Renegade .56 Smoothbore

[jerry]

I bought a T/C Renegade smoothbore in .56 caliber and practiced a bunch this summer to get comfortable and proficient enough with this front stuffer to hunt with it this fall. I was out in this revine still hunting and was hearing a ton of multiple rapid gun fire, kind of sounded like spary and pray shooting to me. I got chilled after 3 hours so I decided to do some stalking. I was up following a trail in some tall grass leading to a soybean field when I heard something crashing through the grass. When this 6 point buck finally appeared i noticed it was limping badly with its head down. I saw a 12 guage size hole, still bleeding heavly, in its left hind quarter and figured it was going into the revine to die. I shot this wounded animal at about 15 yards and put it out it misery. It was with mixed feelings though because I know I did the right thing and I got some venison, but was really hoping to get a honest shot at healthy buck with my smoothbore musket. I waited to see if someone was tracking this deer but no one appeared. I am going to use a muzzleloader again next year and use either my .54 cal Tennessee rifle or a .62 cal smoothbore I bought for my Renegade.

 

I thought I would share my first hunt with a muzzleloader, but not my first hunt. Eric

[Horsefly]

That sure was the right thing to do,but it dang sure doesn't seem right for a dude to have to use his tag when doing a "right thing".I know there's jackasses that would take advantage and claim every deer was already shot before they finished it off,so the wildlife folks have to make sure that don't happen.You must be hunting up north like New York since it's smoke-poles and shotguns being used.I remember reading of places that only smooth bores could be used,but don't remember where that was.I shoot a .54 Renegade and have taken 3 bucks,2 turkeys,2 Corsican rams,a fox,and a bobcat with mine.Everything I shoot with it is a trophy to me.The rams were the toughest and,I reckon you could say bulkiest animules I shot with the .54,and I really think I was over gunned,even on them.For 23 years,I've wanted to go elk hunting with it,but it just hasn't panned out.I built the gun from a kit in '84,and now have an in-line .50 cal,that's been in the box for 4 years.I just keep going back to the old side-hammer.Thanks for the story.It's good to hear from a fellow charcoal-burner. Jerry