Gotbuck

Hey guys. I had an exciting second weekend in Missouri's rifle season in which I killed a big doe with my muzzleloader. It was saturday about 10 minutes before legal shooting time ended and it was getting dark in the woods. I spotted a big blur in the woods about 70 yards and guessed where it had stopped. So I raised my gun and looked through the new scope ( Redhead 3X9X40) I got on vacation this year and low and behold it was like looking at daylight. The scope really brought out the remaining light and as a bonus the crosshairs where on a mature doe which was broadside. I hit the safety and Boom! Flames and smoke. I seen her walk off and hear a fall. I went and got Dad and was so excited I could not speak as that is just so awesome. He got down and we tracked where I thought she had went. I had him all over the place where I thought she had gone. We looked around and we bothsaw a big white belly beside the roadbed, it was her. She actually went opposite where I thought she had gone. There was a massive blood trail where she was and we saw where she had stumbled. She was 50 feet from where she was shot. Dad and I were out of breath from dragging her to camp. I had hung up a new deer hanging contraption ( 2X4's nailed to a tree in the photo) and we initiated the boards. It took three of us, my dad, uncle and me to get her up. You see I put the upper board a little lower than I thought and the deer would hit her head when my uncle had tied her up. It was like the three stooges and pretty damn funny. We got her up and examined the bullet hole, which was a complete pass through the front. The next morning we fried up the tenderloins in homemade gravy and added cannopolies. That was some good breakfast. We hunted some more and then deceided to process her. We got 30 lbs of meat and it would have been more if I did not lose the front quarters on her. You can see the bullet holein the photo. I was using the Shockwave 250 grain Bonded bullet with the supplied sabot using 2(50 grain) Pyro Pellets. As we processed her the next day, the front quarters were found to be all bloodshot from the impact she had taken from the shock. We could not salvage them for roasts or anything else. The gun I use is a Traditions Lightning Bolt 50 caliber with a fluted barrel. I had a modified load carrier as you can see on the stock that holds three extra loads. All it is, is a 12 guage slip-on carrier. You first put it on the stock, then you have to stretch the areas where you want to fit your load carrier enough so that you can fit the tubes. Do not pull too hard or they will tear. This saturday is the official start of muzzleloader season that goes until December 3. We have seen big bucks around where we hunt and there was little hunting pressure on the 5 acres we hunt. That's right 5 acres. The property had a ditch that runs along the property line in which it slopes up on both sides. The three of us always shoot down into the ditch as the deer will walk in the ditch for security before going in the adjoining fields. You don't needhundreds of acres to get deer every year. My dad and uncle lost count on how many deer they killed here throught the years and it looks to be that way for a long time. Thanks dad for taking me hunting. Good luck to all those still out there freezing waiting for the big one.

Gotbuck

Here's the bullet hole

Gotbuck

Here's my toy.

cayugad

Gotbuck - congratulations on the doe... Nice hole those shockwaves leave. Now you have more deer to hunt, so good luck in the future as well.

Steve8511

What is that set up for holding your extra powder and rounds you have on you stock? Nice.

coyote170

Nice deer congrats!

Gotbuck

Steve8511, the holder for the extra loads is a slip on 12 guage shotshell holder I got at walmart for 5 bucks. Slide it on your stock with some effort as it is a stretchy material. The load holders are made by Traditions and I think Knight and Cva has them as well which would fit also. You need to stretch the holder and really work to get them to fit but they will fit snug and do not move. I have it set up so that the powder pellets are inverted on the bottom so that when I need to open them they fall in my hand the right way, so when I load them in the gun, the powder side goes into the barrel. The top part holds the bullet. I seen a similar product that TC makes but they want 29 bucks for it. It's the same idea and works for me.