This last week week was our muzzleloader season here in WI. Saturday I went out with my friend Doug to hunt behind his house. I climbed into my treestand before light. It was dark and overcast. We had about a half inch of fresh snow on the ground.
Up in my stand I made myself comfortable. I opened a couple chemical hand warmers and zipper up the fleece and put the synthetic balaclava on under my orange hat. I guess that stuff is not too traditional. After getting all set and waiting awhile a deer walks across the snowy alfalfa (cut shorter than my lawn) in front of me. It stops within five yards of my tree and stands there. This deer must be suicidal, I thought. I raised my generic CVA 50 caliber. I use 90gr blackpowder and a Hornaday great plains conical. I don't know how it didn't hear the hammer cock. Maybe the wind. I think it had stopped to sniff my tracks. Boom. The deer lunged into the thick wet swamp behind my stand. I listened to ice crack and a few branches break, then quiet.
I got out my plastic quick load. Poured powder down the barrel. I couldn't get the bullet out. Previous days in my pocket with the handwarmers had melted the waxy lube and sealed it in. I pryed with my knife, careful not to stab myself. Finally I got another bullet out of the possibles bag. It's loaded. After it was good and light, Doug and I put our hipboots on and tracked it. It was probably less than 60 yds from my stand although it seemed like we tracked it 1/4 mile. The ice would break and we would be over our knees in water. The deer was a seven pointer with no brow tine on one side. Not a big rack. I've shot three does with this rig before, but I was sure happy to shoot and find this muzzleloader buck.
I know my CVA is an inexpensive rifle (about $100) but it works fine, doesn't misfire now that I know how to treat it, and groups fairly well. I don't think I'll ever go to an inline( I don't mind them), that's not what I'm out there for. If I hunt any more WI extended seasons maybe I'll just keep using the muzzleloader.
