AmericanLongRifles Forums
General discussion => Black Powder Shooting => Topic started by: pjmcdonald on December 31, 2019, 10:45:39 PM
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Excited doesn’t cover it! I’ve been hunting for about 10 years. Taken a lot of does. Switched to BP only hunting 4 years ago. Finally got my first buck!
Rifle is a TVM kit I built in Jim Parker’s class in 2017. Roughly a southern mountain style in .50 cal. Also my first build.
A friend invited me up to his camp up on the Mississippi delta, weekend before Christmas. Beautiful place. The main camp house was the plantation home, built in 1850. We milled around the map at 0530 Saturday morning with the other hunters, waiting to sign in and head out. I joked to Richard that my plan was to go out, shoot a deer, come back for breakfast, and take a nap. One of the days when the Lord smiled and agreed with my plan.
Richard dropped me off at a ladder stand down a draw, looking into a creek bottom about 70 yards away. Nice cool morning, though plenty damp from all the recent rain. I settled in, watching the sun start to peek through the hardwoods. Saw the buck about 125 yards but he was staying in the thick stuff. Figured he was gone when he wandered up the draw, sticking to thick cover.
About 10 minutes, or an eternity later, 3 healthy does started down towards me from the general vicinity I’d last seen him. I figured I’d at least get meat in the freezer. As they edged down, following the creek, the last doe kept looking back. So I took a deep breath, relaxed, and let them keep walking. A minute or two later he came in, trailing the ladies hard.
The does split up as the buck came into the clearing. He paused about 55 yards away, trying to decide which one he wanted. I was ready. Dropped him right there.
Again, I was blessed that day. I pulled the shot a bit right. Instead of the lungs, behind the shoulder, clean shot to the neck. Broke his spine.
Thanks for letting me share - it has been a good year!
Paul
(https://i.ibb.co/BTztNq7/FBC18-B92-2168-4-EF5-8-D2-A-8-A492-C0-EB6-F9.jpg) (https://ibb.co/tYm4X8N)
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Good job Paul, nice deer!!!!
Robby
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Good going!
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Boy, that's hard to beat right there...
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Thanks for sharing the good times Paul, and congratulations from a fellow Mississippian.
Carl
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Good job,nice buck, and great story.
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Congrat's, don't you just love it when a plan comes together.
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Nicely done!!! A memory you'll have for life.
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Well done, Paul.
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Great job. That Buck is a great trophy and will be darn fine eating.
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Congrats on a very nice buck an excellent table fare.
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Congratulations.
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Nice job. Congrats!
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Congrats
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Nice looking buck. Congratulations.
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Great job, and with a rifle you built...it doesn’t get any better!
Greg
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Congratulations on a nice deer
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Congratulations! Very nice. Thanks for sharing the hunting story too!
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Congratulations, very nice!
~Tony
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I envy you guys your fantastic deer population. Congratulations to you for your rifle, your patience that paid dividends, and the fine shot you made.
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Congratulations Paul. Great buck and a great experience!
Best regards, Skychief.
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Thank you all! It was definitely exciting and rewarding. Season doesn’t end here until 31 January but I don’t think I’ll have a chance to get back out. I will be looking forward to next year.
Buck weighed in at 230 lbs. Freezer full for me, until my niece visits from college. I’m sure she will raid it.
Pulled the jawbone for the biologists. More knowledgeable folks than me estimated him at 5-1/2 to 6-1/2 years.
Talking with the biologist I work with, estimated deer population in Mississippi exceeds human population. Just at that one camp they need to take at least 40 does to manage the herd. They weren’t even half there.
Thanks again!
Paul
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Carl,
Hail State!
(Class of ‘91)
Paul
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Almost forgot, is that your "Indiana Jones hat" nice ;)
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That's a very large and good looking buck. That type of thrill can't be matched and will be remembered for a lifetime.
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Congrats on taking a nice buck with a flintlock!!
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Beautifully done!
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Good buck, Congrats!