My 2014 SmokePole Buck

BLooDTRaCKeR

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Well, this year was one for the books for my general season hunts! Dad and I hunted the first three days of a northern Utah unit and saw on average 12 bucks a day ranging from small to BIG four points. We both got a couple chances at some respectable bucks but did not connect. The storms rolled in and ended our hunting early. From Saturday through Tuesday I sat by the weather station, waiting for some good news. Finally Tuesday night they predicted the storm should break by morning. Thats all I needed to know to call up my work and tell them I had a bad case of "Buck Fever" and I needed the day off to cure it. Dad stayed home this time, I was solo.

At first light, I saw hunters on every ridge glassing the deep canyons. I opted for plan B and went around the mountain to an old reliable spot where no one usually knows to go. There, across the canyon stood two heavy 4X4's and two 2 points. I watched them for about 1 minute and went into action for the stalk/ambush. I had seen deer here before and had patterned them. These deer did opposite of what I thought. They skirted the bottom of the ravine and went too far below me for a shot. Back up to the top of the ridge for some more glassing before it got too late in the morning.

I quickly located another group of four bucks laying out in the open on a steep south facing slope. There were three yearling 2x2's and a bigger buck that I could only get a side profile on through the spotting scope. I watched them for a minute and then looked over the area to plan my stalk.

Once my plan was in place, I got back on the wheeler and headed around the canyon to close the distance and execute the plan. Once I got underneath the bucks, I started moving slower, checking the patch of trees they were closest to for movement. I caught a glimps of a small buck up and feeding in the pines. I assumed the others were all in the same area. Nope! another small yearling buck busted me and took off running. Fortunately, he was 100 yards below the other bucks and did not spook anything above me.

I Walked around the pines above me and ranged the area where the bucks were bedded 45 minutes earlier. 80 yards straight up hill. I looked over the area......Nothing! I sat down on a rock to get a drink and watch the area above me, starting to second guess myself in being busted earlier. I thought that maybe the bigger buck was with the buck that busted me and took off. While my mind played tricks on me I happened to look back up the hill just in time to see antlers raking the brush. Out walks the bigger buck from the Pines. I steadied the Hawkins 50 cal. on a rock and waited for a broadside shot.....knowing that this was my last day to hunt deer this year.....He walked two more steps and I let him have a round ball to the boiler room. He stood there with his head down, and then started moving across the hill slowly. He stopped at 125 yards. I had reloaded the gun and steadied for another shot. This shot connected with him too but He still did not drop. He walked over the hill and layed down.

I reloaded my last round that I brought with me and walked over the hill to see where he went. I jumped him but with no energy left, he lost his footing and started tumbling down the steep ravine. All I could do was watch as he rolled almost to the bottom. Would have been an easy pack out if he would have died where I shot him LOL!

When I walked up on him, I then realized how big he was. Even though he is only a 3 point, he taped out at 28 1/8 inches with the broken cheater! He was pushing the magical 30" mark had he not broke his cheater during the tumble. I could not be happier with this general season buck in an area that gets pounded by hunters!

He is by far the wides buck I have ever shot. Not sure on age....what do you guys think? An older buck??

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He also broke off about 3 inches of his back fork in that last photo....The pack out ws brutal, but very rewarding. Already looking forward to next year!

A side note to the whole experience..... Both round balls entered the buck in close to the same area, taking out both lungs. neither round ball exited the buck. I was using 100 grains of pyrodex. I found the one round ball in the pic above lodged in the bucks hide on opposite side. It did major damage to ribs and lungs. The other round ball I did not recover but it too did major damage to ribs and lungs. Very effective at close range.

FYI....If you are shooting this style of muzzloader with a round ball, I do not recommend a shot over 150 yards. I don't care if you can hit a buck at 300 yards with this set-up, you will probably not have the energy needed to do the job by the time the round ball hits its target. (my humble opinion).
 
Thanks for the kind words gentlemen!

when i said this was a hunting year for the books, i am referring to the deer and elk hunt i just returned early from. I will post that story and pics later on in the elk hunting forum??
 
Nice Buck! Way to get it done with the old stuff. Do you shoot shot gun primers with that gun or # 11 caps? I think they are called # 11s it been along time that I looked at my old stuff.
 
#11's is correct. Funny......based on most of the responses, i would say that most people are pulling away from the "old school" muzzy's like this one......technology sure has a way of ruining a primitive hunt......jmho.......who knows? Maybe i will "upgrade" to the new style muzzy?? So far, everything i have hit with this muzzy has died. Haven't really seen a need to upgrade.......i guess you hunt with what you are comfortable with......
 
>#11's is correct. Funny......based on most
>of the responses, i would
>say that most people are
>pulling away from the "old
>school" muzzy's like this one......technology
>sure has a way of
>ruining a primitive hunt......jmho.......who knows?
>Maybe i will "upgrade" to
>the new style muzzy?? So
>far, everything i have hit
>with this muzzy has died.
>Haven't really seen a need
>to upgrade.......i guess you hunt
>with what you are comfortable
>with......

The reason I asked about the caps was when I used to shoot my old T/C Renegade I built from a kit. I had some problems with the #11 caps getting wet in bad weather. Then I found a place that makes Adapters to shoot Shotgun Primers that fit about any old gun out there. They go off every time even in bad weather. I don't know if this is something you would be interested in or not or you would just like to keep your set up the same as before. AND MAY I ADD IS WORKING JUST FINE FOR YOU ! If you would like more info I can post their web site for you.
 
Thanks for the insight! If you don't mind posting the websight i would like to look into it! Never had an issue with wet primers.....but it would be nice to have options just in case of a wet year! Thanks again!
 
Good job, Round balls are a lot harder to shoot then Sabot in ML for sure.

"I have found if you go the extra mile it's Never crowded".
>[Font][Font color = "green"]Life member of
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Way to get it done , that's a beautiful buck and looks like some beautiful country! I sure wished I had pursued traditional black powder more....
 

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