Flintlock season started with a bang.

Congrats. Can't wait till Saturday to get out there myself. 

Good work BT!  Man, you've had a great season by most standards (I know yours are higher than most), but especially considering your circumstances. 
 
Didn't make it out today, but would have liked to with the high pressure moving it.
 
My son and I hunted a green field edge yesterday evening with the x bow.  Thought it would be loaded with deer with the mild temps and south winds, but only 2 does and their skippers came out just before dark.  Set up off of our normal spot for W or NW wind that we hunt for that field.  They came out where they normally do, just didn't make it to us before the light faded.  

Congrats. Big Tuna. Your story should be heard by the PGC and appear in their publications. Certainly does serve as a inspiration to hunters and non-hunters alike that may require, surgery similar to yours.


I sat in my tree for just over an hour yesterday enjoying the sounds of two owls while watching ducks and geese returning to the beaver ponds now, completely free of ice.

About 5ish two antlerless deer made their way from my neighbors pasture, from my north, crossing my field and passing 30 yds by my stand.

I watched as they ditzeled around inside the brushy edge of my neighbors wheat field, just under my 20 yd post.

All would be needed is for one to step into the open, giving me a text book shot. Geese were still comming in and between the splash downs, the sounds of owls continued to haunt the woods.

Daylight was fading as I stood on the platform of my ladder stand. Arrow nocked, release firmily attached, ready for the draw.

Then I wondered, should I get a shot, do I chance the deer turning and running into the thick underbrush, along the marshes edge? Will there be enough daylight to trail a wounded deer across ground now barren of snow? Certainly the snow now forecast for later in the night will cover any blood trail and surely, cover any carcass that may be laying on the ground, making for an even tougher search in the morning.

Geese still landing, one owl now sounding closer as I continued to ponder, when the deer gave me my answer by moving further to my south and never presenting me with that text book shot.

Stupid ditzeling deer.

OHhhh well....... there's always tomorrow.

Antlerless Buck Down! Boy was I dejected when I realized I had just smoked an antlerless buck. Had two deer coming down the ravine edge along the thickets, I passed on the 1st because the second one appeared larger. Boy was I right. He stepped in my lane, and I thought to myself " what a Monster of a doe ". I threw out the  " MAAAAP ". He stopped right there. " KADOOOSH ! " After the smoke cleared I realized it was a DRT ( Dead Right There ) at 55 yards. Upon arriving to the deer, my nephew thought wow, what a monster and new better of it as he than proceeded to check the deers head and quickly came to the conclusion that I had just smoked a monster of a buck who had dropped his antlers already. I quickly got over the fact that he was probably a wall hanger when I came to the realization that this dude will probably fill my whole freezer.
 
BH

Shall be fun tomorrow donning full snow camo in the wilds of Forest county

You'll be OK with the snow camo just pour water on one leg. They'll mistake you for melting snow!

If he's a beginner think earplugs. Helps them not jerk after the fizz.

Hunted archery tonight and had the big 15 inch wide 6 point I saw in November come cruising past at last light. He is a great buck but only 6 points. Only does I saw were walking out. They laughed at me. 

   When I started hunting with Sparky (that's my flintlock) it was terrible and I was very disgusted. I was sold some kind of powder that was a fake kind of black powder and it took forever to go off. Some hangfires were counted in seconds. I shot terrible,and the flash--------boom was unnerving. The next year I bought some real black powder and larger touchole and what a difference, flaboom. I was able to hunt and be successful.
   First year I was discussing my problems with some wardens in the NW Office and told them that with a couple Valiums I thought I could shoot Sparky. Well they all looked incredulous, and I told them with honesty that I had never used Valium but that flash in front of my face unnerved me. Then as I practiced I became more used to the flash (old age slowed nerves possibly ) and can now shoot tolerably well.
   I have harvested 9 deer since ~2000 with sparky and like this year haven't hunted every year. Practice and if the flaboom isn't quick there probably is a reason.

Missed a doe yesterday with the flintlock. Hunted a farm I have not hunted in 5 years. The fellas on the next farm over where driving all day. I ended up seeing 23 including one huge buck that came past me at 15 yards. 

BloodyHand


Just a warning. Shooting that smoke pole can be very addictive. It has also been known to make the most dedicated archers put that bow down for the late season BH

NOooooooo not that!!!! 😱 lol

^^^^^^^^^^^
Oh snap, I forgot about his archery buck. I musta been thinking you can use your buck tag for an antlerless deer in late season muzzleloader . That would explain why no shot on the buck. Sorry DPMS.
 
BH

BloodyHand
^^^^^^^^^^^
Oh snap, I forgot about his archery buck. I musta been thinking you can use your buck tag for an antlerless deer in late season muzzleloader . That would explain why no shot on the buck. Sorry DPMS.

No worries. I was following up on the doe I missed to make sure I didn't hit her. After about 100 yards of tracking in the snow, I heard a stick break and here he comes followed by another doe. He had 4 up on the one side and great mass. He saw me at 15 yards and wheeled around and headed the other way. Looked to be about 17 inches inside as he was headed away.
 
Supposed to get really cold later this week. That should make for some god hunting if we can get a skiff of snow to go with it down here in the SW. Some of my best days in flintlock have been when the temps are lowest.

BloodyHand
Believe it or not, but some of my most productive late season hunts have been during  snow storms and extremely cold. Still hunt the hiils, mountains, crevice sides that are out of the wind. ( ex. North wind, hunt the south facing slopes ). With full dress snow camo and the snow coming down, you can really put the sneak on em. Cover your action with a piece of leather and change your flash powder every half hour.

Yep. I like it colder than heck, windy, and snow showers. Snow camo with light fluffy snow and you can sneak right up on them in the wind and snow.