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Last day of buck season

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Joined
Nov 17, 2016
Messages
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Location
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I usually document my day to day hunt for these 12-days, but it was so uneventful there isn't much to talk about. I saw a few does here and there but was waiting for a buck, as I had one buck tag left. After the buck season ends there is still two weeks of does and spikes. On the last day of the buck season my significant other decided to come along. She doesn't hunt and has only sat with me one time prior. This time I got here a proper jacket and a camo hat/facemask combo to hide her pretty white face and glowing blond hair from the deer. On this morning hunt she stayed in because it was 29 degrees. On the afternoon she said she'd accompany me since it warmed up to 65 degrees. On the way to the wood-line I wanted to hunt we cross a field that is around 28-acres. When we got on the hilltop that descends into the field she looked out and said "I think there's a deer out there". I studied the situation and noticed a couple more dark spots moving around. I determined they were hogs. This is an interesting sight in the middle of the day in an open field. We figured out they were 800-yards away and the wind was coming to us. We move slowly but steadily until we were about 150- yards away. At that point I took the flintlock from the case and loaded it. After priming the pan I put the frizzen stall in place. We then crawled on hand and knees for another 75 or so yards. I hooked my rifle case on my foot by the "shoulder" strap and dragged it behind me so I could control the rifle. From the 75-yard mark my honey started taking some photos of what was unfolding. We decided she would stay put and I would continue to sneak in on what I could now see was 11 little pigs. I "knee walked" real slow right up to what I guessed was just 35- yards from the pigs. At that point I focused on the biggest one, which wasn't that big anyway. I established a good kneeling position, removed the frizzen stall and pulled the cock. I took a good sight picture on the biggest of these pigs and then hit the set trigger. After a few seconds I put pressure on the front trigger and the flintlock cracked and smoked. The hog dropped in its tracks and didn't even twitch. I went to it and pulled it over to where my babe was and we snapped a quick picture. This pig was around 80-pounds. We left it in the shade and continued to the "deer spot". After two hours, somewhere around 23 does came out on the edge of the field around 10-yards from the woodline. Eventually, a little forkhorn buck showed up by my hunting partner said, "Don't shoot that one he's too small". OK - I'm thinking. Around 5:45 a bigger buck shows up. He is an 8-point and his antler spread is about as wide as his ears. That one will do for me. She says, "Can't we find a bigger one"? Reluctantly, I wait longer. The does become alert to something to their right and start leaving one and two at a time. I can't see what is bothering them but I hope its a big buck. After a few minutes, there are two does and the 8 point buck left but now they are on alert. Finally, I see what is concerning them. Another pack of hogs is on the way and this group consists of much bigger pigs. Once they get within 100-yards of the deer I decided I better shoot this buck. Now I've switched to my longrifle and I am aiming. He just won't turn right for a good shot and when the pigs crossed his imaginary line he trots away taking the two does with him. The pigs get near where the deer where and turn into the woods. The sun is low in the sky and this buck season is over. Interestingly, my babe says, "the hog stalking was way more fun than just sitting here waiting for a deer and then shooting one just standing there". True. I guess this worked out okay after all. I'm heading 3-hours from here to hunt the rest of doe (and spike) late season.......

.54 caliber, .530 ball, 80 grains FFFg Goex, .020 oiled patch

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