My first ML success!

[WNYBuckHunter]

After a tough season with some great sightings and a few missed opportunities, I borrowed a friend's muzzle loader to give it another try on the last weekend of the season. I was invited by a friend to hunt his land with him and his girlfriend's 13 year old son. I knew that the land was full of deer as I had been turkey hunting with him before, and he is always bagging deer. I got there this morning at 5:45, and had a deer run across the road and into his yard before I pulled in. We got our gear together and headed out to our spots. He dropped me off at a place that overlooks a deep ravine that is about 200 yards across. He told me which way they would probably be coming from and explained where the 13 year old and he would be. The kid would be sitting across the ravine from me to get a good look if anything came through. I planted myself by a tree and sat until he texted at 8:30 saying he was gonna head my way slowly and to keep an eye out. Just before he texted I had a deer come in behind me and blow at me. I didnt see what it was. About 20 minutes after he had texted me, some movement caught my eye. It was 3 doe in the bottom of the ravine on the opposite side. I figured the kid must be excited because these deer were just milling around about 40 yards from him. Within 5 minutes, 4 more doe filed in behind them, and they all looked over their backs. My buddy was right behind them, and they started to run, but stopped for a second to look again and he took a shot at one of them. That caused them to take off right toward me, but most of them were hauling and I knew I only had 1 shot, so I waited to see what would happen. One doe ran right toward me and headed up the ravine wall about 40 yards to my right. She stopped 3/4s of the way up and I took my shot. She started staggering down the hill as I reloaded the gun. She got most of the way down the hill and laid down, just then I had the gun reloaded and I finished her off. She slid down and came to rest on the ice of the creek at the bottom. I headed down to help my buddy look for blood from the deer he shot at, but there was nothing, so we dragged my doe up onto the bank and I field dressed it, explaining to the kid how to do it. We both reloaded and headed up to the house. We came out of the ravine and something caught my eye in the field we had just walked into. It was a group of 3 does and a big 130+" 8 point. We watched them from across the field and something spooked them, sending them straight at us. We all hit the ground and my buddy and I took aim. He shot first and hit just under the buck, sending snow flying. The buck ran closer and stopped and I took my shot at 80ish yards, and the round went right under him. He took off and disappeared into the brush. What a morning! I will definately be getting a muzzleloader of my own for next year!

[letinmfly]

Although more deer didn't hit the ground you guys had a great morning out.  Congrats on your deer!!

I wish I could have made it out this weekend.      The deer have been on the move this past week.

[Four Season Whitetail's]

Must have been a good day for deer movement everywhere!!! I am on letchworth and took a big doe this morning.Saw 17 deer and not a horn..I think they are starting to group up for winter!!

[132 eight pointer]

Congrats guys.I will be out Sun and maybe Mon. Can't wait.

[wooly]

She's a nice one- congrats! Now get your own gun.

[nyantler]

Saw 10 at one time, 3 bucks in the pile all little guys though... could have taken any one of them from the ground. Called the smallest one (a small 3 point) to within 20 yards before he became disinterested. Circled around the the property and cut them off again to see if they might pick up a bigger buck. They hadn't.. they finaly got a little too close and caught my wind and that ended that..lol

[bubba]

wny nice doe.  Maybe we can still deal. 

[33Canuck]

Congrats on a Smokepole swamp donkey!

[Geno C]

good stuff dude! nice doe 

[outdoorstom]

Congrats on getting yourself some tasty backstraps....hmmmm!

[WNYBuckHunter]

wny nice doe.  Maybe we can still deal.

I thought you wanted to keep it?

[WNYBuckHunter]

Thanks everyone, Im going to finish cutting her up tonight, and we will be grilling up some backstrap tomorrow evening before we go hunting yotes! 

[wesdblc]

good story ...congrats

[WNYBuckHunter]

Thank you!