# First Muzzy Hunt!



## waspocrew (Nov 26, 2011)

I had a heck of a time on my first muzzy hunt! I had always wanted to try hunting with a muzzleloader so I put in for a tag and drew out. I didn't care to try to deal with the crowds of the rifle hunt again so I figured this would be a better route.

I decided to buy a CVA Optima for pretty cheap on midwayusa.com and slapped a Traditions 1x scope on it and found that it loves a 300 Grn SSt over 2 Triple 7 pellets. Anyways, on to my hunt:

I had access to some land in the Cache unit and that is always full of loads of deer. I scouted around a few times and found a few nice bucks roaming around. Opening morning was busy with trucks driving the roads and fields surrounding the property I was on and the deer were on the move! A group of bucks came running in only to spot me trying to lay down for a prone shot. Bad move, and they were gone! I was sick to my stomach.

To make a long story shorter, over the course of the first 4 days I had a few shot opportunities that I ended up blowing. I missed a nice 3 point and a fork horn on the same day, so I headed out to the range to double check my zero. 3 shots later at 100 yards confirmed what I thought was wrong all along: I was the problem!!  Apparently I still suffer from buck fever.
[attachment=0:3hririm7]muzzyhunt4.jpg[/attachment:3hririm7]

My wife came out for an evening hunt with me Friday evening and she had a blast! We were able to spot deer fairly easily and then use the lay of the land to stalk closer for a better look. At one point we were within 90 yards of a buck but he took off as I was settling in to take a shot. It was a great evening to get my wife out and she is really looking forward to going with me more often (hopefully that means I will get to hunt even more . She's even getting pretty good at spotting the deer now.

Fast forward to today (Mon morning). I figured this morning would be slow with it being the start of a new week. I got up to a good vantage point before sunrise so I could see anything that was moving in. It took a while, but I finally spotted deer moving up a finger towards me quite a ways off. As they dropped below sight, I made a move to close the distance. After a while, I looked ahead of me and saw a deer standing on a trail right ahead of me! A quick check confirmed that it had antlers! I ranged him at 94 yards and figured that I only had one more morning of hunting so I better take the chance. I steadied on him and heard a WHAP when the gun fired. I saw him bound away and out of sight, but I was sure I had hit him.

I walked to where he stood at the shot and saw this!
[attachment=3:3hririm7]muzzyhunt1.jpg[/attachment:3hririm7]

After a short tracking job (Maybe 50 yards) , I looked ahead to find him laying dead on the ground. [attachment=2:3hririm7]muzzyhunt2.jpg[/attachment:3hririm7]
The buck was quartering a bit and the bullet entered in his right shoulder and exited out of behind his last rib.
[attachment=1:3hririm7]muzzyhunt3.jpg[/attachment:3hririm7]

I know he's a young buck, but man I am happy to fill the freezer this year. I thought muzzy hunting would be a lot easier than it turned out to be, but I feel like I really improved my hunting skills. He is going to taste great and I can't wait for next year to roll around! I think I may be hooked to hunting with a muzzleloader!


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## Oblivion5888 (Sep 12, 2011)

Heck ya! Nothing wrong with that! Congrats man.

:O--O:


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## Bears Butt (Sep 12, 2007)

Congrats on a fine trophy!


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

Thats a fine eating deer 


-DallanC


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## JuddCT (Sep 7, 2007)

Way to go!


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## taxidermist (Sep 11, 2007)

That buck is going to tast better than my "tag soup" !!
Never pulled the trigger on a deer this year. Now, I'm having to pack back up for the Elk hunt. Leaving Wed. Morning.


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## middlefork (Nov 2, 2008)

Thanks for the story and pictures. Nice job. I hope your wife gets hooked too.


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## 35whelen (Jul 3, 2012)

congratulations on your buck! I love when it's a short tracking job


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