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A swing and a miss..

ARERHODES

ARERHODES

Active Member
Joined
Nov 6, 2016
Messages
170
At first light I was late getting to my tree. Approached down wind, it was a clear cold crisp morning, the coldest of the year. Just stepped into the edge of the woods after a 700 yard walk from the truck and through the cut bean field. Was advising my friend on where we're going to set up for a rattling session when I saw him.. heavy white horned, wide typical Virginia 8 pointer preparing to step out of the corner of the field. Told my buddy to freeze, his back was to the buck and we had enough behind us to breakup our silouettes. The buck was 110 yds down wind and closing. I was the only one in position for a shot, so I raised my muzzleloader and held as steady as a rest I could off hand. He came to within 70 yards, broadside, stopped, and got sight of us. He gave enough pause for me to squeeze a shot. After the smoke cleared I saw him running back to the wood line, white tail flagging, appearing unharmed... My stomach dropped as my nerves calmed. Gave him 2 hours then began to search. Nothing.. not a hair.. not a drop of blood. Searched the thin strip of hardwoods he escaped to.. nothing.. worried I crippled him, I began running every possible scenario in my head. Then I remembered. In a scatter brained moment, I had grabbed a speed loader off the shelf of my hunting closet, which held a different powder load. Gun was zeroed with pyrodex 100gr but the speed loader had 777 100gr. Same bullet. After shooting 6 or so rounds of 777 today I was almost 24in high at 100 yds.. mystery solved, a clean miss. As gut wrenching as missing such an opportunity, I can sleep well knowing I missed. First miss for the old smoke pole.

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