Muzzleloader Season in Manitoba

fugawi

fugawi

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Well went out yesterday for muzzleloading out Sandilands way. Never hunt there during the general rifle season but thought it OK for muzzleloader. Saw about a dozen other hunters plus a few birders. My buddy and I both missed relatively close shots :redface: but we did see about 7 does. Unfortunately most were along the roads and took off before we could get close. Plus the COs were out.

Previous day we split a doe that my buddy shot in the neck - knocked it down but then got up as we walked over and I had to take the second shot to put it down. No quick second shots with muzzleloaders. I missed a long shot on a big doe along a cut trail. I only saw two big does that day. My buddy saw a doe, fawn and spike buck.

Lots of does along Highway #1 (18 in about two days) but not a lot of bucks (2) and a couple of road kill deer.

So how are others doing? I'm wondering where are the bucks?
 
gunasauras said:
My daughter did weel today south of Belmont, MB. First decent buck I've seen in three weeks of hunting with her though......lots of does, lots of little bucks and TONS of 'yotes.....had 'yotes chase deer off the field we were hunting twice last week.....
http://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/showthread.php?t=528683
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Nice buck your daughter shot. I think I remember viewing the she got last year.

Didn't see any yotes except for one road kill. Mind you last year we were spooked by the amount of wolf tracks in the area.
 
Got to remember that bucks act much differently in October than they do later when it's cold and the rut is in full swing. What works in November will often be met with poor results during the mild weather of early black powder season.
 
rsp1761 said:
I never hunt muzzle until last week....
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Yup, I'm thinking later is better than earlier for muzzleloader. Two years ago when I last went, I took a buck towards the end of muzzleloader.

But my hunting partner wanted to go on Muzzleloader Opening Day. We saw more deer second day out later in the week. No bucks though. Hopefully it will be better this weekend.
 
I picked up a 180 Lb doe on muzzleloader opening day. Figured I'd just go for a walk and see if anything popped it's head up. Sure enough, she eyeballed me from about 70 yard up the trail (upwind no less). I think I made about .5 miles per hour getting her back to the car using my belt to drag her!

I experienced poor performance from hornady sabotted 225gr hollowpoints. She was quartered to me a bit. The bullet entered just behind the leg and yawed horribly opening the stomach on its way out - no expansion to note. I will try conicals next time.

My favorite part about muzzleloader season is that in certain areas it's not busy at all. You can just go out and enjoy hunting on a nice fall day. If you don't happen to get lucky, well that's just another day you can spend in the field.

Now I need to consider if it's worth going out to fill my 2nd deer tag or if I should save it for rifle. I've almost got enough room in the freezer for another doe!
 
thebigslide said:
I picked up a 180 Lb doe on muzzleloader opening day. Figured I'd just go for a walk and see if anything popped it's head up. Sure enough, she eyeballed me from about 70 yard up the trail (upwind no less). I think I made about .5 miles per hour getting her back to the car using my belt to drag her!

I experienced poor performance from hornady sabotted 225gr hollowpoints. She was quartered to me a bit. The bullet entered just behind the leg and yawed horribly opening the stomach on its way out - no expansion to note. I will try conicals next time.

My favorite part about muzzleloader season is that in certain areas it's not busy at all. You can just go out and enjoy hunting on a nice fall day. If you don't happen to get lucky, well that's just another day you can spend in the field.

Now I need to consider if it's worth going out to fill my 2nd deer tag or if I should save it for rifle. I've almost got enough room in the freezer for another doe!
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What kind of muzzleloader are you using? In fact. This question is open to everyone. I am trying out my Thompson Center Pro Hunter with 25ACP ignition. I also have taken out my Lyman Trade Rifle and Thompson Center Hawken once each. There is something that brings me back to the traditional muzzleloading. It seems a little more badass.
 
stuckon308 said:
What kind of muzzleloader are you using? In fact. This question is open to everyone. I am trying out my Thompson Center Pro Hunter with 25ACP ignition. I also have taken out my Lyman Trade Rifle and Thompson Center Hawken once each. There is something that brings me back to the traditional muzzleloading. It seems a little more badass.
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I am not going this year, but when I do I have a T/C Omega Z5 in camo which is a great gun.

Took it out last year and got a nice doe.
 
I tried rattling and blowing call for 7 1/2 hrs on Sunday..never even saw a thing. No other hunters where I was either or quads. Hunting north end of Agassiz Forest. Two days earlier saw 2 does and a spike buck and then a pretty fair sized buck but all out of BP range all in 1 hour. I don't think the ruts really started yet.
Anyone else been rattling and calling. Sometimes I think BP season is just happening to bump into a deer on a walk about....just the luck of the day
 
With the temps dropping and the storm over I am gonna try tonight and tomorrow...I suspect there will be good movement and rattling may be effective...
 
stuckon308 said:
What kind of muzzleloader are you using? In fact. This question is open to everyone. I am trying out my Thompson Center Pro Hunter with 25ACP ignition. I also have taken out my Lyman Trade Rifle and Thompson Center Hawken once each. There is something that brings me back to the traditional muzzleloading. It seems a little more badass.
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That was with a traditions persuit. 1:24" twist and 209 ignition. Aweful muzzleloader. Shoots very well (as well as I can with irons anyways) but handles like there's a bowling ball on the muzzle. The lockup also sometimes fails unless you fiddle with it. The tru-glo sights appear excellent but are quite fragile. Overtightening the elevation adjustment has already broken the cheap plastic base. I'm headed out this afternoon actually to see how grouse are doing and am going to try to sight in with 340gr conicals. If they group well I may look for another doe. If not, it'll be a good walk in the woods either way.
 
Rattled 2 small bucks last evening (came in together very fast). Saw two more bucks this morning but were not rattled in. Only saw one doe...Lots of scrapes around and plenty of big tracks around. Another week :)
 
Got a big doe this afternoon, north of seddon's corner. Was having a break sitting against a tree and her head popped up from behind a windfall. About 50 yards, shot through the neck. First ever muzzleloader deer. Thank god for the snow, made it a tad easier to pull her back to the truck.

 
stuckon308 said:
What kind of muzzleloader are you using? In fact. This question is open to everyone. I am trying out my Thompson Center Pro Hunter with 25ACP ignition. I also have taken out my Lyman Trade Rifle and Thompson Center Hawken once each. There is something that brings me back to the traditional muzzleloading. It seems a little more badass.
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Using a CVA Wolf, hornady xtp 45cal 250gr and 2 pellets of 777. Just got it a couple months ago and haven't had a chance to play with any other different shots.
 
Rattling is working now!! We tried two setups yesterday afternoon, and called in two bucks. Never saw the first one, as my buddy spooked him before he came into the clear. The second was a mature, heavy antlered 4x4 scoring about 130 inches. He made the mistake of stopping 60 yards from me, and not knowing if I would have time to get out again this week, it was game over!! Freezer is now full.
 
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