I had high hopes for the day, but soon got shot down as the deer seemed to be in running mode....and at long distances too.
I had a group of 5 does go past at 200+ yards, shortly after first light. About 30 minutes later that same group did a fly by, at about 50 yards...at a full run.
Then out of nowhere 3 does show up and park themselves out in the middle of the field at 175+ yards....run back where they came from and I'm watching them at 500+ yards. None of them wanted to go inside any wood lot. Then the original group of 5 does, joined up with these 3 does and they all ran to the north side of the woods I was watching from 500+ yards.
A shot from that woodlot rang out and all 8 of the does were running straight towards me. I sat down on the ground, leaned against a tree and waited to see which direction they were headed next. They all stopped around 70ish yards and gave me some time to find a fat doe in the bunch, settled the crosshairs on the shoulder of a fat doe and squeezed the trigger. Of course, I couldn't see a damn thing with that cloud of smoke, but watched through it to see if any of them was acting wounded or falling behind. Then I noticed a doe laying on the ground, flapping a leg. She dropped where I shot her. Very impressive killing power.
2 White Hot pellets and a Hornady SST 240 gr. bullet from my CVA Optima LR.
I'm officially hooked on this muzzleloader. I recovered the copper jacket, from under the hide on the opposite side of the entrance wound, at the processor.
I had a group of 5 does go past at 200+ yards, shortly after first light. About 30 minutes later that same group did a fly by, at about 50 yards...at a full run.
Then out of nowhere 3 does show up and park themselves out in the middle of the field at 175+ yards....run back where they came from and I'm watching them at 500+ yards. None of them wanted to go inside any wood lot. Then the original group of 5 does, joined up with these 3 does and they all ran to the north side of the woods I was watching from 500+ yards.
A shot from that woodlot rang out and all 8 of the does were running straight towards me. I sat down on the ground, leaned against a tree and waited to see which direction they were headed next. They all stopped around 70ish yards and gave me some time to find a fat doe in the bunch, settled the crosshairs on the shoulder of a fat doe and squeezed the trigger. Of course, I couldn't see a damn thing with that cloud of smoke, but watched through it to see if any of them was acting wounded or falling behind. Then I noticed a doe laying on the ground, flapping a leg. She dropped where I shot her. Very impressive killing power.
2 White Hot pellets and a Hornady SST 240 gr. bullet from my CVA Optima LR.
I'm officially hooked on this muzzleloader. I recovered the copper jacket, from under the hide on the opposite side of the entrance wound, at the processor.