Terry Moore and I were working a brushy pocket in western South Dakota. There were tracks going in, and the wind was into the cover. Something was bound to happen. Yep, sure did. I was on the downhill side when the buck exploded. A gorgeous four-by-four headed for the skyline but didn’t make it. I dropped him on the open hillside.
An hour later, Terry shot a big-bodied, heavy-antlered three-by-three. We both used familiar rifles built by mutual friend Lex Webernick at Rifles, Inc. Terry’s was in .280 Rem.; mine in .300 Wby. Mag.
Neither shot was far. You could say that Terry’s choice was better than mine. I wouldn’t argue, but regardless of chambering, there is never anything wrong with using a favorite rifle that gives you confidence. I knew that rifle and its cartridge; it gave me confidence. In various rifles, I’ve taken some big deer with Roy Weatherby’s .300.
Over-gunned, you bet. Seems to me that’s a lesser sin than not enough gun. I had a gorgeous custom rifle in 7 mm Rem. Mag. Although effective and versatile, I never warmed up to the Big Seven … but I loved that rifle. I used it extensively, and it accounted for some fine bucks.
I know what you’re thinking: Oh, boy, now Boddington’s going to tell us we need fast magnums for deer hunting. Not at all. There are numerous 7 mm and .30-caliber “magnums.” Others, such as the Hornady PRC family and Nosler’s namesake line, are not dubbed magnums, but in power and velocity, they certainly are. If you want to use any of them to hunt deer, you’ll take no ribbing from me. They work just fine.
I shot my first deer
