It happens....

[MrTom]

I hunted yesterday afternoon thinking that two days of brutal wind and unseasonable cold may have deer off beds and looking to feed, so I headed right to the stand area that had 17 deer pass me on the opener. I was looking to fill my doe tag. In 3 1/2 hours I saw one buck. At about 4:30 I decided to take a short walk over to a picked corn field to see if the deer that like to hole up in amongst some houses decided to come out and offer themselves to the black powder gods....and they were there, all 31 of them. 21 of these deer were 500 yards out and I was running short of time and it was time to go I figured so I stood up after glassing the masses only to find that while I doing so 10 others wandered up from a swale in the field where I couldn't see them and were not 50 yards away and staring holes in me. Slowly I got the gun up [.45 cal Kodiak with a converted 209 plug] and laid the crosshairs on a nice doe that was absolute perfect broadside and fired. Pop went the primer, then a second later kapow. Of course the deer flew at the pop. My fault and pure haste.

When I was readying the gun I had three primers laid out to blow thru the plug to make sure the barrel fouled a little and to be sure the flame channel and fire hole were completely clear. I normally push a patch down the bore ahead of a jag so it stays in front of the plug. When the primers go off they blow the patch out so I know things will work. I completely spoofed doing this and it cost be a deer.

I guess what was so amazing was that that many does and fawns headed right into those houses and the wood lots around them as soon as the orange brigade hit the woods. There are only three houses there and I can't imagine having that many deer lay up so close to them. I guess I'll be changing battle plans for tomorrow. Including making sure things will operate. In all the years on muzzleloading [since 1969], this is the first hang fire I experienced in an actual hunting situation, so I was due the thrill but why when I had a perfect shot? lol.

 

[ENCORE50A]

I hunted yesterday afternoon thinking that two days of brutal wind and unseasonable cold may have deer off beds and looking to feed, so I headed right to the stand area that had 17 deer pass me on the opener. I was looking to fill my doe tag. In 3 1/2 hours I saw one buck. At about 4:30 I decided to take a short walk over to a picked corn field to see if the deer that like to hole up in amongst some houses decided to come out and offer themselves to the black powder gods....and they were there, all 31 of them. 21 of these deer were 500 yards out and I was running short of time and it was time to go I figured so I stood up after glassing the masses only to find that while I doing so 10 others wandered up from a swale in the field where I couldn't see them and were not 50 yards away and staring holes in me. Slowly I got the gun up [.45 cal Kodiak with a converted 209 plug] and laid the crosshairs on a nice doe that was absolute perfect broadside and fired. Pop went the primer, then a second later kapow. Of course the deer flew at the pop. My fault and pure haste.

When I was readying the gun I had three primers laid out to blow thru the plug to make sure the barrel fouled a little and to be sure the flame channel and fire hole were completely clear. I normally push a patch down the bore ahead of a jag so it stays in front of the plug. When the primers go off they blow the patch out so I know things will work. I completely spoofed doing this and it cost be a deer.

I guess what was so amazing was that that many does and fawns headed right into those houses and the wood lots around them as soon as the orange brigade hit the woods. There are only three houses there and I can't imagine having that many deer lay up so close to them. I guess I'll be changing battle plans for tomorrow. Including making sure things will operate. In all the years on muzzleloading [since 1969], this is the first hang fire I experienced in an actual hunting situation, so I was due the thrill but why when I had a perfect shot? lol.

Things do happen. The old saying of...... 'its not if, but when'.

All my years and finally this year I caught myself, well before shooting, that I had loaded two bullets. First time ever in all these years. THUS THE IMPORTANCE OF WITNESS MARKS.

Good luck with the next discharge.

 

[HC]

The temperature yesterday may have contributed to the hang fire also?

 

[MrTom]

It was a balmy 5 degrees but I was using a Winchester [blue box] primer, the same as I have used for years and never had a cold or moisture issue. I honestly think there was something in the plug from cleaning it last time that I missed and not taking time to run the primers cost me. The forecast for today is calling for snow and they've moved the start time up now so I might have to go back and take a different sit location. I'll wait a couple hours and see what the wind is going to do first...direction. If its south or west its a good wind for me. Its warmed up over night. When I shut the tv off last night the temp was up to 13 degrees ahead of this snow and is 19 degrees now. They forecast almost 30 by late afternoon. These deer like to move and feed well ahead of weather so.....

 

[michiganmuzzy]

A hangfire is what pushed me to learn more about MLs instead of just doing it to extend the season. Cost me a nice 8pt. Best thing to happen to me (except getting married.)

 

[BuckDoeHunter]

Sorry to hear about the poof. I had a no-fire on a nice 8pt a some years back, it was my fault for running a stock plug in a CVA rifle when using BH.