Christened the .62cal Flint smoothbore

[roundball]

At 07:45am a small 8 pointer came picking his way through the oak flat...got him stopped broadside at about 40-50yds, put a round ball through his heart...small deer...but I WAS hunting, I DID have a new Flintlock, he WAS a buck, and the needy family I delivered him to was very appreciative.

At 8:30am I made a perfect shot on a beautiful 10 pointer at about 50yds...but after a two hour grid search turning up no hair / blood, etc., I knew there was no way I missed that deer when I shoot cloverleafs with that smoothbore at 50yds.

So I sat back down, raised the rifle and relived the event...then slowly walked every inch of the 50 yard line from my muzzle to that 10 pointers heart...at about 30 yds found a little 1/2" sapling shot in two...never saw it when I was lining up on the buck...the good news is the ball deflected somewhere and the buck wasn't hurt...might see him again later this week...explains why he just sort of went on off at the sound of the shot, no panic run like a deer that's been hit hard, or humped over run like a gut shot deer...just a few easy graceful bounds back the way he had come.

Pics later...(I even took pictures of the little sapling)...might pick them up tonight but after cleaning the rifle, a hot shower, and some good home made chili, I'll be down for the count for the next few hours... ...the new Flintlock is outstanding...ignition is so fast it seems like shooting a centerfire.

 

[rabjr]

Nice Roundball on the 8 point. :thumbsup:

 

[spitfire]

Congrats on the 8 point Buck :applause: !

 

[roundball]

Small 8 pointer:

Sapling that saved 10 pointer's life:

 

[GrizzlyBear]

Congrats RB. Save some for the rest of us!!!

 

[freetrapper20]

Good stories! Thanks for the pics to. :thumbsup:

 

[PitchyPine]

Grats roundball. :thumbsup:

 

[Sharp Shooter]

Do you eat any meat and keep it for yourself? That is cool that you give some to the poor.

 

[roundball]

Do you eat any meat and keep it for yourself? That is cool that you give some to the poor.

No...don't care anything about venison so I give them all away...there are a few very poor families within a mile of one of the places I hunt...the kind of poor that some people may not realize still exists a mere 50 miles outside a metropolitan city like Raleigh...the past few years they've taken them all...I roll up, she gets on the phone and practically before I get the deer unloaded cars are pulling into the yard to help butcher it...a win-win for everybody...haven't dressed a deer in about 10 years... :grin:

 

[Adirondackman]

Congrats on a nice shot on a nice deer. What are you shooting? I have the fever to purchase a smoothbore and I'am looking around.

 

[bramble]

Congratulations on the eight. Your woodscraft and ethics on the 10 pointer are also to be praised. While I'm quite partial to venison, your practice is admirable. Its hunters like you that give us a good name. We'll try not to screw it up on this end
bramble

 

[lockjaw]

...I roll up, she gets on the phone and practically before I get the deer unloaded cars are pulling into the yard to help butcher it...a win-win for everybody...

...:thumbsup:...:hatsoff:...

 

[roundball]

Congrats on a nice shot on a nice deer. What are you shooting? I have the fever to purchase a smoothbore and I'am looking around.

1" x 33" GM .62cal Flint smoothbore drop-in barrel for the Hawken/Renegade.

80grns Goex 3F
.018" Oxyoke prelubed pillow ticking
Rush Creek .595 ball (from TOW)

Shoots like a rifle at the 50yds I zeroed it

 

[BillinOregon]

You're a good man, Roundball. Fine work.

 

[roundball]

The 10 pointer is alive & well !!

I saw the 10 pointer again this morning right after the rain let up...but he wouldn't step out of the thicket...stayed a body length inside the edge and I couldn't get a clear shot...he seemed very cautious, not scared, but very focused...almost like he "suspected" I was there but couldn't see/hear/smell me...like he knows he's being hunted...he may well be a wise old veteran surviving a few seasons.

He stood there a long time watching, listening, etc...then it was like he decided: "Naaahhhhhhh, I ain't stepping out there into those oak trees".....and just lazily turned around and stepped & stopped, stood there a couple minutes, stepped & stopped some more...finally I lost sight of him as he got deeper into the thicket.

This is going to be a challenge...gonna half to come up with a new strategy

 

[Raynor]

Congrats on the 8 point. Good to here the 10 is still healthy and huntable. Good luck!!

Thanks for the pics.

 

[Stumpkiller]

Nice!

Were you missing hours when you got home? There's a UFO or something obscuring the images. :haha:

 

[roundball]

Nice!

Were you missing hours when you got home? There's a UFO or something obscuring the images. :haha:

Cheap disposable cameras...not much bigger than a pack of cigarettes so my sasquatch hands don't have much room to spread out...and they're not like a SLR where "what you see is what you get"...had no idea the edge of my finger was near the lens...I've practiced though so the next one will be better.

Not seeing as many deer so far this season as I would have by now...the guy who lets me hunt his land has added two more hunters...one on either side of me each about 200 yards away...and I hear both of them shooting...:hmm: :hmm: wonder if that might have anything to do with it. :cursing:

 

[GrizzlyBear]

That's a shame...I had the impression you had a sweet little honeyhole and that you had it all to yourself. You can hunt with me on gamelands if you want....and the rest of the NC population...lol