2016/17 Bambi whacking thread.

lazarus · Oct 23, 2016

outrider58 said:
[/B]

Too early for doe estrus scent(I never use it, even during 'prime time'. In most cases, it will attract young deer). As far as smelling goes, 100 yds. on a shitty day.

McKee Beshers during gun season is a pumpkin patch. Bow season is tolerable. Gun season is a whole different matter.

I know it still depends on how the wind blows and hiking I've seen deer catch my scent without noticing me otherwise and taking off. At the same time I've seen deer catch the scent of things like smoke at >100yds with the wind blowing it towards them and with favorable wind not noticing a person's smell till well under that. I am sure I've probably alerted deer with my smell without ever realizing it and probably sometimes they get close and are on edge, but not taking off yet because they smell me.

I just figure SOME kind of scent control is a good idea. IE avoiding things like smoking, really smelly stuff (like not using strong deodorant, strong smelling soap, laundry detergent, not eating a thousand garlic, etc). I don't really buy in to the notion of "total control". I guess I've seen too much of scent control and tracking dogs not being effected at all. Though I guess it could still be the difference between a deer noticing you at 100yds vs 75yds, but it seems like a ton of effort for me when in most cases I am going to be sweating by the time I am in position for a sit, or still hunting, etc. Dunno, I guess my opinion is a bit contradictory.

I've been wondering about McKee. More about duck/goose possibilities.

outrider58 · Oct 23, 2016

lazarus said:
I know it still depends on how the wind blows and hiking I've seen deer catch my scent without noticing me otherwise and taking off. At the same time I've seen deer catch the scent of things like smoke at >100yds with the wind blowing it towards them and with favorable wind not noticing a person's smell till well under that. I am sure I've probably alerted deer with my smell without ever realizing it and probably sometimes they get close and are on edge, but not taking off yet because they smell me.

I just figure SOME kind of scent control is a good idea. IE avoiding things like smoking, really smelly stuff (like not using strong deodorant, strong smelling soap, laundry detergent, not eating a thousand garlic, etc). I don't really buy in to the notion of "total control". I guess I've seen too much of scent control and tracking dogs not being effected at all. Though I guess it could still be the difference between a deer noticing you at 100yds vs 75yds, but it seems like a ton of effort for me when in most cases I am going to be sweating by the time I am in position for a sit, or still hunting, etc. Dunno, I guess my opinion is a bit contradictory.

I've been wondering about McKee. More about duck/goose possibilities.

Not enough time to get into scent control now, but know that I am a scent control nazi during bow season in particular. You wouldn't believe what pains I go through not to be smelled. To begin with, if you aren't 'hunting the wind', then you are getting off to a bad start IMHO.

There is supposedly some good puddle duck shooting in McKee Beshers. Especially the further back you go, there are some nice water holes back in the woods near the canal safety zone. Only thing is, everyone else knows about them too. There's also some decent pass-shooting back there. It's been some years for me so...

67temp · Oct 24, 2016

Saturday evening was the first time my wife could tag along with me to go hunting. She wasn't too fond of the cold and wind and was starting to get bored. At last light I had this doe come running in. I let her gut the deer. I think she is hooked now.

Doofy_13 · Oct 25, 2016

CaptainAwesome said:
Doofy 13...............Yes ! What a bruiser ! !!!

iH8DemLibz said:
The rumor is true.
Moose do mate with Whitetails.
And you couldn't have planned a better shot.

outrider58 said:
Nice deer Doofy! He looks very mature. Congrats!

Thanks guys. By far the biggest deer I have ever taken. Honestly had no clue how big he was until I walked up to him. Kind of makes sense why I thought it what was a 20 yard shot was really a 35 yard shot.

Shot came out perfect. The pic shows the exit wound. Entrance was a about 3" higher and 3" back further on the opposite side since it was a quartering away shot. He only made it about 45 yards before he couldn't take another step. Can't say enough about a 3 blade fixed head (wasp hammer).

CaptChaos · Oct 25, 2016

94hokie said:
Are you using muzzleloader primers or shotgun primers? If you are having ignition problems you might want to switch to regular shotgun primers because they are a bit hotter. On powder, i switched to Blackhorn 209 last year and I feel like I get much better ignition then when I was using pellets.

What a pain it is to find Blackhorn powder. I assumed Fred's had it, and found myself in Waldorf on Sunday but evidently they close at 3? I got there at 3:45 and it was deserted. I can't see anywhere else that might have it between Calvert and NoVA.

It seems to be sold out everywhere online, on top of the ridiculous hazmat fees I'd have to pay (I realize these are due to the shipper, not the seller). Seems I might as well just miss again this weekend with Triple 7 pellets if I see anything and worry about it for late muzzleloader season. It's no fun spending the little time you do have sitting up in a tree only to find yourself eye to eye with a deer, while holding a gun you have zero confidence in. I'm not much of a bowhunter but I will tell ya, I sure as hell wish I would've had it on Saturday instead because I'm much more confident in it than my Encore.

eruby · Oct 25, 2016

Boondock Saint said:
A buddy got his first deer, a young buck, yesterday.

Nice!

Did he drink the blood?

94hokie · Oct 25, 2016

CaptChaos said:
What a pain it is to find Blackhorn powder. I assumed Fred's had it, and found myself in Waldorf on Sunday but evidently they close at 3? I got there at 3:45 and it was deserted. I can't see anywhere else that might have it between Calvert and NoVA.

It seems to be sold out everywhere online, on top of the ridiculous hazmat fees I'd have to pay (I realize these are due to the shipper, not the seller). Seems I might as well just miss again this weekend with Triple 7 pellets if I see anything and worry about it for late muzzleloader season. It's no fun spending the little time you do have sitting up in a tree only to find yourself eye to eye with a deer, while holding a gun you have zero confidence in. I'm not much of a bowhunter but I will tell ya, I sure as hell wish I would've had it on Saturday instead because I'm much more confident in it than my Encore.

Here's the website for it. Up in the upper right, you can search for retailers

http://www.blackhorn209.com/

CaptChaos · Oct 25, 2016

94hokie said:
Here's the website for it. Up in the upper right, you can search for retailers

http://www.blackhorn209.com/

Thanks. I saw that but nothing is really close. I guess I'll just have to drive or put in a back order.

lazarus · Oct 25, 2016

ChrisD said:
I used to hunt Patuxent alot when I lived in Baltimore County. There are some nice deer around the area, I've killed several, but man that place gets a lot of pressure. My buddy (RIP Jay) has taken several very nice bucks out of there. The ticks in Patuxent are horrible. I used to like parking along along Long Corner Rd. Near the church.

Dunno. I've only been hunting two years now with most of it in Patuxent. Some parts of the park aren't super busy. Last year there were a lot more hunters during early muzzleloader. This year the top of the park I only ran in to one hunter each day. Browns church had a number, but a little less than last year. Last year the north part I ran in to 3-4 hunters and 7-8 around Brown's church. Saturday's in firearm season and late muzzleloader were pretty busy around Brown's church last year. Long corner usually only had a couple.

I think it might be a weather thing. It was much warmer in November and December than I suspect it will be this year and early muzzleloader was brutually hot, then rainy and then cold and windy. I think it kept a lot of hunters away.

During the week it is pretty empty.

But late ML season and firearm season (by the second weekend) the park is pretty empty of deer. A lot of sign in snow and mud, but I think it is all nocturnal movement and they clear out or go to the hardest to access parts during the daytime. Barely saw anything in the park after early ML.

We'll see this year.

ChrisD · Oct 26, 2016

lazarus said:
Dunno. I've only been hunting two years now with most of it in Patuxent. Some parts of the park aren't super busy. Last year there were a lot more hunters during early muzzleloader. This year the top of the park I only ran in to one hunter each day. Browns church had a number, but a little less than last year. Last year the north part I ran in to 3-4 hunters and 7-8 around Brown's church. Saturday's in firearm season and late muzzleloader were pretty busy around Brown's church last year. Long corner usually only had a couple.

I think it might be a weather thing. It was much warmer in November and December than I suspect it will be this year and early muzzleloader was brutually hot, then rainy and then cold and windy. I think it kept a lot of hunters away.

During the week it is pretty empty.

But late ML season and firearm season (by the second weekend) the park is pretty empty of deer. A lot of sign in snow and mud, but I think it is all nocturnal movement and they clear out or go to the hardest to access parts during the daytime. Barely saw anything in the park after early ML.

We'll see this year.

Good luck. There are plenty of deer in the area.
Took my nephew there about 5 years ago to pre season scout and later to shotgun hunt, that was the last time I hunted the park. We ran into 5-6 others. That used to be my go to local spot, back then, I didn't have access to private land to hunt. I can only think of a few times I didn't run across other hunters, even in the late firearms season.

lazarus · Oct 26, 2016

One or two days in the late season during the day I didn't see any. A friend of a friend owns property backing to the park and take 12-15 deer a season. Feeder + all the deer chased out of the park. Which to me is a shame because he only uses 3-4, gives a couple away and donates some. He mostly just quarters them and pulls the back straps "dumping" all of the rest of the meat.

Oh on 209 powder, one thing to keep in mind is it is harder to ignite. You should use magnum primers and if available get a special blackhorn 209 breech plug. CVA has them. It moves the powder closer to the primer. Harder to ignite, but resists moisture a LOT more. More volumetric efficiency on the burn (ie more power) and burns very, very clean.

Derwood · Oct 26, 2016

Somewhat germane to the powder discussion--do any of you know much about the Bass Pro/Cabellas merger? Will it impact the MD location? I've gotten black powder supplies from the Arundel Mills BassPro before.

lazarus · Oct 26, 2016

Derwood said:
Somewhat germane to the powder discussion--do any of you know much about the Bass Pro/Cabellas merger? Will it impact the MD location? I've gotten black powder supplies from the Arundel Mills BassPro before.

I doubt anyone outside BPS or Cabelas senior executives and the bank financing it has much of an idea yet. I'd expect we will start to hear leaks and rumors early next year as I think the merger is supposedly going in to effect late 1Q2017 calendar year.

I kind of suspect they won't close any locations unless there is currently a BPS and a Cabela's in very close physical proximity.

If I were to guess they'll likely run them as two separate entities with their own name brands and focus on things like economies of scale (much greater leverage on negotiating supplier prices), combined and simplified logistics (can probably eliminate some warehouses), merge financial structures and probably eliminate a handful of "headquarters" positions.

I could be badly wrong about that. I am sure there will be some other adjustments, but I hope not many. At least on shooting supplies, Cabela's is vastly better IMHO. Example they carry things like PPU, IMI, Herters, Aguilla, etc. where as the ONLY cheap brand BPS carries is Tula, then you are jumping up to Remington, Federal, Winchester, etc.

Hopefully that doesn't change, or if it does it means that BPS will actually start carrying a few of those brands.

wilcam47 · Oct 26, 2016

CaptChaos said:
Just shot at the first piebald I've ever seen in the wild and it was a buck. I've been hunting this spot for five years and never had it on camera. I can't hit the broadside of a barn with my muzzleloader. Let's hope I hit this thirty yard shot. There was either not any smoke (which would be a first) or it dissipated so quickly because of the wind I was able to clearly see where he went for about 75 yards and then lost him in the leaves. Going searching here shortly. I almost didn't even bother hunting today because of the wind.

What muzzleloader are you using? Are you leaving your powder/pellets out in the open? If I have pellets I put them in a ziploc bag even when they are in a case. The loose powder seems to work better IMO. I use Goex or 777 powder. I also have used the 777 209 primers with good results.

The only time Ive had misfires is from using some Jim Shockey pellet crap...that stuff is garbage.

Other than that make sure all your components are clean and run a wire through the breech plug to make sure its not clogged. It sounds like your powder/pellets have gathered a little moisture.

elind · Oct 26, 2016

Anyone out this afternoon? Been out since 4pm and all is quiet well except the squirrels.

Inigoes · Oct 26, 2016

Keep the faith

Wait for the golden hour

newmuzzleloader · Oct 26, 2016

elind said:
Anyone out this afternoon? Been out since 4pm and all is quiet well except the squirrels.

My 11yr old and went out tonite. Squirrels aplenty that's for sure. Had a fox come in and wander a bit, he wanted to shoot it at 20yds since we've lost some chickens to them but I convinced him if it's quiet enough for the fox then deer will show as well. Sure enough within 15 mins my son saw 4 deer come in and walk right down the edge of the corn toward us. One slight problem with that, they were 90* to the left and too close to shift the rifle with them looking and acting half spooky.They wandered around back and forth for 20 mins with the oldest doe and a button buck feeding within 10 yds of us before they left the same way they came.
He may not have been able to shoot one but my son got some quality time observing their behavior as they looked at us and back into the woods, sniffed the air, stomped their feet on occasion and fed right by us; all without spooking and running off.

DaemonAssassin · Oct 26, 2016

I can't wait for 11/21. Only a month away...

outrider58 · Oct 26, 2016

DaemonAssassin said:
I can't wait for 11/21. Only a month away...

Are you ready?

DaemonAssassin · Oct 26, 2016

outrider58 said:
Are you ready?

Well a buddy let me do a true zero on the Bambi Slayer and I am thankful for that. I am starting to get things packed up and moved for packing.

Only a few things left to pick up. A 5.11 belt for open/concealed carry in WV. Microwaveable pork rinds. Some e-books on the Kindle. The rest is on paper and being checked off the list.

BTW the digital scale showed up today. LMK when you want to do some supers/subs on the 550. I'm going to get the powder measure set up on the 550 for the 40 cal on Saturday after the shoot.

2016/17 Bambi whacking thread.

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