Your Grendel Adventure

[DangerClose]

What is the most memorable kill you have had with your 6.5 Grendel? What was your best time with the Grendel in tow?

[warped]

This one, 465yds, in the heart and both lungs 4" from the bottom of the chest, no meat ruined.

It does not get better than that.

[glane5910]

Good poke, hat bullet were you using?

[warped]

123 amax

It was also the first deer I ever shot that was not moving rather quickly

[glane5910]

Factory or your load?

[steel89]

Glades Hunting
This was not my largest buck by far, but it was the one that almost killed me.
Hunting deer in the Everglades on foot is a real challenge. A few days before the opening of the season I hauled my stand a mile through the high water and saw grass to a spot about a mile from The entry point to the Big Cypress 'Bear Island' area of the Glades(Google pic). The way out is no fun. Pre-dawn, you find that nothing wants to reflect the light of even the best flashlights. The mud and vegitation absorbs the light instead of reflecting it. Hence my high intensity light is about useless beyond about 10 yards. Since the area is prone to large Fl panthers and gators you can only hope to see their eyes before you get close. On top of the heavy mosquito population you have deep mud that tries to suck your hips out of their joints and sawgrass that will cut skin and BDU's. I found a great location and set up with heavy palmetto to my back and broken sawgrass prarie in front of me (photo #2).

Opening morning, after wading out through the blackness, cypress heads and sawgrass I climbed into my stand swatted mosquitos. Then I found quarter sized hairy tarantula looking spiders liked my stand as well, Great... I sat uncomfortably and waited for sunrise. With the light coming on 'lil buck' wandered out from my right side crossed in front of me at a run. Seems like a different breed of whitetail here, I guess there isnt much vegitation with good nutrition around to get big racks or body mass. Anyway, I got a good shot with the Gren as he passed between heavy brush areas and my 120g SPH took out his lungs (photo#1). Luckily I had bought a drag harness, but what a freakin nightmare dragging 100+lbs of dead weight through the mud, sawgrass and heat! I thought for sure I was going to be laying dead beside that buck after about 200yds. Where the water was deep enough to float the buck it was much easier. It took me mabye 1hr to drag it out but I was sure four hours had passed, and it was now about 85deg. Thank God it wasn't a 200lb buck. Mabye that is why you almost never see any other hunters in the area.

[gmar]

Pretty cool stories. I haven't had a chance to take my Grendel hunting yet but I'm suppose to go hog hunting if it ever cools down here in Oklahoma.

[hm2 clark]

Steal89 if I may suggest a base layer of elimitik wicking clothing and @least a jacket of s Bugtamer works wonders for keeping mosquitos off. I got a great story from 2 days ago I'll post as soon as my daughter teaches me how to get the photos off the phone and into the story.

[steel89]

Elimitik appears to be very interesting stuff. It is a type of neurotoxin that affects insects but not most mammals (rapidly ?), according to Wikipedia and FDA references I have read. Permethrin is the more common name for Elimitik. I don't know of anyone with experiance in using the stuff but it appears the military has used it on clothing in some areas.

From Wikipedia - "Permethrin is used in tropical areas to prevent mosquito-borne disease such as dengue fever and malaria. Mosquito nets used to cover beds may be treated with a solution of permethrin. This increases the effectiveness of the bed net by killing parasitic insects before they are able to find gaps or holes in the net. Military personnel training in malaria-endemic areas may be instructed to treat their uniforms with permethrin, as well. An application should last several washes."
Mabye some of our members have used it. Thanks for the info I'll have to research it more.

[glane5910]

It works well. Just the smell of it tends to drive bugs away. Don't forget the old standby "Chic-A-way" I always got at the PX at Benning.

[steel89]

Couldn't find anything on Chic-a-way, but 100% deet works - but again - it has a strong scent to deal with. I was trying a new Thermacell during that trip but a light breeze was making it relatively ineffective, so as much as I hated to use it I used a little of the deet. I was about 15' up a pine tree and lil buck was coming from up-wind so I lucked out with my 'eu de deet'.

[glane5910]

IIRC, Chic a way is 100% deet. I'll have to look, still have a bottle out in my truck. I got Permethrin mixed with pyrethrin which is an extract from plants. Permethrin is a synthetic based on Pyrethrin

[DangerClose]

Neat Stories and I love the pics. Makes me wish deer season was here already. Im hoping to splat a doe this season with a .50 Beo Im building for my brother.

Awesome guys, keep 'em coming

[steel89]

Just got back from Dicks Sporting Goods they had a display of Permethrin spray for treating clothing - 24oz for $14.00. It says it will last for up to six washings on treated clothing. Since I work hard at trying to keep my scent down, I want to see how much odor it has after drying, then after washing. It's a good thing to find out before the season starts. This stuff might also be a good thing on the cloth seat of my stand after finding the hungry flesh eating spiders occupying it last season(lol).

[338jdj]

Shot this buck at 220 yds. the upper was built by SSK Industries. I have bought several barrels from them and all I can say is JD is top notch