First Whitetail with a Muzzleloader

Legionnaire · October 17, 2011, 10:13 AM

I've been hunting for many years, but just this last year got hooked on black powder. I've been shooting cap and ball revolvers and flintlocks for several months, and also bought a 209x50 barrel for my T/C Encore rifle. I'm still breaking in the flintlocks and have yet to determine optimal loads for them. But the Encore seems to really like a saboted .44 caliber 240 grain XTP over 100 grains of GOEX FFg.

PA's early antlerless muzzleloader season started Saturday. I was out on a friend's farm but didn't see anything all day. It was windy, and not even the squirrels were very active. I saw some sign, including a couple of fresh rubs (noted for the regular season), but nary a deer. Saw a couple of hunters on the adjacent property late in the day, but I gave up before the end of shooting hours and packed it in.

I took today (Monday) off from work to get out again. I was on stand by 6:45 a.m., a good 45 minutes before legal shooting hours. Weather was calm and dry with temps in the upper 40s, predicted to get up into the low 60s. After about 10 minutes, I heard something working it's way through the woods in front of me, coming down a ridge line from left to right. About 7:10, a solitary deer emerged from the thick woods into the more open woods around my stand. Still too dark to tell if doe or buck, but it worked its way to within about 10 yards of my stand, at which point I could tell it had no antlers.

Still 20 minutes until legal shooting hours. During that time I watched that critter wander all over my field of fire, browsing, nosing about, and doing what deer do when they are oblivious to human presence. About 7:25, close to legal hours but not quite, I took advantage of the deer having moved about 40 yards away and standing behind a tree to cock my Encore. Her head came up immediately as she tried to identify the source of that unnatural sound. She didn't, and continued to browse around.

I checked my watch several minutes later and good to go. By then she was about 50 yards out, quartered toward me. The crosshairs rested on her right front shoulder, and the 240 grain XTP went through the shoulder and both lungs. Never experienced the cloud of black powder smoke blocking my vision before; as it cleared, I saw that the doe was already down, about five yards from where she had been standing.

Not the largest doe I've ever shot--in fact, she was pretty small. But first ever with a muzzle loader, and one for the freezer in mid October ... I'm more than satisfied. Still have my PA buck tag and multiple tags for NY, so hoping this one is the first of several this year. And since I still have time today, I'm headed to the range to keep working on one of my flintlocks. Gotta be ready for primitive muzzleloader season in December!

EMN89 · October 17, 2011, 11:41 AM

Way to go! I shot my first deer with a black powder last season and fell in love with it.

2damnold4this · October 17, 2011, 01:11 PM

Congrats!

Legionnaire · October 17, 2011, 02:50 PM

Thanks! I think I'm hooked, too. I think maybe I'll take the Encore to NY instead of my shotgun this year.

Brian Pfleuger · October 17, 2011, 02:59 PM

Nice! Make sure you stop in for pizza while you're up here!

Legionnaire · October 18, 2011, 07:27 AM

Planning on it, schedule permitting. Regards!

jhnrckr · October 19, 2011, 09:23 PM

pictures please

Legionnaire · October 19, 2011, 09:52 PM

Quote:

pictures please

Sorry, I forgot to take my phone with me, so no pics from the field ... and a smallish doe in the back of a pickup isn't worth inconveniencing a zillion electrons (modern equivalent of wasting film). However, next time I have the gun out, I can shoot a picture of it.

MOshooter65202 · October 19, 2011, 10:25 PM

Always a rush when the smoke clears!! Congrats!

Rifleman1776 · October 20, 2011, 08:35 AM

Muzzle loader or one of thos stainless steel, plastic stocked inline monstrosities?

Scorch · October 20, 2011, 12:36 PM

Any first time is special. Congratulations!

Legionnaire · October 20, 2011, 05:45 PM

Quote:

Muzzle loader or one of thos stainless steel, plastic stocked inline monstrosities?

Well, it's a blued steel Encore rifle with a walnut stock and forend. It's an inline (break action), but I'd hardly call it a monstrosity! I do have a couple of Lyman flintlocks that I'm working up loads for. Plan to use one of them in PA's late (primitive) muzzleloader season ... if I still have a tag left.

BIGR · October 20, 2011, 07:33 PM

Congrats on your first deer with the muzzleloader. I used the 240 GR. XTP's for years and never lost a deer while using them. When they hit meat it is all over, except for the dragging and skinning.

golfballshootr · October 28, 2011, 03:56 PM

Congrats.

The wife and son both got nice deer with the "monstrosity"

muzzle loaders last year. I love the Power Belts, couldn't get the Hornady to pattern for crud in their Optima's.

May the remainder of the season be as fruitful for you.

October 17, 2011, 10:13 AM	#1
Legionnaire Senior Member Join Date: July 25, 2000 Location: Central TX Posts: 1,503	First Whitetail with a Muzzleloader I've been hunting for many years, but just this last year got hooked on black powder. I've been shooting cap and ball revolvers and flintlocks for several months, and also bought a 209x50 barrel for my T/C Encore rifle. I'm still breaking in the flintlocks and have yet to determine optimal loads for them. But the Encore seems to really like a saboted .44 caliber 240 grain XTP over 100 grains of GOEX FFg. PA's early antlerless muzzleloader season started Saturday. I was out on a friend's farm but didn't see anything all day. It was windy, and not even the squirrels were very active. I saw some sign, including a couple of fresh rubs (noted for the regular season), but nary a deer. Saw a couple of hunters on the adjacent property late in the day, but I gave up before the end of shooting hours and packed it in. I took today (Monday) off from work to get out again. I was on stand by 6:45 a.m., a good 45 minutes before legal shooting hours. Weather was calm and dry with temps in the upper 40s, predicted to get up into the low 60s. After about 10 minutes, I heard something working it's way through the woods in front of me, coming down a ridge line from left to right. About 7:10, a solitary deer emerged from the thick woods into the more open woods around my stand. Still too dark to tell if doe or buck, but it worked its way to within about 10 yards of my stand, at which point I could tell it had no antlers. Still 20 minutes until legal shooting hours. During that time I watched that critter wander all over my field of fire, browsing, nosing about, and doing what deer do when they are oblivious to human presence. About 7:25, close to legal hours but not quite, I took advantage of the deer having moved about 40 yards away and standing behind a tree to cock my Encore. Her head came up immediately as she tried to identify the source of that unnatural sound. She didn't, and continued to browse around. I checked my watch several minutes later and good to go. By then she was about 50 yards out, quartered toward me. The crosshairs rested on her right front shoulder, and the 240 grain XTP went through the shoulder and both lungs. Never experienced the cloud of black powder smoke blocking my vision before; as it cleared, I saw that the doe was already down, about five yards from where she had been standing. Not the largest doe I've ever shot--in fact, she was pretty small. But first ever with a muzzle loader, and one for the freezer in mid October ... I'm more than satisfied. Still have my PA buck tag and multiple tags for NY, so hoping this one is the first of several this year. And since I still have time today, I'm headed to the range to keep working on one of my flintlocks. Gotta be ready for primitive muzzleloader season in December! __________________ Cogito, ergo armatus sum.

October 17, 2011, 02:50 PM	#4
Legionnaire Senior Member Join Date: July 25, 2000 Location: Central TX Posts: 1,503	Thanks! I think I'm hooked, too. I think maybe I'll take the Encore to NY instead of my shotgun this year. __________________ Cogito, ergo armatus sum.

October 18, 2011, 07:27 AM	#6
Legionnaire Senior Member Join Date: July 25, 2000 Location: Central TX Posts: 1,503	Planning on it, schedule permitting. Regards! __________________ Cogito, ergo armatus sum.

October 20, 2011, 12:36 PM	#11
Scorch Senior Member Join Date: February 13, 2006 Location: Washington state Posts: 15,248	Any first time is special. Congratulations! __________________ Never try to educate someone who resists knowledge at all costs. But what do I know? Summit Arms Services

October 17, 2011, 11:41 AM	#2
EMN89 Senior Member Join Date: April 6, 2010 Location: Virginia Posts: 136	Way to go! I shot my first deer with a black powder last season and fell in love with it.

October 17, 2011, 01:11 PM	#3
2damnold4this Senior Member Join Date: August 12, 2009 Location: Athens, Georgia Posts: 2,526	Congrats!

October 17, 2011, 02:59 PM	#5
Brian Pfleuger Moderator Emeritus Join Date: June 25, 2008 Location: Austin, CO Posts: 19,578	Nice! Make sure you stop in for pizza while you're up here!

October 19, 2011, 09:23 PM	#7
jhnrckr Member Join Date: October 17, 2011 Posts: 60	pictures please

October 19, 2011, 10:25 PM	#9
MOshooter65202 Senior Member Join Date: February 16, 2011 Posts: 471	Always a rush when the smoke clears!! Congrats!

October 20, 2011, 08:35 AM	#10
Rifleman1776 Senior Member Join Date: April 25, 2010 Location: Arkansas Posts: 3,309	Muzzle loader or one of thos stainless steel, plastic stocked inline monstrosities?

October 20, 2011, 07:33 PM	#13
BIGR Senior Member Join Date: June 13, 2000 Location: Mountains Posts: 1,385	Congrats on your first deer with the muzzleloader. I used the 240 GR. XTP's for years and never lost a deer while using them. When they hit meat it is all over, except for the dragging and skinning.

October 28, 2011, 03:56 PM	#14
golfballshootr Senior Member Join Date: February 23, 2010 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 185	Congrats. The wife and son both got nice deer with the "monstrosity" muzzle loaders last year. I love the Power Belts, couldn't get the Hornady to pattern for crud in their Optima's. May the remainder of the season be as fruitful for you.