Missouri firearm opener
11-21-2008, 06:56 AM
#1
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: St. Louis, MO
Posts: 13
Missouri firearm opener
So, I have been lurking around here for a while and thought it was about time I made a post. For the MO firearms opener, I was fortunate enough to get an invitation to hunt my friend's family's farm in Pike County. I brought my CVA Optima Pro, intending to use it, as I had never shot anything but paper with it, but I also brought a .270 as backup. I was informed that the average shot here was aroung 200 yards which kind of concerned me with the muzzleloader, but we set up a 200 yard target, and turns out I could reach out there pretty well.
Opening morning was cold and windy. We didn't see a thing. We went out aroun 2pm for the evening hunt, and I was shaping up to be much the same with snow added. At around 3pm, I saw one deer but it was about 400 yards away. I was beginning to think it wasn't going to happen. I sat for a while longer and saw something to my left. One doe, then two, then a buck nosing them. They stopped about 50 yards from my stand. They had the whole field to move down, but they stopped right there. I put the buck in the crosshairs, squeezed the tigger, and he dropped in his tracks. The does stood there for minute, then ran to the next field where my friend was sitting. I heard what couldn't be anything but his .300 wsm. I heard three shots. He took both the does, one of them being massive. I was shooting 150 grains 777 and 250 grain Hornady Lock n Load Speed Sabot.
He may not be enormous, but I could not be anymore pleased. He is easily my biggest deer yet, and first with a muzzleloader.
http://s477.photobucket.com/albums/r...=view¤t=8.jpg
http://s477.photobucket.com/albums/r...derdeer004.jpg
Sorry, I can't figure out how to actually post the pictures in the body of the post. Also, sorry that his tongue is hanging out in one of the pictures.
Opening morning was cold and windy. We didn't see a thing. We went out aroun 2pm for the evening hunt, and I was shaping up to be much the same with snow added. At around 3pm, I saw one deer but it was about 400 yards away. I was beginning to think it wasn't going to happen. I sat for a while longer and saw something to my left. One doe, then two, then a buck nosing them. They stopped about 50 yards from my stand. They had the whole field to move down, but they stopped right there. I put the buck in the crosshairs, squeezed the tigger, and he dropped in his tracks. The does stood there for minute, then ran to the next field where my friend was sitting. I heard what couldn't be anything but his .300 wsm. I heard three shots. He took both the does, one of them being massive. I was shooting 150 grains 777 and 250 grain Hornady Lock n Load Speed Sabot.
He may not be enormous, but I could not be anymore pleased. He is easily my biggest deer yet, and first with a muzzleloader.
http://s477.photobucket.com/albums/r...=view¤t=8.jpg
http://s477.photobucket.com/albums/r...derdeer004.jpg
Sorry, I can't figure out how to actually post the pictures in the body of the post. Also, sorry that his tongue is hanging out in one of the pictures.
11-21-2008, 09:14 AM
#4
Dominant Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 21,193
RE: Missouri firearm opener
Welcome to the forum. Nice to have you here. If that is you in the picture underclocked posted.. that's beautiful buck. I could not get your links to open at all.
That sounds like a great load you were shooting and a bang flop is hard to pull off. Although that deer in the picture looks like a neck shot. So what do you think of your muzzleloader now?
Again, congratulations.
That sounds like a great load you were shooting and a bang flop is hard to pull off. Although that deer in the picture looks like a neck shot. So what do you think of your muzzleloader now?
Again, congratulations.
11-21-2008, 09:30 AM
#5
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: River Ridge, LA (Suburb of New Orleans)
Posts: 10,917
RE: Missouri firearm opener
Nice deer dasMO. Funny thing about thosetongue hanging pictures, you never seem to notice the tongue until you see the picture. The best thing to do is pull the tongue out as far as you can and cut it off before you start taking pictures.
11-21-2008, 11:27 AM
#9
Typical Buck
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Lake Saint Louis MO
Posts: 723
RE: Missouri firearm opener
I'm going again this weekend as I hunt with my dad and uncle on 5 acres! That's right 5 acres in Hermann. We saw 23 deer opening weekend and I passed on 2 does, the rest we seen were on dead runs through the property. My dad did see several bucks bunched up together and not yet chasing from what we saw. My uncle shot a spike and was within the legal length on the spike restrictions. He had shot him high in the ribs and he fell down. He was using a 12 guage slug and had 1 entry hole and no exit hole when I field dressed. What I discovered was the bullet hit a rib going in and broke it, then on the other side of the ribs 2 ribs were broken and we found the slug wedged between the skin and outside the ribs. The slug had broke into 2 pieces and his shot was only 20 yards. We could not beleive that one. We got a lot of meat off him and I've got jerky for the weekend. I'm going after the 10 pointer I saw during bow season so I'll see if he's around, I hope they are chasing by now. If not we still have 2 weeks after this weekend for muzzleloading season. Nice buck and a great shot.
My dad did see several bucks bunched up together and not yet chasing from what we saw. My uncle shot a spike and was within the legal length on the spike restrictions. He had shot him high in the ribs and he fell down. He was using a 12 guage slug and had 1 entry hole and no exit hole when I field dressed. What I discovered was the bullet hit a rib going in and broke it, then on the other side of the ribs 2 ribs were broken and we found the slug wedged between the skin and outside the ribs. The slug had broke into 2 pieces and his shot was only 20 yards. We could not beleive that one. We got a lot of meat off him and I've got jerky for the weekend. I'm going after the 10 pointer I saw during bow season so I'll see if he's around, I hope they are chasing by now. If not we still have 2 weeks after this weekend for muzzleloading season. Nice buck and a great shot.
11-21-2008, 02:18 PM
#10
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: St. Louis, MO
Posts: 13
RE: Missouri firearm opener
Thanks for the comments. Wasn't a neck shot, he presented me with a very nice broadside shot and I took himbehind his right shoulder. And yes, that is a hot load. I actually had reservations about shooting 150 grains due to horror stories about certain brands of muzzleloaders blowing up. Has anyone else heard this?
