That's All Folks...

[Flint.]

The last day of deer season here in middle Tennessee was this past Friday. I had been hunting nearly every day the last week of the season hoping to get a doe with my 20-gauge Fowler. Loaded with 80 grains of 3Fg and a 0.600" patched round ball, I would only shoot 50 yards max.

Here's my view from the ground:
To the Northwest -

To the Southwest -

To the South -

About 4:45 I saw two deer starting to cross the creek from the Southeast -

The wind, which had been in my favor, shifted and they took off. A few minutes later, the wind shifted back in my favor and here they came again (who knows if it was the same deer). Again, the shifty winds sent them back. The third time was the charm I guess and here they came back after the winds returned to my favor. There were more than two this time and they milled around on the edge of the creek a few minutes before they decided to cross. When they came out in the field, there were six does about 30 yards from the end of my gun to the East -

As you can see, I was already set up hoping that's where I might get a shot (lucky guess). I didn't need to move much to get lined up on a big doe (I already had my gun shouldered by the time they got in the field). I squeezed the trigger when she was broadside and standing still....KLATCH!! Re-cocked and squeezed again...KLATCH!!! What the heck? They never spooked until I went to set the gun down and another deer that was about to cross the creek from the South busted me.

I was a great day in the woods and fun to see some deer up close anyway.....

 

[Christophero]

The Plan almost came together. You were hunting hard and thoughtfully. Something to be proud of, but that doesn't bring home the meat.
I lined up on a nice doe late this afternoon in an effort to fill my last tag on the last day of Mzlder Season. Instead of the ka'boom, the cap didn't ignite and the opportunity was missed. Well, I missed on the second attempt. Hunting, why they call it hunting.

Thanks for the pictures. They really set the stage of where you were and the action that ensued.

 

[Versanaut]

Nothing louder in the woods than the dreaded "KLATCH!" Mine went klatch this year as well. Herd of 6 does and not one spooked, though they were ALL looking for the noisemaker. Got the boom on the second hammer drop.

Thanks for sharing!

 

[Britsmoothy]

Shucks.

 

[Eric Krewson]

That happened to me on turkey a few years back, in my case I was shooting an old Gustomsky trade gun with a leaky pan. (bad frizzen screw hole geometry, no way to fix it) I knew I had to re-prime after I sat down at the base of a tree and started calling because my prime would often leak out as I walked through the woods to my hunting location but this time I forgot.

I klatched on the first slam dunk shot, flipped open the frizzen and saw 5 or 6 grains of 4F in the pan a gave it another quick try. By now the turkey had taken wing and even though the gun went off on try #two I shot way behind him.

 

[jackpine54]

A good day in the woods either way, but man it sure would've been even better with a boom instead of a klatch! Been there. Done that

 

[Ponderosaman]

I had dream last night that in the future we didn’t use shotguns because dogs had wing vests and could fly after the game. We don’t do this thing because it’s easier.

 

[Spikebuck]

Great story and pics!

I have walked out of the woods many times under the stars after the last evening sit of the season, but I always have a smile on my face and give a silent congratulations to those beautiful four-legged wonders that outsmarted me.

 

[SDSmlf]

BOOM and smoke are better, but you will have memories and story to tell. And plenty of time to figure why you had the klatch. That learning curve can be so difficult at times.