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First muzzleloader hunt ever - sucess!

6K views 29 replies 27 participants last post by  great white hunter 
#1 ·
After carrying the bow in the late season for the past 27 seasons I finally decided to try this muzzleloader thing out. I purchased a used Traditions PA Pellet last winter. I took it to the range a few times and put quite a few shots through it learning quite a bit after each shot. I have it hitting a paper plate consistently at 50 yards so I was feeling pretty good about it.

Fast forward to this afternoon...I was really chomping at the bit to try my new smoke pole so I decided to cut out of work a tad early (working from home has its benefits). I headed to a pretty protected field with a good deal of standing corn remaining. I had a good feeling I would see some deer. I set up on the ground just off of the field behind some decent cover. Around 4:30 I heard a deer approaching the field. It entered the field about 40 yards from me and started to feed, however it did not present me with a decent shot. As it milled around for about 5 minutes it finally offered me a broadside shot at 35 yards. Smoke filled the air and off the deer ran with its tail up...I thought I had missed it, but watched it run down though the woods until it was out of site (40 yards). I loaded up again and went to check for blood. Nothing! I headed in the direction I last saw it looking for blood the whole way, still nothing! After about 60 yards I found it piled up behind a tree belly down. Double lung!

To say I was thrilled is an understatement! I have killed many deer over the years and have passed on even more, but though this is not the biggest deer in the world, to have success with my muzzleloader on my very first hunt with it and first shot is awesome. I am hooked big time!

I learned quite a bit about muzzleloading from searching on this site and it paid off!

Now I am heading to the hills tomorrow for the weekend to see if I can't make it 2 for 2!

 
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#10 ·
Frontier,

I am using 100gr pyrodex pellet (2-50s) with Powerbelt 245gr and ffff Goex in the pan! For a entry level gun I am pretty pleased thus far.

I am already researching what gun to upgrade to in a few years when I hand this one down to my oldest boy when he starts hunting.
 
#17 ·
Mike,

There are better guns out there, but for the price I don't think you can beat it for an entry level gun or a low budget gun. From what I am reading I am most likly going to upgrade the plastics sight (but it seems to be doing its job so far!). I do know one thing already, I will never own a ML without a removable breech...this is a great feature! The gun is a breeze to tear apart and clean too!

And as I learned on here I have more invested in accessories then the gun itself! LOL
 
#18 ·
Nice following up job, sounds like no sign of a hit at all...congrats!!!!!

I have been an off and on flintlock hunter for 20 years, usually depends on if there is a buck tag hanging, and I never got a deer with one. I hit one once, but another guy got it and missed several.



ANyways, I got a couple 1/2 day hunts coming down at my Dad's and I hope to be posting about my first flintlock deer.

First tiem, First shot....VERY NICE!
 
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