Muzzleloader opened here last Saturday, so me and Jackson loaded up food blankets guns drinks clothes dt Dr Pepper and more dt Dr Pepper and headed up to the eastern shore of Virginia where I joined a hunt club this year. It has 24 different leases some big and some small but most have a lot of deer on them.
Saturday morning opener had 24mph winds and it sucked. We saw 2 deer that morning. Afternoon was a lot better and we saw I think 4.
We only had one muzzleloader so I took my crossbow so we could hunt separately if we wanted to, but I found myself wanting to be with Jackson and help him learn more about the sport. We hunted separately 2 out of 7 hunts.
Sunday morning Jackson shot at a little forkhorn, maybe a 6 if it had brow tines. He grazed it. We found 4 tiny drops of blood. We circled the area for nearly 2 hours and found nothing. He was a little down on him self the rest of the night.
Fast forward through Sunday night, and Monday morning we had seen 28 deer. Jackson had put 4 in his scope (does or spikes, and that fork horn) but nothing was down. Monday night we hunted a field and had deer ALL over us. 3 does and 4 fawns at 160 yards were feeding on field edge and going in and out of some very tall grass. All the sudden right at dark the does started running back and forth, in and out, acting goofy. I whispered to Jackson that I bet a buck was pushing them around. He put the scope up to gather some light and said he saw antlers on edge of the field. He handed me the gun and I got a glimpse too, right before dark.
That was Monday night, and we had ONE morning hunt left to make something happen. We decided to hunt that same stand again Tuesday morning.
We got a little late start Tuesday morning, we had been getting into stand one hour before shooting time. We pulled in about 30 minutes before shooting light, and ran 4 deer off the field. I was a little worried we had shit the bed, but we got settled and a 6 point came cruising the side of the field. Jackson had it scoped, but couldn’t “get comfortable” and deer walked off before he could shoot. That was right at daybreak, 6:03.
Fast forward an hour and a half and from no where a fat doe comes busting out of the woods right in front of us, with an 8 point chasing her. About 180 yards, too far for him with muzzleloader. Right behind the 8 point was a little cowhorn with a small browtine kicker. The 8 point turns and runs the little guy off.
He then proceeds to follow the doe into the field. They were to Jackson’s left, perfect for a right hander to shoot. At about 90 yards broadside, jackson smokes the buck and he takes one jump and two steps, and stands there.... tail down. We’re watching. He takes a few deep breaths, looks left and right, and lays down. Done. Not much of a rack, but he was a big bodied SOB.
The doe stands there looking at him. Then the little guy comes barreling back through the woods, into the field, right towards the doe.
I tell Jackson to give me the muzzleloader. They stand there while I reload, and I pull up and lay the little buck out. Both deer laying 20 feet apart.
The 4 days was action packed every bit of the way. We had deer everywhere and lots of opportunity to shoot, but just didn’t have anything to show for it.
To leave on the last day with 2 bucks and memories that will last forever is priceless.
Now I have a European mount to do, and close to 100 pounds of burger, sausage, jerky, and summer sausage to make.




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