Or at least the ones that have survived a season or 2.It helps make the other "hunters" predictable. And it tells me where the deer WON'T be during daylight lol.
Or at least the ones that have survived a season or 2.It helps make the other "hunters" predictable. And it tells me where the deer WON'T be during daylight lol.
It just uses regular smokeless powder that you'd use for reloading any modern centerfire cartridge, but you jam everything in the muzzle end like a traditional muzzleloader. I sent off a singe shot 45-70 barrel to a gunsmith to be converted. It will essentially make a rifle that I can practice with a lot for pretty cheap and not have to clean a whole lot (which is another reason I don't practice with my old school muzzleloader). Hope is helps me build some confidence.Yea I can’t tell you how much money we waste on ammo just to shoot skeet up the road. A smokeless muzzle loader? Is this one of the new ones with some special powder or something? Last muzzleloader I shot was probably from like 1900 lol
that is an awesome experience!Did some still hunting/scouting this morning. Found some big fresh yote tracks along the rivers edge at low tide. Followed him to where he popped up the bank into a thicket, knocked an arrow, and started mouse squeaking (pressing my top front teeth on my bottom lip and sucking air between them) not 15 seconds into my sequence this red fox popped out and spent 5 minutes sneaking around looking for the mouse.View attachment 59226
Dropped back down into the river bottom and moved down 150 yards, popped back up and did another squeaking sequence. This time 2 foxes came out at the same time, saw each other and immediately started going at it. First time I've seen that.View attachment 59229
Snow? I thought that stuff was a mythSnowing a bit here this morning. View attachment 59334
You had a better season than me. I recorded just shy of 180 hours. Only saw 18 doe and 4 bucks. Missed one shot opportunity on a buck. I have about two weeks left but my outlook is not optimistic. My biggest issue was missing our archery season and NE Fl rut because of my neck surgery. I’m planning on coming back next season with a vengeance lolWell guys, my season's officially done. I made my last sit of the 2021 season on the morning of New Years day. I hunted hard over the Christmas break and I think I came to the realization that, as much as I might complain about the cold, I actually really like hunting in the snow and frigid temps. It adds to the challenge. I also like the fact that the fresh snow gives me continuous feedback on where the deer are moving. I had a great time even though I didn't close the deal in the late season.
All in all I had a pretty rough season. While I did connect on one "freezer buck", I did miss twice with the bow a decent bucks, had a lengthy close encounter with one of the biggest bucks I've ever seen from a tree without getting a shot opportunity, and worst of all, wounded two that I wasn't able to recover (one nice 8 and one 10). I know it happens, and it has happened to me before (and I'm sure it will again) but it doesn't make it any better. Its funny because while I struggle to remember the details of bucks I've killed even in recent history I distinctly remember all the details of every one I've not recovered. In 48 years of hunting this is buck 6 & 7 I've failed to recover. The last season I list one was 7 years ago, before I was saddle hunting. Its also the second time I've lost 2 in one year.
All in all though, I still have very positive feelings about this year. I saw more "shooter" bucks this year in my favorite hunting area than I have ever seen. In the past I felt pretty good if there was two or three decent bucks being seen. This year I encountered at least 6 different bucks I would have shot if given the opportunity (or was able to shoot straight). For me this indicates that the buck quality is getting better and better, something which I attribute to the APRs in effect in the western counties of lower Michigan. I also thoroughly enjoyed the late season hunting again this year. I do like the cold weather.
From my logs, I spent 225 hours in the saddle (first year I've tracked that) over 73 sits. That puts me down about 10 sits from my average for the year but I did lose a couple of days searching/tracking where I would have otherwise been sitting. I saw 78 deer from the tree over the course of the season (17 bucks, 52 baldies and 9 unidentified).
For those of you with season's still running best of luck and go get 'em!
Hope you're feeling better soon!Today is the last day of TN regular season and I've been at home this whole last week with covid. Thought maybe I could get out today but I still feel like crap. I've had a good season in that 7 deer went into the freezer, but a frustrating season in that I've missed on 2 really nice bucks. First season with zero antlers.
Good luck to anyone who's still got some time left.
Thank you sir! I am on the upside now, but it was not a fun week.Hope you're feeling better soon!