Lost deer?

[RKenney]

Have any of you ever "lost" deer, because of the smoke screen
created by a muzzle loader blast? As most of you know, many times
a deer doesn't bleed to the ground like a high powered rifle. The
conditions of the wind and humidity have alot to do with it.

If you can't see what direction the deer runs, and he's not
bleeding (on the ground), it is hard to pick up sign of a hit.
Don't say listen to the direction that he runs, because sometimes
that doesn't work.

I shot a huge buck about 3 or 4 years ago on opening morning of
muzzle loading season. It was a very moist and nearly cold
morning, with no wind at all. When I shot, a huge cloud of white
smoke stood still, for what seemed like minutes. No sound or
movement left or right, immediatly after the shot.

I thought he was on the ground, but he wasn't. I still don't
think I missed, because I was right on him. He must have moved
directly away from me after I shot, but I'm not sure.

I call him the "ghost deer", that faded away into the smoke. I
still hope I missed him, but I don't think I did.

 

[cecil30-30]

After I shot i shoot with my ML i stand up or do something to see around the smoke as fast as I can.But those FPB do leave a nice blood trail!

 

[RKenney]

What are fpb bullets?

 

[WestTn Huntin man]

They are talking about Hornady's (�Flextip Projectile Blackpowder�)
Good reviews from alot of people.
http://www.chuckhawks.com/hornady_FPB.htm

 

[stik]

that's exactly what happened to me this past season. i watched the wrong deer run off with no apparent injury(of course it was uninjured,i shot at a different deer!). i stumbled across the deer i had shot the next day. meat was lost

 

[backstraps]

I agree, I have had the same happen to me. Except when the smoke cleared I caught a couple seconds of the deer "walking-running" ito the woods.
Didnt find enough blood to make me happy about the hit.. and never found the deer. I have often wondered if I had hit him good or did buck fever get me.
I had to watch him come into range for about 10 minutes. I was fine until I knew he was well into range, then I got ole infamous buck fever. The shot was smooth, I heard it hit him. He was a nice crap clawed 10pt that I never found!
That hunt is why I do not like hunting with a ML... I may have to try the bulets listed in this thread, I have not heard of those before. I use shockwaves now. I like them because they are so accurate in my gun.

 

[UTGrad]

I am going to try the Hornady FPB bullets this summer. I hope they load smooth in my CVA Optima Elite.

 

[mike243]

there's always going to be lost deer no matter what you shoot,it takes very little to change a bullets path & deer are tough,the smoke has got to be 1 of the worst aspects of muzzle loaders for me,mike243

 

[GRAMPS]

I have never lost a deer due to the smoke cloud but I do see how it would be possible. I shot one deer that I did not see fall due to the smoke cloud. I did not see it run off, so when I went over to look for blood, I was suprised to see it had died in its tracks.

 

[iowavf]

Did the same thing with one of the 1st deer I ever shot. I shot and saw several deer running off. Thought how did I miss that deer. Reloaded and went to look for any sign, he dropped in his tracks and never even kicked by the way the weeds looked around him.

 

[rem270]

been a few times i couldnt see where they went and when the smoke cleared they were laying right there.
this past year my wife shot 1 and i could see it kicking through the smoke and next thing i know i see a white tail take off through the woods. found blood but no deer

 

[ewc]

Another benefit to shooting smokeless-

Besides the speed, no cleaning, and all the chicks-

 

[Boone 58]

MZ's are funny about leaving good blood trails. I have killed several deer with them when no blood trail at all was visible ....several times. The deer actually did not go far but i was in the thickest of cover and couldnt see far either.

 

[fullstream]

Another benefit to shooting smokeless-

Besides the speed, no cleaning, and all the chicks-

:grin:

 

[Lawrence]

I have had some problem after the shot with the smoke but no real problem finding a good blood trail.

 

[hunter drew]

I have lost a deer with a mz but I seem to think it was the bullet that I was using...powerbelts. I now use the shockwave 250 grain

 

[Boone 58]

I shot a deer in the ogeechee man area of georgia back in the early 90's and never could see him after the shot but he was only 30 to 40 yds off when i pulled the trig on the renegade which was only allowed to have iron sights. i knew i was on him but could only find three drops of blood and after two hrs of hunting for him in thick cutover i was about to give up when i stumbled onto a log road and another hunter walked by and asked if i had shot a deer earlier and i responded yes a small buck...he took me straight to him and that deer died without any blood spilled on the ground underneath him and the buzzards had allreadey pecked out one of his eyes.....dangest thing. i had hit him thru both lungs and he hadnt run more than about 100 yds