Hunting stipulations?

[Timber]

What stipulations do you put on yourself while hunting with your muzzleloader?

I’m new to muzzleloader hunting but have shot a bunch of deer with traditional archery equipment as well as modern firearms.

I’m ready w my new to me .54 to hunt our late season and thinking I won’t use any of the normal advantages like tree stands. Just find a nice tree to stand by or maybe sit by.
How bout you?
Timber

 

[ORBushman]

I don't hunt in the rain.

 

[Rancocas]

I'm old. I don't go up in the trees anymore. I make ground blinds by piling up logs and brush.
I am strictly traditional, flintlock or percussion, but fixed open sights, real black powder, and a patched round ball.
I won't take a shot at game beyond 75 yards.

 

[appalichian hunter]

Ground hunter (to old and don't bounce like I use to falling from tree stands) Get comfortable and sit still. No problem hunting in rain or falling snow, use either flint or percussion, patched round ball, and real black powder, limit shots to around 75 yards. Open sights. And wait on the best position of the animal for a killing shot, if one does not present that position it walks for another day. Pretty much what Rancocas stated.

 

[Stykbow]

I’ve never gun hunted from a tree stand more than a handful of times. I just sit down with my back against a tree and have a good time. My first traditional ML deer was shot that way this year from a whopping 8 steps.

 

[Flintlock]

When hunting grouse or squirrel with my flintrifles I won't take them out of a tree unless I know my ball is going to strike the trunk or another big tree behind it. I keep my deer hunting shots to roughly 75 yards and under. I PRACTICE a lot.

 

[FishDFly]

Do not hunt in the rain, do not sit in trees, do not shoot over 75 yards and do not shoot near dark.

 

[Bigpete]

Open sights,property blackpowder, round ball,don't shoot beyond 70m

 

[stikshooter]

When hunting grouse or squirrel with my flintrifles I won't take them out of a tree unless I know my ball is going to strike the truck or another big tree behind it. I keep my deer hunting shots to roughly 75 yards and under. I PRACTICE a lot.

I think trucks are in trouble if parked in trees! /Ed

 

[Timber]

Good stuff boys, thanks for the replies. We pretty much think alike. I should add I’m shooting FFg w RB and open sights also limiting myself to 50.
Timber

 

[Zutt-man]

I’m pretty open to whatever gives me the advantage. I like hunting from a stand, spot & stalking, and ambushing. I’m not afraid of weather either, unless it’s blowing 40-50 mph and/or pouring rain.

Personally, I like being able to see. Putting my self with a vantage point is almost always my go to as I feel like I hinder myself (and I like being able to adjust) in a blind. I love a treestand, but if the time arises where I need to make a move, I’m not afraid to get out and do just that.

As for stipulations, I don’t shoot yearling does and try to take a mature buck every year. We have a good age structure in Kansas and long seasons. No reason to get trigger happy in the hot September muzzleloader season if the right deer doesn’t show up.

I’ve never hunted gobblers with a muzzleloader, but that will change this spring. Standard protocol is to not shoot until they’re within 20 yards (I’ve harvested many birds out to 60, but this helps extend the season for me at times). I try to harvest the largest bird of the bunch I can find.

When it comes to elk, I’ve only done it once. I was close to home so being picky was in play and the tag was a once in a lifetime thing. That being said, I think taking the first legal elk with a muzzleloader is a smart idea. Elk are some of the cagiest critters if you’re not smart on your approach.

 

[tenngun]

Round ball, flint,shot from ground level and close

 

[jackpine54]

I use flintlock rifle or smoothbore for deer. Round ball and real black powder. The rest of the limitations I impose on myself are directly related to how many jars of venison are on the shelves in the cellar. That said I prefer still hunting or sitting on the ground leaning on a tree. I like 100 yards max, but closer than 70 is better.

 

[Ames]

I have a number of low-lying chairs stashed over many acres. Pick the afternoons site based on wind direction and, if it's cold, sun exposure. Never built a ground blind.
I just fall asleep in the chair after cheese and sausage and wake up if I hear the footsteps in the leaves. Now that's hunting!

 

[waksupi]

I personally like hunting in the rain. I've killed my biggest bucks doing that.

 

[Brokennock]

While I hunt from treestands with my longbow and recurves, I don't with my flinlocks. A few reasons, haven't figured out a good way to pull one up and then secure it once up there,,, haven't put any effort into figuring that out as it just doesn't seem right to me to hunt that way with a traditional flintlock.

I only take shots within my performance limits, not necessarily the gun's performance limits.

Hammer is at half cock when moving, If at full cock while sitting the hammer stall is in place until game is seen, and muzzle is above ground/foot level and pointed in a safe direction. (Pan is opened when lowering back to half cock when I get up to move again, in fact, I don't even try to lower to half cock anymore, I lower all the way down then come back to half cock.)

I try to set a good example when encountering non-hunters. I try to be extra polite, maybe more cheerful than I might feel, try to be seen picking up or carrying out litter (I'd prefer not to be seen or encountered at all, but, this is overcrowded Connecticut)

 

[FishDFly]

I personally like hunting in the rain. I've killed my biggest bucks doing that.

My deer are sissies, they do not come out in the rain.

 

[waksupi]

While I hunt from treestands with my longbow and recurves, I don't with my flinlocks. A few reasons, haven't figured out a good way to pull one up and then secure it once up there,,, haven't put any effort into figuring that out as it just doesn't seem right to me to hunt that way with a traditional flintlock.

I only take shots within my performance limits, not necessarily the gun's performance limits.

Hammer is at half cock when moving, If at full cock while sitting the hammer stall is in place until game is seen, and muzzle is above ground/foot level and pointed in a safe direction. (Pan is opened when lowering back to half cock when I get up to move again, in fact, I don't even try to lower to half cock anymore, I lower all the way down then come back to half cock.)

I try to set a good example when encountering non-hunters. I try to be extra polite, maybe more cheerful than I might feel, try to be seen picking up or carrying out litter (I'd prefer not to be seen or encountered at all, but, this is overcrowded Connecticut)

When I bought my property 36 years ago, I used to wander the trails on the adjoining private property. Back in those days, it was common to be able to travel wherever you liked.
There was a lot of old logging trash scattered around, oil cans, fuel cans, chokers, etc. I started taking a large garbage bag with me, and would pick up a bunch each trip.
One day the landowner came driving down the trail, and asked who I was, and what I was doing? I introduced myself and told him I was just walking the trails. He asked what was in the bag, so I showed him the trash I had picked up.
We talked for awhile, and it ended up with him giving me permission to hunt his nine sections of land, that only he and his family had hunted for three generations. He didn't let anyone else hunt there. So, I ended up with some of the best deer and elk territory around.
Unfortunately he died, and the kids split the property up, and sold some.

 

[sheriff john]

Basic limitation is weather. I don't typically use a flintlock if the weather's bad. Treestands are great until I shoot. Trying to reload a 42" barrel sitting in a tree has proven a daunting task for me. It's all good and makes me feel good to know the deer have a sporting chance.

 

[Art Caputo]

Since I began deer hunting with my muzzleloaders in the late 70’s, I have used PLRB’s, black powder, open sights, and still/stand hunted from the ground. My longest shot was 110 paces, but the bulk of my deer have been taken at at 25-60 yards. I will hunt “very light” rain/snow using a lock cover…..IMO, best time to hunt.