Successful season

Two deer seasons down and one to go. I have not gotten a deer but I still consider it a successful experience. I passed up a nice doe the first five minutes of the first season. We walked into the wheat field and she popped up about 20-25 yards away. She stomped her feet and snorted for good while before deciding that wasn’t the place to be. She had two yearlings and a fawn with her. My friend with me said aren’t you going to take her and I said, “No, I ain’t shooting a doe in the first five minutes of the first season!” Days later I passed on a shot that was just too far for me, 80-90 yards. That was the end of seeing deer. But, Kansas being Kansas, we had 60 degree days, rain days and sleet and snow days. The TC flintlock fired every time as I shot it each and every day when I got back home. It’s pretty cool to shoot a flintlock at night! My confidence is high and I have no fear it won’t work when I want it to. I use a frizzen stall and cow’s knee. I also found out flints don’t need to be as sharp as you might think and banking powder to one side or the other in the pan doesn’t work. That may work on the range line but not hunting! I am looking forward to our leftover season (January) where that first doe would look very good to me.

we dont kill doe anymore here in pa.trust me, it will ruin your deer hunting.we are down to 2 dpsm[deer per sq mile].we used to have 20 deer easy.
pa is going from best to one of worst states now for deer hunting.

i hunt late season after christmas and only hunt buck with 3 points to side, thats our rules now in pa. 3 points to side.


its a little hard as bucks lose their horns now but its fun as you said.mother with her fawns, let them go, she has to show those fawns how to survive.
stick to buck hunting and it will be more rewarding to be out there and you will deer for next year. take care sproul

Just getting out there counts as success. I was curious as to why you were banking your priming charge to one side of the pan. Were you having flint problems?

You better have confidence in that flinter!

Here is living proof that flintlocks do take deer in inclement conditions:
http://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/fusionbb/showtopic.php?tid/239586/

sproulman said:

we dont kill doe anymore here in pa.trust me, it will ruin your deer hunting.we are down to 2 dpsm[deer per sq mile].we used to have 20 deer easy.
pa is going from best to one of worst states now for deer hunting.

i hunt late season after christmas and only hunt buck with 3 points to side, thats our rules now in pa. 3 points to side.


its a little hard as bucks lose their horns now but its fun as you said.mother with her fawns, let them go, she has to show those fawns how to survive.
stick to buck hunting and it will be more rewarding to be out there and you will deer for next year. take care sproul

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What happend to the deer population there? In Indiana we actually moved to a One-Buck-Per-Year rule regardless of which seasons you hunt. So, if you get a buck during archery, doe's are your only option after that for the other seasons.

I imagine our herds are healthy enough here that the DNR is comfortable with pushing hunters to kill more does. The other reason for the rule was to get larger, more mature bucks in the population.

Sounds like a successful season to me. :thumbsup: Saw deer. Had the opportunity. Got out in the woods. Hunted with your friends. Gained confidence and knowledge. Yep, that oughta account for something. :wink:
Good luck in the late season.

I had a slow early season and finally shot a doe in second season with .257 Roberts but will hunt in January with my GPR .54 with .530 prb. caplock. I need to make meat, budget is to tight not to.