8 Pointer with .54cal Flint Smoothbore

[roundball]

My two weeks vacation during the rut have paid off”¦I hunted hard every day for two weeks, both mornings + afternoons, and filled my fourth buck tag this afternoon with an 8 pointer, using the .54cal Flint Smoothbore.

Deer started moving a little earlier this afternoon”¦saw a spike, then a Doe w/yearlings between 4:30 and 5:00”¦then at 5:00pm an 8 pointer showed, coming along the trail up to the opposite side of a big deep drainage ditch”¦he went down in and came back up out of it on my side about 25yds away, and stopped when I whistled.

I had set the rear trigger when he went down into the ditch and when I touched off the shot, I heard a sound I’d never heard before”¦my flint hitting my leather hammer stall”¦I had forgotten to take it off!!

The good news is it made virtually no noise at all, he didn’t even look my way, I flicked it out of the way, re-cocked the set trigger, shot him in the neck, and he dropped dead where he stood.

70grns Goex FFFg (3F)
OxYoke wad
.018 TC pillow ticking
Hornady .530

I used one of those disposable cameras and have no idea if/how the photos will turn out”¦it was right at dark when I took them”¦but the little box camera did have a built in flash so we’ll see.

I have two doe tags left to fill.

:thumbsup:

 

[Gametracker]

Roundball, sounds like you're having a really enviable season! Congratulations on your success. My ML hunting journal doesn't begin until tomorrow morning. Your post just makes me all the more impatient. :cursing: :haha:

 

[roundball]

Roundball, sounds like you're having a really enviable season! Congratulations on your success. My ML hunting journal doesn't begin until tomorrow morning. Your post just makes me all the more impatient. :cursing: :haha:

Well I hope you get one on your opener tomorrow...if not tomorrow, you'll get'em during the rest of the season...just finish the hunt with all your parts still working and that'll be a success right there.
:grin:

Me...I'm worn out...tomorrow's my last day of vacation, the temps will be down around 20 degrees, and I don't have to get up at 4:30am anymore...gonna stay in under the electric blanket !!

Good luck... :thumbsup:

 

[Maestro]

...filled my fourth buck tag this afternoon with an 8 pointer, using the .54cal Flint Smoothbore.

:shocked2:

”¦my flint hitting my leather hammer stall”¦I had forgotten to take it off!!

Can nothing can stop you?!

I have two doe tags left to fill.

Save some for the rest of us!

As I said before, "Bravo!" :applause: :applause:

 

[Catof9tails]

All I can say is your one busy flinter. I bet them hills still smell like BP, hee hee. Congrats Roundball. That's one heck of a vacation.
Cat9

 

[roundball]

All I can say is your one busy flinter. I bet them hills still smell like BP, hee hee. Congrats Roundball. That's one heck of a vacation.
Cat9

There are down sides to getting older...but one up side is that I get enough vacation to be able to do it...and I learned some time ago it is without a doubt the best, most productive time to be in the woods deer hunting...and the woods here in NC are still very pretty at that with fall colors...just a great time overall to be hunting.

The two weeks covering the bulk of the rutting activity here means I'll most likely see bucks every day because they're all on the move, walking around in great numbers and in good daylight / visibility, weather is decent.

The rut here is history now, the seeking/chasing phases are well past, the does have been bred and are back seen reunited with their previous yearlings, bucks are returning to nocturnal tendencies, etc.

I plan and scout and work at it all year long, and getting involved with Flintlocks during the recent years just makes it all the more special...

:thumbsup:

 

[Old Salt]

Roundball,

:bow: :bow:

What can I say? Congratulations again.

70grns Goex FFFg (3F)

That seems lighter than your usual load. Were you hunting in close cover?

Old Salt

 

[bob1961]

4 bucks so far??....here in PA yer allowed one buck a year and three doe tags iffin ya git them....congrats on one hell of a year.........bob

 

[roundball]

Roundball,

:bow: :bow:

What can I say? Congratulations again.

70grns Goex FFFg (3F)

That seems lighter than your usual load. Were you hunting in close cover?

Old Salt

I had to stop at 70grns in this GM Flint smoothbore barrel...80 & 90grns gave a 6" flyer every few shots.

After the season I'm going to experiment with things like a 2nd and 3rd wad to see if it'll fix the flyer problem...since I knew the stand I would use it on was less than 50yds, I figured 70grns would be fine.

 

[KyFlintlock]

You should change your name to DEERKILLER, congrats on an outstanding season!

 

[rabjr]

Grats roundball!

 

[Stumpkiller]

You is on a roll! I guess if no bucks get past you they can't warn the others. :haha:

:hatsoff: :applause: :hatsoff: :applause: :hatsoff:

 

[Catof9tails]

Your doing better than the old Cat. I've only got one bow tag for any deer and one gun tag for a doe. I'm trying to take a buck with the bow and a doe with the 54 Hawken. I go out with the bow, a doe shows up. I go with the Hawken and buck shows up. Nonetheless, it all comes down to the thrill of the hunt.

Sounds like you had fantastic hunts this season. Keep it up. This old cat will still keep trying. Gonna have to plan a vacation like yours, hee hee.
Cat9

 

[roundball]

You is on a roll! I guess if no bucks get past you they can't warn the others. :haha:

:hatsoff: :applause: :hatsoff: :applause: :hatsoff:

Sort of like "Stand Location Management"...shoot the messengers!
:rotf:

 

[roundball]

Your doing better than the old Cat. I've only got one bow tag for any deer and one gun tag for a doe. I'm trying to take a buck with the bow and a doe with the 54 Hawken. I go out with the bow, a doe shows up. I go with the Hawken and buck shows up. Nonetheless, it all comes down to the thrill of the hunt.

Sounds like you had fantastic hunts this season. Keep it up. This old cat will still keep trying. Gonna have to plan a vacation like yours, hee hee.
Cat9

We are really lucky to have the deer herd that we do in NC...but I also know full well I might hunt next year and only see a couple...gosh knows there were plenty of other years past where I didn't do well at all...good luck with yours
:thumbsup:

 

[mglampson]

Like I said before "You Da Man!" :bow: Congrats

Britches

 

[Rebel]

Congrats on taking one with the smoothbore. Way to go.

 

[roundball]

Thanks all...like I said in another thread, I am really impressed at how accurate that Green Mountain .54cal smoothbore is...with 70grns Goex 3F, it shoots like a rifle!!

 

[Halftail]

Congratulations again Roundball!!
You for sure had a hunting season to remember!I don't know about anyone else but I'm green with envy. :bow:

 

[roundball]

Congratulations again Roundball!!
You for sure had a hunting season to remember!I don't know about anyone else but I'm green with envy. :bow:

I really did have a great couple weeks...but just to keep things in perspective, I've also had a lot of years where that was not the case...and in the grand scheme of things, I think the Buck fraternity is still ahead !!
:grin: