2024 Muzzleloader harvest thread

[wolc123]

I managed to get out of work on time, hit a few lights just right on the drive home, and make it into my tree stand in the first hedgerow behind our house, 1/2 hour before sunset on December 17, the last day of SZ  regular ML season.  29 minutes later, this 8-pointer stepped out into my awp/wheat/clover plot, 120 yards away.

I cranked the old Redfield on my 0mega 50 cal up to the max zoom of 7x, centered the crosshairs behind his shoulder, and squeezed off the shot. He trotted towards my pond, 90 yards away, and piled up 10 yards short of it.  
 

Stomach was full, chest taped at 39-1/2”.  I’m guessing 2.6 or 3.6 yrs old.  I think it’s the same buck that I missed with my crossbow in early November, when my bolt deflected off a corn stalk.  I wasn’t entirely sure I missed him clean then, but there wasn’t a nick or blemish anywhere on him tonight, so I’m more certain now that I did.  

[NYBowhunter]