Dreamin of my first!

[TLanoy]

Well, I'm 45yr young and still have not taken a deer with any kind of equipment. Been trying with traditional archery for years and had some close calls but, could not pull it off for various odd reasons. My stubborness to use only traditional gear has kept me away from conventional firearms and I'm good with that. Want to earn that first one! :grin:

Anyway, this year I'm going after these crazy Oregon blacktails with a .50 caliber smoke pole in hopes of ending my quest. Oregon hunting regs suck and I am giving up time in the woods by going to muzzleloading over traditional archery but, I have hopes it will pay off as I won't have to get as close to the deer. :shake: Wish me luck folks and hopefully I'll have story to share this year!

 

[Sam Stephens]

Good luck in your quest for that first one.....

,,,Sam,,,,

 

[ny griz]

:thumbsup: :thumbsup: What Sam said.Griz

 

[larry wv]

With your Bow hunting experience under your belt you will do fine with a muzzle loader. It took me 3 years to get my first Buck with a Bow. Larry

 

[TLanoy]

Thanks guys! Really appreciate it. I've got a rifle being assembled right now and can hardly wait for it to be done. It is a Traditions Kentucky being fitted to a one piece stock so, that 1:66 twist is going to be great. I only intend to use patched round ball and have heard that barrel is very accurate.

I'll practice out to 100yds but, will probably be below that if the shot presents it's self. The area I hunt is pretty dense with underbrush.

 

[silly goose]

I have taken quite a few whitetails, and with everything but traditional archery. And its not for a lack of trying. To me, traditional archery is the pinnacle accomplishment. Hunting with a flintlock is cake compared to, and I very much enjoy hunting with bp. Good luck and keep on keeping on, your accomplishment will be sweeter for the effort.

 

[Kapow]

Focus on the process, don't worry about the results. They are a consequence of the process. Take your time and enjoy the bush.

 

[Patocazador]

I never hunted Oregon but I hunted blacktails in Wash. and it is tough. I think they are the hardest of the species available to bag a good buck. (I never hunted Coues deer.)

They are certainly harder to bag than a whietail or muley.

GOOD LUCK!! You will need it.

 

[Spikebuck]

If you have had a number of close calls with traditional bowhunting gear, my guess is you'll be notching a tag with a muzzleloader. :thumbsup:

I was a bowhunter only for over 30 years with dozens of traditional kills before taking up muzzleloading and it took a while for my mind to accept shooting more than 25 yards! Shot my first muzzleloading deer at eight steps off the ground...just let her keep on coming. :grin:

 

[dcalef3]

Good luck to you. I shot my first white tail last year but come to find out my friend shot him first. I gave up the deer doing the friend thing even though he only skinned the deer and it never would of died, sooo im still looking for my first one too.

 

[Carl Fowler III]

That's why it's called hunt'n and not kill'n...the skills you learned hunt'n with the bow in hand will definitely go a loooong way in helping ye bag your first ever deer...guaranteed! Take the time to learn about your gun and load, seems as if these dang muzzleloaders have a personality of their own and ye must learn its ways! Already can see you have determination and perseverance...ye don't need luck...besides, luck is just when skill and hard work meet...so go make some luck and be sure to let us know how it turns out for ye! :v

 

[TLanoy]

Thanks Kodiak and you are right of course. I will be getting very intimate with my rifle when it shows up. I have never been it it for killing stuff but, an empty freezer every year is starting to get old! :haha: I just hope that switching to a muzzleloader might better my chances this year.

I've been thinking of setting up some natural ground cover in a couple of areas and, sitting on a stool instead of stalking like I do when archery hunting.

 

[fusil de chase]

IMHO Columbia Blacktails are the most desirable deer to hunt. Hunted hard for thr half dozen I have killed, none where out of bow range when shot with a CF. Best advice is to get some high quality binoculars and use em. Your looking for an ear tip, a knee or 3 inch square patch of fur.

 

[fusil de chase]

Just one more thought of all the North American big game Coastal Black tails might just be the least appropriate game to hunt with a flintlock. Never shot one when I was'nt saturateed with water. Keep your powder dry and change your prime constantly.

 

[hanshi]

Good luck on that bp deer. :thumbsup:

 

[don hepler]

Hunting is like Real Estate.....Location, Location, Location. Give me a place with plenty of deer, and my success rate goes way up. If there is one thing I've learned in 40+ years of hunting, find a good place to hunt, find a good place to hunt, find a good place to hunt. That's my two cents. However it's worth thirty seven dollars and some change.

 

[TLanoy]

Can you break two twenties? :grin: