IL Deer Season is Officially Over! I Tried My Bess...

[Skychief]

Happy for ya Jethro. Atta boy! :applause:

 

[jethro224]

Correct me if I am wrong, but compared to most fowling smoothbore guns that people use deer hunting, aren't they a lot easier to handle than a bess? I have heard of plenty of people killing deer with a smoothbore fowling gun but this is a first for hearing about a deer being killed with a brown bess.

It's definitely been done before. I seem to remember a couple right here on the Forum.
A fowler would be lighter and easier to tote. The big heavy Bess probably tames the recoil of them big ol' balls better tho.

 

[jethro224]

I was shooting 75 grains of 2F Goex, a ticking patch lubed with Stumpy's moose snot, and a .715 ball. My bore mics at .745 and I can thumb-start that combo. fairly easy. It's fairly accurate under 50 yards.

When I get a chance to do some more load work with her, I intend to try more powder. Probably boost it up to 90 grains or so. Some wads will also be tried. Maybe some .735 balls... :hmm: I'd like to get her shootin' good to 75 yards or so if I can.

The entry wound was devastating! You could poke a thumb in there! I hit her pretty good. Coulda been just a bit farther forward. The entry hole is right behind her nose in the pic. I twisted her head around to cover it up and make a nicer picture. She was quartering to me a bit so I only caught one lung solid and a rear tip of the other and opened the stomach. :barf:
There was no exit wound but I didn't find the ball. I guess it was in the gutpile, but I didn't dig for it. Maybe if it had still been daylight... Rootin' in a gutpile in the dark with stomach stuff all over it just didn't seem like fun.

 

[John Wasmuth]

:thumbsup: Way to go man!

 

[410-er]

Way to stick it out! :thumbsup:

 

[RC]

:hmm:

Rootin' in a gutpile in the dark with stomach stuff all over it just didn't seem like fun.

THAT may be what causes bleepin "deer dizzy"! :thumbsup:

but, I'd have to agree...not a fun idea... :haha:

 

[smoothy]

Way to go with a mellon thrower.

 

[Dave K]

Well, can you go back and take pictures of that ball when you find. Inguiring minds need to know. :grin:

 

[Huntin_Dawg1215]

Great job, way to stick with it.

 

[Britsmoothy]

Jethro, first I must congrat you on your effort with that bess, well done you :hatsoff:

I also admire your integrity about the time, I would most likely totally forgot it at that stage of the hunt or, made sure my watch was slow :wink:

Brits.

 

[buttonbuck]

I actually skimmed the article the person in the early 1970's demonstrated how he did military drills for loading the bess and had paper cartridge loads to get second shots. I would be happy to copy this and send it to you PT your info.

 

[pgilmore]

congratulations, nice doe. :thumbsup:

 

[jethro224]

I also admire your integrity about the time, I would most likely totally forgot it at that stage of the hunt or, made sure my watch was slow

Brits.

There are neighbors on 2 sides who may report late shots and the local game warden has been known to write tickets for shooting 2 minutes early and 3 minutes late. I have never had any points taken off of my license nor been ticketed and I intend to keep it that way. :thumbsup:

Anyway, our quittin' time is 1/2 hour past sunset and it was the dark of the moon. It was hard enough to get a decent sight picture, even at @35 yards, at the last legal minute.

When it's a bright moon, a clear sky, and snow on the ground it can be harder to stick to book time. :haha: Still have that game warden to worry about tho. :nono: :nono: :nono:

 

[jethro224]

I actually skimmed the article the person in the early 1970's demonstrated how he did military drills for loading the bess and had paper cartridge loads to get second shots. I would be happy to copy this and send it to you PT your info.

:thumbsup: Thanks. I'll PT ya.

 

[jethro224]

Well, can you go back and take pictures of that ball when you find. Inguiring minds need to know. :grin:

If the coyotes didn't haul it off, just ate around it, maybe it'll be sittin' in the snow when I get back out there. :wink:

 

[luieb45]

I also admire your integrity about the time, I would most likely totally forgot it at that stage of the hunt or, made sure my watch was slow

Brits.

There are neighbors on 2 sides who may report late shots and the local game warden has been known to write tickets for shooting 2 minutes early and 3 minutes late. I have never had any points taken off of my license nor been ticketed and I intend to keep it that way. :thumbsup:

Anyway, our quittin' time is 1/2 hour past sunset and it was the dark of the moon. It was hard enough to get a decent sight picture, even at @35 yards, at the last legal minute.

When it's a bright moon, a clear sky, and snow on the ground it can be harder to stick to book time. :haha: Still have that game warden to worry about tho. :nono: :nono: :nono:

Wow!!! That would stink to have neighbors like that. Where I hunt the closest house is about a mile away then another half mile is a small town. Something I've also noticed is that muzzleloaders are quieter overall than shotguns. When I shot my deer my dad didn't even know I shot so I had to send him a text. When I shoot one with my shotgun everyone knows I shot.

 

[Britsmoothy]

Thanks Jethro, over here for deer we just have a blanket rule of one hour before and after sun rise/set but no one enforces it really.

It don't matter none, you show good fortitude and discipline. Good on ya :thumbsup:

Brits.

 

[jethro224]

Luie, , Did you ask your dad how his nap was? :haha:

 

[GreyWhiskers]

I'm kinda suprised that big ball didn't go all the way through her. :hmm:

 

[luieb45]

Luie, , Did you ask your dad how his nap was? :haha:

I don't know if he was asleep or not but other times when he was actually 1/2 mile away or so walking around and I was squirrel hunting with my muzzleloader he didn't hear me shoot twice.