Gun Week 2016

[bowhunter1023]

Took the day off, but did drive some. Never saw a deer or any sign of hunters. I suspect it was another quiet day in the 100 acre wood. Tomorrow looks to be a rough one, but it's looking good Thurs-Sunday.

Good luck out there fellas. Be safe.

 

[Clay Showalter]

Nothing but a spike at first light and the same one at last light. My 10 year old son was a trooper for an all day sit

 

["J"]

7 doe, 3 small bucks....
2 of the bucks were 20 yards and curios and wouldn't leave until they got it figured out and then just walked off....
All doe were out range or in thickets....

 

[oakswamper]

Skunked this evening. Debating what I'm gonna do tomorrow

 

[Clay Showalter]

I am not sure what to do tomorrow either, my son is still wanting to go, so we will go. I have to decide to hunt the bottom again or the field.

 

[giles]

Feels good out...I suspect some hunters had some better luck this evening!

I guess we know now why I had the feeling...

 

["J"]

I guess we know now why I had the feeling...

I had the same feeling.... Turned out to be a bowel movement.....

 

[Bigcountry40]

seen 14 monday, could of killed 6 of them at 50 yards or less, 3 others were about 80 to 100 and other 5 were running . Did not see my target buck or anything that tickled my pickle.

 

[Concordmeadowsfarm]

Heard more shots this morning than all day yesterday. Saw same group of does run through twice. Sitting tight got my fingers crossed!

 

[BigZ]

Hey hey!! I hunted yesterday (tuesday) and got skunked. Not a single deer. Sat till 1230 then back in a 2. Nothing. This weather may have something to do with it or the ending of the rut? May have them bedded for a while. Anyone else have any luck?

 

[Hedgelj]

The group hunting the in laws farm have 6 on the ground after Tuesday. No bone of note spotted or shot at.

 

[Bigslam51]

Hey hey!! I hunted yesterday (tuesday) and got skunked. Not a single deer. Sat till 1230 then back in a 2. Nothing. This weather may have something to do with it or the ending of the rut? May have them bedded for a while. Anyone else have any luck?

There's just less deer lol.

 

[giles]

There's just less deer lol.

Not true, it's the weather...

 

[Clay Showalter]

Here is a tale with a sad ending.

Ok I been awake and asleep checking radar it has been pouring rain. About 7 I see that it looks like it will be slacking off so get up go take a poo and about the time I am done I get this picture at 7:16 from trail cam

So jump up wipe my butt, wake up ben and say let's go there is a buck at the corn
We throw on our clothes and out the door we go. We get to the camper he is still eating, so we go to the far end of the camper and I get the shooting stick and deer is still eating


Now a doe has joined him, ben is getting steady as he is trying to shoot standing up.
He pulls and there is a half second delay between cap going off and powder going off
As I watched I didn't think the deer acted like he was hit, he ran up the hill stopped looked back then trotted on up the hill
I listens for him to crash but didn't hear anything. We got in the camper because it started to rain again, I scanned the hill listened and looked.


We waited about an hour in case it was a bad shot and the rain would have washed any blood away. We went down to the spot where the deer was and looked all around and found some corn with what looked like blood that had been absorbed but the corn but never was sure. No blood anywhere else. The rest of the corn didn't have any red like these few pieces did.

Then my son finds this

The bullet missed and was in the ground behind where the deer was.

We walked the hill all over and up and down nothing, even got in the Yukon and drove down the road looking on both sides


This was last picture from cell cam before the shot.

I would say a clean miss, I guess moisture weakened the load and caused the delay. The gun was loaded Monday and never taken inside, never had an issue before.

22 minutes from being on the crapper to taking the shot.

My son is taking it fine, dad not so much, I am sick for him and anything I did that affected it.

He is good about it and understands that a clean miss is better than a bad hit any day. He is already make in the stand ready more than ever to get one.

 

[Bigslam51]

Sorry to hear! All you can do is keep trying!

 

[hickslawns]

I am scratching my head. He found this in the ground close to where the deer was standing? There is little to no expansion or change to the bullet. How was it not buried in the dirt or hundreds of feet beyond the target if he missed? Do you think the load was too light? Not seated properly in such a way that the bullet did exit the barrel but not at the proper velocity?

Don't take this wrong. I know you feel bad. It is a crappy situation. I'd feel horrible for my son. This is just puzzling me. Being a muzzle loader, I want to make sure you haven't overlooked or missed something which could create a dangerous situation. It happens. I have had some muzzle loader issues before. Stuff happens to everyone no matter what the experience level so please don't take this wrong. Strictly a concern for safety if there was an issue with the load, how it was loaded, or the weapon.

 

[Buckmaster]

I'm at Camp all week. Got skunked Monday. Got skunked Tuesday morning. Saw 3 does at a 147 yards Tuesday pm. Slept in this morning do to rain. Headed out for an evening hunt with little expectation. No hunting pressure, too warm, and post rut. If they move it will be along the thick stuff or after dark. They're already skiddish from hearing slight banging on Monday. Gun hunting is a thing of the past with archery season 4 months long. Nov. 6-14 was fantastic!

 

[Gordo]

I'd say the powder didn't ignite properly. Could have been holding a lot of moisture since it was loaded on Monday. Me and my old man used to keep the old Thompson center precision cap muzzles loaded over night back in the day until we had this same crap happen.



Don't beat yourself up too bad over it. Live and Learn.

This story may make you feel better:

First year hunting in Athens, had my dad come down for muzzle loader. He loaded both guns early in the morning before wakeing me up to hit the woods. Sure enough, I had a nice buck come in mid morning. Gun misfired twice with only the cap popping off. I couldn't believe it.

Frustrated, I got down and headed home. I pulled the nipple off to find the 'buffalo ball'(think that's what it was called) ' seated perfectly, with no f'n powder below it. Zilch! None! Nada!

We had pre measured loads of black powder that we'd put in old brass. Our guess was my pops went through the motions that morning, but there was no powder in the brass he grabbed and thought that he had emptied into my gun. Ha. Whoops. It was back to the ole powder horn after that. I don't think I ever let him load my muzzle loader again. Ha. Poor fuggar.

Live and learn.

My buddy last year with his flint lock had the same exact thing happen as you described, except it was about a 6 second delay. He had his gun loaded for 2 days I believe.

Always worth it to clear the gun at end of hunt somewhere and start fresh

 

[Clay Showalter]

I am scratching my head. He found this in the ground close to where the deer was standing? There is little to no expansion or change to the bullet. How was it not buried in the dirt or hundreds of feet beyond the target if he missed? Do you think the load was too light? Not seated properly in such a way that the bullet did exit the barrel but not at the proper velocity?

Don't take this wrong. I know you feel bad. It is a crappy situation. I'd feel horrible for my son. This is just puzzling me. Being a muzzle loader, I want to make sure you haven't overlooked or missed something which could create a dangerous situation. It happens. I have had some muzzle loader issues before. Stuff happens to everyone no matter what the experience level so please don't take this wrong. Strictly a concern for safety if there was an issue with the load, how it was loaded, or the weapon.

We are about 65 feet higher than where the deer was standing so it is a pretty sharp angle down at 75 yards.

We are shooting 100 grains of blackhorn 209 so load shouldn't have been light. Barrel was taped over.

The bullet is a 250 grain Thompson/Center Superglide Shock Wave Sabot Bullets - Bonded.

We have killed several deer with this set up and never an issue.

The gun was loaded Monday morning and had not been inside since then, the only thing I can guess is some condensation got in there and weakened the load. It hit in mud and made a opening about 10 inches long into the ground. We saw the hole and then bullet in the hole.

I was shocked at the bullet condition as well.

I think it is a case of moisture.

 

[oakswamper]

I would say moisture also. With the temp going up and down I'm sure some moisture collected. Thankfully I haven't had the problem since I changed to my Encore

Headed out to sit on the opposite end of the woods tonight, at least I can look at some different squirrels