It FeelsLike Its My Year!

lchcguide

Active Member
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316
So far 2012 has been a great year. The hunting buddies and I got out a few times to control the local coyote population and did well. We knocked down at least one dog every trip out. Most trips out included killing at least 2. The only unfortunate part was we only made it out about 6 times, but regardless we got a few less to worry about.

In February I attended the local Friends of the NRA banquet and left a happy man. I only bought 3 raffle tickets and was lucky enough to win a Weatherby Vanguard S2 in the .257 weatherby mag. I had been studying .25 calibers looking to add one to my gun collection. The .257 weatherby was at the top of the list with the .25-06 a very close second. I now have my .25 caliber and enjoy the very few non-windy days that eastern New Mexico has. These non-windy days I have been shooting the new rifle developing potential loads worthy of the new gun. I have a few potential loads that are shooting under an inch. I know the gun is capable of a beautiful clover leaf pattern so that is my goal.


The NM draw deadline is quickly approaching and for a change I am not procrastinating. I have completed all of my applications and feel confident I will receive a few tags. With applications in for antelope, barbary sheep, deer, elk, and oryx I am hoping for at least three tags. I will know in a little over a month. Waiting very impatiently.


February I was fortunate enough to be invited to a small parcel of private land near the town of Lincoln to help control some nuiscant Barbary sheep. This was supposed to be an easy go shoot a sheep and go home in the same day. It proved to be very different. For a solid 2 weeks prior to the opening of sheep season this property was covered with as many as 200 sheep at one time on this small 280 acre property. The day before season opens all the sheep left and headed for the hills. This is entirely opposite of years past. Years past the landowner will only see these sheep during hunting seasons, especially sheep season. We hunted as hard as you can on 280 acres which was very boring. We had to sit and wait all day for a sheep to come across the property. It tested our patience to the limits. Finally with over three weeks o the season past we received a call from the landowner and some of the sheep had come back. We had spent every Friday, Saturday and Sunday in February waiting for a sheep without any luck. We headed out on a monday morning and were very fortunate to harvest a few sheep. Dad wound up with a 22 inch ram, and I luckily ended up with a 19 inch ewe. I let dad have first shot and I took what I could get a clean shot at.
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The results are in! Unfortunately i will not be as busy hunting this fall and winter as i would have liked. However this means I will be able to spend more time scouting and preparing for a late November deer hunt in Unit 31 of NM. I also drew a great Barbary sheep tag and hope to spend lots of time scouting for sheep as well.

I am headed to the range this morning to continue searching for the perfect load for the new gun. Got a few potential candidates that are shooting quarter sized groups at 100 yards but looking for something a little tighter. I just love the challenge of getting a gun to shoot dime sized groups. Should be able to post some pictures soon of the groups I have been getting. Some good and some no too good.
 
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