My first BP deer my cast bullets!!! Woo Hoo!

[Black Wolf]

Dropped this 5 point yesterday morning at about 20 yards from a tree stand with my CVA Optima shooting 60 grains of T7 using a 250 grain LEE REAL lead cast bullet. Got him in both lungs (one was blown apart then winged the lower part of his lung). Ran about 200 yards. He didn't bleed real hard and it took me about an hour track him due to the intermittent blood - but I got him. By the way, this is my first deer with a muzzle-loader. Woo hoo!

I think he didn't bleed hard because the bullet didn't hit any bone. Yesterday afternoon when I quartered him up I noticed the bullet went between the ribs on both sides; otherwise I'd suspect he'd opened up more on the exit wound. As it was, it just a small hole going out.

Anyhow, my first BP deer kill and at the same time, my first kill with a bullet I made myself. [smilie=w:


http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i72/rterwilliger/Deer5pt2009003sm.jpg

[part_timer]

That's a nice buck. I'm sure suprised that he made 200yards but nice tracking job. Most guys would have given up, way to stick with it.

[RugerFan]

Good job! My CVA Optima Pro has served me well also.

[Blammer]

Good deal! That is awesome!

[dk17hmr]

Good work on recovering a good first muzzleloader buck.

Not knocking your load as it obviously works, but 60gr's seems on the light side to me....than again I only use 75-80grs in my 58 caliber.

[725]

Wonderfull. Congrats.

[Dennis Eugene]

Most guys would have given up, way to stick with it. None,absolutely none of the hunters I know and hunt with would have given up on tracking an animal that only went 200 yrds. And I doubt that most guys would give up either. While I am sure there are some guys who might give up I truly believe that most guys would not. But then that's just my opinion and I like looking at the glass as being half full. Dennis

[outdoorfan]

Congrats!! It's a good feeling to shoot something with your own hand-made boolits.

[Topper]

Congrats on your first ML harvest;-)

[OBXPilgrim]

Good job - another deer for the freezer & one that won't run in front of a car on a NC highway.

Still waiting to get in the woods with a rifle, but I've been stackin them with my bow!!

[crazy mark]

Nice deer and I'd up the load a little also. I run up to 100 grs in 50 cal. I have found 80 Grs seems to work the best in my cap locks. I still don't understand the eastern point count system however. Of course blacktails are plentiful in town and called Grey Ghosts in the woods. I hear your Whitetails are like rabbits. Breeding all over the place. :) Mark

[dk17hmr]

I still don't understand the eastern point count system however

Count the number of stickers he has total and you got it.

[Black Wolf]

Good work on recovering a good first muzzleloader buck.

Not knocking your load as it obviously works, but 60gr's seems on the light side to me....than again I only use 75-80grs in my 58 caliber.

Well, I went with 60 because I got great grouping with my ML at 50 yards using 50 grains. So I figured I could bump it up a tad (10 grains) for hunting purposes while (hopefully) maintaining accuracy. I won't be taking any 100+ yard shot I guarantee it. 50 yds would a long shot, maybe if I'm feelin' a bit frisky 75 yards...at best since I haven't done a lot of practice with this ML.

I have to say though, what I like about MLing is, while I'm out busting them with my ML the neighbors are at home waiting another week for rifle season to open up. I'm sure you bow hunters feel the same way.


None,absolutely none of the hunters I know and hunt with would have given up on tracking an animal that only went 200 yrds.

Not to debate or anything but when you shoot it you don't if the deer went 20 yards, 200 or 2000 yards. What made this 2nd hunt (tracking) difficult is not the distance it went, but rather the lack of blood trail to follow.

[Dennis Eugene]

Oh I understand that tracking can be difficult. The point I was trying to make is that difficult or not any hunter worthy of the title hunter will not give up easily on a tracking job. By the way,and I'm sorry for not mentioning it sooner nice job on a nice buck. Dennis

[Black Wolf]

Oh I understand that tracking can be difficult. The point I was trying to make is that difficult or not any hunter worthy of the title hunter will not give up easily on a tracking job. By the way,and I'm sorry for not mentioning it sooner nice job on a nice buck. Dennis

Thank you kind sir.

By the way...wow - you sure are up there in God's country. I'm curious, did you move up there or were you born there? I ask because that's like the ultimate in outdoor adventure area 24/7.