I crossed Cherry Run in the dark hours heading for a flat where I had planned to hunt. The morning was just great with nice temperatures. In the early minutes after dawn, I could hear something moving about across the hollow from my position. As I listened, I was surprised when five turkeys suddenly appeared well within shotgun range had I been hunting turkeys. The birds went around behind me and climbed high over the top. I managed several photos but nothing very exciting.
The first deer I saw was a buck. the little six-point came right to me as I snapped a host of photos. The buck circled around me and dropped down over right where I saw him at first. Range finder showed the buck at twenty-six yards. This buck made a circle completely around me.
A short time later another buck appeared. I began taking photos of him as well. He saw me and would snort and move off and I would call him back. I called this buck back five times before he had had enough of my stench. The deer was as close as twenty-two yards.
I heard something behind me and turned to see a doe at sixty-two yards away. I limited my shots to forty yards or under due to my sighting issues. Another bigger buck appeared and chased her up the hollow. i use my range finder when I can to get the yardages.
My next excitement happened towards noon. I saw a Black Bear coming my way. For a brief moment I debated what was legal. I thought the season came in muzzleloading bear during the last three days of week. I am glad I remembered for that was indeed accurate, The Blackie came close to me. I couldn’t get a focus on him due to brush and his movements. The bear stopped behind me a sniff before moving down over the hill I guess the weight was somewhere between 130 and 150 pounds. I used my range finder, and the bear was 24.9 yards away at one spot. Needless to say, my hunt was over I couldn’t concentrate on deer, and I didn’t care as I headed out at one o’clock.
I hunted with an inline muzzleloader for two days for Black Bear only. I failed to see any. I hunted the third day for bear and deer. I failed to shoot; however, I did have the crosshairs on one doe and had difficulty deciding to shoot or not. I elected to not shoot for the deer was in high grasses and I wasn’t totally sure of the size.
The weeklong 2022 muzzleloading season has come to a close. A properly licensed individual may hunt bear during this week, also. I usually refer to this week as the early flintlock season since I generally use my eighteenth-century style flintlock rifle. However, the Pennsylvania Game Commission allows percussion muzzleloaders, (Cap and ball) the modern in-line muzzleloaders as well as the flintlock rifle or smoothbores. As a senior I could use a modern center-fir rifle the last three days of the season. I still prefer my flinter.
OCTOBER 15
The first day of October 15 had twelve deer observed including two bucks. This muzzleloading season only permits antlerless deer to be harvested. One small doe came past me at twelve steps, and I decided I wasn’t going to take a small deer. I took photos of this deer instead.
The first day as well as much of the season was windy with several being terribly windy. In fact, I heard a large tree cracking and the thud after it succumbed to the conditions.
I had to get ready to play guitar with a band at Ford Cliff.
OCTOBER 17
I decide to go to a state game lands to try my hand at bear hunting on this day. I still-hunted at three locations but never saw a bear. I did see two deer. I could have shot the one at about thirty yards, but I could not see the animal’s head. remember I had to shoot only antlerless deer.
This very windy day howled through the trees. I heard some loud cracking of a falling tree. The sounds were not far ahead. As I followed the occasional cracking, I soon located a tree. The tree was leaning at about 75 degrees with the limbs entangled with neighboring trees. Every few seconds it would crack until the support trees could no longer bear the weight allowing the tree to crash. That was an interesting observation. I walked upon a flock of seven gobblers allowing for a few photos as they fed in the high grasses. I heard a Screech Owl in the dark hours. I became entangled in a very thick timbered area. That takes the fun out of hunting as each step allows for briars to dig into one’s flesh. I left early enough to prepare to do acoustic music at the Kittanning Free Methodist Church. An event is held there twice a month known as God’s Choice for those of special needs.
A bear could be bedded ten feet away and be completely hid.
OCTOBER 18
I sat up watching a field in the dark and windy morning. I would see one deer in the distance. I found myself very tired and decided this was going to be a short morning. I don’t sleep well usually. I still hunted my way back to the jeep seeing a Fisher twice. I only wished I could have gotten a photo. I heard a Great-horned Owl.
I went home and napped for company was coming.
OCTOBER 20
I stopped in the morning to take care of my mother’s garbage and enjoy breakfast. I did sneak around near to the homestead seeing two deer including one buck. I left early enough to prepare for my Thursday evening Bible study.
OCTOBER 21
This was another day to hunt bear and I went to State Game Lands 304 to still hunt. I would see seven deer this morning and a flock of turkeys two times. I walked right up on them the first time. I saw three pheasants.
OCTOBER 22.
This was the last day to hunt, and the temperatures were to reach into the seventies. I knew I would be quitting by noon for I prefer to not hunt in such temps. I stationed myself in the dark hours to wait.
I spotted a deer’s back and it appeared to be a doe. I positioned the rifle and as the deer approached, I thought I saw antler. I allowed the deer to come closer and I was correct for this deer was a spike buck, the spikes were about six inches long. That would be the only deer observed this morning. I walked off to where the spike came past, and it was eight steps.
I heard a Barred Owl.
Hunting deer by my preferred method known as still hunting can be very difficult during this early season. Multiflora Rose, Green Briars, our native briars and Spicebush form a dense canopy cancelling out any deer clarity.
The year was mostly a failure with the covid issue and the mandates damaging America. That subject is another issue. My mother had a mini-stroke in April. I still see some damage from that event, but overall she is doing rather well. My stepfather, Bob Miller is still struggling with his cancer issue. Last weigh-in showed a hundred and forty-four pound man. he eats very little and has grown weaker to the point he can not walk.
The Monday after Thanksgiving, I took him to the hospital for a visiting nurse believed he may have had pneumonia. We discovered, he, also, had Covid-19 and spent sixteen days in the hospital for all the issues and therapy. The following morning I took my mother to the ER under doctor’s recommendation and we found out she had the virus. She was sent home under quarantine for fourteen days. Her 91 st birthday went without a party. We sent flowers an Laurie made he a cake placed n the table. My sister had the virus as well. With all that traveling with infected people I failed to get it.
However, I did find time to enjoy the early muzzleloading season in 2020. I missed a shot on the first day and passed up around ten-twelve shots on small deer. I did see a lot of nice buck. I have included some photos of buck here.
I watched the four deer feed along for about a half an hour. They continued moving in my general direction. Would my redemption shot happen?
Just prior to the shot, two young deer appeared to my left. They were about thirty yards away, but limbs and vegetation blocked my view some so I held off. I did not want to miss or wound any deer. I needed a clean humane kill to boost my confidence. Remember all the blunders from the last two years due to sighting issues and difficulties aligning the sights.
Cherry Run
The lead deer cleared itself from the brush and I cocked the hammer. However, the second deer moved behind the lead deer. A shot at this range of approximately twenty yards would see two deer down. I moved my head to look at the right side of two trees in front of me. The other deer was closer now and open. I estimated that deer was around forty yards.
I maneuvered Old Jacob around and aligned the new peep sights onto the front shoulder. Even now I was apprehensive to shoot! I remember thinking to myself it is now or never and BOOM!
The recoil and smoke hid the deer for a second, but I saw the doe running downslope. The deer was obviously hit. I reloaded while wondering what happened. I was hoping for an instant drop at the shot.
I found the doe about sixty yards from the shot site. I felt relieved at redemption with this shot. I uttered a small prayer of thanks. The shot ended up being between forty-two and forty-five yards.
I skinned and quartered the deer and placed the meat in a basement fridge. Later I took the meat to a butcher for my time is very limited for now.
The next two days will be in support of my step-father and mother during these early stages of chemo.
It was great being out hunting on this first day of Pennsylvania’s early muzzleloading season. I saw fourteen deer in the five hours I was out hunting. Obviously, some were the same deer being viewed at different times. In fact I saw two bucks and I saw them three different times. The spike was chasing a doe.
The pre-dawn grays were interrupted by the hooting of a pair of Barred Owls. I need to hear those soothing calls with all that has been going on these last several months.
The first buck I saw was scarping the ground under “his” limb. He was a decent looking buck. Later this morning, while still-hunting, I saw a back of a deer and quickly identified him as this same buck. The big-boy bedded down while I was watching.
The spike buck was working along a field and I believed the deer was a doe, but at about forty-five yards the rack was observed. This feller came to about five yards of me. I snapped away with photos. Later, as he gazed into my eyes, I verbally said, “Hi Pretty Boy” as I motioned him to come to me. The amazing thing about this event was the buck actually took several steps towards me. He was curious. I would see this fellow later following a doe.
Old Jacob and a small Sheepshead Mushroom.
The doe he was following stopped about forty-five yards from me. Unfortunately, for me, I had made a pact this morning to limit all shots to under forty yards. Those who follow these entries should remember the fiasco I was having last year with my eyes and seeing sights properly resulting in ten failed shots. This year I had added a peep sight in place of the primitive ones. Also, I had a pair of glasses made without the bifocal lens. I am feeling somewhat confident, but wished for a clean kill to regain all confidence. One could call this a “Shot for redemption.”
I saw a number of squirrels as the frost and cool temperatures began warming up. I quit after one to check in on my step-father and mother, before heading home to mow.
I am planning on going out Monday morning for a time. The forecast is calling for the low seventies. That is too warm.
This morning I went to practice some with my fifty-caliber flintlock named Old Jacob. Some may remember from reading past entries here of how I faced so much difficulty in the last two deer seasons. I shot ten shots and failed to bring home any meat during last year’s various deer seasons. the year before I shot eight shots. Some of misses were difficult to believe. However, within those eight shots I still harvested three deer. I sensed things were happening with my eyes, but didn’t really seem to grasp how bad my vision had evolved.
I visited the eye doctor and had a number of tests done. New glasses didn’t seem to help. Gloomy days and low-light conditions of mornings and evenings were hazy. The last years despite new glasses didn’t work. I believe the difficulty was from trying to align two primitive flintlock sights and seeing the target clearly. I think I was subconsciously raising the front end of the flintlock to better see the front sight thus shooting high.
Well, a few things have happened since last deer season. One is that I had primitive peep sites installed on my fifty-caliber. Secondly, I, once again, went to the eye doctor and received new glasses. Thirdly, I had another pair of glasses made without any bifocal lens. I am hoping for much better shooting.
In July I shot a few rounds with the new sight, but decided to not shoot until I had the above mentioned glasses bought including the set without bifocals. However, before acting on the new glasses I had a health issue. I guess I should say I had a potential health issue. Through lab work the doctor discovered a positive reading of potentially that dreaded C-word. I found out definitely in mid-September that the reading was a false reading. I acted on the glasses
My stepfather began having issues and we recently discovered the extent of his health. He does have cancer. As I type this entry his chemo will begin in less than a week.
I had a day to accomplish some things for the rest of the week is going to be busy. I gathered up my flintlock shooting gear and a cardboard and I left to shoot a few rounds.
The above target has given me some hope The lowest shot was the first one. I adjusted how I used the peep sight and shot a nice group at thirty-five yards. The highest shot was at forty-five yards. these shots were completed without a shooting bench. I could see a slight sway of the front sight. I could use more practice for confidence.
The early muzzleloading season for deer begins on October 19th. Also, the week has Pennsylvania’s first muzzleloading season. The temperatures will determine if I hunt bear or not. Since I will be, most likely, hunting alone I have to think ahead as to how to get any bear out of the woods. The second step is to drive to a bear check station to be determined and then to a butcher while cool temps rule over the area. I don’t want a bear that much to sacrifice the meat if at all possible.
Most of my friends know how I enjoy hunting with the flintlock rifles. I love the gracious flow of the wood, the character and beauty of the Pennsylvania long rifles of the eighteenth century. The last two flintlock seasons I had not done very well with my shooting abilities. I missed many deer with my flintlocks only tagging two. Last year I did not get any deer. Some of the shots I took traditionally would have been a “down-deer.” Trips to the eye doctor didn’t help despite numerous test on the eyes. Last summer I contacted specialist about Lasik-surgery. I wasn’t a candidate. A friend suggested peep sights. I could readily see an advantage, but I wasn’t ready to place a more modern style of sight on my traditional rifle named, Old Jacob. Last year’s mishaps eventually forced a discussion with an avid flintlock shooter. (Old Jacob was a custom-made rifle of the Andrew Verner school of gun building. He lived in eastern Pennsylvania and created this style of stock. during the latter part of the seventeen-hundreds.)
I visited a friend, Curt Boal. He is the owner of a black powder shop near Fenelton, Pennsylvania. His shop is: Curt’s Blackpowder Shop. Visit: http://www.curtsblackpowdershop.com
Our discussion led me to decide to do a peep sight mounting. This morning, (April 2019) I picked up Old Jacob and I agreed with him that the sight looked good on the flinter. This peep sight is not a modern-style sight of today, but more in line with something found on an earlier rifle of the nineteenth century. The sight sets close on the barrel. I guess I can live with this. Fact is, I have to live with it or give up shooting and hunting deer.
To compensate for my feelings on this style of sight, I simply tell myself the colonial hunter would have had a peep sight if that knowledge of them would have been available.
I arrived at the hunting site at light. My goal was to spend some time attempting to locate information on the one deer I messed up on yesterday. I wasn’t sure what to expect. Would I find a downed deer or walk upon a deer trying to hide from me. I would spend approximately three hours still hunting the area. I traveled about three hundred and fifty yards or more in a semi-circle from the last known position of the deer. Due to yesterday’s occurrences I brought “Old Jacob” to the hunt. The .50 caliber rifle with two sights would be the deliverance for me if I had another chance.
I searched rather diligently, I believe, and found no certain detail as to what the deer had done. However, I was sneaking along a very thick area scouring ahead for any possible deer. Suddenly, an explosion erupted from under some dense honeysuckle limbs. Yes, a deer jumped up about ten feet from me. Did I approach with the stealth of an Indian that the deer didn’t know I was present? Was this the injured deer? I still can’t say with any degree of certainty. The deer moved out appearing fine. There was no sign in the deer’s bedding.
While doing this search a nice buck traveled over e ridge and walked by me. Once he spotted me he allowed for about eight photos once as I worked to retrieve my camera from my shoulder bag.
I walked along a field’s edge and spotted a deer nibbling on tree limbs. I assumed it was a male for such actions are common with a buck. I glassed and saw spike antlers. Three more deer appeared in the field feeding. I stalked a distance that I deemed safe to do so. Suddenly, I could see a deer to my left and closing in. I maneuvered among the pines and realized it was the spike. The buck had turned and due to contours found his way right upon me.
I would see seventeen deer over six hours. A couple of doe came out to me at about fifty yards. I couldn’t shoot for when one stopped the other would stop directly in front of the other.
I saw some squirrels and heard some turkeys on the roost this fine day afield. The temps were cool and in the thirty degree range in the morning and the winds made setting for more than thirty minutes difficult.
I met my step father, Bob for some hunting time. We set up in the darkness at two different sites. There was frost in some areas meaning the temperatures had to be around the freezing point. The day was very windy.
Frost
I was watching a doe at around sixty yards. (Two other deer were about ninety yards.) I was wondering if the closest deer would move closer to me. I
Bull Thistle in mid-October
would soon find out… NO! Bob shot at a deer. The doe I was watching stood at attention only to unnerve and run away from me. I went to Bob to find out his flintlock had a hang fire and he began to drop the barrel only to have the sounds of Ka-Boom occur. (A hang fire is when the pan powder goes off followed by the flintlock. The shot is possibly a half second or more after the pan power ignites.)
We set up a short time to watch for deer and had no luck. Bob moved to a favorite log and I circled to move through thick crabapples and dogwoods. I spotted the doe at around twenty yards. She was feeding, but all I could see were her back legs and head and neck. Suddenly, she raised her head and gawked directly at me. We eyeballed each other before she turned away not offering me a shot. At around thirty yards she turned and was broadside to me. However, much of her body was behind honeysuckle cover.
I readied the smoothbore and she moved. I knew one more step and I would not be seeing the deer. I hurried the shot and shot over her back. Bob saw her go past.
I was getting warm since the temps reached over fifty degrees and I was thinking of quitting early. (Bob had already left around 10:15.) I was almost to the jeep when I spotted a feeding doe. I stalked her waiting for an opening to shoot. At about thirty yards I shot and hit her brisket area. There was a tree in front. Did I graze the tree causing the ball to drop or did I just move ever so slightly? I need to check out the area to locate the tree. I was disgusted with myself. How did I fail such a shot? I spent just shy of two hours searching for the deer to no avail. Sign was almost non-existent. Once I determined to end the search I quit hunting for the day.
I saw less squirrels this day and only thirteen deer. I did see three Woodcock and a few turkeys. I found five Sheepshead mushrooms, but didn’t pick any for I already had some in the freezer. I think my next hunt will be the flintlock rifle.
Larry A. Smail's Blog 