Was a long, tough 3 days of our October muzzleloader season here for me. First day drove a half hour south, then paddled the kayak 45 minutes way out in the marsh to a small creek crossing for sika - only to find somebody in a Whaler with a 12' tripod on the bow. Got to a different spot, but the boat motors shut that place down hard for the morning, ya gotta sneak on them marsh ghosts! Hunted at home the rest of the season, third morning before I even saw the first deer. 8:45AM today finally saw movement coming through the oaks and beeches, from the black body I knew instantly it was a sika stag. 25 yard shot, dropped him where he stood. They have a hard time with a .648 roundball! Not one of the monsters I have on camera in night pics, but a very welcome stag to fill the MZ tag on the last day.
Rifle is my 16ga/.66 rifled early Germanic style, Rice early dutch bbl, Chambers lock, plank build, 90 gr FF Goex pushing a .648 ball with heavy cotton duck patching. Bag is from Speedy Hogarth (fellow Choptank club member, was one of his personal bags) horn is a special one from Carl Dumke.
