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Late Muzzleloader


Kevin J Legg

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Decided to take a last sit last night to end the late muzzleloader season. Had a racked buck step out into the field at 250 yards. I had previously used my rangefinder and knew approximate distance. Using BDC scope I put the bottom circle on him using my monopod rest. I couldn’t see anything due to smoke and had no idea really where he ran but did see the other deer run away. Searched last night revealed nothing. No hair, blood or even tracks as snow is very spotty.

Took my wife with me this morning to search again. After an hour no sign of tracks, blood or hair. Continued to search a wet swampy area where they can out and then returned into some the brushy swale where I saw the other deer head. Decided to make one more big loop and the call it quits. Sure enough my wife finds it![emoji3]. It had traveled around 250 yards and left no sign at all. It was hit back and in the liver with no external bleeding.

God was with us!!!! I had prayed earlier that If I had hit it we would find it and if not it would be fine. My wife said she prayed right before she found it. God is good!IMG_1938.JPGIMG_1927.JPG

 

 

 

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Decided to take a last sit last night to end the late muzzleloader season. Had a racked buck step out into the field at 250 yards. I had previously used my rangefinder and knew approximate distance. Using BDC scope I put the bottom circle on him using my monopod rest. I couldn’t see anything due to smoke and had no idea really where he ran but did see the other deer run away. Searched last night revealed nothing. No hair, blood or even tracks as snow is very spotty.
Took my wife with me this morning to search again. After an hour no sign of tracks, blood or hair. Continued to search a wet swampy area where they can out and then returned into some the brushy swale where I saw the other deer head. Decided to make one more big loop and the call it quits. Sure enough my wife finds it![emoji3]. It had traveled around 250 yards and left no sign at all. It was hit back and in the liver with no external bleeding.
God was with us!!!! I had prayed earlier that If I had hit it we would find it and if not it would be fine. My wife said she prayed right before she found it. God is good!IMG_1938.thumb.JPG.ad737547ffa640d4327ab0f948b522a4.JPGIMG_1927.thumb.JPG.b5b0b212f468109eb4cf21a581abd624.JPG
 
 
 
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Congratulations!!


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I got right to skinning and quartering it today as it smelled very rutty. Virtually no fat on it. I have it quartered and in my extra refrigerator. Hopefully It tastes better than it smells. Trying to find some ways to deal with it. Think I’ll age it and the grind with pork, make smoked sausage, jerky, and try to can some. Hope I find some successful ways to use it!

 

 

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Good news on my venison. I boned it out today and carefully cut out the all the fat, silver skin and bloody areas. The flank and rib meat smelled funky as did a small piece of one shoulder but the rest was good. I cooked up a slice of loin and it was yummy and tender, even my wife thought so. Now back in the refrigerator to age another week before packaging.


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Congrats on a fine deer, and giving it all to find it. Just got back from a hunt in snow. Didn't have a shot close enough w my hawken, and good thing. When I went to fire it out, pop, no boom lol. Guess wet snow got in lock. Oh well. Thorough cleaning and try again next time.

Congratulations again. 

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Great buck and recovery story with your wife. Maybe the odor is due to it spending the night without getting dressed out. Glad you were able to salvage most of the meat. 250 yards with a muzzleloader and no apparent sign of a hit you showed really great commitment to go back out and continue the search. You were rewarded.

You are a great Sportsman Kevin.

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Great buck and recovery story with your wife. Maybe the odor is due to it spending the night without getting dressed out. Glad you were able to salvage most of the meat. 250 yards with a muzzleloader and no apparent sign of a hit you showed really great commitment to go back out and continue the search. You were rewarded.

You are a great Sportsman Kevin.

Performance of muzzleloader bullets make a big difference. My solid copper bullets always brings me success. But I never have a very good blood trail no matter where I hit them.

 

 

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Performance of muzzleloader bullets make a big difference. My solid copper bullets always brings me success. But I never have a very good blood trail no matter where I hit them.
 
 
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I haven’t had great blood trails using the TC Shockwaves but they are accurate in my gun and do seem to kill the deer.


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The shockwaves are accurate but lack killing imo.... they just didn’t expand for me.... lost quite a few with them.... switched to Barnes xpb pistol bullets and problem solved.... it’s kinda like bow hunting.... you have to tweek your craft and learn from mistakes....


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The shockwaves are accurate but lack killing imo.... they just didn’t expand for me.... lost quite a few with them.... switched to Barnes xpb pistol bullets and problem solved.... it’s kinda like bow hunting.... you have to tweek your craft and learn from mistakes....


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I’ve not lost any yet and have shot about 10 with shockwaves. I have used Hornady XTP pistol bullets and also powerbelts and all have worked. One question is how much expansion is needed with a .50 cal bullet? It’s already bigger than a .243 if it expanded 2X.
I figure bullet placement is critical and the shockwaves shoot as accurately as my riffles. On the other hand it would expend more energy it it mushroomed better.


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On 12/12/2020 at 3:54 PM, Kevin J Legg said:

 

Decided to take a last sit last night to end the late muzzleloader season. Had a racked buck step out into the field at 250 yards. I had previously used my rangefinder and knew approximate distance. Using BDC scope I put the bottom circle on him using my monopod rest. I couldn’t see anything due to smoke and had no idea really where he ran but did see the other deer run away. Searched last night revealed nothing. No hair, blood or even tracks as snow is very spotty.

Took my wife with me this morning to search again. After an hour no sign of tracks, blood or hair. Continued to search a wet swampy area where they can out and then returned into some the brushy swale where I saw the other deer head. Decided to make one more big loop and the call it quits. Sure enough my wife finds it!emoji3.png. It had traveled around 250 yards and left no sign at all. It was hit back and in the liver with no external bleeding.

God was with us!!!! I had prayed earlier that If I had hit it we would find it and if not it would be fine. My wife said she prayed right before she found it. God is good!IMG_1938.JPGIMG_1927.JPG

 

 

 

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ALL THE TIME!

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The shockwaves are accurate but lack killing imo.... they just didn’t expand for me.... lost quite a few with them.... switched to Barnes xpb pistol bullets and problem solved.... it’s kinda like bow hunting.... you have to tweek your craft and learn from mistakes....


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After doing some research on Shockwaves I think I’ll give the Barnes spitfire T EZ a try. Plenty of penetration and great accuracy but unpredictable expansion with Shockwave. Upon doing some research I found the Shockwaves are not predictable in performance. I have had several deer go well over 100 yards after good hits with little blood to trail. Here’s a photo of the bullet I found in the off shoulder of the buck I shot.
IMG_2020.JPG


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Interesting..this is my shockwave from the Buck I shot a few weeks back. I did break his front leg on the exit side so it may be perfect mushroom because it hit bone. PXL_20210101_193622703.thumb.jpeg.fc3e54b9d4d6e8ca257fead3a9b1a759.jpegPXL_20210101_193609271.thumb.jpeg.c1b12f9c1c34503ebe67b1d62ce1b464.jpeg

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I’ve had some like that but after watching a couple videos on u tube I think they aren’t predictable. Fortunately I haven’t lost a deer yet but have had a couple I didn’t find till the next morning and a couple more that went quite a ways with good hits and little or no blood trail.


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Good to know..I'll have to think on it a little and possibly switch..wouldn't be a fun experience without snow!


I’ve had some like that but after watching a couple videos on u tube I think they aren’t predictable. Fortunately I haven’t lost a deer yet but have had a couple I didn’t find till the next morning and a couple more that went quite a ways with good hits and little or no blood trail.


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Good to know..I'll have to think on it a little and possibly switch..wouldn't be a fun experience without snow!


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I even had patchy snow but no sign of a hit on 4 different deer. Two sleepless nights is enough for me to switch. Hope they are as accurate as the Shockwaves!


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