First flintlock deer! So hooked!

[LANEY REECE]

Nice job on doe, also like flintlock.

 

[nhmoose]

For me Ml was a step by step getting deeper in to the rabbit hole
Percussion to flint to smooth bore. 1850 to 1820 to 1770 now I got me a dog lock 1710.
Each more addicting than the last.

Dang you, now I gottsta get a doglock! It never ends.

 

[user 61297]

Lots of VA counties have early antlerless that started (private land) on Sept 2 and runs to Oct 4. No limit on the weapon, only limited to antlerless and county bag limits. I'm west of Blue Ridge, so could take 2 antlerless a day, but that one was great. Crazy how long season runs, so many deer out there!

Working to finish a 45 flinter project, hope the weather breaks before October bow season!

 

[ETipp]

Most awesome. A big congrats to you!

 

[Mike in FL]

A good story. Good kill and good rifle. In my old and calmer days I found it a little sad that the doe ran with the others. I reckon deer are unaware that they are dying. I've been the hunter who saw that happen many times. The thrill of the hunt is slowly fading, being replaced by a sort of love for wild creatures. I still go though. Hey, I'm from your area. Lived in Fincastle for many, many years.

 

[45man]

Now my friend, I live across the border in WV, Bakerton to be exact and it does not smell! Way too hot to hunt as it is hard to age meat. I hate to cut and freeze deer the same day.

 

[BP Addict]

Great story. Congratulations!

I try not to do much without first having coffee like typing, driving, getting in the shower.....

Walt

 

[Loyalist Dave]

Yesterday was first day of early antlerless season in VA. Weatherman sain low 50s for the first couple hours so I decided to give it a try. I built first flinter out of a parts package I got in a local sale paper. A gentleman had assembled all the parts for a build over the last 20ish years. But never assembled them. I got it together this spring and after lots of range time and help from the wisdom on these pages got the 42" 50 cal 1:66 green mountain barrel with L&R lock dialed in.

..., . I am hooked!

Well Done!

And YEAH you're pretty well doomed. Like the rest of us...,
Your other methods for taking deer will, over time, fall away, so that only the flinter will remain a passion.
You'll hear stories of other fellows, their use of 10X optics, and belted magnums, followed by their long and involved tracking stories..., and you will shake your head for you will know what they likely never will..., that a properly placed shot folds deer quickly and little if any tracking needed, and no need for a magazine holding many modern cartridges, and hours long poking around the brush hoping to find blood...,

LD

 

[hanshi]

You never forget that first flintlock deer. Well yes and no. See, after many good seasons with a flintlock they begin to sorta...merge. I can pick out some especially memorable deer kills but rarely in order.

 

[dhaverstick]

Way to go, curdog1! You got a first under your belt and some fine eating to boot. Excellent job all around!

Darren

 

[hanshi]

I did have an interesting Labor Day. We went to Brunswick ME to visit and have a great outdoor meal around the firepit. While we were all sitting at the table a flock of turkeys came up pecking around. They were not in the least bothered by our presence and even came up to near petting distance. The only reason no petting occurred was because of our host's cute but yappy doggie under the table. While the turkeys weren't bothered at all they simply didn't care for a face to face with that noise. They stayed around for an hour or so right in the front yard with us.

 

[2 shots]

 

[Mike in FL]

My first was a big doe. A good hit, both lungs, but she ran. Rifle was a Jim Chambers early Lancaster .50, swamped barrel 44" long, Silver lock. 80 grains of 3F. No blood to follow. I was still looking for her when I ran across my brother who had already killed a buck in the brush. He saw mine come into the brushy area and fall over. Don't know if I would have found her otherwise. She had travelled about 60 yards. Never could figure how she could go that far with both lungs shot through. Never happened again, same gun, same load. Two seasons later I killed seven deer with that rifle because it was all I hunted with that whole season. (No meat wasted.). But none ran to where I could not see them fall.

 

[user 61297]

So happy I could stir some memories for folks. The meat and time outside are great, but the memories last, even if they do "merge" some as time goes on.

Hanshi, I hope to only get to that level of experience. The other n7mbers of deer kinda do already. Almost every traditional longbow kill is fresh in the memory banks, just want to keep this going.

45man, never meant WV smelled bad, I actually look forward to the "smell".

Thanks again all!

 

[Dphar1950]

Yesterday was first day of early antlerless season in VA. Weatherman sain low 50s for the first couple hours so I decided to give it a try. I built first flinter out of a parts package I got in a local sale paper. A gentleman had assembled all the parts for a build over the last 20ish years. But never assembled them. I got it together this spring and after lots of range time and help from the wisdom on these pages got the 42" 50 cal 1:66 green mountain barrel with L&R lock dialed in.

Cast .490 balls from a lee mold, .015 patches, lubed with TOW mink oil, touched off with Grafs 3f at 75gr = 5 shots into 1 to 2 inches at 50 yards from field rested positions.

About 0900 yesterday the parade of young bucks started, of course during antlerless season. Last deer in the March was a nice doe, last years most likely, with no spotted followers. Took my shot at 45 yards. Excellent hit, double lung archery like placement. Deer scattered, watched my target run with the group and break off after 25 yards or so.

Also Thanks to the wise folks here that advise prb hits be treated like bowhunting. Let the woods calm down, put jag on rod, stabbed barrel, calmly reloaded and sat down for 20 min.

Speed to end, a 50 yard track led to great first deer,, not much blood first 20 yards, but got steadily heavier to the fallRhanks to all of you for the great posts. so helpful. Now I have added flintlock to my list of centerfire, classic cartridge, traing wheel bow, traditional bow, percussion and the dreaded incline MZ. I have to say the homemade flinyer, with my cast balls, cleaned with a Russell knife I made is full circle. I am hooked!

With cast .490

50 cal is a great deer killer. I load for about 1800-1900 fps since where I live shots to 120 yards or so are not unknown.

 

[Ricochet]

Congratulations on a fine hunt!!

 

[Caleb Foster]

Great job! I'm excited to take mine out this season too

 

[Marshhawk]

Congrats! I'm hoping I connect this season. Enjoy the fine eating.

 

[jay3]

Congrats, well done!
I will be hunting with a flintlock for my first time this year and hope to be lucky enough to "get hooked" also.
Thanks for sharing your hunt.

 

[TDM]

Well done and congratulations @curdog1! Enjoy that venison!