It was a good day I guess. Although I had to leave my rifle range today before I was really ready to go. It started out real good. I had my Traditions Woodsman Hawken Rifle Flintlock all set to go. I was at 60 yards (due to a misjudgment in distance. Actually one reading was 61 yards)

I was loaded with 90 grains of Schuetzen 2f black powder. A brand new can of it. I had a bottle with some home cast roundball .490 size. A long strip of cotton pillow tick cloth, red stripe. And my moose milk. I was set to have fun.

The first shot really surprised me. You see, this rifle when you engage the set trigger, I forgot the front trigger is a real hair trigger and I mean hair trigger. And the ignition is so fast with this rifle, its shocking. So the first shot I kind of pulled you might say.

But I shot until there were no more roundball in the bottle. A total of seven shots. I was not real pleased with the group. I later checked my notes and found the rifle likes 85 grains of black powder. I can't believe 5 grains would have made that kind of spread. But still at 60 yards that would have been a dead deer.

And funny I should say dead deer. I changed targets and rifles. I got out my Remington Genesis. I decided to move the target what I thought was ten yards turned out to be a strong five. So I called it 65 yards. I could have said 66 and been right. I also decided to stick with the black powder and shoot 100 grains of the Schuetzen 2f and some .40 caliber 200 grain blemished Shockwaves in the dark blue sabots. I know this rifle is sighted in at 75 yards with Scorpion 260 grain PT Golds. But I'd shot the little shockwaves in the past and found them accurate.

Prior to shooting the first shot, I was in the rest looking through the scope, trying to get comfortable. And I saw an ear move. You deer hunters know exactly what I mean.



Looking through the Nikon Omega 3-9x40mm scope that sits on the Genesis, sure enough standing five feet behind the target, eating brush, a deer. I know its hard to see here. Actually there are two deer in that picture. For you with the great eyes, look on the right side of the target. Something is looking back at you. Again, hard to see but plain as day in the scope.

So I waited for them to move off. I made noise. But did not really want to shoot as my luck a stray shot would hit one I was not seeing. And it turned out there were three deer back there.

Finally they wandered off. Or so I thought. I even walked back in the woods with my camera of course to double check.



I was standing within fifteen yards, maybe closer to that front deer. The other two were off behind HIM... a nub buck. I stood there and took his picture, even talked to him. But I wanted to shoot!! So I asked them to kindly vacate the property. And they wandered off towards the back marsh. Not in what I would call a real hurry.

Back to the range I went.



Shot number 1 was a clean bore. And this rifle hates clean bores. Number two after a quick swab with alcohol. Then the alcohol feel over and spilled so the next swabs were with good old fashion spit. Shots 3-7 were great. I was very pleased for 65 yards. I swabbed, loaded, looked through the scope, and there 20 yards behind the target I saw a deer raise its head to eat. Its a good thing the deer (a doe and a big one) stretched her neck up to get a high leaf or I would have shot her. So there I sat with a loaded rifle, but could not shoot.

I looked to the left in the clearing behind the new garage addition and there was the nub buck and his sister, standing with in 30 yards of me, watching me. I decided if they wanted to eat... so be it.

I just quietly picked up my rifle, ramrod, and gun bag and walked in the house. Inside I removed the breech plug and pushed out the shockwave. I then spent a long time cleaning the two rifle, and happened to look out the patio door... there were all three standing there in the back yard not 20 feet from the patio door eating the grass in the yard.

I might not have gotten to shoot as much as I wanted but I sure enjoyed seeing the deer.

Great story Cayugad. Usually it's the shooter who runs the deer off, not vice versa.

That Genesis sure does like the Shockwaves. Good shooting!

That's a good shooting flintlock.

cayugad

I am not sure about a 'strange' day but I would certainly classify it as a 'good' day with a live bonus...

Well when your ready to touch the trigger and see that ear flick... wow! I just froze. Did a triple take. And then spotted the other one on the other side. I just wondered... how long had they been standing there?

They are a bit curious and they seem to adapt to consistent noise. There are times they walk right across the trap range while are shooting.

But then isn't it amazing what your eye picks up even though you are focused on something completely different thing. But, then again in your previous profession you probably survived a bit on that ability.

I was just glad I was shooting a 40mm scoped rifle. If I were still shooting open sights, I wonder if I would have seen that.

Thats pretty cool, cant ever recall a deer walking up while target shooting.

Dave,

Been there...somewhat. I've had that happen several times in past years. Deer cross my property to head into the neighbors cornfield but at times they stop to graze in what used to be my back yard. I don't mow it anymore as a yard but I brush hog it down a couple times each summer and they stop and graze on the natural forbes that have started to come back (curly dock, chicory, etc.) so we just wait until they move on to resume shooting. I've never had to quit shooting because they're there, but I've had to wait them out a few times.

BPS

Great story, and some good shooting. I came out of a treestand once with my bow. I was stiff as heck and puled the bow to full draw about 4 times. The last time I pulled I had a doe at 15 ft in front of me and I was aimed dead at her. Another time there was a strange knot on a tree about 60 feet from my stand. I was looking at it with my scope and a deer walked into my crosshairs. Both were tasty. It is fun watching them that close. I have deer in my backyard that I couldnt shoot as they are almost tamed.