I was bitten long ago by the Muzzy bug.
I have only carried my 270 twice this season other than that it has either been Crossbow or ML.
I introduced my nephew to crossbows,jeeps and mud holes yesterday.
I think I have a new hunting buddy.
He is a sophomore in high School.
Scott
http://www.myspace.com/saxman1
Take a kid hunting
They don't remember their best day of watching TV
Excalibur Equinox
TruGlo Red/Green Dot
NGSS Absorber by NewGuy
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Groundpounder Top Mount
ACF Member - 2011
Here in VA we have a month of bow season, two weeks of muzzleloader season, three weeks of rifle season. Followed by more muzzleloader and bow. Now the peek of our rut is the second week of the first ML season. I've killed most of my bigger bucks with my ML. You might have seen a post CF just did about how crappy hunting firearms season is around here. During ML season in VA you have the rut, half the people in the woods, you are not required to wear orange during the ML season. So I bet if you were in VA you would be a fan of ML season.
Seems to be a much bigger thing in the US than in Canada but I could be wrong on that. Very understandable in places that you could use them more than a week or if the rut came in that season. I would think a old historic one would be fun expecially if it had history with it or a handed down one from family.
My best bet is to find someone to take me out and shoot a few shots and who knows, may end up a muzzleloader freak also. LoL
Thanks everyone for comments. Found it very interesting and how everyone seems very into there muzzleloaders.
muzzle loader hunting is kinda like bow hunting. you don't rush the shot because you (usually) only get one good shot . but you can reach out and touch em. i use a 45 cal 200 gr. shockwave with 100 gr. of triple 7, there is very little recoil compared to the 12 gauge shotgun i use to use.
I love the muzzel hunt. 1 week a yr 15 in our gang to get together and have a blast either getting deer or have fun trying. This and next yr we will try for 100/200 yard shots as i know the guns can do them. Also i would like to try a yote hunt as well, and in northern ontario you can hunt with them for moose during bow season. Where is meaford? If your close to st thomas id take you out and shoot the smoke pole.
When you take the time to understand the old guns and are patient enough to learn how to use them, they're worlds of fun and more efficient than you'd ever have dreamed. Truly, there's just something about 'em.
But not everybody "gets" that.
I wholeheartedly agree! I remember shooting my first black powder muzzleloader about 15 years ago and getting instantly hooked. I used to spend a lot of time at the range with my blackpowder guns and I remember one summer back in the late 1990's when I shot nothing but muzzleloader all summer. When it comes to muzzleloaders I'm definitely a traditionalist. I have nothing against modern in-lines I just have no interest in them. I shoot for fun, historical interest and nostalgia first and for hunting second. Having said that I do enjoy taking my muzzleloader out during hunting season and I have great confidence in it's reliability and accuracy.
My current frontstuffer, a T/C Hawken .54 cal..
Grizz, I enjoyed the Hershall House video, the man is a modern legend among traditional gun makers.
The most important blood trail leads to the Cross...
Love my T/C pro hunter it allows me to switch barrels to shoot all year long;
Love the history behind muzzleloaders and plan to get into shooting the "old style" real soon;
Hunt hard, respect what you hunt and waste no meat;
Grizz, I enjoyed the Hershall House video, the man is a modern legend among traditional gun makers.
I have an old "foxfire" book with a long interview with Hershall. He was much younger then (we all were! ), but he was a master gunmaker at that early age!
BTW - TPM, my Hawken has brass trim that is well tarnished. I bought it used (the barrel was in very bad shape but the rest of the gun was sound) and left it dull looking so I wouldn't be afraid to get it dirty.
Bought it for $75, and found a Green Mountain barrel (21" fast twist for sabots) on closeout from Green Mountain for $100 - heck of a good rifle for $175. in my opinion!!