JWCarlson Posted January 4, 2010 Share Posted January 4, 2010 Well, I had Thursday-Sunday off work and my brother had the same days off. Since I've moved 1 1/2 away from home we haven't got to hunt nearly as much... he gets lots of time in the tree bow hunting and harvested 5 deer this year with his bow. We spent Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday evenings out on public land looking for whitetails. As is the game this time of year it's all about FOOD. We found where they are eating. Saw over 40 on Thursday night including a nice buck but he was too far away and came out too late. Saw and had shots at deer every night ranging from 30 yards. I decided I would fill my tag with an adult doe if the opportunity presented itself tonight, we were holding out for a buck but the bucks are feeding in the wee hours of the morning. I took probably the biggest doe of my life (shot a 125 pound (field dressed) MONSTER with my bow a couple years ago). 125 yard shot that looked great. She took about three steps and hit the ground. I high fived my brother and handed off the gun saying "You wanna double?" I knew he couldn't resist. Had a doe at 175 yards but we waited and another adult got to 138. He smoked her. Turned out that my doe got back up and crawled through the brush or fleed in the comotion following the second shot. She went quite a ways but we found her. Nights have been in the negative double digits here the past few nights so it's been very cold for us but what a great time with my best friend! Nick with his packed up on the sled. Me with my doe. Me on left, Nick on right. Size comparison, mine up top. Both adults but the one of mine was quite a bit bigger. Thanks for looking, hope everyone is having a great new year! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clinton Posted January 4, 2010 Share Posted January 4, 2010 Looks like you guys will be eating good, nothing that big out here in cali, only yard deer where I am located. Happy new year and happy hunting Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan W Posted January 4, 2010 Share Posted January 4, 2010 Looks like you'll eat good for awhile. What type muzzle loader do you use? I'm a muzzle loader fan myself, have a .75 cal British Brown Bess and a .62 cal northwest trade gun. Trade gun is cut down to 36 inches. Both are flintlocks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JWCarlson Posted January 4, 2010 Author Share Posted January 4, 2010 Looks like you'll eat good for awhile. What type muzzle loader do you use? I'm a muzzle loader fan myself, have a .75 cal British Brown Bess and a .62 cal northwest trade gun. Trade gun is cut down to 36 inches. Both are flintlocks. This hunt was a .50 T/C Encore... hardly a "muzzleloader" by any standard. But I've killed a few deer with a more traditional muzzleloader (non-inline) percussion caps, etc. No flintlocks though I've always thought it would be neat to hunt with one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan W Posted January 4, 2010 Share Posted January 4, 2010 Having the good fortune to live in Florida I can hunt feral pigs all year round and ike to use the Bess for that. I always make sure I'm next to good climbing tree before I touch off my flinter, nothing like a flash in the pan to alert your quarry. Of course at 9 !/2 lbs, I reckon I could always beat the thing to death with the gun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HWooldridge Posted January 5, 2010 Share Posted January 5, 2010 Nice deer - good sausage makins'...I built a .45 "poor boy" mountain rifle with 42" bbl which is deadly accurate to 125 yds - will easily stay in 2" or better groups with patched round ball. My .54 Hawken will do about the same but is too much lead for our little Texas white tail - although it's a good thumper on feral hogs. Both are caplocks - I have never hunted with a flinter but shot a bit of target with one I borrowed from a friend. A clean one with good flint is as fast as a cap gun - but they can be somewhat sensitive to moisture and you have to get used to the flash. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JWCarlson Posted January 5, 2010 Author Share Posted January 5, 2010 Part of me wishes there were wild hogs in Iowa. They'd make great practice and I've heard they aren't bad eating either! I might have to track down someone with a flintlock and try it... it sounds like a blast. Moisture sensitivity is a big deal here, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bentiron1946 Posted January 7, 2010 Share Posted January 7, 2010 Nice pair of doe you guys got there. I used to have a .45 under hammer Numrich Arms and a .58 Navy Arms Buffalo Hunter, both excellent shooters. I sold the .58 to a friend and he took a bull elk with it, said it drop like a rock. Use a mini ball with 75 grain of black powder. I had put a set of Williams peep sights on it, three shot group about 2" at a 100yds. Navy Arms used to make a nice rifle or I should say Antolia Zola did. I had an engraved 20 Ga. over/under from them for awhile too, nice gun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sukellos Posted January 12, 2010 Share Posted January 12, 2010 Got a T/C .50 cal Renegade FLINTLOCK!. They're rare. I've cusomized mine quite a bit in the 30 or so years we've been together. I also have a .50 cal CVA percussion Mt. Rifle and a 16ga. double barrel flinter and a .54 Sharps paper cartridge breech loader.... and a few other like toys. I was off the hunting circuit for several years due to a bad bout with Lyme's disease, but I'm putting in for deer and elk this year. j.d. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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