Need some suggestions and input....

[Kansas Jake]

Second shots can be made and in rare instances even a third shot. How do I know? I did it about 30 years ago. I missed all three times and the worst part is my daughter who was about 7 at the time witnessed the fiasco. The doe was about 70 yards away and should have been an easy shot. I guess it was a case of doe fever.

 

[Sparkitoff]

Thanks. My goal is to figure out just how to "know" my first shot will go off instantly and hit the animal where I am. With all the suggestions above I am confident now. I have used a lifesize pronghorn picture target at 100-yards. Thus far with 6 or 7 times to the range I have been able to make the first shot instant and on target. Basically I've killed this pronghorn with every first shot. I am shooting off sticks and typically shoot one standing , one kneeling and one sitting. Then I may repeat. I am shooting without swabbing up to 6 shots. I am less interested in the instantaneous ignition after the first shot but it has gotten to where I can tell if it will go off by what goes on during loading and priming. Overall, I have yet to deliver a killing shot to my paper quarry. I am sure that when the real deal shows up I can make it happen. I got a wind meter to understand just how much wind effects the shot. The good news is that I grossly over-estimate the wind. So I have not held much for windage and the shots are landing where I expect them. The meter just lets me know not to over-do it. I have 3 more range trips before the weeklong hunt begins. Thanks again for the tips!

 

[Sun City]

For deer/elk hunting for 69 years I have never once hunted wearing track shoes! Now....if ya can't follow that statement...it means that I find a decent place where there's sign and I let the 'stomp troopers' do all the walking and eventually they're run something over me! Worked in the mountains and the hardwoods of Louisiana! I never failed to carry home some meat!

Untitled by Sharps Man, on Flickr

One shot is all I've ever needed!

 

[Sparkitoff]

I hope your statement is good luck for me!

 

[Loyalist Dave]

Second shots can be made and in rare instances even a third shot. How do I know? I did it about 30 years ago. I missed all three times and the worst part is my daughter who was about 7 at the time witnessed the fiasco. The doe was about 70 yards away and should have been an easy shot. I guess it was a case of doe fever.

I've only seen one second shot made on a "hit" deer. That second shot was unneeded. Both were lethal, shots. This is from over 40 years of muzzleloading hunting.
It was done with a Pedersoli Kodiak double-rifle, and the shooter had both locks cocked at the time. So all he had to do was reacquire the sight picture and squeeze off the second shot I've also seen guys with lever actions and semi-autos blasting away at deer but to no avail... we as ML hunters can't really do this, and good hunters even if they can really shouldn't do this (imho).

I've only seen once when a deer was hit that needed a second shot and it was from a modern rifle, and FUBAR'd shot. Had the guy taken the time he used for the second shot on his first shot the second shot and the suffering of the animal would've been averted (imho)

I know of a fellow who shot three times at the same deer at under 50 yards and missed three times. Not the same thing. Buck Fever can happen even to "experienced" hunters, …, so..., things happen.

LD

 

[Kansas Jake]

See Dave, there are two of us who shot more than once at a deer. I used a loading block, 45/70 cases filled with powder with a cork and a leather capper to load quickly when I missed mine. Now, the reality for those of us who hunt with muzzleloaders is we really are expecting to need only one shot when hunting. If we thought differently we would use unmentionables or swivel breach guns would be more popular.

I like the challenge of only having one shot and having to make it count. But, as you noted sometimes buck fever or other things intervene and more than one shot is needed or useful. There is nothing wrong with being prepared to load quickly in those situations as long as safety is still paramount.

 

[Rat]

A single shot does make one a better shot. On those rare occasions where I do take an unmentionable hunting, (when maybe just bear or cougar are open) it's one of my single-shot unmentionables. (hint: rhymes with "snap-more". Or the front door. Or a mouse trap) (and when I do take an unmentionable, it still uses black powder)

Way back in the day, before muzzle loaders, I learned that the faster a gun will fire, the faster you will fire it, and the more bullets it holds, the more bullets you will shoot, with equal, or worse results than using a single shot.

 

[Kansas Jake]

Rat, my experience as a range officer at a range where many new fangled guns are used confirms your observations about faster and more bullets. I see many 50 yard targets that appear to have been shot with a shotgun and we don't allow those at the range except with slugs.

 

[45man]

One time in PA I could not find tracks in the snow. I seen two guys walking the creek bottom like they were escaping a dentist appointment. I stopped one to ask about tracks and he said no, not a one. I crossed the creek and found where deer had fed. I tracked and found them laying way up a hill at about 100 yards. One was standing behind a tree with her neck showing. I shot and she was gone. She came flopping down the hill and I had another load in the flinter before she expired. Then after gutting I followed the wrong creek out and had to go up a steep hill to find I did not know where I was so I left her and found the road and a cabin. The guys helped me get her out, put in their truck and drove me to mine. ML hunters are good people. I would see a guy dragging and stop hunting to grab his rope to help. I also gave away a lot of deer to old fellas that had no luck. I had to be careful since they got the shakes and had a dull knife so I would even gut for them before they got the big one. Life is too short for greed. Friends are priceless. A few seasons back I shot 2, one was a big 8 point. We can shoot two a day. I told my friend to take the buck home and even tagged it for him. One year a friend could not make his gun fire so I gave him my .54 and another stand. He shot one and was coming down the ladder but slipped and broke his heel. I got him to my machine and the deer. His wife picked him up to get his heel fixed. Steel pins. I cut his deer and took it to his house. I had one too.

 

[Sun City]

Growing old has it's advantages because taking ones time occurs naturally!! The only time I possibly go faster....is headed to the John! And I don't get faster on reloading my Hawken....just consistently!