I was in Gamelia Shooter's Supply in Ky in November 2005. I had just returned from a pd trip to Nebraska. I was listening to this guy talking to RIP Paul the store mgr about his antelope trip to Wyoming. I thought the guy sounded pretty interesting so I hung around listening. I followed the guy outside and introduced myself and explained that I also had just returned from a pd safari. He seemed to be soaking up everything I said like a sponge. He said he was a dentist and Doc knew a pharmacist from Carthage he went to school with. I also knew him and told Doc I was a Pharmacist also. He gave me his card and I gave him my phone # and we departed. Fast forward to March, 2006. I got a call and he said I'm the Doc from Celina you met in Gamelia. Next sentence was "let's go on a pd hunt". I was a little taken back by a stranger suggesting i take a 17 hour ride with him to Nebraska for a week. Quick on my feet I said Doc, why don't you come down to my range and let's shoot some. He said I will be down at noon. He said he had never shot further than 300 yards. He first shot a 204 Ruger. It was a windy March day. He was good 100, 200, maybe 300 but off paper at 400 with the light bullets. Then he pulled our a 6.5 x 284 Cooper Model 22 Varmint. I worked him right out to 800 yards, 100 yards at a time. It was my old range that was on a farm I had rented and it sold in 2010. Doc didn't miss a lick and was a quick student. He seemed ecstatic that he had hit at 800 yds. He stayed first visit till absolute dark. I told Doc about a new caliber called a 6 BR that I had to have one. Well Doc got on the stick and ordered one made up on a 700 Rem. And he had it in one month or less just in time to get sighted in for our first safari a month later in April. We couldn't wait to get out there. The summer before I had made 4 trips out to Nebraska with different people so I was ready. When we arrived in Ansley, I took Doc to my ole favorite honey hole shooting across a draw or valley, actually shooting across a pond if the angle was right. Here is our actual first ever set-up. I had a completely stock Rem 40-X KS (Kelvar stock) in 6mm Rem. I shot 75 and 87 V-max
On that first set I believe Doc pulled out either the 204 or the 6 BR. Can't remember the twist on the BR, but he thought it too light for the wind conditions. Here comes the 6.5 x 284 Cooper out and it soon began making hits. Doc was getting his confidence up and scoring like a seasoned pd shooter.
After shooting this field we moved to another site after lunch. It had a wind mill high on a gently sloping hillside. On the other end was a pond. We set up by the windmill and shooting down hill. Turns out this is the mating and nesting grounds of either prarie chickens or grouse. Never dreamed I would witness this in person having seen it many times on TV. I saw the mating dance of the bird, even the swelling of its throat to make itself look much bigger to impress the ladies. Absolutely beautiful.
This spot had possible shots out to 900 yards. Wasn't long before both Voldoc and I had joined the 500 yard club. He had a couple drag back to the hole and disappear. But maybe the third victim was too far from the hole and was DOA after a few feet. Now it was my time and I got one pretty quickly and the 87 V-Max field dressed the dog. We walked drove down there for a pic. The 140 gr 6.5 bullet had put a pencil hole through the PD. Mine was turned inside out by the 87 V-max.
Next, we began to venture further down the slope. Apparently I connected at just under 700 yards.
I believe my longest shot with this 6 Rem may have been on a later trip. I maxed this rifle out at 800 yd club before switching to the 6 BR and Improved family. Maybe Voldoc will chime in and tell what his longest shot was on his first trip to Ansley. I am sure he got past the 500 yd club, but can't remember. Once I was spotting Doc and he kept hitting all around this dog. What was happening was that the pd was standing on a little ridge with a valley immediately behind his den. We didn't know this so we were seeing impacts on a bank immediately behind the dog at I believe 800 yds. The splash looked like it was right beside the standing dog but actual impact was 200 yards behind the dog. Took several shots before we figured this out. And Our range finder was hitting the bank at 800 yds, but the dog was on a ridge at 600 yds. We got the Ole Cooper 6.5 x 284 barrel hot on that one.
What bonding memories are made of and life long relationships established in the pd fields. This pic was made on a later trip after we had switched over to the 6 BR and Dasher family. RIP John Kruzan made this pic of the Voldocster
On that first set I believe Doc pulled out either the 204 or the 6 BR. Can't remember the twist on the BR, but he thought it too light for the wind conditions. Here comes the 6.5 x 284 Cooper out and it soon began making hits. Doc was getting his confidence up and scoring like a seasoned pd shooter.
After shooting this field we moved to another site after lunch. It had a wind mill high on a gently sloping hillside. On the other end was a pond. We set up by the windmill and shooting down hill. Turns out this is the mating and nesting grounds of either prarie chickens or grouse. Never dreamed I would witness this in person having seen it many times on TV. I saw the mating dance of the bird, even the swelling of its throat to make itself look much bigger to impress the ladies. Absolutely beautiful.
This spot had possible shots out to 900 yards. Wasn't long before both Voldoc and I had joined the 500 yard club. He had a couple drag back to the hole and disappear. But maybe the third victim was too far from the hole and was DOA after a few feet. Now it was my time and I got one pretty quickly and the 87 V-Max field dressed the dog. We walked drove down there for a pic. The 140 gr 6.5 bullet had put a pencil hole through the PD. Mine was turned inside out by the 87 V-max.
Next, we began to venture further down the slope. Apparently I connected at just under 700 yards.
I believe my longest shot with this 6 Rem may have been on a later trip. I maxed this rifle out at 800 yd club before switching to the 6 BR and Improved family. Maybe Voldoc will chime in and tell what his longest shot was on his first trip to Ansley. I am sure he got past the 500 yd club, but can't remember. Once I was spotting Doc and he kept hitting all around this dog. What was happening was that the pd was standing on a little ridge with a valley immediately behind his den. We didn't know this so we were seeing impacts on a bank immediately behind the dog at I believe 800 yds. The splash looked like it was right beside the standing dog but actual impact was 200 yards behind the dog. Took several shots before we figured this out. And Our range finder was hitting the bank at 800 yds, but the dog was on a ridge at 600 yds. We got the Ole Cooper 6.5 x 284 barrel hot on that one.
What bonding memories are made of and life long relationships established in the pd fields. This pic was made on a later trip after we had switched over to the 6 BR and Dasher family. RIP John Kruzan made this pic of the Voldocster
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