Good sized Doe late afternoon - .58cal Early Virginia

[roundball]

11/18/14 ”“ 30 minutes before dark
Big healthy Doe
.58cal Early Virginia Flintlock
100grns Goex 2F
OxYoke OP wad
.028” Pillow Ticking / NL1000
Hornady .570” 100% lead ball

Blind overlooks an exit trail from a dense pine thicket about 75yds away.
Deer occasionally come out of that thicket into the big hardwood and Oak flat.
Tonight 4 deer came out of the thicket into the Oak flat, 3 Does and a yearling.
Started fanning out, poking along towards me at a 45* quartering angle from left to right.
They didn’t have a care in the world and gave no indication there might be a buck trailing.

Decided I wasn’t going to pass on any more and went after the biggest Doe.
At about 40yds I set the trigger and pulled off the hammer stall.
A few more steps and leveled the sights on her neck vertebrae.
( in the pocket between the point of her right shoulder and the side of her neck )
Put the ball right through her vertebrae killing her instantly, dropped in her tracks.

A rare case of the ball stopping, bulging the hide on the far side instead of passing through.
Full impact of the vertebrae plus about 15” of tissue slowed it down just enough.
( the patch of hair on her left side is where I sliced the hide to pick out the ball )

 

[jethro224]

:thumbsup: Nice big doe. Good shot too.

 

[agill]

Good shot! Congrats! :hatsoff:

 

[KHickam]

Roundball - Good on ya :thumbsup:

 

[Grumpa]

Nice deer. Very nice rifle. Nice shot! Never heard tell of that shot before, but it obviously does the job.

Thanks for the detailed account, with pictures of the ball ("before and after")and load information.

Well done!

 

[Spikebuck]

That's a GREAT doe! Look at the noodle on her...looks like a buck head (without the antlers). The "needy" family will be eating well off that one for a while. Congrats! :hatsoff:

 

[Skychief]

Very nice doe Roundball. Congratulations! :thumbsup:

 

[wvbuckbuster]

Looks like you got your moneys worth!

 

[wry]

Great shot! and congrats on taking a large-sized doe!

 

[will5a1]

That sweet, magical time in the late afternoon woods with a nice gun and several does to choose from, what more can a hunter ever want - nice shot on a nice doe, congrats.

 

[house]

Nice deer! Thanks for sharing. Especially the recovered ball photos!

 

[stinkyfeet]

Good job, the title forced me to look I am a sucker for an early VA rifle. I like the gun too

 

[roundball]

For me, Flintlocks have really kept the hunt in hunting. When the smoke clears and a deer is laying there, I sometimes wonder if a couple centuries ago some settler may have hunted through that very same Oak flat...learning to get it done the way they did has been the most satisfying chapter of all my hunting since I started on the farm back in the 60's.

 

[Silex]

:hatsoff:
Good shooting!

Weidmannsheil!

Silex

 

[Patocazador]

"in the pocket between the point of her right shoulder and the side of her neck"

My favorite shot .. if it presents itself. Nice job. :thumbsup:

 

[Britsmoothy]

Awesome RB.

B :hatsoff:

 

[robinsroost]

Nicely done! A fine looking doe that will make some good groceries......Robin :wink:

 

[wattlebuster]

:thumbsup: :thumbsup: Lots of good eatin there

 

[Wes/Tex]

OUtstanding...another one for your baby! :wink:

 

[roundball]

Yeah, love the .58cal's 'Whompability'


But truth be known, as close as she was any caliber would have done as well