I have not been medically able to hunt in five years or so, after almost fifty years "pursuing the noble stag". I can still shoot flintlocks, barely, and hope some day to return to the woods. You all who tell your stories most likely have no idea how inspiring and touching they are to those of us who, for one reason or another, have to enter the deer fields vicariously . Please keep the tales coming, and never think that a simple story won't mean enough to tell---it will! Good smoke, Ron in FL
-
Friends, our 2nd Amendment rights are always under attack and the NRA has been a constant for decades in helping fight that fight.
We have partnered with the NRA to offer you a discount on membership and Muzzleloading Forum gets a small percentage too of each membership, so you are supporting both the NRA and us.
Use this link to sign up please; https://membership.nra.org/recruiters/join/XR045103
stories are important
- Thread starter ronrryan
- Start date
Help Support Muzzleloading Forum:
So true.
Tuesday I was deer hunting in the Blue Ridge mountains. It was cold... about 26 degrees F at 10 Am with 20 mph wind when I started walking up the 4000 ft mountain.I was a lttle concerned about frostbite, but I figured I would warm up climbing the mountain. There was about 3 inches of fresh snow from the early storm that night and still falling down. After a few minutes I came across a deers path, which had rather large footprints. So, I followed. After about a half hour of stalking I caught up with the deer. It was about a hundred yards off in a overgrown field beneath a powerline. I could make the deer out with field glasses, but couldn't tell if it was buck for sure. AFted a few more minutes I orked my way to where she had been, but she had moved up hill out of site. I caught site of her about fifty yards out but she had seen me first and ran for the thickets. She was definately a doe. So, up the mountain I went looking for another. About at the 2000 ft point I spotted a doe down in a hollow below the ridge I was on. It was blowing hard and the snow was falling and was about 4or 5 inches deep. I couldn't feel my hands watching the deer with my glasses without wearing gloves and couldn't work the focus with the heavy gloves I had. So, I watched her for a while until I could not stand the cold and contiued my journy up the mountain. I went behind the ridge and put on my wool face mask. I couldn't take the wind on bare skin any longer! About another hundred yards up I peaked over the ridge and spotted the doe again, but she had company. It looked like a younger doe, probably her fawn. I watched them a while and continued up the mountain. I could see the 4000 ft ridge top about a hundred yards above me when I noticed three deer twitching their tales and running around, They were looking around alarmed no doubt that they saw or heard me. They just couldn't make out what I was since the wind was blowing towards me. After a few minutes they decided to cross over the ridge and were gone. I ate lunch on top of the ridge at 1:30 PM and stayed there for about an hour until I got too clod even though I had layers of silk, wool, and manmade(poly something) heavy coveralls on and my Mad Bomber rabbit fur hat that's as ugly as they come. A few hundred yards uo the ridge I spotted a doe about fifty yards downhill browsing. The snow was about 6 inches deep with 2 foot drifts. The thermometer said 35 F, but my water bottle was freezing I guess the wind chill was something else. The doe was munching on twigs and pushing her nose through the snow looking for acorns. She moved out of site in the thick stuff and I continued on. I came acrros another set of tracks crosssing the ridge about 3PM and I folloewed them down hill since it was getting late and I was getting cold and a little tired. Not fifty yards downhill I noticed a shape that seem out of place kind of like a deer's rearend coming from behind a large oak tree. Looking through the glasses I determined that it was in fact a deer. Seemed rather large compared to the does a saw earlier. A few minutes later a spike walked out and I decided to take a shot. I was shivering a little from sitting in the deep snow that was drifting and I didn't have a great place to get a steady rest, but I aimed the best I could and let the set trigger set on the 45 cal. Blue Ridge flinter and pulled the trigger hoping the grease I placed around the lock kept the prime dry. BOOM! The spike ran a couple paces and looked at me and then ran off parallel with the ridge, not looking like it was hurt. I follwed the trail easily in the snow for about 300 yards until I was sure he was not hit and called it a day. I made it down the mountain a couple hors later right about dark glad I made it out without breaking my butt. I think I stayed on my rear half the time. Although I didn't take a deer that day I had a hoot stalking them. In all I spotted 8 deer. Not bad considering the weather. Glad I could make it up that mountain and see the view in the snow storm.It was a good hunt. every hunt without accident is a good hunt.
Tuesday I was deer hunting in the Blue Ridge mountains. It was cold... about 26 degrees F at 10 Am with 20 mph wind when I started walking up the 4000 ft mountain.I was a lttle concerned about frostbite, but I figured I would warm up climbing the mountain. There was about 3 inches of fresh snow from the early storm that night and still falling down. After a few minutes I came across a deers path, which had rather large footprints. So, I followed. After about a half hour of stalking I caught up with the deer. It was about a hundred yards off in a overgrown field beneath a powerline. I could make the deer out with field glasses, but couldn't tell if it was buck for sure. AFted a few more minutes I orked my way to where she had been, but she had moved up hill out of site. I caught site of her about fifty yards out but she had seen me first and ran for the thickets. She was definately a doe. So, up the mountain I went looking for another. About at the 2000 ft point I spotted a doe down in a hollow below the ridge I was on. It was blowing hard and the snow was falling and was about 4or 5 inches deep. I couldn't feel my hands watching the deer with my glasses without wearing gloves and couldn't work the focus with the heavy gloves I had. So, I watched her for a while until I could not stand the cold and contiued my journy up the mountain. I went behind the ridge and put on my wool face mask. I couldn't take the wind on bare skin any longer! About another hundred yards up I peaked over the ridge and spotted the doe again, but she had company. It looked like a younger doe, probably her fawn. I watched them a while and continued up the mountain. I could see the 4000 ft ridge top about a hundred yards above me when I noticed three deer twitching their tales and running around, They were looking around alarmed no doubt that they saw or heard me. They just couldn't make out what I was since the wind was blowing towards me. After a few minutes they decided to cross over the ridge and were gone. I ate lunch on top of the ridge at 1:30 PM and stayed there for about an hour until I got too clod even though I had layers of silk, wool, and manmade(poly something) heavy coveralls on and my Mad Bomber rabbit fur hat that's as ugly as they come. A few hundred yards uo the ridge I spotted a doe about fifty yards downhill browsing. The snow was about 6 inches deep with 2 foot drifts. The thermometer said 35 F, but my water bottle was freezing I guess the wind chill was something else. The doe was munching on twigs and pushing her nose through the snow looking for acorns. She moved out of site in the thick stuff and I continued on. I came acrros another set of tracks crosssing the ridge about 3PM and I folloewed them down hill since it was getting late and I was getting cold and a little tired. Not fifty yards downhill I noticed a shape that seem out of place kind of like a deer's rearend coming from behind a large oak tree. Looking through the glasses I determined that it was in fact a deer. Seemed rather large compared to the does a saw earlier. A few minutes later a spike walked out and I decided to take a shot. I was shivering a little from sitting in the deep snow that was drifting and I didn't have a great place to get a steady rest, but I aimed the best I could and let the set trigger set on the 45 cal. Blue Ridge flinter and pulled the trigger hoping the grease I placed around the lock kept the prime dry. BOOM! The spike ran a couple paces and looked at me and then ran off parallel with the ridge, not looking like it was hurt. I follwed the trail easily in the snow for about 300 yards until I was sure he was not hit and called it a day. I made it down the mountain a couple hors later right about dark glad I made it out without breaking my butt. I think I stayed on my rear half the time. Although I didn't take a deer that day I had a hoot stalking them. In all I spotted 8 deer. Not bad considering the weather. Glad I could make it up that mountain and see the view in the snow storm.It was a good hunt. every hunt without accident is a good hunt.
I wrote this yesterday and sent it to a friend by email.
I just got home from two days on the mountain. Bear and boar are open, but not deer this week. I saw two deer, nothing else. Both were does.
Last night well after dark, I was sitting by my campfire. The stars were playing peek-a-boo behind the clouds. The moon had not arisen yet. The night, and the woods, were black. The only sounds were the wind sighing through the treetops, and the crackling of my small fire.
Suddenly, I heard a slight russel in the leaves close behind me. I turned and saw some large animal just at the edge of the firelight. I didn't know what it was, and its sudden appearence close to me scared the bejeebers out of me. I jumped up yelling YAA, YAA, YAAA and swinging the little stick that I had been using as a fire poker.
Poor thing. It was a dog, and I think I scared it worse than it had scared me. It ran back into the woods a couple hundred yards then stood and barked for the next 10 or 15 minutes.
I whistled and called, but I never saw it again.
Cold night, but I have a good sleeping bag. I slept in the back of my truck. When I awoke this morning I found myself in an ice cave. Moisture from my breathing during the night had condensed on the ceiling and sides of the camp shell and turned to frost.
Hunted up the mountain again this morning. While climbing up a steep area I grabbed hold of a dead pine tree for support and to pull myself up. Crack! The top of the tree broke off and fell down on me. I caught most of it with my arm, but it still wacked me pretty hard on the head. I have a few lumps. Good thing it was a small tree.
I saw no sign of bear or boar, and since the weathermen say tonight will be even colder, I decided to come on home.
Deer opens again this Saturday, and I plan to be back on the mountain then.
I just got home from two days on the mountain. Bear and boar are open, but not deer this week. I saw two deer, nothing else. Both were does.
Last night well after dark, I was sitting by my campfire. The stars were playing peek-a-boo behind the clouds. The moon had not arisen yet. The night, and the woods, were black. The only sounds were the wind sighing through the treetops, and the crackling of my small fire.
Suddenly, I heard a slight russel in the leaves close behind me. I turned and saw some large animal just at the edge of the firelight. I didn't know what it was, and its sudden appearence close to me scared the bejeebers out of me. I jumped up yelling YAA, YAA, YAAA and swinging the little stick that I had been using as a fire poker.
Poor thing. It was a dog, and I think I scared it worse than it had scared me. It ran back into the woods a couple hundred yards then stood and barked for the next 10 or 15 minutes.
I whistled and called, but I never saw it again.
Cold night, but I have a good sleeping bag. I slept in the back of my truck. When I awoke this morning I found myself in an ice cave. Moisture from my breathing during the night had condensed on the ceiling and sides of the camp shell and turned to frost.
Hunted up the mountain again this morning. While climbing up a steep area I grabbed hold of a dead pine tree for support and to pull myself up. Crack! The top of the tree broke off and fell down on me. I caught most of it with my arm, but it still wacked me pretty hard on the head. I have a few lumps. Good thing it was a small tree.
I saw no sign of bear or boar, and since the weathermen say tonight will be even colder, I decided to come on home.
Deer opens again this Saturday, and I plan to be back on the mountain then.
blueridger
40 Cal.
- Joined
- Dec 24, 2007
- Messages
- 143
- Reaction score
- 44
Flint Hunter:
Loved your story. Would you mind telling what state and county you were in? I'm very curious.
Loved your story. Would you mind telling what state and county you were in? I'm very curious.
- Joined
- Apr 3, 2004
- Messages
- 15,602
- Reaction score
- 19
Ron, I've spent almost 30 years knocking down obstacles in order to hunt. I don't have a good pair of legs and can't hunt like I'd like to but I do ok. If I can assist you in any way with ideas I'd be more than happy to, feel free to pt me if you like. :thumbsup:
blueridger
40 Cal.
- Joined
- Dec 24, 2007
- Messages
- 143
- Reaction score
- 44
Flint Hunter:
Thanks. I thought you were in Virginia! (I'm from there).
Thanks. I thought you were in Virginia! (I'm from there).
KyFlintlock
50 Cal.
- Joined
- Nov 5, 2004
- Messages
- 1,199
- Reaction score
- 0
A good trek and a good hunt, congrats.
Wess
Wess
Much more than just important, stories have held peoples together and passed along their traditions since before the first cave drawings, those on this forum are a pleasure to read and be able to share one small part of anothers life and experience in a common interest.
