Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting Deer redemption - season saved with the muzzleloader

Well, I was supposed to have a training flight today, but we were canceled due to maintenance. So, I called up a hunting buddy to see if he wanted to go for pheasants (same guy I went goose hunting with a few days back). He asks, "why don't we go deer hunting instead?" I asked him if he knew of a good spot and he told me he did. Since I'm out of chances for state buck tags, I bought a season choice antlerless tag in the area we'd be hunting and got my gear together. Now, knowing how the various seasons have gone so far (skunked at a GREAT archery spot, missed several shots during rifle season, and lost a yearling buck that I wounded only to have a buddy kill him later that day), I wasn't sure my luck was worth taking afield for deer again this year. My pride got the better of me and decided I'd give it one more try, this time smack dab in the middle of muzzleloader season.

Now, I've wanted to kill a deer with my flintlock for a while now, but I haven't shot it in forever and have no clue where it's zeroed anymore. The other option was my T/C Omega inline which I knew (or so I thought I knew - more on that in a minute) was zeroed at 50 yards. I set that short zero back when Nebraska still limited you to a 1x scope and I haven't bother to change it since. I hadn't shot this rifle in about 4 years, but at least I remembered where it was zeroed (again, so I thought.)

My buddy pointed me to an exact spot between two large cottonwoods and swore me that there would be deer there right at last light. Lo and behold, at around 4:45PM, deer start moving through the area. Long story short, a pair of does walked out in front of me, but at 117 yards - WAY past where I was zeroed. I chose the front doe as my target since she appeared a hair closer than the other. She looked tiny through the this non-magnifying scope, but I could make out her silhouette clearly enough to place a shot. I thought about waiting for them to get closer, but it became obvious that wasn't happening. So, I held high on the doe's back and prayed for paydirt.

BOOM - smoke - dead deer.



I couldn't believe it, but the shot went exactly where I had aimed - high in the back, hitting her in the spine and dropping her dead right there. So much for "knowing" my 50 yard zero was good. At any rate, at least I'll have tender venison to fill the freezer.

Good deal, and don't forget that famous phrase, " I'd rather be lucky than good, any day"


maddog

That's right, Maddog. I'll take my luck and run with it if it keeps bringing home the bacon.

So... You won't be joining our deerless support group?



Congrats.