Muzzleloading season always seems fitting to get some venison in the freezer. Since many of the bucks have been killed during the regular firearms season, late-season opportunities have us focusing on mature does. My friend, Joe, had yet to tag a deer this season, so we planned on doing just that.
I manned one stand and Joe climbed a tree in an adjacent field with the wind in his face. With the setting sun came the hungry deer to the food plots 200 yards in front of me. A yearling forkhorn buck joined the gathering but seemed intent on stirring up the feeding deer in a lust-driven quest. As the group migrated across the field, the yearling buck (protected by our self-imposed antler-point restrictions) wandered into Joe’s field of view some 100 yards out. As it turned out, however, not one of the mature does presented an opportunity before darkness halted the session.
The following afternoon brought a mix of freezing rain accompanied by steady east wind. Even though Joe had returned to hunt, he began talking as though it might be best to wait for better weather. But, I convinced him that time was running out – especially since he’s relegated to weekend-warrior status.
My plan was to be a spotter in the two-man blind and to provide backup, if necessary. After 4 PM some antlerless deer arrived but a vigilant, matriarch sniffed our scent from 170 yards and the group followed her out of sight.
More antlerless deer began feeding from an upwind position, so we concentrated on them. As light faded, we had resigned ourselves to the notion that they weren’t coming close enough this day.
As I packed gear to head home, Joe piped up, “Bucks!” Some 200 yards away, several bucks slipped into the brassica bonanza, when Joe remarked, “There’s a big one!” We both confirmed long, white tines and it was game on!
In the waning light at 5:18 PM, Joe rested his CVA Accura’s forend on a sandbag and cradled the rear stock on a bipod for stability with a fairly long shot pending. Pow! Before the billowing smoke clouded my view, I witnessed the telltale high rear-leg kick, which is indicative of a good hit as the buck vanished.
Rather than run the risk of pushing a potentially wounded deer, we departed for lights and field-dressing gear. Then, we called our friend, Mike, who owns a young dog he has volunteered for tracking chores.
His dog, Reese, had been untested but that was about to change.
We searched briefly for clues in the field but none was found. Away from us, the restrained dachshund/beagle mix couldn’t be held back and tugged Mike into the woods. He pulled hard on the short leash, right into a tangled mess of thorny brush and began a highly excited series of barks and yips. Sure enough, Reese had found the 10-point buck in less than a minute!
Reese Guards His Prize
Joe Reynolds’ 10-Point Muzzleloader Buck
Inspection confirmed that the 250-grain Barnes bullet had punched through a rib on entry, taken out the heart and exited via a perfectly placed shot at 145-confirmed yards.
