Due to the tough 9 days we spent in the field and the forcast for 25-40 PMH winds for yesterday and today, I decided to " eat my tag" & leave early - the deer won again! ;) IT was another great huntin' trip!

When I came out of the on-ramp trun, which links Hwy 79 to I-90, I hit the after-burner and rode the 35MPH + tail wind across the GREEN expanse @ warp speed - I made it ALL the way home in 9Hr. : 58Min. !!! Between Box Elder & Sioux Falls, I never touched the brake pedal !

Joe shot a very nice "goat"  & a  respectable muley buck - I promised Stan a full report and a few pics - so, Stan may post the details later. I will state that the Ware smithed .257 IMP went 8 for eight: three coyotes and five paririe dogs - closest shot was 195 Yds - all shots were ranged following the execution - for once, I made a few close "guesses". I am extremely please with this rifle, which was stocked by Al Nyhus, with a McMillan "Sako Hunter" pattern graphite/kevlar stock.

For deer, it was the worst year since our first hunt in 1988 - as green as it was ALL the way across SD, the prairie south of Newcastle had received a mere 0.4" of rain since Jan. 1, 2004! A third consecutive year of drought seems to have made the mule deer migrate to better feeding grounds; outside the relatively narrow drought band, people were experiencing "better than normal populations" . . thus, huntin'! Within the drought zone, the talk was that is was the worst since 1932 - further back than most can recall!

I did take one afternoon and, using the .220 Swift (Ackley) IMP, and 50 Gr. Nosler Ballistic Tip bullets, CLOBBERED the prairie dogs at the confluence of Timber and South Beaver "creeks" - in the light winds, they were in serious peril  - out to 350 Yd. the dogs acquired instant relief from the "Subterrainian Home-sick Blues" - range estimation was not an issue. At greater distances, the pups "had chance" . . .    ;)

Keep 'em ON the  X! R.G.