The last 3 days here in my zone in KY, is either sex. Having already punched my buck tag in the early ML season, I have been waiting as hunting this time of year is excellent! I hunted yesterday morning, cold, damp and windy, nothing moving, then into work. Off today, went by the moon phase, said 8"30am-10am was prime time. I slept till 8am, had some coffee and cereal, loaded my flint rifle and strapped on my Old Army Ruger with my possible bag on the same belt. I went over on a ridge I had not hunted since last year, same season, same day of season. It is a south facing ridge, narrow spine, with a big rock wall about 12 feet high, below the ridge line. The sun comes up and hits this wall and bank, reflecting there, deer like to congregate at this place. I had put out some old apples, and about a gallon of shelled corn there 2 days ago. As I walked out on the ledge, I snapped a twig, very loudly under some leaves, and all heck broke loose! Seven does ran out and hit the crossover trail on the ridge about 90 yards from me. I bleated loud and they all stopped on the old log trace, and stared at me. I was down on one knee, my rifle rested tight against a 2" sapling, good solid hold. I bleated loudly and the lead doe came around the others to one side, and took 3 steps towards me, at a slight rh angle. I aimed for her neck, but I believe I instinctively took the chest shot. I pulled the trigger, and seemed like everything was in slow motion, tunnel vision, hear the flint scrape, pan fired and rifle bucked with the sights on base of the neck. The 80grs of 3fffg sent the 350grain TC maxi hunter I had molded up slamming into the front edge of the shoulder, and as the smoke was clearing, I saw her feet coming back down from a big bucking bronco lurch! She started frog hopping and went over the edge of the bluff where she had came from, and crashed, flopped, somersaulted down a nearly 90 degree bluff for 100yds, till she lodged in a tree. I saw she was good and dead, came back to the house for 2 knives, my back pack, garbage bags and different shoes, put on some 10" tall for support on my ankles. I checked her in via telephone, returned to the scene. I crept down the rock wall and around the side hill, very steep till I reached her. I thanked my maker for another great day here and hunting. Using the gutless method, I split the hide from base of the skull to the tail and peeled it down to the knee and hock. and in 15 minutes, had ham, shoulder, back strap and neck roast all in a bag. Caught my breath, took a swig or two of water, rolled her over and repeated. This was standing nearly straight up and down while doing this, hard work for a old fat arthritic guy with a bad back and bum leg. When done I sat down and enjoyed the warm sun, beautiful view down on lake Cumberland and rested a few minutes, and thought how God has blessed me this year. I had 2 items I attempted to accomplish on my bucket list, one was take a Mule deer, which Johnson 1942 helped me do, and to take my first flintlock deer, which this was. This made my 4th deer this year, one w/bow and3 with a ML rifle, truly blessed! I had to side hill quite away around the hill to come out packing al that meat, and my 285# carcass also. I ended up with about #60 of meat boned out of this huge old doe, I guess her at #130 dressed, and the meat in the pack weighed #62 when I set the pack on the scales. I kept one back strap, since both my freezers are full and have some meat in a buddies. I then washed and butchered the rest, packaged and donated to a local family I know who are having some tough times. They were very happy, and when they thanked, me I told them no thanks needed, I was paying this forward, from a guy named Roger Johnson! Thanks again for all you did for me Roger, I truly appreciate it!
I used a TC franken rifle. It is a 1970's Hawken 15/16ths flint barrel, on a Penn. Hunter stock, hand rubbed finish ,with a tuned lock. Barrel was a little loose, so I glass bedded it, put in a good flint, all she needed when I traded for it. I had been shooting round ball till lately, but when I tried the maxis they shot to same impact, out to 75yds. I was using Goex 3fffg, 80grs, 350 TC maxi I cast, lubed with bear fat and beeswax mixed, bear fat from a bear I killed. This raps up my deer hunting for the year, but what a year it has been. My wife is going out tomorrow evening, to attempt to fill her last tag. A buddy may post pics later tonight or tomorrow, thanks for letting me share!
|
   
   
|
|
Reply With Quote
