Muzzle loader use during modern firearms deer season.

[Sure Shot Mc Gee]

I myself have never done so in the past. Kind'a leery I was up until this Spring when this States hunting guidelines changed a little allowing its old timers to mount a scope over their muzzle loaders barrel.

Who has considered such a hunting technique?

Who do use their muzzle loader during modern gun deer season?

Thanks to all.

 

[Hawg]

I have done it quite a bit. It depends on what kind of mood I'm in and what part of the property I plan on hunting. I don't feel handicapped with a muzzleloader. No scopes on muzzleloaders or lever actions tho.

 

[Dufus]

Even though we have a generous muzzle loader season, I have used them for longer than I can remember during the regular season.....not exclusively, though.

Sometimes I hunted areas that offered longer shots and used a regular smokeless pole.

All in all, it basically added an extra month to the season.

 

[NoSecondBest]

Over the years I've done it many, many times...with success. I never feel handicapped, even when I was using a side lock. With my in-line I have no thoughts at all about not using a centerfire rifle. I've even used my bow during the gun season and have gotten deer with it also. One good shot is all I've ever needed anyway.

 

[Hawg]

smokeless pole.

I like that.

 

[Pahoo]

Dedicated seasons

Who do use their muzzle loader during modern gun deer season?

The only optics I have used on an MML, is a RedDot. We have two dedicated M/L seasons that exclude center fire rifles. I like the separated seasons. This state is big on Party-Hunting and that can get pretty hairy. .......

Be Safe !!!

 

[HiBC]

I know nothing about the modern muzzle loaders.I understand they offer a significant ballistic/range advantage over a traditional sidelock with a patched round ball.I can see the interest in an optic.

From the standpoint of the traditional ML with a roundball,it is at its ballistic best out to about 60 yards.
Not to say it won't work at a longer range,but a roundball loses velocity pretty fast.
Most traditional ML's have stock geometry,weight,balance,and "hang",along with a good trigger,to shoot very well offhand.

Just my opinion,but how that all balances out for me,

Up to say 75 yds,the whole package with iron sights is balanced in traditional form.

And,it makes a better picture!

 

[Hawg]

We have two dedicated M/L seasons that exclude center fire rifles.

We have three primitive weapons seasons but there's nothing primitive about them. The first season is limited to muzzleloaders OR single shot breech loaders with smokeless powder and scopes .35 caliber or over. The last two are the same for public lands but private lands it's weapon of choice. So much for primitive.

 

[Wyosmith]

I have been hunting with muzzleloaders on and off since I was 15. That's 45 years.
In those years I have only 2 times drawn a special muzzleloader tags for any big game-- anywhere.

ALL the other hunts I have used a muzzleloader in were regular rifle season tags, and these have been spread out over 5 different states.

I have killed a good share of game too. 3 elk, 1 moose, 1 bear, 2 antelope and 17 deer.

Funny thing is....the 2 muzzleloader tags I had were "eaten". I got skunked on both of those hunts.

So I have never killed a single big game animal on a Muzzleloader tag.

 

[Blindstitch]

Depending on the state you might actually gain some advantages like being able to use it in a shotgun zone where rifles aren't allowed or are limited.

Here in Wisconsin we can use an optic and I prefer buying a muzzleloader to extend my hunting season than buying a shotgun and still needing a muzzleloader.

 

[rodwhaincamo]

Actually a patched ball works quite well twice as far as 60 yards.

When I first became interested in a muzzleloader I began looking at the ballistics and felt a ball wouldn't be worthwhile or ethical past maybe 50 yds. So I began looking into conicals and saboted pistol bullets.

But being on traditional forums and asking plenty of questions I found that a ball will often be found well mushroomed and just under the hide at less than 75 yds. Beyond that and well out to 125+ yds you'll almost always get a complete passthrough on broadside or nearly so shots.

Because of the drop, but more importantly the drift, I wouldn't shoot beyond 100 yds. But then nothing I've shot has been over about 80 yds (modern rifle).

 

[deerslayer303]

In my area of SC we don't have special archery or muzzle loader seasons. It opens Aug 15 and is weapon of choice. But I'll be in the stand with my .50 TC Hawken loaded with a home cast ball nestled snug as bug in a .015" ticking patch, sitting atop 90 grs of KIK PUSH [emoji3]. The stand I chose has a shot of 80 yards at the most. The ole meat gitter (scoped Marlin 336 dirty dirty) will be sitting at home alot this year.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

 

[deerslayer303]

The only thing I miss when not having the glass is not being able to take a late evening shot at the last 30 minutes or so of legal shooting time.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

 

[Shotput79]

.50 cal muzzle loader all season works for me.

 

[Poodleshooter]

Laws can make it fairly common practice in certain areas.
Here in VA many eastern counties allow only shotguns with buckshot, muzzleloaders or archery gear during "modern firearms season". For a clean kill past 25yds, I'll take an inline (or even my flintlock) over buckshot any day.

 

[Old Stony]

As much as I like muzzleloaders....no inlines for me, but I do hunt some with my sidelocks. Primitive is primitive and skirting the fringes of the sport with inlines just rubs me the wrong way.
All that said, I like to get one or two in the freezer to start the season and then carry one of my sidelocks later in the season just for sport. I have shot whitetails with .50's and .62's (both rifled and smoothbore), and they work well if you are competent and abide by the limitations of your firearm.
No modern optics on muzzleloaders for me...it defeats the primitive aspect of the whole concept.

 

[North East Redneck]

I've used both side lock and inline during our gun season. We are limited to shotgun only for deer. No rifles. I have also used my bow during deer gun season. I have two shotguns, don't shoot them much and prefer weapons I'm comfortable with.

 

[NHSHOOTER]

Here in NH I will take my inline with scope to hunt shotgun only areas since like some other states both are legal, my 50 cal is very accurate out to 150 and kicks alot less than my 870 with sabots..

 

[Sure Shot Mc Gee]

Not uncommon for others to do. May have to give it a try. Maybe change my Irish Luck toting that 45 Hawken this year instead of that 270.

 

[deerslayer303]

Well opening day came and I was in the woods with the trusty 336. Not that I wanted to be. My TC just isn't showing me the love and I cannot take her to the woods yet. Maybe one day I'll wine and dine her just right and she will start printing some groups that make me happy and will earn her a trip to the woods. That's the fun part of this hobby, right?