[Harold Pickens]

Although not accomplished with a Parker, this is probably the most appropriate forum. I had not had any success so far during Ohio's deer season, and the freezer was basically empty of venison .Luckily, my wife enjoys wild game, both venison and my upland birds. I had passed on smaller bucks, and some does during bow, and the gun season. Quite a few 140 class deer had been posing on my trail cameras on my 170 acre farm . Access, however is tuff, and terrain is very steep The additional gun weekend was hit with a brutal ice storm that would have been foolishness to try and drive the roads in.
Muzzleloader season came in today, but since Christmas I have been laid low by a severe cold followed by a sinus infection. I was just starting to feel a little better, and decided I would try a short hunt. It was 4 degrees with a 4" of snow on the ground this morning. Decided to go to my hunting club that owns over 3000 acres and access is easy. Got their at 7:30, and driving in to where I was going to hunt, I saw 2 small bucks, but we have an 8 pt rule at the club.
I had just pulled the truck off when I spotted 2 nice does about 60 yds away looking at me. I was still in my tennis shoes, but eased out of the truck, grabbed the muzzleloader and put a cap on the nipple. The deer had moved and now all I could see was the head and neck of the largest doe framed in the crotch of a tree. She was staring steadily at me when I decided to take the shot, she would either drop instantly, or I would miss. After the smoke cleared, no deer were in sight. I walked up to find her lying dead, shot thru the neck. I drove the truck right up to her and after field dressing, got her in the truck. Yes , that was easy, but this was to be a meat hunt, and I was happy. I was using an inline muzzleloader 50 cal with a 2X-7 scope. These guns are extremely accurate, and I use it sometimes during the regular gun season. Usually I have taken a deer by primitive season, and will then use a 45 cal shooting round balls and buckhorn iron sights, just for fun and the extra skill involved--lots of misses with those guns, but lots of fun trying to get close deer with it. Well, its afternoon and thermometr has climbed to 12 degrees. I still have another either sex tag, so will try to get out again tomorrow looking for that trophy buck.