Have You ever done anything plain Stupid while Hunting with your MLer?
11-14-2010, 04:42 PM
#1
Nontypical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Northern Chautauqua Co. N.Y.
Posts: 2,976
Have You ever done anything plain Stupid while Hunting with your MLer?
Let's hear Your Blunders while you were Hunting with your MLer. Here's a few of Mine that I'll never forget.
I shot a Big Doe one evening, I saw it was a Perfect Shot so I did'nt bother Reloading My Mler. I figured I'd collect My Doe, drag Her out and go Home and Clean My Mler. Meantime My Buddy heard My Shot and said dont drag her all the way out I'll come with the Truck and meet you at the gas Well in the Corn Field, I agreed. I dragged the Doe to the Gas Well, a little exhausted I laid the ML accross her and laid on her waiting for My Buddy to come.
Meantime I saw a Big Bodied Deer cross the RR Tracks and come into the Cornfield. Now the Deer was working his way twords My other Buddy who was in a Stand not far from the Deer and figured he'd take it. As I watched the Deer he kept looking My way and sniffing the air as he worked his way accross the field. Now the Deer was in range of My Buddy but he wa'nt shooting so I looked in My Scope and saw it was a BIG 10 Pointer and he was still sniffing the air and comming My way.
Now Im still confused as to why My Buddy was'nt shooting him and now the Buck is comming closer, he's about 75 yds from me and closing the distance. Im NOT Loaded and now starting to Panic as he's HUGE and comming, sniffing the air and comming right for me.
Now as Im laying flat on the Ground Im trying to open My Fanny Pack and get out My Bullet and Sabot and more Pellets. There's a Steel Fence around the Gas well and Im on the side of it trying like hell to get loaded fast while Im laying on the ground hiding next to the Doe, the Bucks closing the gap Fast!
Now it's hard tyring to reload your Mler while layng on the ground and having the Buck of a lifetime watching you and now he's about 30 yds. I get the Pellets in, XTP loaded and I cant believe the size of this Buck and how he doe'nt see me but just keeps sniffing the air and comming, he's now 20yds away. I get My Primer out and all I have to do is get in in. While keeping a eye on the Buck Im trying to load the Primer and it wont go in, I cant take My eyes off the Buck as he's now at 15yds and It's hard to move, he's a Monster!
The dang Primer WONT GO IN......finally I have to look to see why and when I shot the Doe as I never reloaded I also never removed the spent Primer. I get the spent Primer out and the new one in and close the breech and look up, he's looking right at me at about 8yds!
I slowly try to raise the MLer and he runs away!!!!! I cried! The Buck was about a 160 Class 10 Pointer with about a 20"+ inside Spread with a-lot of mass. He was mine if I'd only reloaded My MLer after I shot the Doe. It was still legal shooting time, I still had My Buck Tag so why the heck did'nt I just reload! So ALWAYS Reload reguardless, especially if it's still Legal Hunting time, anything can happen at any time, it cost me a Monster Buck.
Now after the delema, I found out My Buddy that did'nt shoot never saw the Buck, he was SLEEPING in his Stand. Dangerous, not really as we build Permanent Stands that are Safe and Big and you just cant fall out of em, he was embarrassed. Now I figured out the Doe I shot had to have been in Heat and that's why the Buck kept sniffing the air and came right to me from a-long way.
One other quick one.....It was 74 Degrees and 45 mph winds, I was a stander on a Drive, but I figured I'd see nothing so I just layed in the field and got some Sun. I looked up and at about 75 yds I saw a Massive Buck looking at me, I raised the MLer, pulled back the Trigger, Aimed and CLICK!!!!!!!!!!! NO Primer, he ran away. I never put one in, again the Missing Primer got me.
(BP)
I shot a Big Doe one evening, I saw it was a Perfect Shot so I did'nt bother Reloading My Mler. I figured I'd collect My Doe, drag Her out and go Home and Clean My Mler. Meantime My Buddy heard My Shot and said dont drag her all the way out I'll come with the Truck and meet you at the gas Well in the Corn Field, I agreed. I dragged the Doe to the Gas Well, a little exhausted I laid the ML accross her and laid on her waiting for My Buddy to come.
Meantime I saw a Big Bodied Deer cross the RR Tracks and come into the Cornfield. Now the Deer was working his way twords My other Buddy who was in a Stand not far from the Deer and figured he'd take it. As I watched the Deer he kept looking My way and sniffing the air as he worked his way accross the field. Now the Deer was in range of My Buddy but he wa'nt shooting so I looked in My Scope and saw it was a BIG 10 Pointer and he was still sniffing the air and comming My way.
Now Im still confused as to why My Buddy was'nt shooting him and now the Buck is comming closer, he's about 75 yds from me and closing the distance. Im NOT Loaded and now starting to Panic as he's HUGE and comming, sniffing the air and comming right for me.
Now as Im laying flat on the Ground Im trying to open My Fanny Pack and get out My Bullet and Sabot and more Pellets. There's a Steel Fence around the Gas well and Im on the side of it trying like hell to get loaded fast while Im laying on the ground hiding next to the Doe, the Bucks closing the gap Fast!
Now it's hard tyring to reload your Mler while layng on the ground and having the Buck of a lifetime watching you and now he's about 30 yds. I get the Pellets in, XTP loaded and I cant believe the size of this Buck and how he doe'nt see me but just keeps sniffing the air and comming, he's now 20yds away. I get My Primer out and all I have to do is get in in. While keeping a eye on the Buck Im trying to load the Primer and it wont go in, I cant take My eyes off the Buck as he's now at 15yds and It's hard to move, he's a Monster!
The dang Primer WONT GO IN......finally I have to look to see why and when I shot the Doe as I never reloaded I also never removed the spent Primer. I get the spent Primer out and the new one in and close the breech and look up, he's looking right at me at about 8yds!
I slowly try to raise the MLer and he runs away!!!!! I cried! The Buck was about a 160 Class 10 Pointer with about a 20"+ inside Spread with a-lot of mass. He was mine if I'd only reloaded My MLer after I shot the Doe. It was still legal shooting time, I still had My Buck Tag so why the heck did'nt I just reload! So ALWAYS Reload reguardless, especially if it's still Legal Hunting time, anything can happen at any time, it cost me a Monster Buck.
Now after the delema, I found out My Buddy that did'nt shoot never saw the Buck, he was SLEEPING in his Stand. Dangerous, not really as we build Permanent Stands that are Safe and Big and you just cant fall out of em, he was embarrassed. Now I figured out the Doe I shot had to have been in Heat and that's why the Buck kept sniffing the air and came right to me from a-long way.
One other quick one.....It was 74 Degrees and 45 mph winds, I was a stander on a Drive, but I figured I'd see nothing so I just layed in the field and got some Sun. I looked up and at about 75 yds I saw a Massive Buck looking at me, I raised the MLer, pulled back the Trigger, Aimed and CLICK!!!!!!!!!!! NO Primer, he ran away. I never put one in, again the Missing Primer got me.
(BP)
Last edited by Breechplug; 11-14-2010 at 04:45 PM.
11-14-2010, 04:58 PM
#2
Dominant Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 21,193
Well once I went out with my .54 Renegade and was sitting in a blind. I had waited and waited all season for a shot at a legal deer. Then I heard walking coming towards my blind. It was coming up out of the marsh which was kind of strange as there was no trail really over there. When I studied the area I saw nothing but horns walking towards me. I mean the buck I had waited for all my life was walking towards me.
I pulled back the hammer and rested the rifle on the sticks I had and just worked on controlling my breathing. The deer came behind an old dead fall and all I could see was his head and a little part of his neck. But he'd clear that dead fall any second and then he'd be broadside at about 20 yards.
Suddenly the buck stopped and was looking back towards the marsh. I was shocked but sat still. He then turned straight away from me and began to walk real slow away. All I could see was the back of his head and his rack and ears. I thought about shooting him in the back of the head, but was sure he'd stop and turn. About a second later he put a large Balsam between me and him and walked right back into the marsh.
I should have shot but I wanted his head on my wall so bad, that I did not want to blow a hole in his head.
I pulled back the hammer and rested the rifle on the sticks I had and just worked on controlling my breathing. The deer came behind an old dead fall and all I could see was his head and a little part of his neck. But he'd clear that dead fall any second and then he'd be broadside at about 20 yards.
Suddenly the buck stopped and was looking back towards the marsh. I was shocked but sat still. He then turned straight away from me and began to walk real slow away. All I could see was the back of his head and his rack and ears. I thought about shooting him in the back of the head, but was sure he'd stop and turn. About a second later he put a large Balsam between me and him and walked right back into the marsh.
I should have shot but I wanted his head on my wall so bad, that I did not want to blow a hole in his head.
11-14-2010, 05:22 PM
#3
Fork Horn
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Ohio
Posts: 166
I was never comfortable with a loaded muzzy hanging from a rope or lead as I brought it up to the stand. I like to hunt at 30 feet from a climber, so I figured that if the muzzy was dropped even without the primer it could go off. I know, I know, it can't but I was hard headed. It took a while to trust powder. After all, we load our shotguns once the gun is i the stand right?
So you guy's know the effort it takes to climb 30 feet with all your gear. All the sweating. All the prep in the stand.
Henceforth, it should only take a few seconds for the first load. And I will do it at light, when things settle down from my noise and when I can see without my headlamp. When I quit sweating.
Well, here comes the morning light, along with the deer...right.
So in go's the powder, then the sabot, then a quick snap of the ram-rod with the Jujitsu flip of the hand to get the loading jag in the end of the bore, only to watch it helicopter it's way out of my hand to the earth 30 feet below.
Of course, deer don't like the sound of a metal drumstick hitting a white oak tree root. Nor the subsequent harmonic vibrations of it as it cartwheels down between saplings that act like taut harp strings.
Yeah, it's so great to see white flags springing outwardly land-side, like a reflection on water during a 4th of July firework display.
If it was not for the fact that I have $850.00 dollars into my muzzy it might have followed the rod in similar fashion.
So, the moral of the story is...
That's hunting,
D
So you guy's know the effort it takes to climb 30 feet with all your gear. All the sweating. All the prep in the stand.
Henceforth, it should only take a few seconds for the first load. And I will do it at light, when things settle down from my noise and when I can see without my headlamp. When I quit sweating.
Well, here comes the morning light, along with the deer...right.
So in go's the powder, then the sabot, then a quick snap of the ram-rod with the Jujitsu flip of the hand to get the loading jag in the end of the bore, only to watch it helicopter it's way out of my hand to the earth 30 feet below.
Of course, deer don't like the sound of a metal drumstick hitting a white oak tree root. Nor the subsequent harmonic vibrations of it as it cartwheels down between saplings that act like taut harp strings.
Yeah, it's so great to see white flags springing outwardly land-side, like a reflection on water during a 4th of July firework display.
If it was not for the fact that I have $850.00 dollars into my muzzy it might have followed the rod in similar fashion.
So, the moral of the story is...
That's hunting,
D
11-14-2010, 05:36 PM
#4
Nontypical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Northern Chautauqua Co. N.Y.
Posts: 2,976
Well once I went out with my .54 Renegade and was sitting in a blind. I had waited and waited all season for a shot at a legal deer. Then I heard walking coming towards my blind. It was coming up out of the marsh which was kind of strange as there was no trail really over there. When I studied the area I saw nothing but horns walking towards me. I mean the buck I had waited for all my life was walking towards me.
I pulled back the hammer and rested the rifle on the sticks I had and just worked on controlling my breathing. The deer came behind an old dead fall and all I could see was his head and a little part of his neck. But he'd clear that dead fall any second and then he'd be broadside at about 20 yards.
Suddenly the buck stopped and was looking back towards the marsh. I was shocked but sat still. He then turned straight away from me and began to walk real slow away. All I could see was the back of his head and his rack and ears. I thought about shooting him in the back of the head, but was sure he'd stop and turn. About a second later he put a large Balsam between me and him and walked right back into the marsh.
I should have shot but I wanted his head on my wall so bad, that I did not want to blow a hole in his head.
I pulled back the hammer and rested the rifle on the sticks I had and just worked on controlling my breathing. The deer came behind an old dead fall and all I could see was his head and a little part of his neck. But he'd clear that dead fall any second and then he'd be broadside at about 20 yards.
Suddenly the buck stopped and was looking back towards the marsh. I was shocked but sat still. He then turned straight away from me and began to walk real slow away. All I could see was the back of his head and his rack and ears. I thought about shooting him in the back of the head, but was sure he'd stop and turn. About a second later he put a large Balsam between me and him and walked right back into the marsh.
I should have shot but I wanted his head on my wall so bad, that I did not want to blow a hole in his head.
(BP)
11-14-2010, 08:49 PM
#5
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: River Ridge, LA (Suburb of New Orleans)
Posts: 10,917
Unlike you guys, I've never done anything stupid while hunting with a muzzleloader (unless you want to count bringing #11 caps to the stand in case I needed to reload my Omega).
11-14-2010, 09:11 PM
#6
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Staunton,Va
Posts: 3,713
a couple seasons ago, when FPB's first came out. I had them loaded up, I was in the same area I shot my first deer the year before. it was doe season (my favorite time), an group of 5 does and an couple of yearlings came my way. I was up on an embankment, leveled the gun, snapped off the first shot. missed, so I hurry to load an follow up shot, cleared the primer, down the barrel, THE FPB would not load up for me. could not get it start. I am fighting, for some reason the deer in this area run towards shots, 50yrds and closing still could not get the bullet started, 35yrds, got in the barrel but can;t get an good start with the short starter, 25yrds they stop and look at me, bullet half way day and gliding in, and set, go to set an primer. jump an fence to an farm I can't hunt.
will never again go out hunting with out practicing reloading an hard to set bullet or even having an back up set up with me if I do have an hard to set bullet.
will never again go out hunting with out practicing reloading an hard to set bullet or even having an back up set up with me if I do have an hard to set bullet.
11-15-2010, 06:04 AM
#7
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Virginia
Posts: 1,473
Yeah, I’ve done something reeeeeeeeeeally stupid already. I say “already” ‘cause this is my first season with a muzzleloader. I shot a deer this past Saturday, late in the morning. It went right down but I couldn’t see it any longer from my vantage point. While reloading my gun (just in case), I heard some scuffling in the leaves and determined it was still alive. I started climbing up the mountain, trying to sneak around to the rear side of the deer, ready for another shot, just in case. Well, I slipped on a rock and fell on my way up. It was the best fall I have EVER taken because, upon impact, I heard my gun make a strange rattling sound. It was then I discovered that I had SOMEHOW forgotten to remove the ramrod from the bore!!! If I hadn’t fallen, it’s possible that in the moment I may not have noticed the rod still in place. A second shot turned out being necessary, and although I don’t know exactly what would have happened with that ramrod still in place, I imagine it might not have been pretty.
11-15-2010, 06:29 AM
#8
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Posts: 3,813
Sent a ball down my GPR without a charge. I am not sure who was more surprised at the flash in the pan, me or the deer.
~~~~~~
Was sitting against a tree, just kind of dozing, when I heard the brush moving a short distance behind me. The sound got closer. Not moving a muscle, I focused on keeping my breathing under control.
It came closer, heck it even felt like the ground was thumping. Closer still, yes, I can definitely feel him moving. How big is this guy??!!
Then she moo-ed...
Amen!
~~~~~~
Was sitting against a tree, just kind of dozing, when I heard the brush moving a short distance behind me. The sound got closer. Not moving a muscle, I focused on keeping my breathing under control.
It came closer, heck it even felt like the ground was thumping. Closer still, yes, I can definitely feel him moving. How big is this guy??!!
Then she moo-ed...
So, the moral of the story is...
That's hunting,
That's hunting,
11-15-2010, 11:16 AM
#9
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Anne Arrundle County, Maryland
Posts: 1,672
Here's a good one for you.Last year I purchased a ground blind,my first.On my first outing with it,it was early morning about an hour before light,and I had the blind all set up and was getting comfortable and setteling in for the hour wait for sunrise.I had my Hawkins with me and pulled the hammer back then pulled the set trigger and started to relax.There was a thread a while back about quirks we have when hunting with muzzleloaders.I never responded to it but my quirk is that after pulling the set trigger I always have to check to see if I've pulled it a short time later.So as I sat in my new blind relaxing I began to wonder if I had pulled the set trigger. So in the darkness of the blind and the rifle resting in my lap I reached down and pulled the set trigger.BOOM!Scared the crap out of me but I wasn't shot and figured no big deal,only a half inch hole in the blind.Untill a second later the blind started leaning to the side.I had hit the 1/4 inch support wire in the corner of the blind and ruined the darn thing.Unreal.Of all the places to shoot it I had to hit a support wire that's only 1/4 of an inch wide.Well,that sucker went in the trash and I finally bought a new one this year.I will certainly be a hell of a lot more careful from now on.And another reason why I have moved to inlines.
11-15-2010, 11:19 AM
#10
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Virginia
Posts: 1,473
Here's a good one for you.Last year I purchased a ground blind,my first.On my first outing with it,it was early morning about an hour before light,and I had the blind all set up and was getting comfortable and setteling in for the hour wait for sunrise.I had my Hawkins with me and pulled the hammer back then pulled the set trigger and started to relax.There was a thread a while back about quirks we have when hunting with muzzleloaders.I never responded to it but my quirk is that after pulling the set trigger I always have to check to see if I've pulled it a short time later.So as I sat in my new blind relaxing I began to wonder if I had pulled the set trigger. So in the darkness of the blind and the rifle resting in my lap I reached down and pulled the set trigger.BOOM!Scared the crap out of me but I wasn't shot and figured no big deal,only a half inch hole in the blind.Untill a second later the blind started leaning to the side.I had hit the 1/4 inch support wire in the corner of the blind and ruined the darn thing.Unreal.Of all the places to shoot it I had to hit a support wire that's only 1/4 of an inch wide.Well,that sucker went in the trash and I finally bought a new one this year.I will certainly be a hell of a lot more careful from now on.And another reason why I have moved to inlines.