Well, today we had some rain, and although it had stopped before I went out the moist ground deadened my foot falls. I decided that since a cold front was due to come in tonight deer might be moving around some in the little wood lot.
I loaded up my early virginia with 90 grs and a spit patched round ball .480 diameter. I suited up in my period dress and went to my favorite spot in the wood lot.
I sat for a while and since the wind had come up I decided to do a little stalking. I crossed the creek and settled into a nice spot that was near the convergence of two deer trails. I sat and listened. The woods were alive, I heard chattering of squirrels, and the calling of bobwhites from the open meadows around the wood lot and creek bottom. The crickets were chirping and hoot owls were hooting. As the sun went down I decided to start stalking some. I would take about 10 steps and listened for a few minutes and scanned the area with my eyes, and continued on down through the wood lot.
I caught a glimpse of movement before a pair of does came into full view down a hill. They stopped in the middle of a cut through the woods for a split second before the bigger doe moved off. The smaller of the two - stood for a good while. I brought my rifle up - put the front sight behind her front shoulder and rested the blade in the notch of my back sight and cocked the hammer. I squeezed the trigger and the hammer dropped, and I saw sparks in my peripheral vision, but no boom.
The hammer struck the frizzen but for whatever reason the frizzen did not fully cam open exposing the priming powder to the full effect of the sparks.
By the time I got the frizzen closed and back in action the smaller doe moved off and gave me two good snorts for good measure.
I did not make meat with my newest gun, but it is an experience I would not trade right now. I was in my own little wood lot, dressed as a woodsman and giving my quarry a fair chase. It was a great day.
:thumbsup:
I loaded up my early virginia with 90 grs and a spit patched round ball .480 diameter. I suited up in my period dress and went to my favorite spot in the wood lot.
I sat for a while and since the wind had come up I decided to do a little stalking. I crossed the creek and settled into a nice spot that was near the convergence of two deer trails. I sat and listened. The woods were alive, I heard chattering of squirrels, and the calling of bobwhites from the open meadows around the wood lot and creek bottom. The crickets were chirping and hoot owls were hooting. As the sun went down I decided to start stalking some. I would take about 10 steps and listened for a few minutes and scanned the area with my eyes, and continued on down through the wood lot.
I caught a glimpse of movement before a pair of does came into full view down a hill. They stopped in the middle of a cut through the woods for a split second before the bigger doe moved off. The smaller of the two - stood for a good while. I brought my rifle up - put the front sight behind her front shoulder and rested the blade in the notch of my back sight and cocked the hammer. I squeezed the trigger and the hammer dropped, and I saw sparks in my peripheral vision, but no boom.
The hammer struck the frizzen but for whatever reason the frizzen did not fully cam open exposing the priming powder to the full effect of the sparks.
By the time I got the frizzen closed and back in action the smaller doe moved off and gave me two good snorts for good measure.
I did not make meat with my newest gun, but it is an experience I would not trade right now. I was in my own little wood lot, dressed as a woodsman and giving my quarry a fair chase. It was a great day.
:thumbsup:
