Nice Axis from 2021 Opening day for white tail

Post your hunting/trophy photos here, and tell us a little about your trip. WARNING: Some photos will be graphic.

Moderator: carlson1

User avatar

Topic author
tomneal
Senior Member
Posts in topic: 7
Posts: 1176
Joined: Fri Dec 31, 2004 2:26 pm
Location: Houston
Contact:

Nice Axis from 2021 Opening day for white tail

#1

Post by tomneal »

Axis I shot at first light on 2021 Opening day for White Tails. Near Roosevelt Texas. Yes, he is velvet. 36" antler. Shot went through the antler into the vitals. 180 Gr. .300 Win Mag at 97 yards.

Image
See you at the range
NRA Life, TSRA Life, USPSA Life, Mensa (not worth $50 per year so it's expired)
Tom (Retired May 2019) Neal
User avatar

Topic author
tomneal
Senior Member
Posts in topic: 7
Posts: 1176
Joined: Fri Dec 31, 2004 2:26 pm
Location: Houston
Contact:

Re: Nice Axis from 2021 Opening day for white tail

#2

Post by tomneal »

You can see the hole in the left antler in this image

Image
See you at the range
NRA Life, TSRA Life, USPSA Life, Mensa (not worth $50 per year so it's expired)
Tom (Retired May 2019) Neal
User avatar

anygunanywhere
Senior Member
Posts in topic: 1
Posts: 7863
Joined: Fri Apr 01, 2005 9:16 am
Location: Richmond, Texas

Re: Nice Axis from 2021 Opening day for white tail

#3

Post by anygunanywhere »

Nice! Enjoy the good eating!

Roosevelt area is great hunting. I have a friend who owns a place near Roosevelt off FM 1674.
"When democracy turns to tyranny, the armed citizen still gets to vote." Mike Vanderboegh

"The Smallest Minority on earth is the individual. Those who deny individual rights cannot claim to be defenders of minorities." – Ayn Rand
User avatar

puma guy
Senior Member
Posts in topic: 1
Posts: 7609
Joined: Thu Jul 23, 2009 2:23 pm
Location: Near San Jacinto

Re: Nice Axis from 2021 Opening day for white tail

#4

Post by puma guy »

:thumbs2: :thumbs2:
KAHR PM40/Hoffner IWB and S&W Mod 60/ Galco IWB
NRA Endowment Member, TSRA Life Member,100 Club Life Member,TFC Member
My Faith, My Gun and My Constitution: I cling to all three!
User avatar

03Lightningrocks
Senior Member
Posts in topic: 5
Posts: 11451
Joined: Tue Apr 08, 2008 5:15 pm
Location: Plano

Re: Nice Axis from 2021 Opening day for white tail

#5

Post by 03Lightningrocks »

Nice! Congrats!
User avatar

AndyC1911
Senior Member
Posts in topic: 3
Posts: 328
Joined: Sat Feb 27, 2021 11:13 am

Re: Nice Axis from 2021 Opening day for white tail

#6

Post by AndyC1911 »

Excellent! :thewave

I'm curious - seems to me the antler might have been hit by the bullet on exit? There seems a reddish tinge on the antler hole (as if the bullet had carried blood with it, perhaps) - maybe it's just the photo or my older eyes :)
Image
User avatar

Topic author
tomneal
Senior Member
Posts in topic: 7
Posts: 1176
Joined: Fri Dec 31, 2004 2:26 pm
Location: Houston
Contact:

Re: Nice Axis from 2021 Opening day for white tail

#7

Post by tomneal »

The Axis was at the protein feeder
It is set up to throw a small amount of protein just like a corn feeder does Except that it lands in trays on the four sides. The deer had his head turned so he could lick the protein out. It was almost as if he were scratching his backside. In the dim light, I didn't realize how much the antler was in the way. Other than that, it was a perfect broadside shot.

The bullet hit the antler with a glancing blow. The maybe shattered bullet, maybe just deformed bullet, hit the side of the Axis and then the liver. The liver was shredded. There was no exit wound either in the animal or the liver. I considered it a VERY LUCKY hit.

There are plenty of game camera's near feeders on the property. This was the biggest Axis seen on camera.

While the antlers were still in velvet, there were indications it was the end of growth.
See you at the range
NRA Life, TSRA Life, USPSA Life, Mensa (not worth $50 per year so it's expired)
Tom (Retired May 2019) Neal

powerboatr
Senior Member
Posts in topic: 1
Posts: 2273
Joined: Mon Mar 23, 2009 9:53 pm
Location: North East Texas

Re: Nice Axis from 2021 Opening day for white tail

#8

Post by powerboatr »

VERY NICE
axis sure look amazing, compared to the small deer we have round here :thumbs2:
Proud to have served for over 22 Years in the U.S. Navy Certificated FAA A&P technician since 1996
User avatar

03Lightningrocks
Senior Member
Posts in topic: 5
Posts: 11451
Joined: Tue Apr 08, 2008 5:15 pm
Location: Plano

Re: Nice Axis from 2021 Opening day for white tail

#9

Post by 03Lightningrocks »

tomneal wrote: Sun Nov 21, 2021 4:07 pm The Axis was at the protein feeder
It is set up to throw a small amount of protein just like a corn feeder does Except that it lands in trays on the four sides. The deer had his head turned so he could lick the protein out. It was almost as if he were scratching his backside. In the dim light, I didn't realize how much the antler was in the way. Other than that, it was a perfect broadside shot.

The bullet hit the antler with a glancing blow. The maybe shattered bullet, maybe just deformed bullet, hit the side of the Axis and then the liver. The liver was shredded. There was no exit wound either in the animal or the liver. I considered it a VERY LUCKY hit.

There are plenty of game camera's near feeders on the property. This was the biggest Axis seen on camera.

While the antlers were still in velvet, there were indications it was the end of growth.
Did he drop where you hit him or did he make the old 50 yard dash?
User avatar

03Lightningrocks
Senior Member
Posts in topic: 5
Posts: 11451
Joined: Tue Apr 08, 2008 5:15 pm
Location: Plano

Re: Nice Axis from 2021 Opening day for white tail

#10

Post by 03Lightningrocks »

AndyC1911 wrote: Sun Nov 21, 2021 3:26 pm Excellent! :thewave

I'm curious - seems to me the antler might have been hit by the bullet on exit? There seems a reddish tinge on the antler hole (as if the bullet had carried blood with it, perhaps) - maybe it's just the photo or my older eyes :)
When antlers are in velvet, they can bleed if cut into.
User avatar

Topic author
tomneal
Senior Member
Posts in topic: 7
Posts: 1176
Joined: Fri Dec 31, 2004 2:26 pm
Location: Houston
Contact:

Re: Nice Axis from 2021 Opening day for white tail

#11

Post by tomneal »

Did he drop where you hit him or did he make the old 50 yard dash?
About 100 yards. Behind / through some brush. Not visible from the stand or the feeder but found about 2 minutes after we started looking.

They have used dogs to find deer in the past. I did some mental calculations if I had enough cash to pay for the dogs or if I was going to borrow cash from another hunter and send money from my bank.
The past quote from the dog handler is: "It's $0 so far. If the dogs get out of the vehicle, it's $300. Deer found or not."
See you at the range
NRA Life, TSRA Life, USPSA Life, Mensa (not worth $50 per year so it's expired)
Tom (Retired May 2019) Neal
User avatar

03Lightningrocks
Senior Member
Posts in topic: 5
Posts: 11451
Joined: Tue Apr 08, 2008 5:15 pm
Location: Plano

Re: Nice Axis from 2021 Opening day for white tail

#12

Post by 03Lightningrocks »

tomneal wrote: Mon Nov 22, 2021 8:17 am
Did he drop where you hit him or did he make the old 50 yard dash?
About 100 yards. Behind / through some brush. Not visible from the stand or the feeder but found about 2 minutes after we started looking.

They have used dogs to find deer in the past. I did some mental calculations if I had enough cash to pay for the dogs or if I was going to borrow cash from another hunter and send money from my bank.
The past quote from the dog handler is: "It's $0 so far. If the dogs get out of the vehicle, it's $300. Deer found or not."
300 if the dog get's out of the truck? LOL... I want that dog! I have spent hours tracking deer that had the heart destroyed. How they can go so far after a kill shot is just amazing. A liver shot will bleed a lot, it just has to do it on the ground so you can follow the trail. Believe it or not, we have had better luck following blood trails at night due to the way the blood reflects the light. Nice kill. Glad the 300 dollar dogs were not needed.
User avatar

AndyC1911
Senior Member
Posts in topic: 3
Posts: 328
Joined: Sat Feb 27, 2021 11:13 am

Re: Nice Axis from 2021 Opening day for white tail

#13

Post by AndyC1911 »

03Lightningrocks wrote: Mon Nov 22, 2021 1:06 am When antlers are in velvet, they can bleed if cut into.
Oh, I didn't know - thanks!
Image
User avatar

Topic author
tomneal
Senior Member
Posts in topic: 7
Posts: 1176
Joined: Fri Dec 31, 2004 2:26 pm
Location: Houston
Contact:

Re: Nice Axis from 2021 Opening day for white tail

#14

Post by tomneal »

Image

I got the mount back from the Taxidermist and hung it on the wall. The skull mount is from my first Axis. I thought the skull mount was big. I guess I didn't have the right deer for comparison.
See you at the range
NRA Life, TSRA Life, USPSA Life, Mensa (not worth $50 per year so it's expired)
Tom (Retired May 2019) Neal
User avatar

AndyC1911
Senior Member
Posts in topic: 3
Posts: 328
Joined: Sat Feb 27, 2021 11:13 am

Re: Nice Axis from 2021 Opening day for white tail

#15

Post by AndyC1911 »

Man, that's a beautiful mount! :shock: :cheers2:
Image
Post Reply

Return to “Hunting Photos”