Gun season was approaching and I had to decide which of my deer rifles to carry opening weekend.
I had made good use of my “ heavy for deer” rifles on pigs during the off season, but had been unsuccessful, again, during bow season, so I did not want to handicap myself with open sights or range limitations. In addition, I was going to hunt a specific box blind opening morning to try to take a high spike that we wanted out of the gene pool. The spike had kicked my tail during bow season, twice. A shorter- barreled rifle is handier in an enclosed blind.
The parameters set, the choice was easy—my .257 Roberts. The scoped rifle has a barrel of only 20”, is deadly accurate, and, though light for pigs in my estimation, has sufficient power to take any deer that walks within 200 yards. In going through my ammo, I found only four big game cartridges remaining from a prior handloading session. All were topped with excellent bullets, three Nosler Partitions and one Remington Core-Lokt, and testing had proven they could be used interchangeably within 200 yards. I was set for opening day, but only four cartridges might be cutting it close for Texas gun season.
Opening weekend went wonderfully, though the high spike made it through unscathed. Game camera photos had allowed us to identify three bucks we wanted taken— the high spike, a cull 6 point with no brow tines, and a fully mature 10 point that appeared to be in decline.
Opening morning started slow. The recent rains had greened things and the big acorn crop limited deer movement. Late morning, a nice buck wandered by. I thought to myself “another 2 1/2 -3 year old 8 point” but raised my binoculars just to be sure. It was the cull. Up came the Roberts, and once he presented an acceptable angle I squeezed one off. He dropped at the shot, kicked, and lay still. The Nosler’s placement was as intended. Man I was pleased. One cartridge down, three left.
Even though he was a cull, he was my one buck, so unless I ran across the high spike, I was back to pig hunting. Evening of opening day found me sitting behind some brush at the most likely pig location, known for producing large solitary boars at last light. Suddenly I caught movement to my right–what looked like an ear through brush 40 yards away. If it was an animal, and it continued, it would reappear ahead of my position. No time for shooting sticks–I brought the Roberts to a stable seated position hold even as the big coyote reappeared at the fast walk coyotes always seem to use. It was angling 55 yards away, almost perpendicular as it cleared the last brush. I swung with him and touched the trigger. He disappeared in the tall grass, and the lack of movement indicated an instant kill. The Core-Lokt was placed a couple inches behind where intended, but sure did its job, and without tearing up the hide. His pelt should be ready soon. Two cartridges fired, two animals down, and the rest of gun season beckoning. I decided to ride the Roberts to the end.
An out of state trip and duck season intervened, so it was December before I loaded my two remaining cartridges into the Roberts in the hope of thinning the local pig population at a friend’s place. The freezer was full of other game, so pig was the only big game on the agenda. I had some concern using the Roberts on a large pig with only two big game bullets, and the lack of knockdown power of the .257 Roberts meant I might have to do some tracking, which I hate with pigs. Shot selection would be paramount.
Here is where protecting one’s hearing pays dividends. The leaves were down, and it was noisy for anything to move. I heard a heavy animal moving through the scrub trees just before last light and was ready when a 225# boar stepped into the open 75 yards away. As he walked into the field I worried that my two bullets might not be enough to anchor him. Then he stopped, perfectly broadside. I was able to place the bullet precisely–behind the near shoulder while attempting to break the off leg. The bullet went as intended, and the Nosler did its work well. He dropped and did not get up.
Three bullets down, one remaining.
Two weekends later I decided to sandwich an evening pig hunt between duck hunts. As I climbed into the tripod I promised myself that the presentation would have to be perfect for me to shoot, and I was hoping for a medium to small pig to appear. Naturally, a 200# boar came out 150 yards away. He was broadside, but walking steadily. I passed on the shot, figuring he would stop somewhere within sight. I was wrong, and he disappeared into thick brush without ever presenting an ethical shot for the Roberts. I settled in to wait for last shooting light and began questioning my decision. A few minutes later I saw movement from a different quadrant. It was the high spike–going have to name him Lucky, or perhaps Judas, as you shall see. The spike moved slowly to the feeder and began to eat, a perfect presentation if I were interested in taking him. He was safe today. I had enough meat and my buddy still had a tag. As I was enjoying watching him, his head suddenly jerked up and he ran back the way he had come. The boar came trotting out–evidently he had bedded nearby in the thick brush and was waiting for dark to feed, but decided to run the deer off of “his” food. The boar stopped in the open and presented perfectly. The .257 Roberts spoke for the fourth time, the Nosler Partition placed just behind the shoulder. He spun at the shot and ran straight away. I heard a crash and hoped it meant he had gone down. He had, 60 yards from the shot.
An unplanned surgery the following week ended my hunting season. Four cartridges turned out to be the perfect number, plus I have a handloading project for the off season.
I had fired each shot carefully, my handloads had performed well, the Roberts had done its job in placing the bullets, and the Nosler Partitions had done all that was asked of them. I call that a win, win, win, win.
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