Here is some of the country we were hunting.
Charles glassing and navigating
We covered about 38 miles on access roads through this area stopping to glass and look for likely places and ridges to hunt. As you can see you can see a lot of territory here with ridges running for miles with big elevation changes. After a few hours of this beginning at daybreak, taking pictures and sending them to a friend in Indiana and some of this photo journalism we went to investigate what Charles thought might be the best immediate chance. Charles at one point remarked - a texting buck hunter - what have I got myself into. Of course we have played over 500 rounds of golf together and numerous fishing trips etc.
I thought we might keep this woman in touch from Indiana as we proceeded.
Cris has always considered the red tailed hawk a good omen. At 8:48 one did a close in air show for us using the 20 mph wind over the ridges - noted this to Indiana with the response -always a good sign.
As we proceed along the access road Charles notes a doe and a fawn cutting in behind us and we stopped to watch them. They come up over the road - he lasered that at 245 yds there, then they ambled up and climbed over this ridge which lased at 305 yds.
Ah then he spotted a buck trailing them by about 150 yds. He crossed the road heading up toward the same ridge. By this time we were intent on him standing broadside at 275 yds by the laser range finder. Charles says do you want him, of course. Now - in the long consideration of what rifle to use I passed the most logical choices of my various bolts in favor of using either the Marlin 1895SS 45-70 or the Win 25-35 because ..... here we are on Leverguns. SO action hot and heavy Charles says - put that cannon down and take this. He pulls his 45 year old Model 88 243 which has killed something like 50 bucks. I come around the truck with him giving me range figures take the gun and come back to use the Ridgeline as a rest. Now this is like a pickup with a slanted side parked at an angle. I shed the binoculars and try to find a way to rest the rifle on the bed side rail and get an odd lean with the magazine on the rubber top of the bed. He is standing broadside watching us and looks almost blue gray in the sun. The two minute dot is dancing but I get it to settle on the top of his shoulder and touch it off. Down he drops rolling in the dirt. We keep the glass on him to see if there is movement but can't see him any longer. Here is how it looks from the shooting site and he is left of one of the yellowish triangles. We watch a bit, I think he is done because the shot looked great to me. We get in the truck and go back up the road to look. As we round a curve Charles say there he is and he is near the road hind end on the ground and standing up on his front legs. I jump out of the truck with the 45-70 and head toward him. He looks hurt and mad and defiant. Lever a round in the chamber center on his chest and was it one click or two with the safety. You know in the action, I really am not sure. Safety off I center on the chest and expect him to drop at the shot. But no he just begins to thrash back and forth. Trying center him and not hit the head I put one through the lungs - still mightily thrashing back and forth, again center on him and pow. Now down he goes. Last one it turns out went through the leg joint and takes the top of the heart off. These are the Barnes TSX 300 gr bullets at 1750 and by the third shot I am no more than 15 yds from him as I have been walking up levering and firing - Charles says with brass flying. SO it is over, 10:30 AM. 3 points on the left, right antler is broken off and one ear is torn up. Weighs probably 150 which is big for that area.
Here is the view from the point of the first shot.
And for breakfast that morning - two sausage egg Mcmuffins - have it your way.
243 Load was the Federal load with the 85 gr Barnes at 3200 fps which is right about where it chronographs. The first shot cut through the spine and took out the use of the back end - somehow he made it about 30 yds down hill. When I was developing loads for the 45-70 I used the 300 gr TSX. MikeD suggested that the 250 was probably better and I think he was right. 300s are what the gun shop had. I think the higher velocity would probably be more dramatic in their effect on this size animal. I really thought he was going to drop after the first shot with the 45-70 which went into the front of the chest near the left shoulder.
Now you'll have to feed the beast... if you have to go to the ends of the earth. 
