Some years ago I got the itch for another flintlock smoothbore. There was a local gun maker that was getting a good reputation and he was reasonable so I commissioned him to build me a 20ga smoothbore, plain jane gun. By the time the gun was finished it was already into the late muzzleloading season.
I planned on heading up to the farm that weekend and as luck would have it we had a good amount of snow on the ground. The down side was I didn't have time to shoot the gun with a round ball so I just loaded it with 80gr's of 2-ff and a 595 patched roundball.
I was in the woods before daylight and worked my way to a favorite spot where I knew the deer traveled. I found my old log where I usually sit, brushed off the snow and settled down to watch the woods come alive on a cold crisp morning.
I wasn't really expecting much action right away, I was just happy to be in the woods with a new gun resting across my knees. I was dress in traditional wool clothing which to me helps set the mood when hunting with a traditional muzzleloader.
The morning was still with no wind so that I heard them coming before I saw them. I turned to see a half dozen deer come out of the pines coming in my direction. They were all does and I had my antlerless permit in my bag so I eared back the hammer on my new untried gun.
They weren't moving fast, just ambling in a slow walk. As they came abreast of me they were probably only 25 yards away. I had my eye on the lead doe as I slowly raised the gun to my shoulder. I lined up the front bead with the shadow of the tang screw and held behind her shoulder as I started to squeeze the trigger.