The fisrt morning of Muzzleloader (deer) in Pa!

[IROCZ]

And I'm off with my T/C .54 and my 300 grain Lee REAL's to put one in the freezer. My first time hunting with a bullet I cast my self. This should be lucky! :bigsmyl2:

[winelover]

Good luck. Muzzleloading also opens today in Arkansas. I'm going out my ROA loaded with Lee 220 grainers.

Winelover

[OnHoPr]

Good luck t both of you and show pics of what that REAL can do.

[IROCZ]

Well I saw 6 deer total but none offered a shot. I've limited my range to about 75 yds. At about 345pm the wind and rain moved in an I called it for the day. I'll be back out on Monday. It was a good day. Thanks!

[badge176]

IROCZ, wrap the cap area with Saran Wrap, clip off the finger on a rubber glove- roll it over the muzzle and hunker down in the weather. I'm sitting in my kitchen watching a 50degree persistant drizzle wishing I could be in your shoes. Rifle/ shotgun in MN open in second weekend of Nov and ML the weekend after Thanksgiving...

Wait... Now it's sleet

[richhodg66]

There is a very good piece in one of my older Hogdon load manuals on how to load and weather proof a traditional muzzle loader. That learning curve was real steep when I first started using a muzzle loader since it always seems to rain our first few days of it here. The Saran wrap sure helps, but I always load it in the house before I go out and before loading it pop several caps on it empty checking to make absolutely sure things in there are clean and dry and oil free.

Sine learning how to do it right, I have sat on stands with my Hawken through some pretty intense rain and snow and had her fire fine with no hangfires or misfires. I think the side locks can be just as reliable a an inline, they just take a little more prep work.

[IROCZ]

Thanks for the advice, I'm a flintlock only shooter for now. I had a T/C Hawken caplock .50 that I left at home when I joined the Army, last I saw of it. I think one of my brothers took it. My buddy found me the .54 flint at a local yard sale. I got it cheap as she had some rust in the bore. I cleaned it up with the careful application of JB's and Ballistol and she shines now. It will put all its bullets touching at 50 yards with 100 grains of 2f. When hunting in the moist I change the prime every 30 minutes or so. As I walked out of my hunting area I gave an old fence post a 300 grain whack. It went off a little slow but I wouldn't have called it a hangfire. I kept the lock area under the cover of my jacket or glove the whole time but the rain was coming in horizontally. It was too windy to stay in the tree. I didn't think any smart deer would be out in that, the property I have permission to hunt is a hill/small mountain top, mostly fields. I figured the deer would be headed to the valley pines on posted land anyways. I watched 14 wild turkey hens running for cover as the storm moved in. And my wife texted me about a crockpot full of hot chili and a case of cold Yeungling. At that point I remembered I was on vacation and could set my own hours! I got to see deer and even got a sight picture on one medium sized doe that trotted past me at about 0800 hrs. I followed her with the sights waiting for her to pause but when she did she was behind cover. It was a perfect 3-5 second rush, these girls are trained well! I had seen about 25 deer on the property while scouting it the day before and thought I would get a better opportunity if I didn't spook up the property with a scratch shot. I do have the whole week off to hunt so it was not a disappointment. As to the weatherizing, I have always meant to make up a "cows knee" to cover the lock area but never got around to it. It's strange that I only think about that project when its raining. Anyways, I'm still pumped up and have a whole week to hunt! GOD willing, my shot will be true! And if not, I spent a week of solitary reflection in some of the most beautiful country in Pennsylvania. Thanks again Guys, to me this is the greatest time of the year.

[IROCZ]

Oh, and I just noticed I spelled "first" wrong in the original post, I tried to edit it but am unable to. I am not totally illiterate, just excited and in a hurry!

[Wilkie]

Oh, and I just noticed I spelled "first" wrong in the original post, I tried to edit it but am unable to. I am not totally illiterate, just excited and in a hurry!

I understand how excited you are! I am hunting spike elk muzzleloader in a couple weeks.....I can't contain my excitement!

[IROCZ]

I understand how excited you are! I am hunting spike elk muzzleloader in a couple weeks.....I can't contain my excitement!

Good luck Wilkie, I have hunted with a muzzleloader as a kid and just got back into it. It really brought a different kind of enjoyment and excitement back into hunting for me! More time in the woods! Most of our modern rifle hunting in Pa. look like small unit infantry maneuvers. We do well. But being alone in the woods with one carefully loaded shot is a different feeling. And there are no other people hunting the farm I hunt. The deer are not all spooky. Its a great time to be out!

[Wilkie]

Good luck Wilkie, I have hunted with a muzzleloader as a kid and just got back into it. It really brought a different kind of enjoyment and excitement back into hunting for me! More time in the woods! Most of our modern rifle hunting in Pa. look like small unit infantry maneuvers. We do well. But being alone in the woods with one carefully loaded shot is a different feeling. And there are no other people hunting the farm I hunt. The deer are not all spooky. Its a great time to be out!

I sure hope the part about alone in the woods is correct.....

[44man]

Remove the barrel and stuff the channel with paste wax, set the barrel back and wipe the excess wax all over the outside of the barrel and stock, polish it a little.
Most water in the pan of a flinter runs between the stock and barrel to wet the powder. Then cover the lock but still check now and then, powder absorbs moisture.
Wax will protect your gun better then any oils.

[IROCZ]

I sure hope the part about alone in the woods is correct.....

Except for deer, and sometimes the property owner and his tractor. I haven't heard any banjo's so I think I'm OK.....

[IROCZ]

Well, I got a shot. And I missed. And I'm glad I did. I walked up on a plump little deer. I watched it for a while until it came into about 75 yards, lined up on it and Ka-Boom! It trotted about 30 yards away laterally and stood and watched me through the brush as I reloaded. When my rock lock was operational again it headed off for the big field. I checked the area, no hair, no blood no nothing. I circled around it on a field road and got set up watching the field it was headed to. About 20 minutes later it steps out at 30 yards! I'm on it, full cock, trigger set, Oh boy! Then it dropped its' ears and proudly showed off its' little fork horns. Dang! I'm glad my first shot didn't connect. That's like a felony here! Anyways I still don't know why I missed. Thanks 44man for the tips.

[Rick R]

Sounds like you had a lucky miss! Hope you get a nice fat doe next trip.
Just south of you here in West Virginia we've got to wait till the middle of December to hunt with muzzle loaders. Coldest part of the season, deer already hunted by everyone else till their shadow is afraid of it's shadow!

[IROCZ]

Thanks Rick, I did go out today but no shot. This was my last day solo. Tomorrow its the step son and friend. That's a bummer that they run your season like that. Pa seems to cater to the archers. We can hunt with muzzleloaders, as long as we don't shoot any antlered deer. Archers can shoot about any deer. We have a late flintlock season that resembles yours. It's the first week of Jan. after rifle and all our deer are in their bunkers by then, or so it seems. I've walked an entire gameland during that season and not found one track in the snow. Anyhow I saw 2 today but they were moving too fast. Good luck to you also.