Been reading this forum since Dec. 2009. Thanks for everything I learned from u-al. First Post.

SE Kansas Muzzleloader Hunt

First muzzleloader-First muzzleloader hunt

Arrived in Kansas Thursday 09-23-2010 and that afternoon and set up an Ameristep Dog House blind under a Hedge tree with the blind facing south. I had a brush line directly out the left window and woods out the right window, with pasture and a pond in front of me. Wind was really strong out of the south when we put up the blind.

Friday morning the wind was out of the North and I had 3 squirrels playing in the trees all around the blind. That evening right before sunset 11 turkeys walked from right to left 20 yards in front of me.

Saturday morning the wind was out of the north and I had the .45 cal CVA Apex leaning in the left corner with a Primos by-pod trigger stick leaning against the window in front of me. I had unzipped the big windows down about 4 to 5 inches so that I had a wide field of view left, right, and in the front. About 7:45am I saw a doe out the left window that was going to walk right in front of the blind at 15 yards. I reach for the Apex and by the time I got it shouldered she was in front of me with several does behind her. There were 2 big does in the lead with 2 smaller does and 2 little does. I decided on the big lead doe. They seemed to be concerned about the blind being there, but it didn't spook them. I didn't bother with the trigger stick as I felt that would create to much movement. It was hard getting a good position to shoot because half of them were always looking at me. By the time I was ready I had the barrel of the gun sticking out the right window aiming at the lead doe in front of the blind to the right. She finally got in a position for a broadside shot and I squeezed the trigger. The blind filled with smoke and all the does ran back the way they had come. Then I saw one angling to the south. She ran 55 yards and I saw her go down. I unzipped the back door of the blind for the smoke to clear. When it cleared I zipped it back up and looked at the right window which was down. I didn't remember unzipping it to clear the smoke. When I reach for the zipper I realized that the muzzle blast had blown it out. I found the doe 70 yards in front of the blind. I didn't hunt that evening and went to visit my parents instead.

Sunday morning I was back in the same blind with the wind still out of the North. A little bit before 7:30am I saw a doe standing in front of me facing west. I reached for my rangefinder and apparently took my eyes off of her because all I could see was her neck and head as she lay down and disappeared. Apparently she had bedded down there that night and got up to look at something and laid back down. She was on the far side of the pond about 125 to 150 yards away. I got the Apex ready on the trigger stick waiting for her to get up again.
At 7:30 from the left side exactly the way the does had come by the day before a 6 point buck came walking by. He stopped and looked at me once and started walking again. Just as I was about ready he turned and walked toward me. I didn't want to shoot him in the chest so I held off. He bent over to nibble some grass and I put the crosshairs on his head but didn't like that shot either. He then raised his head high and a neck shot seemed just right. I squeezed the trigger and he was DRT 10 yards in front of me. I didn't think to check out the doe when I shot the buck so I don't know what happened to her. At this point I was tagged out and spent the rest of the trip visiting my parents and other relatives.

Since all of the deer were down wind of me I attribute my good luck to Hunter's Specialty' Scent A-Way (fresh earth).

CVA Apex .45 cal. With Nikon Omega 3X9X40 BDC
100g BH 209, CCI 209M primers, & Precision Rifle 260g Dead Centers