October 14, 2008 Prudence Island.
This marked my 29th year participating in the disabled hunt. Scouted all day
Monday and found very few acorns or sign of deer. Deer numbers are way down
and I only saw three small deer the first day. I decided to setup at a spot I never
hunted before over looking several small oaks that didn't have many acorns but
there was a good beaten path around them, it was the best sign we found.
I got on stand at 5:30 am and sat an hour waiting silently for light. At 7:15 a
small Doe bounded just behind me and off to my right, then at 7:30 a nice sized
Doe crossed on my right headed behind me at 50 yards. She gave me a good
broadside but I wasn't able to get in position in time before she disappeared into
the brush. Just before 8:30 I saw feet in the brush ahead of me walking from my
right to left at 40 yards. She walked into a shooting lane and stopped. You can't
ask for a better shot. The sights nestled behind her shoulder and my custom .58
BOOMED! And, I had harvested my nineth deer with a flintlock, first for this
rifle. But many more in it's future I hope as it's the only rifle I want ever to use
anymore.
The load I use is a .570 round ball in a home made bear oil/deer tallow lubed
.024 patch on top of 90 gr's of 3F Graff black powder.
A Rhode Island deer taken with a rifle that would have been used here 200 years
ago, priceless!
This marked my 29th year participating in the disabled hunt. Scouted all day
Monday and found very few acorns or sign of deer. Deer numbers are way down
and I only saw three small deer the first day. I decided to setup at a spot I never
hunted before over looking several small oaks that didn't have many acorns but
there was a good beaten path around them, it was the best sign we found.
I got on stand at 5:30 am and sat an hour waiting silently for light. At 7:15 a
small Doe bounded just behind me and off to my right, then at 7:30 a nice sized
Doe crossed on my right headed behind me at 50 yards. She gave me a good
broadside but I wasn't able to get in position in time before she disappeared into
the brush. Just before 8:30 I saw feet in the brush ahead of me walking from my
right to left at 40 yards. She walked into a shooting lane and stopped. You can't
ask for a better shot. The sights nestled behind her shoulder and my custom .58
BOOMED! And, I had harvested my nineth deer with a flintlock, first for this
rifle. But many more in it's future I hope as it's the only rifle I want ever to use
anymore.
The load I use is a .570 round ball in a home made bear oil/deer tallow lubed
.024 patch on top of 90 gr's of 3F Graff black powder.
A Rhode Island deer taken with a rifle that would have been used here 200 years
ago, priceless!
She hog dressed right at 100 lbs.
Video
I have Christened her "Ole Nelly"
