number of shots

[whitetail1]

What is the most shots with muzzle loader at one deer before the harvest any one ever get a second chance

[Fairgame]

My first time ever using a muzzle loader or black powder rifle my cousin let me borrow his.  It was one of the older style, open sights with the cap and hammer to the side.  Not sure what they are called.  I went out there was snow on the ground, and took 4 rounds with me with measured powder and caps.  I had a doe at 80 yards took a shot and the deer didnt even move.  Loaded again took a second shot, same thing deer never moved. to make a long story short, I shot all four shots at the doe never hitting it once.  I got down off the stand and the doe took off. Went back to the house and got more ammunition.  I got back on the stand and shot a doe in the first shot.  I dont know what was happening on the first doe.  Whats crazy is that it seemed like she wasnt scared of the sound of the gun.

[fasteddie]

I have downed 4 deer with 4 shots . Never needed a 2nd shot but ...... I always reloaded before approaching the downed deer . I don't claim to be a good shot .... just lucky . I use the cheap TC sabots with the 240 gr Hornaday XTPs . I was amazed at the wallop these had on deer .

[nyslowhand]

Pretty sure your question is making the hair on the neck's of all true ML enthusiasts stand on end.

ONE well placed shot for ONE clean kill.

If the deer were dumb enough to stand there, I'd probably attempt a 2nd shot.

After that, swallow your pride and give it up! ???

[Fairgame]

I should of, but I couldnt believe what was happening!

[bubba]

I have harvested more deer with a soot blecher than anything I own. All but one were one shot kills. I am talking since 1976 when I got my first sidelock Hawken. I shot t for over ayear before I hunted with it.  I had to shoot one twice due to a high shot.  The bullet broke the deer's neck. She just layed there, so I shot her again. I make sure I can make a clean ethical shot with a gun I have practiced with and know how it shoots. I cringe when guys say they buy a ML the night before season and shoot it once or twice and hunt witha load some buddy said would work. I think of the deer that are wounded and never recovered.  This is not a lecture, but you took a buddies gun you knew nothing about and headed to the woods. Then you were sounding like you were in a sense bragging about it.  You knew nothng abut the gun and I bet never shot it before you took off with it.  Would you borrow a buddies bow and 4 arrows and head out knowing nthing about it? Ok I am off my soap box.

[Fairgame]

Just because it was my first time hunting with a muzzleloader doesnt mean it was the first time shooting it.  I had shot that gun before. Reason me me using it was to see if I would enjoy hunting with a muzzleloader since back then it was open sights. 

I hate when people just assume and give you an answer like that.  Then tell you that you look stupid on top of it.  Did anyone ever tell you what happens when you ASS u me?  What if it was my excitement that made me miss? You never took that into consideration. Right away you jump on your own assumption to what happened.

Let me ask you this. Why did you shoot the deer in the neck? Did you shoot the gun before you took it out?  Or was the deer staring at you and you took an unethical shot at its neck hoping you would hit it?

[bubba]

Well I guess I struck a nerve. I shot the deer in th neck and broke her neck due to the fact she moved and put herr hed down to eat down as I shot. If you must know,I would have preferred a clean miss to that shot.  BTW a neck shot is a lethal shot.A lot of people use it all the time.  I got lucky that time. Since I had owned that gun for 15 or so years before that, yeah I had shot it. No one is perfect. But with that being the ony time since 1977 I had to take a second shot with a ml, I would say I am doing well.  And the deer never left her spot. Within a minute she was dead after I reloaded, which is better than chasing a wounded deer for hours and the coyotes end up eating them.  Did you shoot it once or twice before you took it out? Where did I say you were stupid. I did not use that word at all in my reply. So by your reply, I ASSUME you do not shoot open sites well. Maybe a little more time practicing would have got you past that. I answered your question now answer mine. How many times were you shooting the gun before you went to hunt with it? You took it and hunted with it to see if you would like hunting with open sited. And you accuse me of beng unethical. That is hilarious.  Whether you liked it or not, you were willing to wound a deer with a gun you had LIMITED experience with and had not hunted with open sites.  There is a good combination. And just as an FYI, I hunt in the northern zone (rifle) and I use a ml exclusively. I know Mlers.  I use a flintlock with open site during ml special seasons and my encore during regular season. I am more than sure you wont answer because you are making yourself look foolish, you did not need my help.

[Fairgame]

Why would I look fooloish.  You are accusing me of something you have no idea off.  With all your experience muzzleloader hunting, you forgot to learn some social skills with people.  You were assuming knowing nothing about me same as I dont know anything about you.  If you want me to answer you questions dont answer them with the response you want to hear.  Assuming again.  I'm so glad you can shoot a muzzleloader after 70 years of experience of hunting with it. OOOps I'm assuming now!  Foolish is you for giving such an idiotic response.  I see you get answers like this from more than just me and I'm not the only one, so live on and if you dont have anything good to say keep it to yourself cause YOU look FOOLISH!

[bubba]

just the response I expected.  As I knew not assumed you shot it once or twice. If you can do simple math, I said I got my first ml in 1977.  That is 33 years.  But if in your head it is 70 what can I say but practice practice practice and let your wife balance the check book. You should take your own advice and not ask a question if you do not want the answer.  Have a good day.

[Fairgame]

I'm      so        happy        for          you.  Con grat u la tions          on        being          such        a        sharp shooter!

I        write    this      so        you      can        read        all        the          words        and        un  der  stand        them.

[bubba]

man you need originality. Let me get this straight. You post you took a buddies gun you at best had limited experience with, you admit you only took it to see if you would like open sites which again tells me limited experience. shot 4 times at an obviously dumb deer or a decoy, go home get more loaders and go back and shot a deer.  First I wonder if you think anyone really believes this,or if you really are that bad of a hunter. And you get pissed and act juvenile when someone calls you on it. Tells me a lot about how you hunt and act in general. I have no clue where you live, but I hope it is a long way from me.  Now again have a nice day. You are turning this into a freak show, so I will not respond again.  I will end with the advice my dad gave me a long time ago. Sometimes it is better to keep your mouth closed and let people think you know nothing then to open it and prove them right.  Take care

[Fairgame]

Listen to what your Dad taught you!  Its good advise.

[bubba]

oh yeah well my dad can beat up your dad. That is how foolish you sound.  When you grow up, I hope you go back and read this to see just how sad it is. You refuse to nswer anything after you ask the question. Let it go man, it is truly getting pathetic

[Doewhacker]

"If you can do simple math..."

Nope he can't, I witnessed that the other day.

Fairgame, I have a question, maybe you left out the part of the story, did you check to see if you hit that doe you were flinging lead at all willy nilly?

I have only shot a couple with the ML, but each were one shot one kill.

[steve863]

I'd have to admit the first deer I shot with a bow a good many years ago I took 3 shots at, and I practiced a good deal with the bow before the opportunity presented itself.  I overestimated the range the first two shots and shot over the doe.  She bounced away with each missed shot and then came back to the exact spot she was standing the first time.  Shot number 3 connected with a fatal hit.  I surely wasn't going to stop shooting at her since she was still within bow range.  If you miss, try again if the animal gives you the opportunity.  Sometimes crazy stuff can happen if you are experienced or not.

[Fairgame]

When I got down I checked for blood, there was snow on the ground but found nothing. That was the only time I have ever witnessed a deer not being affected by the bang of the gun.

I have no problems admitting that I miss sometimes.  I can also say that once you miss the first shot, the nerves get the best of most of us and it actually becomes harder to hit your target cause your trying not to miss again.

"If you can do simple math..."

Nope he can't, I witnessed that the other day.

Fairgame, I have a question, maybe you left out the part of the story, did you check to see if you hit that doe you were flinging lead at all willy nilly?

I have only shot a couple with the ML, but each were one shot one kill.

[Doewhacker]

When I got down I checked for blood, there was snow on the ground but found nothing. That was the only time I have ever witnessed a deer not being affected by the bang of the gun.

I have no problems admitting that I miss sometimes.  I can also say that once you miss the first shot, the nerves get the best of most of us and it actually becomes harder to hit your target cause your trying not to miss again.

"If you can do simple math..."

Nope he can't, I witnessed that the other day.

Fairgame, I have a question, maybe you left out the part of the story, did you check to see if you hit that doe you were flinging lead at all willy nilly?

I have only shot a couple with the ML, but each were one shot one kill.

Thats what I figured but wanted to test you..

I know a guy that shot at one last year with the ML and the deer never even flinched just kinda walked off. He never check, why I don't know, but he found the buck later in the season right where it had gone to die from what I guess was a liver or gut shot. That kind of thing sickens me, and I will not likely hunt with this guy again because of it.

I have in the past got better with the second shot, I tend to get mad and hunker down and aim a little better. That would be with a rifle or shotgun though not ML. Which is because I only have one shot with it, and I stink with a gun.

[nyslowhand]

When I 1st started hunting deer I had the logic that if I got enough lead in the air, one slug would eventually hit the deer.

Second time my Dad heard me shooting that way he was PO'ed.

Took my Wingmaster away and gave me his rabbit gun, single shot 20ga.

Best thing that could have happen to me!!

Changes your logic when shooting at deer.

When I hunt now during regular season and heard the numerous 4-5 shot volleys from the same vicinity, makes me laugh and think of my Dad.

[bubba]

My dad bought me a muzzleloader to start hunting with. I hunted the frst three years of big game with that ml.  I learned to make one shot count. In fact, my modern gun is a single shot 25-06.  I like the peole who fire three or four times at a deer to get it.  I say the are true sportsmen and fire a couple warning shots, or they practice shoot and release.  I guess it is all in what you learn.  I personally think every new hunter should have to hunt at least two years with a single shot, but it will never happen.

[burmjohn]

Grizzly Adams once took a muzzleloader bullet and threw it at a deer to kill it, one shot.

[steve863]

For all those that never missed with their first shot.  I would bet you guys would be fumbling all over yourselves if you somehow missed a big buck with your first shot and he was still within range after the smoke cleared.  I am quit sure you'd be shoving that second load down the barrel quicker than I could say "Jackie Robinson".  I doubt you'd just let him walk on, that's for darn sure.  LOL

[Fairgame]

Sharpshooter!!!

Maybee one day I will never miss.  I have a bad Dad I guess he must have not of taught me one shot one kill.  I'm gonna have a talk with him and ask him why he never taught me that. 

You are a real idiot.  I know your older than me and I should respect my elders but enough is enough with you.  You have to be a real idiot to try to keep offending people or me!! Reguardless what crap I will hear from others, I will stand by the FACT that you are an idiot!!  I'm sure I'm not standing by this alone. 

I respect those that will respect me back otherwise ohh well.

[fasteddie]

For all those that never missed with their first shot.  I would bet you guys would be fumbling all over yourselves if you somehow missed a big buck with your first shot and he was still within range after the smoke cleared.  I am quit sure you'd be shoving that second load down the barrel quicker than I could say "Jackie Robinson".  I doubt you'd just let him walk on, that's for darn sure.  LOL

As soon as I shoot I am starting to reload as I don't know how well the deer was hit and if he / she moves , I want that 2nd shot . So far the farthest I have shot a deer with BP is about 85 yards and I have been LUCKY enough not to need the 2nd shot . Also , if you have the tags , you might be able to pull off a double and that won't happen with an empty gun .........

[burmjohn]

Ok, lets all settle down now.