Early ML up north 2022

[wolc123]

My mother in law just sent me a picture of the decent 6 or 8 pointer across the lake from their house.  He looks like a solid 2.5 year old.  Hopefully, he crosses over to our side in a couple weeks.   He’s a shooter for me up there for sure either with my ML the first week or with my 30/30 the  following weekend.  

I’ve got to recheck the zero on my ML this weekend, because I dropped it while cleaning it, after using it on a doe during the early SZ antlerless season a couple weeks ago.  I’ll check my 30/30 also (hopefully one and done with that because I need to conserve ammo).

[wolc123]

I got my ML and 30/30 zeroed this afternoon.  Each needed a little tweaking, and (2) shots.   The ML is now hitting exactly where I want it (1/2” high at 50 yards).  My last shot with the open-sighted 30/30 was 1/2” to the left, which is close enough for me.

That impact with the basement floor rug, nocked the ML off about 1-3/4 “ to the right and 1-1/2” low.  I don’t know how the 30/30 got off a little farther than that.  I don’t think I checked it last year, due to the ammo shortage.  
 

Had I not rechecked the ML, I probably wouldn’t have checked the 30/30 this year, so I am thankful that I dropped the ML, even though it cost me two 30/30 bullets and two more ML.  I  like to know that I can hit close to the hair that I aim at.  
 

I am down to just (4) 150 gr Federal 30/30, but I have a full box of (20) Winchester Super X  150’s, and I think my father in law has a box and a half or so of Federal 150’s.  I gave him a box of .410 # 6’s for squirrels, so I am sure he won’t mind giving me some 30/30 ammo.  I’ll use his scoped Marlin up there if it’s not raining.  

 

Adjusting the scope on the ML was east (2 clicks left and two up) using the ground down 1” blade on my edc knife as a screwdriver.  
 

The open fiber optic sights on the 30/30 was a little trickier.  Fortunately, a little multi tool on the Durango key chain had a screwdriver just barely small enough to fit the tiny screws in the rear sight, and my first guess at how far up and how far left to move that was good. 

[wolc123]

I am getting closer, after getting stuck for the night in Charlotte airport, due to a missed connection.  One more short hop from Baltimore gets me to Buffalo, then I pack my stuff and drive 4.5 hours up to the DAX.  
 

I made a list of all the gear to take.  Sounds like it’s going to be a typical rainy week up there, so my tree umbrella ought to get plenty of use.  I will try to remember my camo raincoat also.  I am not bringing my pop-up blind this year, because I didn’t want to move it from the hotspot that I found for it at home.  

This shooter 8 pointer came up and licked it, while I was inside, during the early antlerless gun season, a month ago.  

Hopefully, he tries that again when I am in there with my crossbow next month.  He will probably only do that if I fill that tag next week, during early NZ ML week, and he can get another “free pass”.  The open stick of Evercalm that I had in the blind certainly fooled him as he got within two yards of me from directly downwind.  

I took this picture thru the window, from 20 yards,  as he walked away after doing that. 

 

I wonder if the new “locked in a case” in a vehicle rule applies to Muzzleloaders ?  I will try and find a second padlock just to be safe.  I need the other one for my 30/30 case.

 I will need to borrow a shotgun from my father-in-law, in case I try for grouse.  I will bring a few 16 and 12 gauge # 7-1/2’s because I think he has side by sides in both of those gauges.  
 

I might be able to squeeze my 16 gauge j Stevens and my Marlin 336 into one of my two pad-lockable, hard plastic cases.  If I can, then no need to borrow one of his shotguns for grouse.  Last year, I brought that shotgun up in a soft case.
 

My best chance at grouse will be with a headshot from my 50 cal ML when I am deer/bear hunting.  I passed a couple with that last year because my venison needs were greater and then, and I didn’t want to risk spooking a deer.

I have a decent supply of venison in the freezer now (thanks to early antlerless gun season), so I don’t think I will be passing any grouse, if I get a good chance at one with my ML.  It has been far too long, since I have got to eat one of those delicious birds, and the only one that I actually like the taste of.  

Edited October 14, 2022 by wolc123

[wolc123]

I made it up at sunset Friday, but I didn’t sleep too well.  Probably because I needed 28 fluid oz of Coca-Cola to keep me awake on the thruway for the drive up after no sleep the night before.  
 

I didn’t see any deer Saturday morning up on the ridge top where I killed the old doe last year.  The south East wind was blowing a little too hard for much natural movement.  
 

I carried my binoculars up with me in the morning, but they seemed to be more of a pain to carry than they were worth.  Had I not left them back at my in-laws lake house, they might have helped me get a deer on the afternoon hunt.  
 

I still-hunted my way back from that, at sunset.  About halfway back (15 minutes after sunset), it was still light enough to see and legal to shoot.  A group of 2-3 deer spotted me before I spotted them, about 100 yards thru the young hardwoods, and high-tailed it over the ridge.  
 

Had I been walking and scanning with binoculars, as one should while still hunting, I might have seen them first.  That’s the secret to getting one that way.  I blame that mistake on my lack of sleep.  
 

My hope is that that group of deer don’t know that they are being hunted.  Lots of people walk the trail I was one.  Hopefully, those deer just think I was someone walking out to the mailbox, or something.  
 

The wind looks like it will be right tonight, so I am going to get setup on the spot where I seen them.  A side benefit is, that spot is close to the house, so I can stay longer in the “ambush” location.  I got a good nights sleep last night, so my odds are better of knocking one of them deer’s lights out tonight. 

[wolc123]

The herd dynamics during early ML week, has changed big time at my in-laws place, from what it was for the previous (3) seasons.  It took me that long to figure out and kill an old, territorial doe.  

With her out of the picture, there are a lot more deer in the area.  Instead of just one super witty doe and two fawns, there is about (10-12) 3/4 witted deer in the immediate area, that all seem to work together for mutual support.  
 

I saw them and heard them multiple times thru the week, but was unable to get a shot on any.  I finally got into shooting position (with my 30/30) on a “just legal” spike buck this morning, but he got a pass (my first ever on a legal Adirondack buck).  

As it alway is on that week, the  smallmouth bass fishing was phenominal.  The big ones were near shore.  I hunted each morning and evening.  Fishing just a little bit at mid-days, I ended up with about  (30) bass thru week, with (3) over 20” and many about 19”.  About equal numbers went for casting a 1/8 oz bucktail jig and trolling a small silver shad-rap.  

This 21-1/8” was my second longest ever from this lake, and just like that 22 incher, it went for a 1/8 oz bucktail jig. 

 

There was also a bear around this week, as my father in law pointed out the tracks out on the beach volleyball court:

 

(Oj’s other glove was found at Bundy)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited October 23, 2022 by wolc123