Today is the last day of muzzleloader season and I don't get to go out. As the season goes, it was a bit of disheartening. I got to go out more this year than last year, so that was good. I hunted in probably the coldest weather I've ever hunted.
Yesterday I really thought was going to be a good day. We had a blizzard that started Friday night and lasted until about dark last night. Yesterday afternoon I gave up on plowing and decided to go hunting instead. I've yet to find anything still hunting in the woods, so I figured if I was going to it would be in a blizzard.
About 5 minutes into the hunt, right after I walked off the dirt road and into the first stand of trees and while I was still getting the safety off the Disc Extreme, I had a deer jump about 10 feet in front of me. I ran around the front edge of the trees hoping to catch him cutting through the cornfield but I just missed him. I got on his tracks and followed him back to where I was originally going to hunt, as I've seen a few there before the season started.
Here's where the really disappointing part starts. I stopped at a small opening deciding which way to go. I was looking to the left where the tracks I was following went when something to the right caught my eye. I looked over and saw a HUGE body. It was just behind a row of bushes, and I seriously had to stare at it to make sure it was a deer (there's rumors of a couple bears back there.) I couldn't tell if it was a buck or not, and honestly I wasn't looking real close at the head. I waited for it to turn broadside and fired. I was rewarded a sickening little pop. I know it was more than just a primer going off, but there was almost no smoke or kick. I reloaded and they were too far back in the brush to have a clean shot. I trailed them for another hour, and realized that in the storm things looked a lot different than they normally did and I didn't really know where I was at. I figured I better follow my tracks back and made it home just after dark.

At least you're seeing deer--unlike me!

It's the age-old question...is it better to have loved and lost (seen a deer and missed) than never to have loved at all (not seen anything)? I say you have the advantage over me

Buck up: it happens to all of us...it'll make the next time you do drop that big deer that much sweeter.

And amen about the woods changing big time after a snowstorm! You're a better hunter all the way around after that experience--another positive for you moving forward.

These has been a disappointing season for me as well. I was off on vacation for the 9 day ml season here, it was extremely hot and saw 1 deer the entire season. Modern gun wasnt much better a few small bucks and does, but nothing decent to shoot. I have 4 game cams out and still only seeing small bucks and does, I think its about time to put a doe or 2 in the freezer for some meat.

Well not getting a deer is no end of the world. At least you got to get out and try. And best of all, you did see deer. So it was not a complete loss. That was some blizzard yesterday.

It was definately a learning experience, and that's always a good thing. Just gets a little frustrating sometimes. Oh well. Hopefully next year. I think if I could have got out for a few afternoon hunts it would have made a difference. I think with as cold as it's been this season they're waiting until later in the day to move much.

Did you figure out why your shot didnt go off? Your season this year sounded like my last years season. This year was pretty good; 1 muzzleloader buck, 1 archery doe. I just got back from a squirrel/ turkey hunt. Best weather of the year-25 to 40 degrees and clear skies,lite wind. We got a fair amount of squirrels and 1 turkey.