Hi all,
I don't post much on here, but I do read a lot. I thought I'd share my success story this past Sat. (Dec. 1) here in MN.
After striking out all last year I was kind of bummed. This year's been hectic with work and a new baby, so aside from an hour or two here and there, I only had ONE day to go deer hunting. It's muzzleloader season, so I went up to a friend's property a few hours away. Left Sat. morning at 3:30 am and was in the stand by 6:30 before dawn. Sat there till 11:30 or so with nothing to show but cold, foggy drizzle to show for it.
Decided to move to another stand that's on the edge of a powerline field with tree lines on both sides. At about 12:30 or so I see movement approx. 100 yards away. Now after seeing NOTHING all last year for two straight days at this property, I was practically jumping out of my skin. A DEER! Hooray! Looked like a nice fat doe. Perfect. I have no use/want/desire for antlers, so I really WAS excited for some delicious doe meat.
It appeared to be moving from one tree line (the one I was closest to) across the field to the other side. I pulled back the hammer on the T/C Impact and it actually stopped and looked my way from the "click". I was very surprised it heard it from that far. It kept feeding... I sniffled a little bit... It looked up again, then kept feeding....
I am shooting open sights, so I really wanted it to come closer for a more sure shot, but it was not walking toward me, just perpendicular to me. Then I realized I'd sighted this load in at that distance and to just trust the gun. It was just beyond the 100 yard line I'd ranged as a landmark when I first got in the stand. It was almost to the other tree line when I thought, "...well, if I shoot, I might miss, but if I don't shoot, I'll definitely lose her..." So I put the front bead on her and squeezed.
Of course, I see nothing but smoke for three or four seconds. When it clears, I look and I "think" I see a grey blob out there and nothing is running. Then another two seconds later, I make out the distince shape of a deer squat down on its behind, fling its head back and flop over backwards.
SUCCESS! I think I must watch too many hunting shows because I looked around for someone to fist-bump! No camera guy, so I had to pump my fists for joy all by my lonesome! I sat there for a few minutes making sure it really was down, then I climbed down and reloaded the gun.
I walked over to the deer (no tracking since it went literally two steps before flopping down) and I see two little spikes!!! From a ranged 117 yards in the fog and drizzle, I could not have seen the little 5" spikes on the little guy's head.
I almost felt bad I'd killed a little 1 1/2 year old, but then I realized how amazing and tender he'll taste! The bullet entered high in the back, behind the lungs and near the spine, and exited a little lower on the opposite side. It blew a star-shaped hole in the liver, but the spine was not severed. I don't know if the "shock" killed it or what, but the heart and lungs were undamaged. It was as close to a bang-flop as I could get though, so I was happy.
My load was two 777 pellets under a 250 grain T/C Shockwave bullet in the yellow Super Glide sabot. I think I'm more pumped I was able to nail him with open sights than anything else.
So, the pic is attached. It's nothing to compare with the monsters you guys shoot here, but you have to remember it's my second deer ever at the tender age of 38, and the first with a muzzleloader. I had him home, skinned and deboned by 8 pm. All before my wife got home from her scrapbooking day so she didn't have to deal with the hanging and being butchered in our garage. (I closed the door too for the courtesy of my neighbors; they already think I'm weird when I'm casting bullets or reloading in there). The meat's been outside on my deck in the cooler on ice since Sat. night. I checked last night and the bag of ice still hadn't melted much. I'm going to do the final cuts and freezer wrapping tonight.
Anyway, that's my story. Please don't hate on a relative rookie for killing a spike!
Sorry, I can't post the pic here and I'll get lost dealing with the "off-site" pic hosting sites. If it's ok with the mods, I can post a link to another forum where I've copied and pasted the verbiage. I won't do that until I get an OK though.
Emrah[/img]
I don't post much on here, but I do read a lot. I thought I'd share my success story this past Sat. (Dec. 1) here in MN.
After striking out all last year I was kind of bummed. This year's been hectic with work and a new baby, so aside from an hour or two here and there, I only had ONE day to go deer hunting. It's muzzleloader season, so I went up to a friend's property a few hours away. Left Sat. morning at 3:30 am and was in the stand by 6:30 before dawn. Sat there till 11:30 or so with nothing to show but cold, foggy drizzle to show for it.
Decided to move to another stand that's on the edge of a powerline field with tree lines on both sides. At about 12:30 or so I see movement approx. 100 yards away. Now after seeing NOTHING all last year for two straight days at this property, I was practically jumping out of my skin. A DEER! Hooray! Looked like a nice fat doe. Perfect. I have no use/want/desire for antlers, so I really WAS excited for some delicious doe meat.
It appeared to be moving from one tree line (the one I was closest to) across the field to the other side. I pulled back the hammer on the T/C Impact and it actually stopped and looked my way from the "click". I was very surprised it heard it from that far. It kept feeding... I sniffled a little bit... It looked up again, then kept feeding....
I am shooting open sights, so I really wanted it to come closer for a more sure shot, but it was not walking toward me, just perpendicular to me. Then I realized I'd sighted this load in at that distance and to just trust the gun. It was just beyond the 100 yard line I'd ranged as a landmark when I first got in the stand. It was almost to the other tree line when I thought, "...well, if I shoot, I might miss, but if I don't shoot, I'll definitely lose her..." So I put the front bead on her and squeezed.
Of course, I see nothing but smoke for three or four seconds. When it clears, I look and I "think" I see a grey blob out there and nothing is running. Then another two seconds later, I make out the distince shape of a deer squat down on its behind, fling its head back and flop over backwards.
SUCCESS! I think I must watch too many hunting shows because I looked around for someone to fist-bump! No camera guy, so I had to pump my fists for joy all by my lonesome! I sat there for a few minutes making sure it really was down, then I climbed down and reloaded the gun.
I walked over to the deer (no tracking since it went literally two steps before flopping down) and I see two little spikes!!! From a ranged 117 yards in the fog and drizzle, I could not have seen the little 5" spikes on the little guy's head.
I almost felt bad I'd killed a little 1 1/2 year old, but then I realized how amazing and tender he'll taste! The bullet entered high in the back, behind the lungs and near the spine, and exited a little lower on the opposite side. It blew a star-shaped hole in the liver, but the spine was not severed. I don't know if the "shock" killed it or what, but the heart and lungs were undamaged. It was as close to a bang-flop as I could get though, so I was happy.
My load was two 777 pellets under a 250 grain T/C Shockwave bullet in the yellow Super Glide sabot. I think I'm more pumped I was able to nail him with open sights than anything else.
So, the pic is attached. It's nothing to compare with the monsters you guys shoot here, but you have to remember it's my second deer ever at the tender age of 38, and the first with a muzzleloader. I had him home, skinned and deboned by 8 pm. All before my wife got home from her scrapbooking day so she didn't have to deal with the hanging and being butchered in our garage. (I closed the door too for the courtesy of my neighbors; they already think I'm weird when I'm casting bullets or reloading in there). The meat's been outside on my deck in the cooler on ice since Sat. night. I checked last night and the bag of ice still hadn't melted much. I'm going to do the final cuts and freezer wrapping tonight.
Anyway, that's my story. Please don't hate on a relative rookie for killing a spike!
Sorry, I can't post the pic here and I'll get lost dealing with the "off-site" pic hosting sites. If it's ok with the mods, I can post a link to another forum where I've copied and pasted the verbiage. I won't do that until I get an OK though.
Emrah[/img]
