Within a week my Jeager should arrive, and then my BP hunting "battery" will be complete. I'll have a good smoothbore (Brown Bess carbine) for shot-gunning, and big game at short range in the thick stuff, the Jeager for all big game in any stuff, and the 1861 Springfield as a back-up camp gun for both of the flinters. (and I just plain LOVE that 1861!) So next year, I'll be 100% BP for hunting.
For just plain shooting fun I love all the mil-surp rifles, you name it and I probably got one, or more. So I'll be keeping and shooting those. Black bear season is a long one here, so sometimes on a whim I may still grab a Mosin-Nagant, SMLE, K31, FR8, 03A3, or Mauser for a casual day hunt.
My modern hunting rifles I will keep, just because I have lots of good memories connected to them. A couple are gifts from the wife...so I HAVE to keep them!!
) They are also very nice rifles, and if I sold them I could never really afford to replace them. Maybe some day I'll be able to let them go....but not right now. And, there's always a chance that if my son comes home and hunts with me, it might only be during modern season that we can actually get our scheduals to match. (he's in the Army...HOOAH!)
But I can see that my modern hunting rifles will be gathering a lot of dust from here on in. Hunting is more fun with black powder for sure.
kne