Thread: Muzzleloader Kill Sunday Afternoon

Long read, Sorry!

Well, the weekend started very slow. Friday afternoon was our last hunt of bow only season so we were just going to hunt a piece of the property where we were sure we could just shoot us a couple does without messing up out "buck areas". WRONG! I saw one deer and it was a button buck and dad saw zero! Not normal for this area of the property but I had high hopes with muzzleloader opening Saturday morning.

Saturday morning I went to what I would call our best area for deer sightings. At 10:30 I had seen a total of 2 deer, a doe and button buck. Went in for some lunch and was back in the tree where I saw the big one from the previous weekend around 1:30. Just about dark I caught some legs moving in the woods and a faint deer body outline and then it was gone (did not count this as seeing a deer). We did have some sligth poaching problems that afternoon that we took care of but that is a different story. Dad did see a "buck with head full of horns chasing a doe) but could not get a shot. Said it had a crab claw on the right side and a split G2 with point coming off the back. Never presented an angle he was comfortable with. This atleast gave me a little hope as I was having the worst weekend in a while.

Sunday morning I am sitting in the stand where we were getting all of the big buck pics earlier in the season. We did not have any big deer pics in the past week and a half and expectations were not extemely high. Good reason too, the morning yielded two spikes and two does. Gave up around 10:30 again and went in for some lunch. By this time I am a little let down. Actually would have went on home but dad, brother, and niece were staying and could not get my wife to give me a reason to come home. Oh well, might well enjoy the scenery for one more hunt. That aftenoon I went back to same spot as the morning. First deer out is a 6pt with now brows, then a spike, then an good looking 8 pt, then a few does. The 8pt os fairly tempting considering the weekend I am having but I convince myself he is only 2.5 and needs to live. Good choice! All of the deer in the field started getting a little spooked and I new the wind was blowing from them to me and they all start working toward the far end of the field. I look over to the right and see horns sticking out of the woodline and then a body. I compare the body to the 8pt and know right away this is a mature deer. I did notice some good tine length but that was basically it. Gun up, crosshairs on, and POW! When the smoke cleared he was laying right there. Was not sure EXACTLY what it was until I walked down to it and noticed that it matched dad's description from the day before. Don't get me wrong, I am glad I shot it, but I would really loved for that deer to have gotten shot the day before. Dad had had many close encounters this year and has not connected. The best is yet to come so he should hopefully have more oppurtunities!

Anyway, here he is. It is the "9pt" I have all the pics of and have been after. Just did not realize he had 5 more scorable kickers until Sunday afternoon.

Originally Posted by Eatmorecrappie

Congratulations! Very Nice Deer!! I enjoyed the read, thanks for sharing and the pics. How many are you allowed in AL?

It was shot in TN but we are allowed 3 bucks in TN and 3 bucks in AL. Pretty much all the does you want to shoot (1/day in AL and 3/day in TN)