Mn. blackpowder hunt 2017

[rushlake1]

Last morning to hunt..
Left the old farmhouse early..fresh dusting of snow cover..cool 17 deg. with north wind..
Lots of sign on long ridge out to funnel..
On the ground back to a tree before first light..
10 minutes and there's close leaf shuffling..
Rats big doe came up a hollow I did not see ..she's at 20 yards and can't tell what that blob is on the ground..she spends 3 minutes doing the fake head down and up feed trick..I'm motionless..she starts moving left..I shift into shooting mode and she picks up my ever stealth movement...LOL!
She trots off over the ridge and out of my life...Strike one!
Time to move closer to end of ridge..picked a ladder stand over the top of the ridge.
Settle in and get windproof.
Now it's great shooting light...
10 minutes later crunch crunch crunch coming up over the ridge behind me..A 5 inch spiker..he swings right and stops at 40 yards front..sights on his vitals and slowly squeeze the set trigger..
Dull thump!..Hammer stall saves another one..Oh Joy! Strike 2
Rip off hammer stall recock and he trots down hill out of sight. While i'm fumbling with the hammer stall a doe comes up behind left..she moves out about 80 yards up over and down hill front.
She stops behind trees and starts to feed...
Slowly she feeds right into a shooting window..
Bore down on sights cover her vitals and slowly squeeze the set trigger....
Shot and sight picture felt great..she bucked like a mule at the report and headed down hill right out of sight.
Get out of stand and reload..pace off to poi 105
(89 yards) on range finder.
No Blood No Hair at poi..
fresh snow cover helped..track spacing wide at start at 60 yards the scuffs got bigger at 75 I look ahead and she is piled up against a tree on the steep ridge hill side.
Amen..
Said my hunters prayer and was very thankful..

58 cal. 570 round ball 22 thousands tight weave mink oiled patch 105 gr. @FF Goex 2 f prime.
tang peep. set trigger.
89 yards-heart shot-pass through-shattered right leg bone upon entry..
It's amazing what these deer can take and leave zero sign.
Easy drag out 400 feet down hill off the point of the long ridge. It was more of a slide than drag.
Spent 2 weeks hunting with the flintlock..passed many small bucks and does with their family tree in tow. Good times.

 

[Ames]

Nice shot at that distance. Should cook up well.

 

[Patocazador]

Good deer, good shot! :hatsoff:

 

[rushlake1]

I rolled her over and she grew a 3 inch spike on left side..not seen at poi.

 

[Wes/Tex]

Now that's what you call a heart shot! :wink: Good job and you make points showing the appearing point trick to Penn & Teller! :haha:

 

[okawbow]

Yep! That's where to hit them.

You must have stopped the heart from pumping with that shot. My deer, ( last day deer), left a tremendous blood trail. I hit the same place, but just took a chunk out of the heart and I think the heart was able to still beat.

Congrats on a great shot and unique deer! Kudus for putting in the time it takes to make meat.

 

[smo]

Congrats , I thought maybe that was another pic of a different deer. LOL

 

[Britsmoothy]

Congrats brother.
Leave that piece of leather at home next time, next time you may not be so fortunate.

It's a great story and a .58 is big medicine.

B.

 

[azmntman]

:thumbsup: Nice deer! Also I LOVE the coloring on your rifle stock!!

 

[rushlake1]

retired in mid April...My first 2 week black powder hunt.Laid back no pressure..Even slept in one morning..to say i did.
These Late season deer have been pressured since the first week of Nov...The big bucks here are elusive.stayed bedded late always a posse of does with them out front.Never saw one move in the mornings.
They bed just below the rocky outcrops on ridge points never alone always high.
The lease is large enough to keep alternating stands according to wind.
Enjoyed watching the deer behavior..one morning had 3 does below my stand @ 15 yards.another 5 with 200 yards on the ridge hill side..when all hell broke loose..up out of the bottoms comes 5 yotes never seen them run so fast..well those 5 deer collided with the 3 at my stand and it was like a cartoon.
Ever see deer do figure eights dancing the jig and somba at the same time jumping around each other..too funny.I had all i could do to keep from laughing out loud.
Did manage to squeak one of the yotes to a stop and took hair off him..he wasn't running to good last i saw of him.
another evening got to watch 2 bucks come down off the ridge and water at the trout stream..
Had lots of opportunities and enjoyed them all.
I'm a lucky guy!

 

[rushlake1]

I was very surprised when that spike appeared..
deer had right side to me..
ear covered it great at 89 yards.

 

[rushlake1]

Had an unnerving accidental discharge during the spring turkey hunt..the hammer stall stays.

 

[rushlake1]

Ash wood stock..

Used Jim Chambers"traditional oil stock finish"

 

[rushlake1]

Toboggan slide down with deer..next time I'll just ride it down.

 

[rushlake1]

Enjoy hunting the rocky outcrops overlooking deer funnels

My 2017 blackpowder hunt is in the books.
Go get em Guys!

 

[TerryK]

Thanks for the pics, cool hunt.

 

[smo]

Enjoy hunting the rocky outcrops overlooking deer funnels

My 2017 blackpowder hunt is in the books.
Go get em Guys!

I’m sure the Bucks are glad it’s over too.

The one in the bottom pic above has been hunted so much he has to lean against that tree just to stand up...lol

 

[rushlake1]

Thats our cedar shaft arrow tester...LOL!
One of the first days of November here.

 

[robinsroost]

Congratulations 22fowl, nicely done! :applause: Thanks for bringing us along. That was a great shot and a good looking gun, Ash makes beautiful stocks. Keep yer powder dry........robin :hatsoff:

 

[jrmflintlock]

Tsaan Wookkuh!!

Good Job!! - Comanche/Shoshone

Man That's how to do it!!

:thumbsup: