.28ga (.54cal) Early Virginia Smoothbore meets 8 Pointer

[hellerodsyahoo.com]

Good job, nice buck, nice long gun-------keep up the good work-- next time get your mug in the picture also :>)

 

[smo]

Fantastic Roundball :thumbsup: I love hunting the mid day during a full moon or a new moon. P.S. Don't tell anyone else but i've always seen lots of bucks during these times. I thought I "got er done" quick in my 35 min. hunt last week end,15 min. is going to be hard to beat... on second thought i don't even think i'll try :grin: Congrats on another nice buck :hatsoff:

 

[smo]

By the way Roundball, Thanks for the tip on the red eye removal. :thumbsup: I've never thought about using it for blood removal.

 

[roundball]

Its thick where I set up...like you know, as a general rule bucks like the thick stuff so I like to get right in there close.

Sitting in a ladder stand in this particular thick place my butt is 16' up, eyes are about 18'
There are still so many leaves on the trees, so much understorey below the ladder that visibility is still not all that good for distance and it was almost too quick...fist caught a glimpse of movement / antlers when he was only 25yds and coming on strong, 20 by the time I was ready to take the shot.

With the quiet damp leaves and fog, if I'd have been there a little longer and had gotten relaxed / drowsey...dropped my head down on my chest for even a minute or 2...he would have silenty gone right on by and I never would have known it...

 

[smo]

That sounds almost like the spot I have my ladder stand in. It's 20' to the seat :shocked2:. Like I said in the other post I have a small green field planted there and they are tearing it up. Several rubs and scrapes have appeared over the last two weeks. I've located sign of what looks to be super nice buck he's rubing 4" trees. I have 4 finger ridges that merge into my lower green field and he is rubing up some Elderberry trees in a old grown up brush pile down there along the fields edge. I set up a Trial Cam last week end to try and pattern him. Planning on taking the week of Thanksgiving off and gettin' after em'

 

[smokeum54]

congrats, nice buck and downright purrdy rifle.

 

[KyFlintlock]

Congrats and what a BEAUTY of a rifle!

:thumbsup:

Wess

 

[agill]

Congratulations and great pic! :thumbsup:

 

[Roy]

:thumbsup: Nice!

 

[Swede50]

Congrats that is one nice Buck and Rifle.
I had to print the picture and hang it on the wall to give me something to look at.
I got a nice Buck a couple of years ago with my 300Win Mag but he had broken off most of his points.
Been telling the wife I want to build a nice flint lock just havent figured out wich one yet.

 

[David G]

Congrats Roundball! I know what you mean about these muzzleloaders we chose to hunt with being so purty. There in a place of their own, no doubt. Right there with a fine wine, a classy lady, just a pleasure to spend time with. :thumbsup:

 

[Spikebuck]

Congrats on a nice buck. I'm going to remember that deer pose as that really makes a nice picture.

Interesting your theory to just go in mid-day and skip the "early" morning. I've thought about that many times, but usually still sit from 1/2 hr before first light to around 11AM, then go in for a couple hours, then back out. I guess I would have been on stand for your action anyway, but I remember when I worked at an archery shop that was also a check station, a lot of guys killed deer between 11 and 1.

 

[roundball]

Congrats on a nice buck. I'm going to remember that deer pose as that really makes a nice picture.

Yes, get the head propped upright, eliminate any blood, don't have a tongue hanging out, and get right down on the deer's (animal's) level...I literally sit down on the ground to take those photos.

Interesting your theory to just go in mid-day and skip the "early" morning.

Well, really not a theory...its just the two hour Major / Minor Activity cycles of animal activity that's driven by the moon's lunar cycles.
It was a full moon, they were up and about all night...they crash at daybreak for a few hours then get up an moving again mid day...and that "window" changes (slides) almost an hour a day, every day through-out a month.

 

[Spikebuck]

I'm also a believer in moon phase impact on deer movement. However, during gun season here there's so much pressure that the daytime natural movement virtually stops. During bow season, planning hunting hours around moon phase works quite well, and I especially love 1st quarter moon to catch them in late afternoon/early evening.

 

[rr11]

Very nice. Today was the last day I had to hunt in muzzleloader season, we are in a tornado warning having heavy rain & hail. Getting woosey in my old age so here I set drinking coffee and playing on the computer. :surrender: Twenty years ago I probley would be hunting. :cursing:

 

[rr11]

Round ball Like the rifle TVM built my Early Virginia also. My rifle is not as purty as yours. Had my rifle built for swamp hunting. Plain with iron furniture.

 

[roundball]

It is a pretty piece of wood for sure...after 18 years of excellent T/C Hawkens, I treated myself to a good looking long gun as a retirement present...no frills, just a pretty piece of wood