Quick muzzleloader hunt

Well I had an evening come open so I grabbed the front stuffer and hit the woods, public woods  .  I had it mind to find a spot that other hunters would have not hunted so I went to an oil well that is loud and no one's first choice.  I hadn't been there before but I wanted to find a spot quick with some sign and was able to do just that.  Found a little clearing with plenty of heavy trails crossing.  The oil rig was about 300 yards away and clanking something awful.  It was perfect!  I found a spot on a slight ridge with a small bush/tree to break up my outline.







Used the old Plumb hatchet to clear out a quick spot then settled in.  For you traditional muzzle-loading enthusiast avert your eyes from my setup.  I love the vintage ones too but I need all the help a hunter can get on my few trips I make it out.  Rifle is a CVA Optima Pro Elite .50cal with a Bushnell 4x32 scope shotgun scope.  So it's basically a single shot 30-30. 





Well my plan of hunting the spot no one else probably has to find the deer looking to avoid a hunter WORKED!  Except too well 

About 30 mins before shooting light expired a doe came up from behind on basically the same path I walked in on.  She came up on my right so quiet I never heard her.  Just saw the flicker of movement from the corner of my eye.  Knew immediately it was a deer.  Plan was to sit still, let her get by me and then make a clean shot.  Instead she stopped dead even with me about 3 yards or so and locked eyes with me.  Since I'm right handed that made shoulder the rifle in any subtle fashion impossible.  She bounded off after a few seconds and turned to look back at me from just inside the treeline.  I could have taken a shot but there was a lot of debris I would have been shooting through.  So the right call was to pass on the shot.  I sat in hopes that maybe the rut started early and buck would be following but no luck. 

So overall it was a good time and in spite of the oil rig it was relaxing and peaceful and the fresh air and smells felt good and I love those heart attack encounters.  I would do it all over again!  Hopefully the next hunt ends with meat cooking pics instead of gear...

Thanks for looking 

Jack's first hatchet, new cook kit, hanging and relaxing

Well Jack and I had some new stuff we needed to hit the woods with to try out. So we headed out and killed an afternoon and early evening.

Entering the trail



Jack's hatchet is an old Plumb scout hatchet. It's well worn and so blunt it only qualifies as a small hammer. But Jack knows no different and he was mighty proud to be toting this baby a long. He always picks up a stick and says it's his axe and bangs around camp with it. I figured I'd hang this one and let him have something he can do a little damage with and not worry about him accidently cutting himself. Plus he just thought is the coolest thing ever.





Well we found a nice spot that didn't have too much undergrowth and shrubs around so we made our little camp and dad got to hang the DIY hammock in the woods for the first time.

hammock packs to about 10 x 5" in the stuff sack. Handy little size.









ridgeline view



One thing that I found surprising with the hammock is just how comfortable they are to sit in in multiple ways. Heck it's a lounge chair and you can sit upright and lean back a little and that works too! I'm wishing I would have tried hammocks years ago.

Jack was dead set on making sure any downed tree around had it's bark knocked off or any loose pieces needed chopping on.



I usually make a small twig/stick fire in the woods so Jack was constantly bringing me his bark and wood chip pieces to use for the fire. It was cute and assured me I was influencing him correctly so far But I brought out a cook kit with an alcohol stove this time to try out. I ordered this from minibull design. It is the 12cm Bios #5 kit.





Comes with a 12cm Imusa pot with lid(aluminum), a carbon felt handle wrap and windscreen, and a Bios #5 stove. It's made from an aluminum beer bottle. This kit is very light. I added a 4oz fuel bottle and the green rimmed cup is from my thermos, it fit perfectly in the big pot.





to light this stove you prime th fiberglass wick on the outside then fill it with the amount of alcohol you want and light the wick. Within seconds it blossoms out and you are ready





soon enough we had our hot chocolate ready to go with our chocolate peanut butter pop-tarts



Jack approves





Well we relaxed for a bit and Jack used his hatchet some more. Then on the way out we saw a handful of deer and heard some owls. It was a good time.




thanks for looking