- Joined
- Nov 19, 2012
- Messages
- 675
- Reaction score
- 512
Today was the last day of the Illinois muzzleloading season. The sun finally came out this morning, so I decided to sit against a tree on a ridge, where I could look down a small valley and see a grass field about 100 yards away.
The temperature was 20 degrees, but fairly comfortable in the woods. About 8:00, I saw movement in the grass field, and could see antlers through the brush and trees. The buck stepped into the sunlight, and I was tempted to shoot, but there were too many branches in the way.
The buck walked out of sight up the hill, so I moved as quietly as possible to the edge of the field. Peeking out of the brush, I couldn’t see the deer, so started up the hill along the field edge. As I came around a brush pile at the edge of the field, I saw the buck standing about 100 yards away with his head down. I slowly raised my longrifle, settled the silver front sight halfway up the deer, aiming at the far leg. Squeezed the trigger, and followed through the shot as the flintlock quickly fired.
The deer took off across the field and disappeared from sight behind some brush. I looked for him to reappear on the other side, but he never did. I reloaded quickly and headed in the direction of his flight. I walked to the edge of the woods, but could find no blood. Then I looked back toward the direction he ran from, and there he was laying in a low spot in the field!
The .54 caliber ball had entered about the last rib, and was stopped under the hide of the opposite shoulder, after going through both lungs.
I built my rifle from a walnut plank. The 48”swamped barrel was made by Charlie Burton. The lock is a Davis Colonial. It’s very well balanced and accurate. The lock is extremely dependable and fast for such a large lock. My load was 90 grains Old Eynsford 2F. The patch was .024” denim with bear oil for lube. Prime was 4f.
The temperature was 20 degrees, but fairly comfortable in the woods. About 8:00, I saw movement in the grass field, and could see antlers through the brush and trees. The buck stepped into the sunlight, and I was tempted to shoot, but there were too many branches in the way.
The buck walked out of sight up the hill, so I moved as quietly as possible to the edge of the field. Peeking out of the brush, I couldn’t see the deer, so started up the hill along the field edge. As I came around a brush pile at the edge of the field, I saw the buck standing about 100 yards away with his head down. I slowly raised my longrifle, settled the silver front sight halfway up the deer, aiming at the far leg. Squeezed the trigger, and followed through the shot as the flintlock quickly fired.
The deer took off across the field and disappeared from sight behind some brush. I looked for him to reappear on the other side, but he never did. I reloaded quickly and headed in the direction of his flight. I walked to the edge of the woods, but could find no blood. Then I looked back toward the direction he ran from, and there he was laying in a low spot in the field!
The .54 caliber ball had entered about the last rib, and was stopped under the hide of the opposite shoulder, after going through both lungs.
I built my rifle from a walnut plank. The 48”swamped barrel was made by Charlie Burton. The lock is a Davis Colonial. It’s very well balanced and accurate. The lock is extremely dependable and fast for such a large lock. My load was 90 grains Old Eynsford 2F. The patch was .024” denim with bear oil for lube. Prime was 4f.
