I went out Saturday morning, excellent morning, saw 3-4 bucks (couldn't identify one of them, may have been a "duplicate" sighting) lol a few does, really there were more deer out in No Man's Land (I call it that cus the owner won't give anyone permission to hunt it, it's a great spot too) than there have been all year. I watched a nice buck chasing a doe all overheck for an hour. I shot at a doe and missed. We had estimated where I shot her at about 100 yds (never stepped it off) and I shot low. Knew I didn't hit her, she just stood there, so I went to reload and realized I left my caps in the truck... SH*T! So I was fishing through my pockets and found one, I was thrilled! BUT... it was only to find out that instead of grabbing a container of pyrodex and one of bullets, I had grabbed two of pyrodex... so I didn't have another bullet. I got down quietly, she didn't see me, went to the truck and got what I needed.

When I got back, she was still there. I had reloaded and was just getting my crosshairs on her when I see a buck (nice one) come out of the corner of my eye. I shot at him, shot low again (once again, mis-estimated distance). I thought I had hit him though, his back legs flew up and he ran away with his tail down, but I found out later, after hubby packed up the kids and drove 1/2 hour to track that I had shot low. So... I then took the second shot at doe, she was still there... missed low AGAIN!!! If I woulda known the correct distance I woulda known to put the crosshairs up, but unfortunately, without a rangefinder I was SOL. Then another large buck comes out, shoot at him... missed him too. He was at the exact same spot as the doe was.... I was so honked off. I am buying a BIG scope next weekend with the Christmas money from my mother-in-law. I was disgusted with myself, but it made me feel better that I missed at the stepped off 140 yards rather than the 100 yds I THOUGHT I had missed at.

So anyway, it was a bad day and good day all in one, at least I had something to shoot at for the first time since gun season opened! I went out Sat. night, took my daughter with me and sat in the blind, only saw two. Sunday morning nothing and didn't go last night, I was drained. **sigh** Need a bigger scope AND a rangefinder... probably woulda had a nice buck AND a doe within 2 minutes of each other.

I have only ever missed one deer before, my first year hunting, so I was pretty depressed, but I guess that's all part of the game, eh?

So much for the whole "1 shot 1 kill" motto..lol.

What type of scope do you have on your muzzy? I have a 3x9x42mm...I wish it was a 4x12 though. Even with the 3x9..a 125+ yardshot is sorta difficult unless you've practiced at that range.


One thing that really ticks me off..is that a few guys I work with use rifles during firearm season. I know I've seen guys hunting with them..and suspected others of using them at the ranges they've shot deer...but c'mon bro...do you really need a rifle in Indiana?! I'd say ½ of if not moreof my shots are less than 40 yards...bow and gun.

I'll be out this week hunting, still got that bonus tag left. I need some more burger so we can make summer sausage. Plus i owe my uncle some venison for helping me drag my buck across a 2.5 foot deep creek. And if im real lucky, maybe my wife will kill the monster if he walks by

It was 1 shot 1 kill last year... these deer were just dumb enough to stand there long enough for me to reload... a LOT. LOL I was frustrated, but I'd rather take 4 shots and miss at standing deer than be like the fruitcakes around me that I hear EVERY year, BANG! BANG! BANG! And you KNOW they are shooting at a deer running across the field! Sheesh... I went to muzzleloader and STAYED with it because it is more accurate at longer distances, but it definitely helps to know WHAT distance you are shooting! [:@]

Thank God my buddy Jesse has a range finder. Usually..one of the first things we do after we hang a stand is range a few familiar objects around us...such as a big tree...or a rock in the middle of a field...just to get a baseline distance. VERY helpful when the season starts!

Personally Pat I like big scopes. Not in power but in size. Hardly ever buy one under 44 mm and with the 50's out now it is usually a 50. But as to power I usually go with a 4 or 6. Like a good field of vision but then again as I said befor I doubt if I can get a shot of over 50-60 yards in this woods. Lots of crap. Stopped off at the processors Sat. they were checking in Ill bucks about 4 or 5 to 1 to Indiana deer. It was sorta on the way home and I was hungry and did not want to fix my own lunch. Wife and Grand Daughters were off shopping, hair done or something. I got to go shopping Sunday. Got to keep the peace, watched the Colts later. Did not hunt Sunday or today. Maybe tomorrow.

The Black Diamond drew blood tonight. I got to see a lot of deer movement tonight. The night started with three does behind me on the next property at about 4:50. I have seen these does moving the last couple of hunt at around 4:50 every time, they feed off slowly. At 5I saw some movement in the brush to my right about 80 yards away. A small 6 point steps out and starts to feeding my wayin the cut corn field. After about ten minutes a small doe steps out in the same place. Theyfeed straight toward me andpass by at 9 yards. As they were passing by, I see some more deer step out around the bend at about 200 yards away. A total of5 does and 2 button bucks are feeding out in the field from me. They slowly feed towards me. But I mean very slowly. After about 45 minutes the have only closed to a 140 yards. As light starts to fade and know this group after seeing it many times over the year,I decided to take the shot. I found one of the biggest does(153 dressed) and took aim. 127 yard shot with a BD XR 110 grains of powder and a 240 grain XTP put the bullet in the center of the heart and still had enough power to pass all the way through. The doe only made it about 40 yards before falling.

Hick, I hunt edges of woods/fields mainly...so 75% of my shots are in the clear...that's why I go with a higher power scope. I also like the bigger lenses..and 50mm is almost like night-vision..lol. Expensive in most cases, but well worth the money.

I forgot to say, I am not sure what powermy scope is, it's fairly small, but lets a ton of light in, which I like because I can hunt right up to and a few minutes after legal time... did I just say that? Um... I mean, I can shoot until legal time... My watch is slow... yeah, that's it... slow watch.

I want a rangefinder, but I don't want to spend $200 on it... maybe next year, this year has already cost me wellover $1000. I could probably get one on ebay at a fairly reasonable price though... may have to check into that.

I got a question for you guys. I bought a bonus tag this year for the first time. My question is if i use it during shotgun season am i still allowed to purchase a muzzy license and then take another doe? I thought i was allowed to which is why i paid 24 dollars for the "bonus" tag but my uncle is trying to tell me differently. He says if i use it with a shotgun then i cant hunt muzzy season since i have taken a buck and a doe.