I shot two does today both well inside 100 yards. The first was more precise I put the 155gr bullet right in the throat. She hit the ground right on the spot. I then turned to another one that had not ran off with the others. At this point my heart is racing and I shot again. I can't say for sure where I put the second bullet but she turned and ran. This left me questioning my shot placement. I get out of the stand and go to the 1st deer I shot. When I get there she kicks so I put one in the top of her head to finish her off. When I shoot I like them dead right there and not all this flopping or moving around. I especially don't want any animal I shoot to suffer. I then turn my attention to deer number 2. Right off I can't find any blood which is not good. I new that might be a problem because of bullet design. I finally pick up the trail and as I go into the woods farther the blood trail is getting larger and larger. I get to the top of a small hill and I start finding tissue that looks like it might be from the heart. A few drops later it stops. I mean nothing anywhere. I stayed in the woods for probably two hours in the dark looking for her and nothing. No more blood anywhere and to make things even worse it starts raining. I will see if I can find here tomorrow. I know Berger makes a good bullet. They have been very accurate out of my 308 but I may have selected a bullet that was wrong for the distance I was shooting. On the neck shot it seems I had no expansion of any kind. It was just a icepick like hole all the way through. Should I go to a different bullet? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
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Hunting & Fishing Berger VLD's Inside 100 Yards
- Thread starter Nosler243Shooter
- Start date
Re: Berger VLD's Inside 100 Yards
Yeah, I have had the same thing happen at 200 yards with my 300wm. I was shooting a 165g Berger VLD. I hit a mulie doe and it passed right through, even though it was a good vitals shot, the bullet didn't expand enough. I tracked her for atleast 500 yards. After that happened I did some research. And decided to switch to 165g Accubonds. Since I have switched I have had no problems. But your not the first person to complain about the VLD's punchin a hole staright through.
Yeah, I have had the same thing happen at 200 yards with my 300wm. I was shooting a 165g Berger VLD. I hit a mulie doe and it passed right through, even though it was a good vitals shot, the bullet didn't expand enough. I tracked her for atleast 500 yards. After that happened I did some research. And decided to switch to 165g Accubonds. Since I have switched I have had no problems. But your not the first person to complain about the VLD's punchin a hole staright through.
Re: Berger VLD's Inside 100 Yards
Yeah that sounds a little close, but it sounds like it did the trick
Yeah that sounds a little close, but it sounds like it did the trick
Re: Berger VLD's Inside 100 Yards
I killed two deer this week with 7mm 180 hunting VLDs, both with neck shots. They both dropped in place, dead as dead can be. The first shot was lower in the neck and had excellent expansion; actually, it was closer to an explosion. You can see a pic on my "Shenandoah deer hunting" thread. Are you using the hunting VLDs, or just the standard target ones? Leave the target bullets for paper or steel only.
I killed two deer this week with 7mm 180 hunting VLDs, both with neck shots. They both dropped in place, dead as dead can be. The first shot was lower in the neck and had excellent expansion; actually, it was closer to an explosion. You can see a pic on my "Shenandoah deer hunting" thread. Are you using the hunting VLDs, or just the standard target ones? Leave the target bullets for paper or steel only.
Re: Berger VLD's Inside 100 Yards
They are the hunting VLD's. I am sure the doe is dead but I don't know where she is. We got a lot of rain last night and the blood trail was gone. I went this morning and searched and me and my dad went again this afternoon and nothing. We just made circles around the last known drops of blood. There is a very thick cutover about 30 yards from the last blood and that is probably the direction she was headed. I searched in there some but is is so thick you can't see anything. This is the 1st deer that I have ever lost and I am not happy about it. I am done with hunting with the Berger bullets but will probably still use them for paper. I ordered some Corbon 130gr tipped TSX and will be trying to go factory loads in that rifle for the rest of the season. I just don't have the time to spend working up another load. I also don't want to be disturbing my deer or others while doing excessive shooting. A lot of my hunting land is very close to where I do my target practice. If the new ammo doesn't work I'll just use another caliber.
They are the hunting VLD's. I am sure the doe is dead but I don't know where she is. We got a lot of rain last night and the blood trail was gone. I went this morning and searched and me and my dad went again this afternoon and nothing. We just made circles around the last known drops of blood. There is a very thick cutover about 30 yards from the last blood and that is probably the direction she was headed. I searched in there some but is is so thick you can't see anything. This is the 1st deer that I have ever lost and I am not happy about it. I am done with hunting with the Berger bullets but will probably still use them for paper. I ordered some Corbon 130gr tipped TSX and will be trying to go factory loads in that rifle for the rest of the season. I just don't have the time to spend working up another load. I also don't want to be disturbing my deer or others while doing excessive shooting. A lot of my hunting land is very close to where I do my target practice. If the new ammo doesn't work I'll just use another caliber.
Re: Berger VLD's Inside 100 Yards
Well, the single most important thing for a hunter is confidence in his skill and his gear. Since you've lost confidence in your gear, I'd say buy some factory loads and shoot those until the season's out. Deer season doesn't last long, and any time you spend on the range is time you can't spend in the woods. I'd get some high quality factory rounds and give those deer hell until you can work up a new load.
Well, the single most important thing for a hunter is confidence in his skill and his gear. Since you've lost confidence in your gear, I'd say buy some factory loads and shoot those until the season's out. Deer season doesn't last long, and any time you spend on the range is time you can't spend in the woods. I'd get some high quality factory rounds and give those deer hell until you can work up a new load.
