Carl Aldridge
40 Cal.
- Joined
- Nov 12, 2004
- Messages
- 107
- Reaction score
- 0
I've just arrived in PA from my trip to VA. I enjoyed visiting my family, had a great Christmas, and a great hunt. As you all can see by my signiture I live in Curtisville Pa, but I was born and bred in southwestern Virginia and it has been six years since I've been able to hunt there. After purchasing a three day non-resident hunting licence, I was able to hunt Dec. 27th, 28th and the 29th. On monday the 27th I hunted in Bedford County in the George Washington National Forest. I hunted till 11:00 am, then headed back to meet up with my dad and nephew(mentioned in the "Wish Me Luck" post)when I jumped a doe on the trail, not wanting to waste my exhorbitant licence fee, I shot in haste and missed 
. After licking my wounds, I was back at it the next day. At around 10:00 am I had a beautiful eight plus point buck come by me at a fast walk through thick timber, not wanting to play bumper pool with a patched round ball through dense saplings and small trees I refrained from shooting (IT WEREN'T EASY!) :: Immediatly after that a four point came through with the same results ::Athough I was disappointed, it did my heart good to see bucks in the woods. Well the third and final day of my hunt found me in Bath County VA. (Miles and miles of G.W. national forest) AT 10:30 am I heard something walking towards me through dry leaves, it was a four point buck! It paused behind a huge oak, which allowed me to bring up my .54 Renegade, cock it and set the trigger.(right nice of him) When he came from behind the tree he walked towards me quartering slightly to my right.At twenty yards I let him have it. At the shot he took off running hard. When I got my breathing under control I reloaded, walked to where he was standing, picked up a blood trail, and slowly began tracking. After an hour and half of tracking and jumping him three times he finally piled up. My ball entered low in the brisket pierced the left lung and broke the left front leg.I recovered what was left of the ball under the hide of the leg just above the elbow. This deer traveled nearly a half mile with this much damage and demonstrated great tenacity of life,even though he was a little four point... the hunt,the shot,the chase and recovery, all with a primative weapon is a memory I will cherish for a lifetime. This was my first buck with a flintlock so I am needless to say excited. By the way my dad and nephew (the hostile inline users: were skunked.
. After licking my wounds, I was back at it the next day. At around 10:00 am I had a beautiful eight plus point buck come by me at a fast walk through thick timber, not wanting to play bumper pool with a patched round ball through dense saplings and small trees I refrained from shooting (IT WEREN'T EASY!) :: Immediatly after that a four point came through with the same results ::Athough I was disappointed, it did my heart good to see bucks in the woods. Well the third and final day of my hunt found me in Bath County VA. (Miles and miles of G.W. national forest) AT 10:30 am I heard something walking towards me through dry leaves, it was a four point buck! It paused behind a huge oak, which allowed me to bring up my .54 Renegade, cock it and set the trigger.(right nice of him) When he came from behind the tree he walked towards me quartering slightly to my right.At twenty yards I let him have it. At the shot he took off running hard. When I got my breathing under control I reloaded, walked to where he was standing, picked up a blood trail, and slowly began tracking. After an hour and half of tracking and jumping him three times he finally piled up. My ball entered low in the brisket pierced the left lung and broke the left front leg.I recovered what was left of the ball under the hide of the leg just above the elbow. This deer traveled nearly a half mile with this much damage and demonstrated great tenacity of life,even though he was a little four point... the hunt,the shot,the chase and recovery, all with a primative weapon is a memory I will cherish for a lifetime. This was my first buck with a flintlock so I am needless to say excited. By the way my dad and nephew (the hostile inline users: were skunked.
