My VT Muzzleloader season

Guest Bob_D

By Guest Bob_D
in Deer Hunting

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Guest Bob_D

Guest Bob_D

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The beginning of muzzleloader season, was frustrating to say the least. Opening day was cold and had winds in the 20+mph range, so that was a wash. I did not even bother going out the first day.

Day two was more productive....well not for me. I heard deer walking a trail in front of the stand I was in about 20 minutes before legal light. After that it was pretty quiet until I had a blast come from 150 yards away. It sounded like VTBowman touched off the smokepole. And he did.....He got himself a nice doe. On my way out to find him, I saw 2 deer down a bank, but unfortunately, I had just answered a call from work and was not prepared for the shot. Come to find out it would not have mattered anyway. I met up with Shawn and we got his deer cut up. No other sightings that day.

I took Monday off from work and decided to hunt the morning. I got settled in "Crows Nest" about 45 minutes before legal light. Right at legal light, I had 4 deer walk up the fence line 50 yards in front of me. I was sitting in the stand and had a great rest, so I put the crosshairs on the bigger doe in the shooting lane and squeezed off a shot. All 4 deer ran about 20 yards and stopped to look around. WTF!!! The trotted off and I got down to look where the deer was. We had fresh snow and there was no blood or hair where the deer was or on the ~80 yards of trail that I followed. That confirmed the clean miss.

I was trying to figure out how I screwed that one up. I was not sure how I could have missed that shot. I took the gun home, cleaned it and made sure everything was tight (it was). I figured I must have screwed up.

That night I took my kids out into the box stand. About 20 minutes before the end of legal shooting, we had 2 doe come from our right and cross in front of us at 70 yards. Mind you this is an open field. With memories of that morning still in my head. I blatted at the deer to stop them. Settled the cross hair and squeeeeeezed the trigger. Both deer take off and stop about 30 yards inside the woods, look around and then trot off. Ok...This is getting old.

We got out of the box stand. Well, as I was getting out the top stud of my sling popped lose and my gun went barrel first into the mud. I'm having a GREAT day now. We went to where they deer was standing and no blood or hair. There was not blood up the trail either. Another clean miss.

Something had happened to my scope in the 4 weeks since I checked it. I mounted a backup scope Monday night, bore sighted and shot it Tuesday. 2.25 4 shot group at 100 yards.

Friday night my daughter wanted to go out (son thought it was too cold....we should have listened to him) so we headed to one of the box stands. The wind was blowing a lot harder then I expected, but the little trooper stuck it out and did not complain once. No deer that night, but she thanked me being her hunting buddy.

Saturday morning I headed back up to "Crows Nest" for another sit. Again I was there about 45 minutes before legal so things had time to settle down. About 7:00 there was a shot just over the hill on the other property that scared the heck out of me. That woke me up.

About 7:30 I have 2 deer come in from my right. 70-80 yards away and headed right to a shooting lane. The first doe steps out into the lane and I take the shot. She mule kicks and heads right up hill. I can see I took out the near shoulder when she is running. She runs....and runs....and runs out of sight. I pack my stuff up and go to where I shot her. VERY little blood. I follow the trail......still very little blood. FINALLY about 150-200 yards UP HILL from where I shot her, I see a deer on the ground. WHEW! I got there and there was almost no blood on the ground near her. All I can figure is the exit hole (which was about 1 1/2 inches) got plugged with a piece of fat or something. When I field dressed her the chest was full of blood.

I called the wife and she brought the kids down for the pictures. I did not get a chance to shoot a deer with my kids, but they still shared in the experience. They even wanted to watch me field dress it.

dad_kids_doe.JPG

Here are some pics of her teeth as well as some from a 2yo. I figure she was about 7.5 yo. Please note that the older doe's gums are gone, but the black line is where they were.

Old doe Molars:

olddoebt1.JPG

2.5yo:

1yobt1.JPG

old incisors:

olddoeft1.JPG

2.5yo:

1yoft1.JPG

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Guest Bob_D

Guest Bob_D

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Re: My VT Muzzleloader season

Thanks guys. She was an old girl and this was probably going to be the last winter for her anyway. She did not have a lot of fat on her. I could not have picked a better one to take out of the herd.

Buckee.....Good thing my kids look like their mother. wink.gif

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