Flintlock Pennsyvlania Whitetail

mallardsx2

mallardsx2

Veteran member
Jul 8, 2015
3,921
3,240
Finally got a good buck with my flintlock after years of trying.
.50 Hawken Flintlock with homemade patched roundball.
To me,this is the definition of a trophy. Anyone who has ever hunted with a flintlock in Pennsylvania will understand...
It was 5 degrees with a windchill well below 0.
I know its not a giant but this to me is one of my greatest accomplishments. I'm going to have him mounted just because it has taken me so many years to accomplish this.
Its a long story but after 8 hours of tracking him I finally caught up to him.

Anyone ever seen a deer with feet like this?

IMG_4513.jpg
IMG_4517.jpg
IMG_4523.jpg
IMG_4522.jpg
 
gonhunting247

gonhunting247

Veteran member
Jan 21, 2014
1,216
797
Nice work! He looks like a hefty old buck.
Sometimes I see longer hooves on bucks that are mostly in real soft terrain (not exactly the same, but similar). I would guess then they break longer pieces off as they get on hard surfaces or become a lot more active. Kind of like an untrimmed horses hoof will do. Totally just a guess though!
 
tdcour

tdcour

Veteran member
Feb 28, 2013
1,100
26
Central Kansas
Awesome job! Not sure what you are worried about saying its not a trophy. Thats a great deer, especially with a flint lock and round ball. Excellent job! I agree with 247, we have some deer that get huge feet here in KS where the ground is soft. Get them to start running around during the rut or if the weather gets cold the hooves get brittle and can break.
 
T

Tim McCoy

Veteran member
Dec 15, 2014
1,855
4
Oregon
Very well done! If the hoof issue is not due to soft ground, some form of hoof rot or fungus would be my next guess. The animals I've seen with the rot, had hooves that looked worse than your deer, but am no expert and just offering a WAG.
 
S

sheephunter

Active Member
Jan 29, 2012
245
10
Colorado
Some of my best memories of days past before I left PA was the flintlock season; a big gang of us would meet up at my buddies place in Potter County. We killed a bunch of deer but never one like this one. We learned how to strip those guns down in the cold/snow/rain/whatever to get 'em to fire. Those are great memories!! I still have my TC Renegade 54 and the few times I had a muzzleloader tag here in CO that is what I carried. Still shooting patched roundballs too.
 
gonhunting247

gonhunting247

Veteran member
Jan 21, 2014
1,216
797
sheephunter said:
Some of my best memories of days past before I left PA was the flintlock season; a big gang of us would meet up at my buddies place in Potter County. We killed a bunch of deer but never one like this one. We learned how to strip those guns down in the cold/snow/rain/whatever to get 'em to fire. Those are great memories!! I still have my TC Renegade 54 and the few times I had a muzzleloader tag here in CO that is what I carried. Still shooting patched roundballs too.
Click to expand...
When I read your post it brought a smile and some good memories back. I also have a TC Renegade in .54 that I made from a kit, back in High School! I shoot a Knight MK85 mostly these days and also have a new UL Knight Western Extreme, but I still get a kick out of shooting a patched/round ball or a big old TC Maxi out of that old side-lock backed by good old fashion Black Powder:). I knocked quite a few deer of their feet with it, before I started shooting my Knights!
 
P

packmule

Veteran member
Jun 21, 2011
2,433
0
TX
Congrats!

On the hooves it could be what's already mentioned on terrain or hoof rot. Rut is hard on those hooves bc they aren't real sure footed when they're getting whooped up on and tear them, get infected from deer cuts, etc. sometimes that'll turn to hoof rot, sometimes it'll heal and just be funky feet. If you find them with big calcium-like areas above hooves it's usually scar tissue from those getting infected.
 
mallardsx2

mallardsx2

Veteran member
Jul 8, 2015
3,921
3,240
Got him back. Turned out pretty good considering that one of his horns popped off while dragging him out. lol

image1.jpg
 

Attachments

You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom