Larry A. Smail's Blog

Last year’s Pennsylvania Flintlock season found frustration with three misses on the same day. The frustration came about due to the fact they were shots that in times past would have been fatal! I decided that day to quit for the season.

Over summer I shot the flintlock at a range with a good rest. At fifty yards I hit a paper plate with every shot. Not the ideal grouping but considering my eye sighting issue I accepted the shots. I made personal policies, such as all shots to be less than fifty yards. I purchased a range finder to use in determining hunting ranges while afield. Also, less still hunting and more stand hunting. I needed control to count points and identify ranges and deer genders.

So, with those policies in mind, I went to the woods on December 29 for half a day hunt. I dressed to set most of the morning. I set without seeing any deer. However, I went for a walk to relieve muscle tensions. While walking I did see a back of a deer. Also, as I came up and over the slope of the hill I walked into a flock of turkeys. I saw a Barred Owl, too.

Box Turtle shell.

I spotted a shell of a Box Turtle. I wondered what had happened to the turtle for there was nothing inside the shell. I suspect with the warmer than normal weather, the turtle may have died from the elements and was later eaten. Upon death the hinge on the bottom of the shell would release allowing for critters to eat.

I began to move to exit the forest to head home when I spotted a broadside deer. It was about fifty yards and just above a posted property line. I decided to not shoot and see if the deer came upslope towards me. I knew even a fatal hit would, most likely, see the deer explode with an adrenalin surge and head deep into the posted land. Soon it turned and I thought I could see a hint of antler. As the deer moved along, feeding, I was, also, stalking.

Eventually the deer did turn and move upslope and now I could see a rack, in fact, it was a small four-point. If I would have successfully shot when I first saw the deer, I would have had an illegal kill. It is so hard for me to see small antlers!!!

December 30

I went out again on December 30th to hunt half a day. I wanted to get the basement cleaned up of some clutter since friends would be coming.

While I was setting on watch I spotted a deer coming. I repositioned the flintlock. I thought, “Old Jacob” may be filling a tag. However, I hesitated for I knew this little buck was, most likely, still in the area. The deer walked below a tree I had previously ranged at fifty-two yards. The deer went on and stopped behind some trees, so I didn’t get to identify. I watched for the deer with field glasses in hand and a cocked flintlock on a log.

Suddenly the deer popped into view at a measured 26 yards, it was the same small buck! The deer came to fourteen yards. Now I was trying to uncock the rifle at the same time get my camera into position. It was a failure! The deer soon received a whiff and was gone.

As I was moving to leave the hunt. I spotted a buck bedded down. As our eyes met it bolted. It was around fourteen inches across. I failed to even begin counting points. The second deer stood. I could not see the head. The entire body, however, was in view. After a time, the deer turned, and I could see it was a nice doe. No shots! I would see one more doe in the posted property.

I saw plenty of squirrel activity and a Barred Owl again.

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I was unsuccessful during the flintlock season. However, I should not have been unsuccessful. Something has happened to me as I aged. Readers of my blog know of the sighting issues I have had in recent years, and I had taken steps to try to curtail those problems. I am going to take the long barreled flinter to the range under extremely controlled conditions to rule things out in regard to the sights. I have lost confidence in my abilities, and I am thinking the loss of confidence has affected my psyche. I am believing my issue is in my head telling me I am going to fail, and I do. Whatever, three misses that should not have been misses caused to quit hunting this year. Also, dealing with health issues with my mother and stepfather has me feeling down.

With all of this being said I did have some interesting events unfold while hunting. I will include a few here for my personal journal remembrance. First of all, I saw a lot of deer! I saw a flock of turkeys, a couple of rabbits, fisher tracks, lots of squirrels and various other small wildlife.

One day behind my homestead, I saw five bucks running together. They were out of range, but I went at an angled and circled around and crept upon them to about forty-five yards. I was bringing up the rifle on one I deemed legal because I could easily count the legal points, as per Pennsylvania law, when the buck spotted me. I froze, but he and the others walked off and crossed a township road into posted properly. I would have missed anyway, no doubt.

One day, I stalked a feeding doe. I was closing the gap when she began walking towards me. I eased Old Jacob out from behind the tree and shot only to see the doe standing. She walked off turned and returned. I had reloaded behind the tree and missed again. I was frustrated.

I crept into a wooded area and sat down to watch one morning. Shortly I could see a doe feeding towards me. She bedded down. Too far for me to shoot, but close enough I could see her chewing her cud. The doe eventually put her head on the ground to sleep. Isat for almost three hours and I was shivering at times and cramping up. I decided to crawl while her head was down to close the gap. I hadn’t moved far when her head came up again. I froze. After a bit she arose from her bed and began to walk towards me again, but gradually moved away at an angle. Interesting to be part of, to say the least.

The day I quit hunting found me watching four deer, one being a six-point buck. The buck was nice but illegal, so I eased my camera out of my shoulder bag to attempt a photo if he allowed for it. Meanwhile, a doe that had walked at an angle out of site returned and walked close to me at about forty yards or so. I missed. I spent an hour and a half searching to make sure. The decision to abort the became reality.

The future of my flintlock hunting has many opened-ended questions and concerns for me to resolve. I really do enjoy the flintlock season and hope with some range work and possibly some soul searching, I can resume next season as a new and confident hunter.

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I made a decision to go after deer this morning, at least until the temperatures climbed to seventy. Actually, Old Jacob, my fifty caliber seemed anxious to be shot.

I crossed a field in the very early moments of the day and saw a deer standing along the field’s edge giving me the eye. I settled against a pine to watch this field until the sun came up. I would be facing the eastern skyline and knew once that bright thing climbs above the tree line my vision becomes hampered some.

I would see five deer at too far distances before getting up to walk out. I hadn’t gone far when I noticed a deer feeding about 130 yards out. Two deer would eventually show up. As they fed towards my position I began to play the mind games about filling a tag or not.

In time, as the sun became higher the two deer walked and fed close to me. I decided not to shoot at this time but take photos.

They walked within fifteen to eighteen yards from me allowing for a few photos before they either, saw a shine of the camera or heard the click of the shutter for they bounded off.

I would see a total of twelve deer until I left at 11:45. I saw two bucks. The temps had become quite warm and I needed to mow anyway. I may go out for bear again tomorrow morning, but I need to quit no later than two o’clock for a commitment.

On a separate entry I will be placing photos of a flock of turkeys I called in this morning.

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January has been more spring-like than winter with the exception of only a few days. This morning was no different.

I planned to try to harvest a fat doe this day and I came extremely close on fulfilling that plan. While edging along a field I noticed a doe around twenty-five to twenty-eight estimated steps from me. Some young trees blocked her torso, so I continued the sneak always watching from my peripheral vision. As I walked along I cocked the flintlock’s hammer and “set” the Set trigger. Ten feet later I had a completely opened shot and I stopped to aim the sights. Just a mere millisecond later the doe unnerved and off she went.

In total I would have around 43 deer sightings this day, but no good other shots were offered. However, I did see a nice-looking buck, but he was not legal. The buck sported four points. This deer was still chasing does, too. I hoped she would have turned in my direction but she didn’t and this buck began chasing tail, so to speak.

The squirrels were very active with these warming temperatures. I saw plenty including a Fox Squirrel.

In the pre-dawn morning I heard a Barred Owl several times and later I would see one.

Tomorrow morning I will be out again, but I can only hunt a partial day. My services are needed elsewhere by noon.

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One of those shoot with a camera deer instead of the flintlock.

Besides the numerous issues, dealing with the family over the last six months, one issue had me in a literal emotional distress. That issue was for federal jury duty in Pittsburgh. I have anxieties about certain things. Traffic, such as one finds on SR 28 and within Pittsburgh is one such issue. I don’t feel comfortable within large crowds. Rapid technology changes and dealing with foreign communicators on the phone find me avoiding as much as possible. The list is longer, but you get my drift.

A Cherry Run tributary.

I am thrilled to know, as of this evening the 7th, I will not  on jury duty. With all the issues bottled up in my senses, I actually broke down upon hearing that news. The burdens have been heavy and that release couldn’t contain my feelings at the time. I hunted very little this year between doctor appointments and worries. However, I did get out a little since New Year’s Day with the flintlock.

January 2, found me in familiar hunting haunts. I spotted three deer feeding along a field’s edge and I circled to try to set up catching them coming through the woods. I kicked up three deer wondering if those deer had already moved this far. I moved on and set down among a couple of logs. In a short time I started seeing deer moving around. A deer started moving towards my position and I readied Old Jacob. The deer was within a range from past years, but I am still being cautious with ranges over forty yards or so. The deer bedded down!

I could see deer off and on among the trees, but most were way too far. Another deer showed up and walked to the bedded deer. AFter a while of  feeding it turned and the bedded deer followed it. I circled again and was walking a field’s edge and spotted a fuzzy-faced yearling at about twenty yards. the deer was wide-open and broadside, but I elected to not shoot. I continued around and spotted another deer among saplings and limb. I tried to fond an opening and shot. The deer stood and looked at me. The shot was farther than I initially thought and I hit one of those limbs. I saw a number of deer before heading home, but no shots were offered.

Yesterday, January 7, I hunted for deer and set up watching a grassy right-a-way. I sat almost two hours before loosing the battle with the cold. I began a warm-up walk and was returning on the right-a-way only to see three feeding deer clear across this deep and steep hollow. They were on a reclaimed strip loaded with goldenrods and briars. I began the stalk.

I was around a hundred yards or so from where they were bedded when I herad a voice saying hello. I turned and a woman on a horse with two dogs. were  just below me. She said to say hello to not scare the horse. We had a conversation and I knew the deer, most likely, would have been moved and they were.

  I continued up the hill seeing some deer ocaasionally, but none were close enough for a shot. I spotted a bedded deer across a gulley and watched it get up and begin feeding. I paralleled this deer as I could but never could get close enough for a shot. I crossed the gulley again and was still-hunting and spotted some deer approximately 40 yards away. I could see three deer, but multiflora rose caused me to wait for a more open shot. Suddenly, to my left were three more deer. Now I couldn’t move the flintlock if I wanted without those three deer on my left spooking.

The three deer began walking across a little saddle and reappeared and walked a rim of this hill about 25 yards. The other three deer were going to come right to me so I waited. Probably this was a wrong decision. No, it was a wrong decison. I should have pulled up on the deer above me.

As luck would have it the second three deer moved up and walked the same trail as the first three deer. They stepped across an opening and I waited for the “PERFECT” shot and ended up not firing at all. The hard question for me to answer is why I held off. Any of those six deer were close enough and offered me broadside shots. This mind-set of mine to look for prefect shots causes a lot of deer to move forwards. Oh well!

Now, I seemed to enter into the hunter mode and still-hunted on the trail they were on. I never caught up to them. I suspect with the way the winds were changing that a whiff of Larry reached them and they moved away faster. I quit around one o’clock. I was anxious to get home to find out the results for this jury duty issues and as noted above all is well!!!

As you can see I did “shoot” some deer with the camera. Maybe with a change I this weather I will feel more like pursuing deer.  The weather has in recent days had rather warm temperatures and rain. The upcoming weekend is forecasted at 61 degrees with rain.

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  The morning produced rainy conditions, so any thoughts of chasing deer with a flintlock smoothbore would need to wait. Jeremiah, my .62 caliber smoothbore was anxious to get out so once radar showed rainless conditions, I called my step father, Bob Miller about hunting. He agreed to meet me and travel to a nearby game lands.

Yesterday was Bob’s eighty-fourth birthday so my plans were to set him up and push some of the thick brush hoping to move some deer. Family is coming later this afternoon for a meal and cake to celebrate his day.

The first three drives produced no deer for Bob. I was surprised for this is great habitat for deer hideaways. I did find an old weathered arrow from some person’s hunt of the past. We did see a Ring-necked Pheasant.

However, the fourth push granted me an experience to enjoy. I was moving through the thick vegetation when I spotted a deer about fifteen yards away. The doe hadn’t seen me which very much surprised me.  This young doe began angling to my right. MY thumb was on the hammer, but I did not cock the flintlock. I just didn’t feel like shooting this deer. The doe was as close as ten yards and, yet, never saw me. Two more deer were down over from my position at about twenty  to  twenty-two yards.  I was happy with my decision!

Bob never saw any deer.

I need to write an update in regards with my sighting issues. They are gone! What a joy to see the sights of my flintlock with clarity again.  I suffered with this for over a year. I picked up a new pair of glasses Friday morning and immediately sensed better vision. So what was the problem over this time frame? The only answer I can come up with is an error in prescription form the glass-making side of the eye-glasses scenario.

My eye doctor once I complained about checked my prescription again and conducted other eye-related tests. He said his numbers were correct and the prescription was correct. The paperwork was correct with his numbers from the company that actually produced the eyeglasses. I truly believe someone at the company had all the paperwork correct, but the actual production of the eyeglasses was not correct with my prescription and the paperwork. Could this be possible?  Anyway, I am so elated to see the sights clear again!!! Wish me luck!

Old arrow remains

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