Author Topic: The "Beast" Finally Strikes!  (Read 10007 times)

Offline atchman2

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The "Beast" Finally Strikes!
« on: February 24, 2010, 04:29:29 PM »
Tonight we had Bible Study at our house.  About 20 plus folks descended on us!  While I tried to usher them out the door (so I could hunt), I was polite and just waited for them to leave, all the time gathering my stuff.  

When the folks left I gathered up some table scraps for the "composting" pit (there actually is a pit, but it is full of rotten produce right now).  I retrieved my hunting stool away from the wife and put it down in the hide.  After that I moved the blind down from the edge of the deck where I was working on it and covered up the stool.  

Once the kiddos left, I grabbed the RWS 350 off the rack downstairs and put it near the door poised and ready for action.  I'd only shot a couple rounds out of it during the day as it  was already sighted in for hunting.  During the day I was really busy getting ready for the evening, but still managed to shoot the TF 89 for awhile.  It really needs to be shot more, so I fired about 100 RWS Superdomes at my 20 yard target.  

Just before O'Reilly came on, I went upstairs and put on two layers of clothing as it was really cold and windy outside.  I also found my ski mask and an extra pair of gloves just in case.  Just as the show started I heard the dinger go off-it was Possumzilla again!  He is wise to my tricks and fled when I opened the door.  A few minutes later it went off again and he was back.  This time I went ahead and put on all my clothes and crept down to the hide.  Of course he heard me, but since there were still a few scraps left, I figured he would return.

It was cold but I had enough clothes to stay around for awhile.  The wind was whipping around the house, but the blind helped to shield me.  It wasn't but about 15 minutes into the stake out when I saw movement in the weeds-a BANDIT!  The possum must have gave up but the bandit was hungry and looking for an easy meal.  I had the reticle on in my scope and you could tell he saw it move when I started to track him in the scope.  There was a couple of times he hesitated, but the wind was just right and I was carefully hidden under the camo net.  

As he bent down to sniff at something I took careful aim.  From all of the coaching of Only1Harry, Shadow, and LongIslandHunter, I aimed slightly high, but only slightly as I had a good angle.  The CPHP ( I switched to them after the RWS Hollowpoint debacle), twacked him squarely just above the eyes.  He went down and his tail straightened out. I knew from reading the forum that meant he was pretty much done.  He then went into a death dance that actually knocked my Game Camera off the 2 x 4 stake it was anchored against!  I loaded up a pellet to shoot again, but he stopped moving.  I trained the gun on him just in case and waited a few seconds.  Risking my neighbors calling the cops on me, I just HAD to go get him!  My shot was perfect and he is now going to be my new hat!  

Tomorrow I should have some video!  I got it all on the nightshot camera!  I'll get it edited in the morning and a link posted up for you guys.
\"These birds are crapping on you even when their dead those are some bad dudes....\" Wingman115

Offline Wingman115

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Re: The "Beast" Finally Strikes!
« Reply #1 on: February 24, 2010, 05:20:41 PM »
All I can say is SWEET! Great story and nice photo of your trophy. What caliber pellet did you use?
2010 Critter Count
Squirrels-37
Rabbits-18
Crows-5

Mac1 Tuned Crosman 2240, Crosman AS2250XT, Hammerli/RWS 850 Air Magnum, Gamo BigCat 1200, Dasiy 990,Crosman 1377

Offline ten4copy

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RE: The "Beast" Finally Strikes!
« Reply #2 on: February 24, 2010, 05:33:00 PM »
Great story and great hunt! Looks like another one for the books.
ad·dic·tion   [uh-dik-shuhn]  the state of being enslaved to a habit or practice or to something that is psychologically or physically habit-forming

\"It\'s not an addiction; it\'s just a collection.\"

Offline atchman2

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Re: The "Beast" Finally Strikes!
« Reply #3 on: February 24, 2010, 05:40:52 PM »
Quote
Wingman115 - 2/25/2010  1:20 AM

All I can say is SWEET! Great story and nice photo of your trophy. What caliber pellet did you use?


Sorry, I was using .22 caliber Crossman Premier Hollow Points. The "fellas" told me I needed a harder pellet instead of one that expanded and the 350 actually shoots these better than it does anything else.  I was using Predators, but I found that my gun doesn't group them as well, especially at longer ranges.  

I did some video editing tonight, but I'm going down to retrieve the game camera.  I'm pretty sure it got everything on it!  I actually saw the infrared beam light up just before I shot!
\"These birds are crapping on you even when their dead those are some bad dudes....\" Wingman115

Offline TheKnot

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Re: The "Beast" Finally Strikes!
« Reply #4 on: February 24, 2010, 08:25:32 PM »
Good things take time and you put yours in and payday is sweet nice hunting on that bandit . Just a though next time include the RWS in the pic so we can drool

Offline shadow

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Re: The "Beast" Finally Strikes!
« Reply #5 on: February 24, 2010, 11:01:54 PM »
OUTSTANDING RANDY YOU GOT EM!!. Putting in the time pays off, great shooting and pic. We look forward to seeing the vid and the weather can be rough at times but one sure warms up when the harvest arrives and then is taken. :) Ed
I airgun hunt therefore I am... };)  {SHADOWS Tunes & Camo}  airguncamo@yahoo.com

Offline airiscool

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RE: The "Beast" Finally Strikes!
« Reply #6 on: February 24, 2010, 11:12:23 PM »
Congrats Randy. Nicely done !!!!!

Hope to see pix of the hat when it's finished.

Paul.
Benji Trail NPXL 1100, Gamo .22 Whisper, Crosman 760 Pumpmaster, Crosman 66 Powermaster, Crosman .22 revolver, Daisy model 102, Daisy early Model 25.

Offline 1377x

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Re: The "Beast" Finally Strikes!
« Reply #7 on: February 25, 2010, 12:21:44 AM »
great story you got one
great shooting nice pics
cany wait to see the video
congrats

Offline atchman2

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Re: The "Beast" Finally Strikes!
« Reply #8 on: February 25, 2010, 12:27:49 AM »
I'm still editing the video.  When I shot it he hit my game camera so hard it turned it off!  So I didn't get an upclose video of the shot :(  I did get some nice pre-shot footage though!
\"These birds are crapping on you even when their dead those are some bad dudes....\" Wingman115

Offline Bogey

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RE: The "Beast" Finally Strikes!
« Reply #9 on: February 25, 2010, 12:38:18 AM »
I,  also,  want to see the future coon skin hat.    Congrats on the determinatiion to battle the elements for a shot.
Gentleman of Fortune.

Hum-bug!

Offline dk1677

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Re: The "Beast" Finally Strikes!
« Reply #10 on: February 25, 2010, 12:45:25 AM »
Congrats! Nice shooting and pix! Yes love to see a hat!
Hammerli 850, Beeman RS3 ,Gamo viper express,Crosman 180

Offline longislandhunter

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Re: The "Beast" Finally Strikes!
« Reply #11 on: February 25, 2010, 01:57:15 AM »
simply outstanding Randy,,,, good job buddy  !!!  :)

Couldn't ask for a better hunt than that.   I was really looking forward to you nailing one of those night critters and I knew it was just a matter of time.... great job  :)

I'm looking forward to seeing the pics of that hat when you're done with it....

Jeff
\"If it was easy it wouldn\'t be hunting, it would be shopping.\"

Offline only1harry

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AMEN!! Our prayers were answered!! hehe
« Reply #12 on: February 25, 2010, 02:17:04 AM »
NICE GOING Randy!!!  Where you praying you 'd get a bandit during the Bible study? hehehe  I would have! :D  All those nights out in the cold paid off for you!

Nice shooting and CONGRATS on your first bandit!

Can we see a close up of the point of entry (POE)?  hehe.  They have some death dance, don't they?  I think the 1st or 2nd one I got, slammed into the log where I had the Ding Donger taped onto and knocked it down on its side.  Another flipped the large food bowl up 4ft up in the air while thrashing around and then made it to the chain-link fence (the bait is usually about 8-9ft outside the fence and I shoot through the open door) and was slamming into it making a lot of noise at 4am.  It can be quite noisy if you have stuff around they can run into during the death dance.  They can sometimes end up 15ft or more from where they got shot.  Ask Ed, he had one take a swim in the lake :)

I had no doubt the CPHP would bring him down quickly.  They are hard hitters and penetrate very well with very little expansion.  My first experience with them was when I shot a Groundhog at 22yds with my 14fpe Diana 36 .177.  The 7.9gr CPHP went right through its head.  Expansion is not that important if the shot placement is good and the brain is hit.  My 350's never grouped well with the Preds either.  They like domed pellets.  
So it wasn't a broadside shot?  Was it frontal?  I can't wait for the VIDEO!!  Hurry up editing, will you?  Don't edit much. We want to see everything!  8)
Springers:
Diana 36 .177
Diana 350 .22 (donated by Timmy!)
Diana 350 .177
PCP\'s:
Air Force Condor .22 (Airhog)
Air Force Condor .25 (Talon Tunes)
Air Force Condor .25 (Lemak)  
CO2/Pump:
RWS Hammerli 850 .22
Crosman 2240 Custom .22
A few Crosman pumpers .177

Offline atchman2

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RE: AMEN!! Our prayers were answered!! hehe
« Reply #13 on: February 25, 2010, 02:49:29 AM »
Just got back from working on a computer.  Here is a picture of the 350 and the target :)
\"These birds are crapping on you even when their dead those are some bad dudes....\" Wingman115

Offline sherrod833

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RE: The "Beast" Finally Strikes!
« Reply #14 on: February 25, 2010, 03:06:27 AM »
Gotta love them brain shots.It shuts them down every time.
Putting Vermin To Sleep One At A Time.