Did I miss? Still in shock...

[Bgoodman30]

Had my #1 target buck come crashing in right up the draw to about 60 yards.. Great 8 pt. I sized him up for a bit because there is a very similar racked younger buck. After confirmation I waited for a clear shot.. Click, nothing,.. Now I am a nervous wreck as I reach for another primer. Break the action and examine and primer was not struck? Close it chocolate chip cookie it aim and boom..

The buck runs a 40 yard circle and then stands there head up and stares at me for about 30 seconds.... I stare back trying to reach for another bullet while also looking for the shot placement... Then he bolts... Other than a small piece of tufted hair(not red) on his back on opposite of shot side there is no evidence of a hit... No crash heard.. I searched the area for 45 minutes and not a drop of blood. I have never had much blood from a MZ shot but definity never had a shot deer just act spooked and look back at me?

I started to look into woodline but its on the property line.. Also got photographed by my neighbors camera as I approached the fence line.. Haven't been able to reach the owner to see if I can search...

The last shot by this MZ was a perfect heart shot by my son so I believe the gun was on.. What do you think? Clean miss? Powder malfunction?

This is him running off by camera...

 

[Bgoodman30]

I'm heading out to go look for him..

 

[cecil30-30]

Good luck

 

[Jcalder]

What bullet

 

[Bgoodman30]

What bullet

Sst

 

[ROUGH COUNTRY HUNTER]

Don't give up, muzzleloaders suck in my opinion

 

[Omega]

Lock time can make one move off the sight picture. Hope you got him.

 

[Gravey]

Hope you find him.

 

[Bgoodman30]

Hope you find him.

Thanks

 

[mayberryrick]

Yes hope you find him!!!

 

[killingtime 41]

To circle back and look at you seems like possible graze.but there's only one way to make sure. And if your looking for him that's about all you can do.

 

[UTGrad]

I am sorry this happened to you. Have you ever cleaned the flash hole? Do you clean the bore? Do you do everything possible to keep your powder dry?
Muzzleloaders require a lot of attention to detail to function properly.

 

[Lt.Dan]

Sorry to hear about this shot. It's the 2nd such story I've heard today (the other being a co-workers story).

 

[rem270]

Hope you find. You more than likely hit him.

 

[Bgoodman30]

I am sorry this happened to you. Have you ever cleaned the flash hole? Do you clean the bore? Do you do everything possible to keep your powder dry?
Muzzleloaders require a lot of attention to detail to function properly.

Yeah sometimes. I examined it, looked clear. I cleaned barrel thoroughly and ran a patch of bore butter. I don't think it was the flash hole the primer wasn't even struck? Used the same primer on 2nd attempt. I am going to get some new pellets though the box I have is 3-4 yo.

 

[Jcalder]

What kinda gun. Sounds like it cocked but didn't let the primer strike. Makes me think you may need to clean up the firing pin area if possible. That's the only thing I can think of, but without knowing your setup I'm not much help

 

[backyardtndeer]

Agree with jcalder on the primer strike or lack of. Had this happen on a really cold morning with my accura once.

As far as hit or miss, I would look for the deer as if you hit it. That picture is inconclusive as it is just too far away to tell anything. My wife hit one probably 6 or 7 years ago, that he turned and looked around before walking off. We never found blood, but the boy that had the farm behind me then called me a couple months later and told me his father found the skull while rabbit hunting. Deer had gone a little over 300 yards as a crow flies from where she shot him.

 

[double browtine]

I sure hope you find him. That looks like a nice buck! Good luck!

 

[philsanchez76]

oh dang. looks like a fine buck too on your camera shot. I really hope you find him.

 

[archer19]

Well crud……. Miss is better than a deer lost.
Maybe scared the smart out of him and he'll come back

 

[Bgoodman30]

Got in touch with neighbor and got permission to look. Goes from ridge tops to hollar and almost a cliff. No sign of him. I truly believe he survived…

 

[DEDDY]

Sorry this happened!

 

[Ski]

Reaction sounds like a miss to me. Especially if he looked around, saw you, then bolted as he saw you trying to reload. Tough break but I doubt he's any worse for the wear.

 

[Bgoodman30]

What kinda gun. Sounds like it cocked but didn't let the primer strike. Makes me think you may need to clean up the firing pin area if possible. That's the only thing I can think of, but without knowing your setup I'm not much help

Cva optima 2 . The one with silver barrell.

 

[Jcalder]

Cva optima 2 . The one with silver barrell.

You might check out your firing pin channel that it's not full of crud if you didn't get a primer strike

 

[Iglow]

Deer don't spook it seems from the "boom" of a muzzleloader, I've shot and missed a walking deer at 30 yards and he never broke stride, never acknowledged the shot at all.

 

[timberjack86]

Hope you find. You more than likely hit him.

My thoughts as well. Grandpa always said your not as bad of a shot as you think.

 

[Tenntrapper]

You might check out your firing pin channel that it's not full of crud if you didn't get a primer strike

Or that it was actually closed completely. After checking primer, he may have closed it completely and it worked.

 

[Bgoodman30]

You might check out your firing pin channel that it's not full of crud if you didn't get a primer strike

Pretty gummy. What's the best way to clean that?

 

[Bgoodman30]

Deer don't spook it seems from the "boom" of a muzzleloader, I've shot and missed a walking deer at 30 yards and he never broke stride, never acknowledged the shot at all.

They're all different