MattRaymond
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My 2017 PRB Season
John, I couldn't figure out how to make the images show up in the post...just the links...can you fix that? I used servimg, but couldn't quite get it right...
Hello All,
Like the title says, I'd like to share a few stories and thoughts on my successful 2017 deer season here in CT.
This season I vowed only to hunt with Black Powder and patched round balls. My go to deer slayer is my Lyman GPR caplock, utilizing 80grains of 3f Goex, a .535 Hornady RB, and a .015ish pillow ticking patch lubed with TOW Mink Oil. This load is powerful and accurate for me out to about 100 yards.
Opening day was November 15th. I headed out to a section of public land that is next to a parcel of private land that I have hunted since I was a kid. I've always hunted the private section as it was owned by my hunting mentor and first boss. He passed away 2 years ago and his wife still lives on the property. She would always give me permission to hunt her land, however it has kinda turned into her son-in-laws spot now and it sorta felt like he'd rather not have me back there, if you catch my drift. I know the whole area both public and private well and decided to set up on a fairly steep hillside that overlooks a nice low area of woodland streams and several game trails. I found a nice big oak tree to lean against and piled a few flat rocks next to it on the downhill side to create a comfortable seat and shooting position.
Once it started getting light out, I was concentrating on the low area in front of me when I thought I hear a rustle of leaves behind me. I didn't think much of it and figured it was a squirrel. A few minute later I heard another rustle behind me and to my left. I casually looked to me left but didn't see anything. I reverted back to watching the low area....then the unmistakable snap of a twig to my left and behind me...I slowly looked to my left and at about 12 yards stood a nice fork-horn buck. I eased my GPR over and cocked the hammer...he didn't movebut was looking right into my eyes. I slowly took aim, set the trigger and he still just stood there looking at me. I'm not even sure he took his hoof off of the twig he snapped, like he knew he made a mistake...at that point I sent the round ball his way. He jumped up and went about 20 yards and piled up. Success! The interesting part of this hunt is that with that combo, it's the first time I didn't get a pass through. The ball entered behind his right shoulder and stopped under his hide on the opposite side, having first flattened out to about the size of a quarter. Deer#1 in the freezer...
Fast forward to December 16th. I had to work in the morning but had made it to another small woodlot I hunt during the late season. We had a bit of snow during the week but temperatures were in the 30's, not to bad. I had planned on hunting all afternoon, but after about an hour at my set up, I caught some movement to my right. I was set up at the end of a finger ridge and couldn't see far to the right so I knew it was close. Again, out steps a nice buck about 20 yards away. This one is only a spike, but his spikes are silly long and twist in opposite directions at there ends. Furthermore his body...for a spike...is massive and his hide is a gorgeous Chestnut Brown. I let him take a few more steps to clear a blowdown, cock the hammer and let him have it....boom! He ran hard for about 70 yards and I saw him pile up. Was an easy track in the snow and I double lunged him just above his heart. Overall a great season with plenty of venison for myself and to share with family and friends. Clearly a .535 lead ball is plenty for Eastern Whietails...
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John, I couldn't figure out how to make the images show up in the post...just the links...can you fix that? I used servimg, but couldn't quite get it right...
Hello All,
Like the title says, I'd like to share a few stories and thoughts on my successful 2017 deer season here in CT.
This season I vowed only to hunt with Black Powder and patched round balls. My go to deer slayer is my Lyman GPR caplock, utilizing 80grains of 3f Goex, a .535 Hornady RB, and a .015ish pillow ticking patch lubed with TOW Mink Oil. This load is powerful and accurate for me out to about 100 yards.
Opening day was November 15th. I headed out to a section of public land that is next to a parcel of private land that I have hunted since I was a kid. I've always hunted the private section as it was owned by my hunting mentor and first boss. He passed away 2 years ago and his wife still lives on the property. She would always give me permission to hunt her land, however it has kinda turned into her son-in-laws spot now and it sorta felt like he'd rather not have me back there, if you catch my drift. I know the whole area both public and private well and decided to set up on a fairly steep hillside that overlooks a nice low area of woodland streams and several game trails. I found a nice big oak tree to lean against and piled a few flat rocks next to it on the downhill side to create a comfortable seat and shooting position.
Once it started getting light out, I was concentrating on the low area in front of me when I thought I hear a rustle of leaves behind me. I didn't think much of it and figured it was a squirrel. A few minute later I heard another rustle behind me and to my left. I casually looked to me left but didn't see anything. I reverted back to watching the low area....then the unmistakable snap of a twig to my left and behind me...I slowly looked to my left and at about 12 yards stood a nice fork-horn buck. I eased my GPR over and cocked the hammer...he didn't movebut was looking right into my eyes. I slowly took aim, set the trigger and he still just stood there looking at me. I'm not even sure he took his hoof off of the twig he snapped, like he knew he made a mistake...at that point I sent the round ball his way. He jumped up and went about 20 yards and piled up. Success! The interesting part of this hunt is that with that combo, it's the first time I didn't get a pass through. The ball entered behind his right shoulder and stopped under his hide on the opposite side, having first flattened out to about the size of a quarter. Deer#1 in the freezer...
Fast forward to December 16th. I had to work in the morning but had made it to another small woodlot I hunt during the late season. We had a bit of snow during the week but temperatures were in the 30's, not to bad. I had planned on hunting all afternoon, but after about an hour at my set up, I caught some movement to my right. I was set up at the end of a finger ridge and couldn't see far to the right so I knew it was close. Again, out steps a nice buck about 20 yards away. This one is only a spike, but his spikes are silly long and twist in opposite directions at there ends. Furthermore his body...for a spike...is massive and his hide is a gorgeous Chestnut Brown. I let him take a few more steps to clear a blowdown, cock the hammer and let him have it....boom! He ran hard for about 70 yards and I saw him pile up. Was an easy track in the snow and I double lunged him just above his heart. Overall a great season with plenty of venison for myself and to share with family and friends. Clearly a .535 lead ball is plenty for Eastern Whietails...
<table style="font-family: Tahoma, 'Sans Serif', Arial; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" width="100%"><tr><td style="font-size: 18px;"></td></tr><tr><td style="font-size: 18px;"></td></tr></table><table style="font-family: Tahoma, 'Sans Serif', Arial; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" width="100%"><tr><td style="font-size: 18px;"></td></tr><tr><td style="font-size: 18px;"></td></tr></table>
