Alrighty gentlemen and any ladies that might be lurking

Thanks a lot guys! I will look up and see if I can find different threads about that particular gun.


Vince, the deer hunt I went on was a muzzleloading hunt. And I did exactly that! Had a deer in my sights and after the smoke cleared, he was doing the what was that funny noise thing? Then just trotted away. I did look and look and look but found nary a drop of blood.


I'm looking forward to this hunt a lot!! But have lots to learn about big game hunting.
 
Time to find a black powder shooter and take some instructions. Learn more about your gun what it can do, what the range and other restrictions are.
Now is the time to start at the range and practice, practice. No shooting benches in the field. If you are going to hunt, make sure of your shots, the animal deserves it.
 
Dani - My guess is that your shot was offhand, or with a unstable rest (as mine was). A difficult shot with a muzzleloader (unless the animal is very close) due to the heavy barrel, and some hang time with ignition. I did find where my bullet hit after a long search.

That's why I suggested Shooting Sticks, or drop down and use your knee as a rest. It's very common for many muzzleloader hunters to flinch, or close their eyes at the shot. It's a natural reaction that you must train yourself to resist. Easier said than done.

I agree with Capt. Rick about no bench rests in the field. Once your gun is zeroed, practice how you would shoot a animal in the field. Learn what you and your gun are capable of doing correctly.

You'll know your shot when it's presented, and when not, you will let game pass. You will still enjoy yourself, and sleep good at night knowing you didn't wound and loose a animal.

With your classic "after the smoke has cleared miss". I hearby induct you as a Muzzleloader Hunter. Lots of head scratchin' and shakin' goes with that title, even when everything goes as planned.
 
Dani,


Congratulations! I have never done the Sambar hunt at St. Vincent's but I have hunted the Island three times.


Unless things have changed you have to camp on the east end of the Island. I always hunted/camped on the west side of the island. I always bowhunted. When I saw Sambar it was in pretty thick areas and more towards the bay side of the island than the gulf. Besides size the other big distinguishing characteristic is their ears are rounded giving them a Mickey mouse appearance. For those not familiar with Florida deer size I took a 'big' whitetail buck one year that field dressed to 86 lbs. I have friend who found two large stag antlers one year. Both were found near heavy cover.
I assume you will be taking a treestand. You can still hunt but, it will greatly diminish how far you can see. For the bowhunts they have 'stand' hours until 9 am. No movement from 1/2-hour before sunrise to 9 am. For the Sambar hunts I think you have to stop hunting at 2 or 3 in the afternoon. This allows time for game recovery. They will assist with hauling game.


Think about taking a mountain bike. It will allow you to get away from the crowd. I would usually hunt around the three mile road. Using the bike let me get a little more sleep. They will not haul your bike, just game. I would definitely take a bike to scout with. The Indian pass/west end of the island is a short boat ride and would be good for scouting trips.


The island is a series of sand dunes. Closer to the bay side you have more mature hammock type terrain. Closer to the gulf side pine and live oaks. For whitetails and hogs I preferred hunting between the first and second dunes. It was a little more open and game would come out of the palmetto thickets to feed. I took game every year I hunted the island, late '80's.


Game numbers are impacted by annual acorn production. Hurricanes/storm that blow acorns off the trees early will reduce game numbers. I had a friend who was drawn for the Sambar hunt one year. He never saw a Sambar but, he did take the large hog, nice long tusks.


Try to get there as early as possible on the day before the hunt to stake out your camp site. If the east end is like the west end find a relatively flat area far enough away from the beach not to get blasted by the wind. I think the east end is flatter. That is just a guess since I have never been farther east than about the 5 mile road.


I have never seen a wolf but have seen tracks. I have seen lots of raccoons. The first day or so game is not use to so many humans being on the island. One year during the meeting the evening prior to the hunt starting we had a large hog joins us.


I don't hut with muzzleloaders so I am not help with that.


As more things come to mind I'll let you know. Feel free to ask any questions you have. I look forward to an indepth hunt report, similar to your woodcock trip.


Tom
 
Thanks again guys! I'm going to be looking for someone around here who might have some good experience with muzzleloaders.


Vince, it was an unsteady rest for the gun....and I know the heavy barrel didn't help either.


Tom, THANKS A LOT for that info!!! It's nice to have a good idea of where to start scouting. If I think of some questions, I'll definitely get a hold of you. We will be taking tree stands, though I've never used one before. I've gone up into other peoples stands left in the woods just to get an idea of what was around me but I've never put one up before.


Dani
 
A dead elk sized critter in a swamp is more work than most folks want to handle. To get the meat to the road you will want a frame pack unless the ground allows for wheeled carts.

A quick google image search tells me that many guys drag these things out whole. They are about the size of a bull caribou or a cow elk. And there are a lot of wheeled carts.

This looks like it could be a really fun hunt. A little boating, camping on the beach, head to toe hunter orange, etc.
 
They use to have a 'meat wagon' that would make rounds several times a day. You had to get your animal to the road. Once there they will haul your game and you, if there is room. My impression for the sambar hunt is the USFWS staff helped with recovery, I could be wrong. Animal recovery is why shooting hours end mid-afternoon.


I forgot to mention the oysters. Apalachicola bay has a reputation for good oysters. There are/were oyster beds along the bayside shore. On scouting day we would walk out during low tide and fill up a sack. If low tide coincided with lunch time that is a plus on hunting days!


I'm sure more will keep coming back to me.


Tom
 
Don't know squat about sambar hunting but Hole in the Wall Seafood in downtown Apalachicola is fantastic.
Apalichicola Grill as OK, more touristy.
 
Dani,
I noticed that the regulations state "only an approved muzzleloader". I would check into that a little further before developing loads and bullet selections. I know that some areas require flintlocks for primitive weapons, others smoothbore with no rifling, etc.
 
Dani,
Did you get much wind in the recent storms? It looked like Apilachicola was covered in rain. If there was a lot of wind you might want to see if there are still acorns on the oaks when you scout.
Tom
 
You guys do know you can use an inline muzzleloader during regular firearms season here in PA right? It doesn't have to be a flintlock unless you're specifically hunting the late (primitive) muzzleloader season AFTER Christmas. You can even use an in-line, percussion or flintlock in the early October muzzleloader season.

Now back to your regularly scheduled program...Looks like you have a lot of good info here Dani. Congrats on the tag and we all look forward to the pics and stories. Practice, practice, practice...
 
Dani,
Did you get much wind in the recent storms? It looked like Apilachicola was covered in rain. If there was a lot of wind you might want to see if there are still acorns on the oaks when you scout.
Tom
Click to expand...

Tom, I actually don't know how much wind we got as I haven't been here. In Tallahassee over the last week and a few days I got 5" of rain in my rain gauge but judging from my yard and the lack of debris in it, I'd say not much wind. I shall definitely look for acorns though when I start scouting. Thanks

Dani
 
Dani - lots of great advice on here. If it hasn't already been said, make sure you check to see what is legal to use for a projectile. Many states will not let you use a roundball for hunting and must be a sabot. Keep us posted and good luck.


Dave
 
Thanks Dave. I had not thought about the projectile part. I will definitely check into it.
 
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