Black Pearl SCORES!!!!!
 

After 6-7 trips to the timber and not seeing a deer, last night I go once again and it's lowers 30's and snowing like crazy. Friends & family think I've finally lost it, but I know ya can't kill a deer on the couch. After sitting an hour and again seeing "0", I hear movement on the fenceline I am on. It's a darn coon coming down it and I am thinking he wants to climb the tree I am in. He finally goes on down the fencerow as I watch him I see movement behind him. It's a 6 pt buck sneaking in. I wanted something bigger this year (don't we ALL?), but decided that my schedule may not allow me much more hunting AND he will beat the heck out of TAG SOUP!

So as he enters the thick fencerow, I raise the Black Pearl (Black CVA Optima Pro 50 Cal) and put him in the crosshairs of the new Nikon ProStaff scope as he starts to exit it. Once he stops, I squeezed off the trigger. He heads away down the fencerow and I wonder...HOW DID I MISS? I couldn't have......I quickly get down and check for blood. Nice blood and hair on the ground where he was hit. I decide to follow up quickly as it was snowing and I didn't want to lose his path. Very little blood trail, but I could follow him in a few snow patchs and the turned over leaves. He went 75 yards and I found him piled up. He was hit with 2 Pyrodex Pellets and a 350gr Hornaday FPB from about 40 yards if that far.

It was a double lung shot but I was dissappointed that he didn't fall in his tracks. I feel it was my fault though. I hit him perfectly where I aimedBUT I once again aimed for the entrance and not the exit as he was slightly quartering too me. So the entrance was perfect, the exit wasback just a little. Live and learn but it does happen FAST. I had to act quickly because in about 15-20 more yards and he would have had my wind.

It did keep the Black Pearls streak alive though. Shot 5 times at deer and she's 5 for 5 on 1 shot kills!

Sorry for the bad picture!

RE: Black Pearl SCORES!!!!!
 

Good deal.I'm sure that deer would have dropped if you hit a shoulder. They don't usually drop when only through the ribs, as you know. I'm hoping to shoot a deer with an FPB this weekend.

Based on the exit hole, do you think the FPB expanded at all?

RE: Black Pearl SCORES!!!!!
 

Hoosier_Hunter1963

Ya Howdy! - nice job - and congratulation to the 'Pearl' - gotta keep those streaks alive...

RE: Black Pearl SCORES!!!!!
 

Hoosier_Hunter1963

Ya Howdy! - nice job - and congratulation to the 'Pearl' - gotta keep those streaks alive...

RE: Black Pearl SCORES!!!!!
 

Uncle Norby,

From what I seen and the lack of a blood trail, I'd have to say not much expansion if ANY. I will also say that it went between 2 ribs on the way through and just grazed one on the way out...so it didn't hit anything hard in it's path! I couldn't believe there wasn't a good blood trail. It was high on the lungs though and of course they fill up on the inside first..........There won't be a speck of meat ruined, but I always shoot for a bang-flop.

I guess he was just as dead 75 yards away as he was if he was a bang-flop! This is only the 5th deer I have ever shot so I am still learning. If the shot would have been more forward, he wouldn't have done much more than hit the dirt. I know it jellied the first lung and am pretty certain it got the 2nd on the way through. You can always improve with hindsight.

I was actually hoping that I would get a chance to take a 100+ yard shot to test my new scope and load. There is that "anterless tag" left........ ;)

He will be some good eatin though! :D

RE: Black Pearl SCORES!!!!!
 

Way to go "Pearl"... You did not let Hoosier Hunter down. You did just what he made you do and for a reward you get his undying admiration and a good cleaning...

Congratulations on that buck HH. I'd of never let one that nice walk by me. You did point out a very good aspect of shooting. All too often people worry about the entrance locationof the bullet and forget the path and exitof the bullet. As you saw, a high lung straight throughhit is lethal, but might not bleed. I always look at a muzzleloader bullet like I do an arrow... where to I want that arrow to penetrate to. So I play a lot of angles in my head when I shoot.

But the main thing is you shot a beautiful buck, and got a lot of great eating not to mention memories. Good write up too. I really enjoyed it.

RE: Black Pearl SCORES!!!!!
 

Good going HH. Nice buck there, and you're right - you can't kill a deer on the couch.

RE: Black Pearl SCORES!!!!!
 

Cayugad & Semi,

I am still learning. It all happens so fast sometimes....you just want to place it in there quick before the flag flies. He is a real nice deer though. You are right, the Pearl put it just where I aimed her and that's all I can ask of her.

Semi, I actually thought about YOU last night while I was in the stand. My family told me I was "INSANE" being out in that snow and cold. I was thinking to myself...maybe only "part way"....:D BTW, I don't really think that's a bad thing!

Best of luck to all this season. May all hunters besafe before, during and after their hunts and may their aim and bullet be true for a quick andhumaneharvest.

RE: Black Pearl SCORES!!!!!
 

I would expect the FPB to do exactly what it did in this case. I agree, he would have dropped if hit through the shoulders. Any way you look at it, good shootin' and some good eatin' on the way.

I'll post the perfomance I get with FPBs if lady luck should smile on me tomorrow.

RE: Black Pearl SCORES!!!!!
 

Good job. And he will taste better than tag soup. I have a big pot of chili simmering on the stove to take to the camp. Have about 4 lb of venison burger in it.