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What have you seen lately?

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Out squirrel hunting a little after 0600 today at a WMA in Brookfield/Sturbridge. Around 0700 I hear some rustling coming from uphill and to my left, and catch a glimpse of this guy coming through the woods. Got off the side of the trail onto a rock and he crossed in front of me 20 yards out. Looked at me for a few seconds, then moved a little more and stuck around eating for about five minutes, looking back at me occasionally, before walking off.
 
Saw a nice 6 point buck bolt by yesterday in the woods. Not sure who bumped him but he ran full tilt past me. I probably could have taken him, but with a doe and a black bear under my belt this year, he wasn't good enough to get greedy over.
 
I saw a couple of hunters and a couple of dog walkers I don't think any of them saw me. What I haven't seen this year are EPO's. Is it just me or has there been a lack of them in zone 10 this year? I hunt public land and last year I had half a dozen interactions by now. Usually waiting by my truck to check my license after last light. I haven't ran into one this year.
 
Went down to the Camp Edwards hunt this morning. Found some coyote tracks, followed them for a bit in hopes he was onto something interesting. Must have spooked him, because suddenly there's a 'yote bounding over the brush and into the woods.

Found some deer sign too, but no deer. Maybe next time.
 
Now that deer season is over I can enjoy small game hunting again. (I don’t want to be a sick stomping around wile some dude is in a tree stand all day)
The boy and I went out this morning. Tons of fresh rabbit tracks. Flushed two partridge about 60 yards away and spotted a muskrat along the river.
Nothing close enough to shoot, but I’m just happy seeing anything.
 
Broke trail in search of deer this afternoon, only to find Bullwinkle using my tracks.

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Tipped this freezer filler over this am
Anybody else have problems with 245 grain power belts this is the 2nd deer I have shot with muzzle loader that next to no blood. Power belt didn’t pass thru so I will see what it looks like when I butcher it. At first thought I missed but found hair no blood for about 60 yards then it was only small drops ( thank god for snow) I also thought I heard it crash deer went about 150 yards in thick stuff . Shot was in kill zone. Maybe I am just expecting blood like broadheads or shotgun slugs hi power rifle
 
Sparkey said:
View attachment 424905
Tipped this freezer filler over this am
Anybody else have problems with 245 grain power belts this is the 2nd deer I have shot with muzzle loader that next to no blood. Power belt didn’t pass thru so I will see what it looks like when I butcher it. At first thought I missed but found hair no blood for about 60 yards then it was only small drops ( thank god for snow) I also thought I heard it crash deer went about 150 yards in thick stuff . Shot was in kill zone. Maybe I am just expecting blood like broadheads or shotgun slugs hi power rifle
Click to expand...

Congratulations on t freezer filler.

What did/does the recovered bullet look like? That will tell you what’s happening.

I remember that there was an issue years back about the bullets fragmenting IIRC?

Bob
 
HorizontalHunter said:
Congratulations on t freezer filler.

What did/does the recovered bullet look like? That will tell you what’s happening.

I remember that there was an issue years back about the bullets fragmenting IIRC?

Bob
Click to expand...
I will take a picture of sabot When I butcher it still in the cavity somewhere I Didn’t see it in the guts.
Any suggestions on different Sabots ? using 2 pellets of triple 7 Seems like it hits hard
 
Sparkey said:
I will take a picture of sabot When I butcher it still in the cavity somewhere I Didn’t see it in the guts.
Any suggestions on different Sabots ? using 2 pellets of triple 7 Seems like it hits hard
Click to expand...

I use the Hornady SST. Over 3 777 50g pellets. @whacko uses them as well IIRC but he uses loose powder. I don’t hunt ML much so I think that he has more experience when it comes to their performance.

I Have tried all the combinations with 50g pellets and 60g pellets and the most accurate load out of my rifle is at 150g.

Bob

ETA:

To be clear I shoot the Hornady SST LNL (Lock N Load) 250g sabot. The pellets slide on to the tail so inn the field it all goes in as a unit for a faster reload.

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Last edited:
Sparkey said:
View attachment 424905
Tipped this freezer filler over this am
Anybody else have problems with 245 grain power belts this is the 2nd deer I have shot with muzzle loader that next to no blood. Power belt didn’t pass thru so I will see what it looks like when I butcher it. At first thought I missed but found hair no blood for about 60 yards then it was only small drops ( thank god for snow) I also thought I heard it crash deer went about 150 yards in thick stuff . Shot was in kill zone. Maybe I am just expecting blood like broadheads or shotgun slugs hi power rifle
Click to expand...
Was the entrance hole high up in the kill zone? That can cause a late or light blood trail on a deer that runs. Remember... unless you hit a huge artery near the surface (jugular) or right into the heart (which is actually low on the deers body) the body cavity needs to fill up a bit before blood spills out. Lower placed shots the blood will spill sooner and spill more volume. The deer I shot on Dec 7 in nh was a higher shot than I like to aim for. Deer went right down but was very much alive when I got to it. No blood came from the entrance wound and there was no exit hole. There was literally zero blood on the ground where that deer was thrashing and he had been there for about a minute while I reloaded. When I field dressed it the cavity was full of blood......just never made it to where it could spill out. It happens.


Oh and I use 240 grain Hornady American white tail hollow points with 100 grains of 777 pellets. Definitely put the smack down on that buck and the projectile expanded nicely. I one lunged him which is why he didn't die instantly but I did hit a good blood vessel......he was bleeding internally enough that he'd have bled out on his own.
 
whacko said:
Was the entrance hole high up in the kill zone? That can cause a late or light blood trail on a deer that runs. Remember... unless you hit a huge artery near the surface (jugular) or right into the heart (which is actually low on the deers body) the body cavity needs to fill up a bit before blood spills out. Lower placed shots the blood will spill sooner and spill more volume. The deer I shot on Dec 7 in nh was a higher shot than I like to aim for. Deer went right down but was very much alive when I got to it. No blood came from the entrance wound and there was no exit hole. There was literally zero blood on the ground where that deer was thrashing and he had been there for about a minute while I reloaded. When I field dressed it the cavity was full of blood......just never made it to where it could spill out. It happens.


Oh and I use 240 grain Hornady American white tail hollow points with 100 grains of 777 pellets. Definitely put the smack down on that buck and the projectile expanded nicely. I one lunged him which is why he didn't die instantly but I did hit a good blood vessel......he was bleeding internally enough that he'd have bled out on his own.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the info! Hit was a little high so that could be the reason for no blood. Never thought about that. Like Horizontal hunter said will have to see when I find the bullet what happened. Accuracy with power belts is good but I am just 2nd guessing the expansion.
I have always had good luck with Hornady American white tail ammo for my 308 deer rifle.
 
Sparkey said:
Thanks for the info! Hit was a little high so that could be the reason for no blood. Never thought about that. Like Horizontal hunter said will have to see when I find the bullet what happened. Accuracy with power belts is good but I am just 2nd guessing the expansion.
I have always had good luck with Hornady American white tail ammo for my 308 deer rifle.
Click to expand...
I have read about expansion problems with power belts before. Thats why I have never tried them. I've never read about expansion issues woth Hornady hollow points that's why I started using them and they shot well accuracy wise from my tc impact.
 
whacko said:
I have read about expansion problems with power belts before. Thats why I have never tried them. I've never read about expansion issues woth Hornady hollow points that's why I started using them and they shot well accuracy wise from my tc impact.
Click to expand...

That’s what’s strange. If it didn’t expand it should have blown right through.

I agree about the high hits. High hits regardless of weapon will result in a thoracic or abdominal cavity full of blood with little on the ground.

That hit doesn’t look high in the picture. It looks to be right at the elbow in the crease. There isn’t much there to stop a bullet. The ribs wont stop a bullet.

With the snow on the ground any blood will stand out.

Bob
 
HorizontalHunter said:
That’s what’s strange. If it didn’t expand it should have blown right through.

I agree about the high hits. High hits regardless of weapon will result in a thoracic or abdominal cavity full of blood with little on the ground.

That hit doesn’t look high in the picture. It looks to be right at the elbow in the crease. There isn’t much there to stop a bullet. The ribs wont stop a bullet.

With the snow on the ground any blood will stand out.

Bob
Click to expand...
I've never experienced a pass through using Hornady or tc Shockwave projos. All have expanded nicely and all but one deer dropped where they stood. The one that didn't only made it 50 yards and pumped a blood trail a blind man could see (quartering to shot and hit the jugular). They are an excellent projo for deer hunting.
 
Sparkey said:
I will take a picture of sabot When I butcher it still in the cavity somewhere I Didn’t see it in the guts.
Any suggestions on different Sabots ? using 2 pellets of triple 7 Seems like it hits hard
Click to expand...
How far of a shot? I sited mine in using the 250 grain arrow light. Designed for a hundred gains of triple seven. I stuck with them because they shoot super accurate. But I think velocity really starts to drop at a hundred yards. I have some 275 grain Platinum. I'm not switching this year, but I think next year I'm going to start shooting them with 150 grains of triple seven.
 

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