards me. The front sight’s red insert contrasts beautifully against his snow-laden hide. Pushing the front sight through his chest, I start my trigger press. The snow-induced silence is broken by the explosion of Alliant 2400 smokeless powder being ignited. The thunderous BOOM startles me! This is a good thing. The deer mule kicks as I hear him breaking brush in a panic run, then crashing. All is silent again, except for my breathing….
By now, my heart’s racing and I’m panting like I just ran a mile, even though I’ve been stationary. After waiting 20 minutes, I get up on wobbly legs, staggering to where the deer was last standing. Adrenalin is powerful stuff. Holding back the inevitable release does wondrous things to the body! It’s why we hunt.
Seeing tufts of fur and skid tracks in the snow from where he fishtails, I follow his trail. He doesn’t go 30 yards before burying himself into a cedar thicket.
Dressing him, I see the .45 Keith slug takes off the top of his heart. No wonder he didn’t go far. Feelings of sadness, jubilation, appreciation and thanks course through me, as I start the drag back to my vehicle.
The Load
My load was the time-tested Lyman/Ideal 454424 Keith bullet, in solid form, loaded over 20.0 grains of 2400, ignited by a Winchester Large Pistol primer, housed in Starline brass. The cast bullet performs perfectly. What more could you ask for?
Being a cast bullet aficionado, I get immense pleasure from casting and killing with bullets made by my own hands. It adds another dimension to handloading and hunting, call it satisfaction, if you will.
Cast Reflections
The drive to the butcher shop is a pleasant one. Sipping hot coffee, I reflect on the upcoming holidays and how it will be nice to snack on some venison bologna, with cheese and crackers, during gatherings with family and friends. I think of summer cookouts and how good the venison sausage will be, smothered in fried red and yellow peppers from the garden, with onions.
Yup, life’s pretty good when you enjoy the bounty taken with a good sixgun, cast bullet and handload.
Ain’t life grand?
