Planned a trip with a buddy of mine that I've grew up in the deer camp with and now work with. He wanted to go to Florida late season so I agreed. I decided to change things up for myself on this trip
And opted to take my Thompson Center Treehawk muzzloading shotgun. The same one I used in Iowa a few years back. Except this time I used a plastic wad and TSS load I came up with. GAME CHANGER
We left at 4:45am and arrived at the camp house around 2:30. Our buddy asked us if we wanted to go give it a try this evening and we of course jumped at the opportunity.
We went to a farm I'd never been to and he said we could either split up or hunt together. We opted to better our odds and split up. I went walking the big field edge towards a murder of crows giving something heck. I had a feeling o knew what it was but getting to them was going to be a challenge.
I eased down the wood/field edge and spotted a hen and the crows were going nuts on top of her. She eased off into the woods and I slipped farther towards the corner of the field. I found a nice thick spot next to a big oak tree that would give me
cover and shade from the evening and setting sun.
I let things settle down and I made a soft 3 note yelp on my copper pot call from Redbeard. I was just scanning and looking through the brush out on the field where some more crows had started cawing. I see a black bird in the field and think crow. But then it goes into half strut. My first thought was oh crap this may really be happening. I cock the hammer and try to control my hyperventilating, something I haven't done in a long time. He's closing the distance from 90 yds to 50 now he's at 40 and in a good opening of sorts. He half struts then stands straight up and looks around for the hen he had heard. I said a quick prayer and settled the iron sight on his head and repeatedly told myself to squeeze the trigger and don't snatch in case of a hang fire. A larger boom and a cloud of smoke rolled into the field. This bird looked like he got hit by a Mack truck. He never moved. Stoned him at 40yds with the muzzleloader. I had to sit for a while. Apparently the smoke makes my dry heaves worse along with my back locked up and I caught a leg cramp. It was something I have missed so much.
Once I finally am able to get up and go put my hands on him I was in total awe of what I had just harvested. The Lord really blessed me with a fine one.
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