"Poof" goes the season.

[Stumpkiller]

Against a tree, did Stumpy lean.
The doe came close to see him.
Up came his gun with cock pulled back.
“Poof! ” goes the season.

The charge was stale and nine days old.
T’was winter and cold freezin’.
T’was also the last day to muzzle load.
“Poof! ” goes the season.

Deer had been few and far between.
In range he’d seen most ”˜nuttin.
Dumb he sure was not to have pulled.
“Poof! ” goes the season.

So let this be a lesson all,
to keep your prime and charge new.
Lest vegetables become your fare.
“Poof! ” goes the season.

After lugging Cherry since November 21 and managing to kill a tree early on I finally had another chance on a deer this morning. I’ve been leaving the rifle loaded and outside but repriming daily, and pulled the charge any time I had been out in rain, sleet or snow. This last charge had been in about nine days but I had a fresh prime. Sure enough, a doe came ambling up towards me at a hurried walk (canter?) as I leaned against a hemlock and at 40 yards I put the front sight on her heart and pulled the trigger. “Poof!” No “BANG!” I tried as stealthily to reprime as my gloved piddies allowed by moving only when her head was obscured but doe #2 (damned wingman) made me and went off in a semaphore blaze of tail and crashing leaves. Rats.

I had been plugging the vent overight with thornapple thorns. May have had one come apart or just a crud build-up. Stuff happens. Of course it went off instantly tonight when I fired the same charge off so I could clean her. :shake:

Oh well. There is a lot less work involved with catch-and-release and I still have the mental image of the shot alignment; which “felt good” and is always a satisfying thing. On the way past the coop I broke the news to the redundant roosters that chicken is “the other meat” hereafter until next fall.

 

[roundball]

Sorry to hear that Stumpy...doubly so that the season is over...I see a lot of people post that they do that and almost always get good ignition...but I'm just not willing to risk it as hard as it is to get good deer in the sights to begin with.

Well, from past posts it seems you've got an abundance of small game still in season so switch gears and keep going...if I can get out from under the electric blanket a few Saturday mornings in January/February I'm going to take the .28ga for a walk or two

 

[RC]

well Stumpy..that stinks! I feel your pain! worst deer season I've ever seen.. :shake:
as fer the "poof" :idunno: I had my rifle loaded all of the northern zone and it fired without ANY hesitation! and my smoothie was loaded fer 2 weeks and shot a doe then been loaded since week ago sunday an shot today..I do not plug the touch hole but I ALWAYS hang/stand the gun barrel down,,,and both guns come inside at nite, whether at camp(tent) or home,,,hang on stumpy next year is a whole new year!


I'm [strike]still[/strike] more ****** about the license fees increases!! gees what a rip off!

 

[Stumpkiller]

I still have 10 rabbits and a partial goat in the freezer from our barnyard "livestock." We won't starve.

But what really hurts is I put up 16 gallons of sauerkraut this fall and now I won't have the venison kielbasa. That's just wrong.

I've been seeing rabbits all deer season and yesterday kicked up three grouse from a single flush. Haven't had that happen in a dozen years. You watch now I'll be seeing deer out the whazoo and no rabbit or grouse.

 

[dbutch]

Stumpy--I offer you my condolences..We get so old yet so smart! Your "Poof Goes the season" was great..couldn't imagine being able to say I error ed in a more poetic way. I feel your pain..I'm not sure I turned the corner on my learning curve..It sure makes hunting Traditional fun!
Sometimes it the ones that just keep walking -stay with you the longest...
.......May you be surrounded by Family and fun at Christmas...Dan

 

[Protrucker]

You watch now I'll be seeing deer out the whazoo and no rabbit or grouse.

Stumpy, we'll have to have to make sure to plan an attack on the rabbits soon. :wink:

 

[jethro224]

Great poem/song Stumpy. Gave me a chuckle.
Bummer 'bout the Poof tho.

 

[Tim Ott]

Good read. I always wondered what I would do in a situation like that. :thumbsup:

 

[shootemup]

Funny poem, not funny that it happened. Sounds like you've kept your humor over it though - sucks to be a redundant rooster... :haha:

:hatsoff:
Spot

 

[CZMark]

Great poem.

Keep in mind, sauerkraut is a good compliment to any meal!

 

[Ron LaClair]

Stump, I truly admire a man that can chastise himself in verse and rhyme. A similar thing happened to me on the last day of the season. I wrote about it in the Hunting Journal forum, "ML season ends with a "CLACK"

It sounds like you did everything right, leaving the gun outside in the cold, plugging the vent, fresh prime everyday....I do the same. I also occasionally clear the vent with my vent pick and push a couple grains of 4FFFF into the hole. What more can a man do ? :idunno:

If nothing else things like this can be put in your story tellin bank for the future delight of grand kids and such... :grin:

 

[Stumpkiller]

One thing I am certain I did not do was to take a small pin and break up the powder inside the vent. I went out in the dark and did not have a light available and missed that step I normally take.

Oh well. That's why we call it hunting and not shopping.

Al - you bet! I have seen several bunnies holding under the bushes in that d@mned rose thicket on my way through.

 

[doulos]

One thing I am certain I did not do was to take a small pin and break up the powder inside the vent. I went out in the dark and did not have a light available and missed that step I normally take.

Oh well. That's why we call it hunting and not shopping.

Al - you bet! I have seen several bunnies holding under the bushes in that d@mned rose thicket on my way through.

The devil is in the details isn't it. Ive always found Murphy's law really governs both archery hunting and muzzleloading. At least for me.