.54 Renegade makes meat

[Ricochet]

.535 round ball over pillow tick patch lubed with mink oil over 85 grains of 2F at 65 yards quartering to. Again, just as last years two bucks, no pass through so hardly any blood. The ball was just under the skin on the offside ribcage. He only made it about 40 yards so a blood trail was not really needed. Love the .54!!

 

[rusty]

Nice buck, you did well.

 

[Jaeger]

I got a six point with the same gun. Knocked him right down and rolled him. He was tasty. If I remember correctly the ball passed through.

 

[Grimord]

I have only recovered one .54 ball from a deer I have shot. Most have all been pass thrus. The only one I recovered was from a head on shot at 35-40 yards. The ball traveled the length of the deer and ended up lodged in the hip joint on the left side. Most of my shots at deer are broadside shots, so that may explain the pass thrus. I use 90 grains of 2f with a .530ball and a .015 mink oil lubed patch.

 

[Max Bowers]

Very nice Richochet. Congrats. I’m sold on a .54 for deer. My results mimic yours - all kinetic energy is displaced within the deer.

 

[Eterry]

That's a very nice buck. Im chomping the bit waiting on opening day

 

[Sparkitoff]

Great job and nice deer!

 

[toot]

great, it was good.

 

[Spikebuck]

Congrats on a fine buck. Nice pictures of the deer and your equipment.

You may not have had much blood because the shot looks like it might have hit heart and stopped it? Also, on a single hole, if it's in that leg area I think that blocks some blood flow from coming out.

As an example, here's a picture of the blood from a deer I shot which was also quartering into me, but my shot was a little higher up mid-body and in front of the leg a tad...entrance only...no exit. I'm sure those of you who can actually see blood well will see a lot more in this picture than I can, but even with my poor color vision, I could pretty easily follow this trail! The deer had immediately disappeared behind a sharp curve in the hillside and only went about 70 yards. I heard it crash, but still followed the trail to be sure.

In my experience with both bow and muzzleloader it's not so much a single hole that matters for blood or lack of it, but just where the hole happens to be.

 

[TerryK]

Nice shot. All the energy stayed in the deer, so that drops them pretty quick. Nice pictures.

 

[TRIN]

Nice buck .

 

[MountainSmoke]

Congratulations that is a beautiful buck. Great pictures. There is just something about a nice buck with a black powder gun lying over it's side. Well done.

 

[bushytail]

Congratulations! Nice buck.

 

[MIOutdoorsman]

Echo comments from above—nice buck, and nice pic. I too will carry my .54 later in the season (with matching caliber pistol), but for now I’m still flinging arrows.... or at least hoping to!

 

[olskool]

good buck! any deer killed with BP and open sights is a trophy!

 

[Ricochet]

Thanks for the kind words, fellas!

 

[Skychief]

Congratulations Ricochet! Thanks for sharing.

 

[renegadehunter]

Congrats, great looking deer!
A .535 with pillow ticking, bet that's a firm combo to push down! I'd need a mallet to get that seated in my Renegade.

 

[Ricochet]

Hmmm. To be honest, I Don't know why I put that in there or where it even came from!! Ive never used pillow ticking in my Renegade! I don't even have any .535 roundballs! I use the Track of the Wolf precut .010 dry patches lubed with mink oil and a Hornady .530 ball. Thanks for pointing that out and I apologize if I may have caused anyone some confusion!! I guess I got confused with the load for my .40 which is the gun I shoot the most and where I use the pillow ticking. Wow! Stinks getting old!

 

[JohnnieT]

Fine looking animal and great photos. Well done!