fyrfyter43
45 Cal.
- Joined
- Aug 27, 2008
- Messages
- 769
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Last Monday was our muzzleloader opener. We get 2 days to shoot a buck before it switches to antlerless for 3 more days. Then the orange army invades the woods the following week. In order to shoot a buck during those first 2 days, we need to purchase a separate buck tag. I usually don't bother with it, but something told me to get one this year.
I was in a small woodlot I recently got permission to hunt. I first hunted it last year, with my son killing his first deer there. I had my TVM fowling piece, loaded with 70 grains of FFg Swiss and a bare .600 ball with tow wadding. This would be my first hunt with this gun.
About an hour after first light, I heard a faint crunch behind me. Thinking it was another squirrel, I turned to watch it. To my surprise, it was a nice buck. I had never seen a deer coming from this direction.
I wasn't able to get my gun up for a shot without him seeing me, so I sat tight for about 10 minutes until he had made his way past me. He went past no more than 10 yards from me. I was finally able to get my gun up when he went behind some brush about 35 yards out. When I shot, I saw him give a hard mule kick and take off. He stopped after going about 50 yards and looked back at me.
After he continued on, I quietly reloaded. Before I was done reloading, 2 small bucks came from the same direction as the first. I watched as they passed by within 15 yards of my position. Once they were out of sight, I finished loading. I then waited about 20 minutes before taking up the trail. I also called my father to help with field dressing and dragging, as I had had abdominal surgery about 6 weeks earlier, and didn't want to risk hurting myself.
I followed a light blood trail to where the deer had looked back at me. There was so little blood that I began to question my shot. The deer had been quartering hard away from me, so I had aimed at the last rib for a shot that would take out both lungs. After pausing for a minute, I continued following the trail. Fortunately, my doubts were soon eased, as I found the buck less than 20 yards from where he had paused. When my father and I field dressed the buck, we found that the shot had been perfect, taking out both lungs and the top of the heart.
This was my first smoothbore buck, and by far the best buck I've ever killed. In fact, it's only the 2nd buck I've shot that still had both antlers.
I was in a small woodlot I recently got permission to hunt. I first hunted it last year, with my son killing his first deer there. I had my TVM fowling piece, loaded with 70 grains of FFg Swiss and a bare .600 ball with tow wadding. This would be my first hunt with this gun.
About an hour after first light, I heard a faint crunch behind me. Thinking it was another squirrel, I turned to watch it. To my surprise, it was a nice buck. I had never seen a deer coming from this direction.
I wasn't able to get my gun up for a shot without him seeing me, so I sat tight for about 10 minutes until he had made his way past me. He went past no more than 10 yards from me. I was finally able to get my gun up when he went behind some brush about 35 yards out. When I shot, I saw him give a hard mule kick and take off. He stopped after going about 50 yards and looked back at me.
After he continued on, I quietly reloaded. Before I was done reloading, 2 small bucks came from the same direction as the first. I watched as they passed by within 15 yards of my position. Once they were out of sight, I finished loading. I then waited about 20 minutes before taking up the trail. I also called my father to help with field dressing and dragging, as I had had abdominal surgery about 6 weeks earlier, and didn't want to risk hurting myself.
I followed a light blood trail to where the deer had looked back at me. There was so little blood that I began to question my shot. The deer had been quartering hard away from me, so I had aimed at the last rib for a shot that would take out both lungs. After pausing for a minute, I continued following the trail. Fortunately, my doubts were soon eased, as I found the buck less than 20 yards from where he had paused. When my father and I field dressed the buck, we found that the shot had been perfect, taking out both lungs and the top of the heart.
This was my first smoothbore buck, and by far the best buck I've ever killed. In fact, it's only the 2nd buck I've shot that still had both antlers.
