1st Day Muzzleloading Season And Success

[two-70]

While this is my 1st year to muzzleload, I managed to bag an 85 lb Doe this morning at 8:25, was using my CVA Kodiak Mag. 50 cal. with loose triple 7 and a 295 grain powerbelt hollow point, the shot was taken at an unbelievable 10 Yards, right behind the shoulder, she did manage to run about 50 yards before trying to lunge across a running creek, she expired in the middle of it, but luckily it was only ankle deep i didn't have to swim for her, now time to go back out in the morning for Mr. Buck

[samuel]

For the uninformed his 85lb doe is average.In northern Arkansas I have seen fairly large racks on bucks that probably had an 18"spread but the buck was 90lbs live weight.When you first see them the horns look too big for the deer.Never hunted in AH,s neck of the woods,dont know what the deer are like but in northern Arkansas and Oklahoma they are small compared to northern white tail. sam.

[jerry]

Like Sam said,
Congrats & well done

[mrbassantlers]

Congratulations two-70,good luck going after the buck. And yes the average deer in Ok is just a bit larger than a goat, but there are some taken in the 225-250lb range (not many).

[two-70]

they did check a couple in that broke 150, dont know if it were bucks or does , i was looking at the check in book above my checkin

[ArkansasHunter]

Several years ago The Arkansas Game and Fish Commishion passed a law that you couldn't shoot a buck Deer unless it had 3 points on one side of it's antlers.
It really made a lot of hunters mad includeing me.
But it turned out it was the best game law to ever be passed (and i hope Midas backs me up on this) We not only have bigger bodied Deer we have a lot of Huge racks now that were not common a few years ago, because of the 3 point law.
Samuel in the past the Delta region was known for very large White Tail Deer.
In South Arkansas at one time in my Fathers life time (he died at 60...27 years a go) There were not any Deer. Deer were transplanted here from Virginia and else where.
As long as I've been liveing, Bucks and Does, body wise has been good size. BUT the antlers were average to amazeling small. There would always be a few in the news paper of a lucky hunter killing a wall hanger.
My first Buck Deer was a 6 point Virginia Blue Deer, it had a blue gray hue to it's coat, 40 plus years ago.

[toolman]

Wow, I didn't know this about Ar. deer. People have talked about small deer in Tx. for years. The theory is, due to our mild winters and lack of feed, we have a lot of really small deer. Both of my deer last year were over 200 lbs and the doe was the only one that raised any eyebrows, she field-dressed at just over 150 and produced almost 90 lbs of edible meat.

[two-70]

Well I got another deer this morning 10-29-07 at 9:35, same location as the 1st and at 20 yards, my wife was hunting with me about 50 yards apart, i was in the same stand as the other morning, she was unable to take the shot cause it came up from a creek in front of her running, it did stop right behind me just for a second, when i turned and finally saw it, it ran 20 yards from my stand by a little gulley and stopped and thats when i took the shot, DRT. It field dressed at 90 lbs, 5 more lbs than the other one i took, both were nice bodied deer for the size they were. We will be returning in the morning hoping for another nice deer to come along. My CVA Kodiak Mag. 50 is an awesome gun, them 295 grain power belt hollow points do the job.

[Lng Rng]

The powerbelts are alright, but I have had poor penetration with them. They are working good for you though, so keep doing what you are doing.

[two-70]

complete pass thrus, exit hole bout the size of a silver dollar

Wife could a got a nice 10 point buck this morning 10-30-07 at daylight, but she was setting in a chair on the ground, she said it came right up beside her, she said 10 feet or so, she could not move, anyway he turned around headed the same way he came in and snorted, oh well he will be back around i hope, will try again in the morning