KyFlintlock
50 Cal.
- Joined
- Nov 5, 2004
- Messages
- 1,199
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It had been 23 years since the longrifle flintlock had been given as a gift to my brother-in-law by his father. The gun had hung on a rack, never to be taken afield or even fired by him. I had tried the purchase the rifle from him for years to no avail, then 2 years ago he gave it to me for christmas. I had my .50 longrifle, so it sat in the closet until hast year, when I took it to hunt with a friend and found out it was .45 and I didn't have any ammo for it!!! LOL!!!
As the silver line of morning started to appear on the horizon I felt like my heart would bust. I had the .45cal flinter in hand and had come to lean against a fence post in a thicket frequented by deer. I had planned to take the first doe that appeared and shortly after daylight I heard them. Turkeys flying down from the roost just on the next ridge. In a few minutes their loud scratching had my attention and soon they came into view as they scoured the leaves under the white oaks looking for the remaining acorns. Several birds showed and one bird stood out, a nice gobbler!! I watched them for about 10 minutes until they moved off.
I turned to see a small buck and watched him as he made his way by me, to within about 20 yards. He was a plump 1.5yr old forkhorn and was enjoyable to watch as he searched back and forth for doe sign.
20 minutes passed and another buck showed, a better buck, but still not a shooter. He went by at about 30 yards the other direction, a 15" 8pt with short tines.
Then, I saw them, a set of ears at full attention over the brush pointed my way. The slight breeze was blowing directly toward her and I knew she got a whiff. Soon, another set of doe ears appeared and both started toward me. They were about 50 yards and I readied the flintlock. When they turned to run I took a quick aim and touched off.. Ker.Flatch.BOOOOOOOOOOOM!!! Smoke filled the air and I saw 3 white flags running through the cedars, but the last one was leaning to the side. I reloaded the rifle and made my way to where they were standing and found the hair and trail. I glanced up and saw her white belly up the hill, she had only gone 40 yards and piled up. The first round ball fired from the rifle had done its job.
At that moment I felt a connection with those of long ago, that hunted daily with these weapons, and it was AWESOME. Just a doe, I thought to myself, but then again "making meat" was what I was here for.
I decided to let her lay and work on out to the point to search for a decent buck in the CRP field. I went a few hundred yards up the field and rounded the crown to see a NICE buck with his head low sneaking away. He was about 150 yards, but his thick, wide rack glistened in the sun and I knew immediately he what I was hoping for. I covered the ground as quickly as I could as the field edges a subdivision and the property line was just beyond the hill. As I came around the last section of cedars a doe burst from her bed 40 yards from me with the buck right behind her. I took a bead and then they stopped just inside the woodline. I rested the sights on the buck, then noticed the houses behind his profile. OH ****!!! A buck this nice and now I can't shoot at 45-50 yards!!!
Tense moments passed and I was simply sick. The doe moved and I took my eyes off the buck, then saw rack move 10 yards over! They were gonna run over the hill and off the property line. As they moved past some cedars I bolted around the CRP hill to cut them off and sure enough I made it in time to see the doe come out at 40 yards. My heart began to POUND and then he showed, a 2.5yr 8pt and a 6pt.??? What the!! Big boy McCoy played a bait and switch on me and never showed. The 2 bucks chased the doe by me and around the field, but the big buck never came out. Evidently, he decided that they could have the doe and he melted away back into the thicket.
I laughed out loud and almost screamed, but that is why the flintlocks have so much appeal for me. I could have whacked him with the 06' when I first saw him, but what an experience with him so close!!!
You win some and you WIN SOME....we are still hunting aren't we?
Here is the shot I had at the big buck but had to pass, photo taken afterwards:
Good luck if you get out.
wess
As the silver line of morning started to appear on the horizon I felt like my heart would bust. I had the .45cal flinter in hand and had come to lean against a fence post in a thicket frequented by deer. I had planned to take the first doe that appeared and shortly after daylight I heard them. Turkeys flying down from the roost just on the next ridge. In a few minutes their loud scratching had my attention and soon they came into view as they scoured the leaves under the white oaks looking for the remaining acorns. Several birds showed and one bird stood out, a nice gobbler!! I watched them for about 10 minutes until they moved off.
I turned to see a small buck and watched him as he made his way by me, to within about 20 yards. He was a plump 1.5yr old forkhorn and was enjoyable to watch as he searched back and forth for doe sign.
20 minutes passed and another buck showed, a better buck, but still not a shooter. He went by at about 30 yards the other direction, a 15" 8pt with short tines.
Then, I saw them, a set of ears at full attention over the brush pointed my way. The slight breeze was blowing directly toward her and I knew she got a whiff. Soon, another set of doe ears appeared and both started toward me. They were about 50 yards and I readied the flintlock. When they turned to run I took a quick aim and touched off.. Ker.Flatch.BOOOOOOOOOOOM!!! Smoke filled the air and I saw 3 white flags running through the cedars, but the last one was leaning to the side. I reloaded the rifle and made my way to where they were standing and found the hair and trail. I glanced up and saw her white belly up the hill, she had only gone 40 yards and piled up. The first round ball fired from the rifle had done its job.
At that moment I felt a connection with those of long ago, that hunted daily with these weapons, and it was AWESOME. Just a doe, I thought to myself, but then again "making meat" was what I was here for.
I decided to let her lay and work on out to the point to search for a decent buck in the CRP field. I went a few hundred yards up the field and rounded the crown to see a NICE buck with his head low sneaking away. He was about 150 yards, but his thick, wide rack glistened in the sun and I knew immediately he what I was hoping for. I covered the ground as quickly as I could as the field edges a subdivision and the property line was just beyond the hill. As I came around the last section of cedars a doe burst from her bed 40 yards from me with the buck right behind her. I took a bead and then they stopped just inside the woodline. I rested the sights on the buck, then noticed the houses behind his profile. OH ****!!! A buck this nice and now I can't shoot at 45-50 yards!!!
Tense moments passed and I was simply sick. The doe moved and I took my eyes off the buck, then saw rack move 10 yards over! They were gonna run over the hill and off the property line. As they moved past some cedars I bolted around the CRP hill to cut them off and sure enough I made it in time to see the doe come out at 40 yards. My heart began to POUND and then he showed, a 2.5yr 8pt and a 6pt.??? What the!! Big boy McCoy played a bait and switch on me and never showed. The 2 bucks chased the doe by me and around the field, but the big buck never came out. Evidently, he decided that they could have the doe and he melted away back into the thicket.
I laughed out loud and almost screamed, but that is why the flintlocks have so much appeal for me. I could have whacked him with the 06' when I first saw him, but what an experience with him so close!!!
You win some and you WIN SOME....we are still hunting aren't we?
Here is the shot I had at the big buck but had to pass, photo taken afterwards:
Good luck if you get out.
wess
