Ive almost made it!

[dc7x64]

Well I have almost made it to the end of my first muzzleloader only hunting season. The rut is about to kick-in in the next couple of weeks here in Alabama. I have seen 7 deer so far, but no shooters(video taped some 10 yards from my barrel!)With the rut coming up, I have been so tempted to put up my Hawken and grab my Mauser! Been getting a lot of peer pressure from my hunting buddies to do so as well! Aaaaggggghhhh! What if I miss? Need some support! Does anybody else catch flak from their buddies like this?

 

[rabjr]

Nope, if anything everyone here is amazed and very supportive of me hunting with flintlocks only here. Never had anyone tell me I should hang mine up and use a modern gun.

 

[chance]

I applaud you!! Keep it up you want miss and if you do you have done better than those who are scared to try!!!!

 

[lorren68]

I hear it all the time from some of the guys I work with. I just tell them one shot is all I need! Dont give in to peer presure, you know you can kill one with the ml. Just think how good it is going to feel when you drop that buck and show them what your "old gun" can do in the right hands.

 

[hanshi]

Don't succumb to the pressure; flintlock deer is the ONLY way to go.

 

[dc7x64]

You guys are going to talk me into a flinter arent you? :surrender: I can feel the harrassment already! Naw, seriously, if it wasnt for you guys on MLF I would have cased the Hawken months ago. I have already started looking kinda at different flintlocks. Ive got a .54 Leman percussion in the works right now...but I am gonna throw in the towel and get a flinter after that!.....my wife doesnt like yall!

 

[Problem Child]

Well I have almost made it to the end of my first muzzleloader only hunting season. The rut is about to kick-in in the next couple of weeks here in Alabama. I have seen 7 deer so far, but no shooters(video taped some 10 yards from my barrel!)With the rut coming up, I have been so tempted to put up my Hawken and grab my Mauser! Been getting a lot of peer pressure from my hunting buddies to do so as well! Aaaaggggghhhh! What if I miss? Need some support! Does anybody else catch flak from their buddies like this?

I catch it everyday,but.....Im not giving up.I hunt Public land with my Flintlock and hunt mostly from the ground.Right now it's 10" spread Bucks only and late in the season.I know the odds of connecting this year are dwindling.

I've seen a total of 23 deer this season.Forty five minutes into the opening day of rifle season I missed a decent buck at 15 yards because of my Flinter not firing.I came home,primed the rifle and shot at my target in my back yard....boom....and I hit exactly where I was aiming.It could have been that easy.

We have about three weeks left of season and I'm gonna hunt every chance I can get.....with the Flintlock. :v

 

[dc7x64]

Loving this therapy!

 

[Spikebuck]

If you stick out the whole season with your muzzleloader what's the worst that can happen, even if you miss? Will you starve? Will you get a little ribbing from the hunting buddies? Now, if you stick it out and take a nice animal the "hard way" you'll feel GREAT! You will have accomplished what your hunting buddies won't even try (and maybe evem convince them they should join you!) Would seem you have more to gain than to lose by sticking it out. :hatsoff:

 

[Bob J]

dc7x64 - do what YOU want to do! Personally, I've become so hooked on flintlocks, that I don't care what anyone else thinks or says, being in the woods with my flinter just feels right!! I don't hunt with anything else

 

[dc7x64]

Your right DF, I cant explain it but it DOES feel right to be in the woods with a muzzleloader. Real right, like being a kid and going hunting for the first time.

 

[BrownBear]

Well Need some support! Does anybody else catch flak from their buddies like this?

Best support you can get, and yeah, best source of serious flak, is to outhunt them.

Getterdone! :thumbsup:

 

[ny griz]

:idunno: Use your Mauser if ya gotta get a deer,gotta get a deer,gotta get a deer. :hmm: Griz

 

[jamesthomas]

I've been hunting only with my flintlock for the past 4 years, have'nt shot a deer yet with it, Because so far all the deer I have seen have been small does(60 to 70lbs) I don't shoot "dinks" or does with fawns or small yearlings. No bucks yet. So don't feel bad if ya don't get one this year. It's been mighty hot down here in Ala. this year, 73* here yesterday, So I'm sure that has got something to do with not seeing many deer.

 

[hellerodsyahoo.com]

My hunting buddies gave up years ago harrassing me about my flintlock and its limitations. I just tell them if it was easy-- "women and kids would do it!!", real men use a flinter, just like our forfathers did. I like feeling like I am adding some degree of difficulty and sportsmanship to my hunting outing. Anybody can use a scoped rifle, even women and kids!!!!!!!!

 

[Richard J.]

IN my younger days I would hunt half a season with my ruger super blackhawk ( old style ) then the rest with the flint. Gave that up about 20 years ago and now just use the flintlock. Only problem I have seen is when someone sees you they come up to talk and ask about the weapon. Try to tell them about the fun and how accurate it really is. Most people think they arnt accurate. My brother and myself have convereted a lot of people into using them the entire season. They all make the same statement.( I cant believe it is so much fun.) I do a lot of reloading but it just for the range anymore. Blackpowder rules. Been using it for 45 years now

RJ

 

[Stumpkiller]

It's a mindset. We don't use percussion or flintlocks because they are better. It's the challenge. We use them to make us better. Better sportsmen, better hunters, better able to understand how hard it was for those who didn't have a Mauser to fall back on and a miss or missfire might mean hunger. And I don't mean "better" to be that were are better than someone using a regular centerfire. I mean the challenge will make us better by making us learn about our strengths and weaknesses if we are to succeed. I might not be better than so-and-so, but I'm better than I was before. That's all that counts. I don't do it to change how anyone else thinks about me. I do it to make me think about me and the deer - or whatever game. How do I get in range of a buck while he gives me a standing broadside? Better - as in better figure it out or go hungry. Or at least go without venison.

I hunt with a recurve bow and that makes the flintlock seem much easier by comparison - though this year I'm eating "off the bow" because I arrowed one in early archery and later passed on a few antlerless that turned out to be the only game I saw in range through regular and m/l season.

Good news is the rifle went right off when I discharged it before heading in after the last sunset of the season and I centered the flat rock I targeted. So it coulda-been if my luck or skills were better. And that, in my mind, was a minor victory and a good season ender.


Suffering makes man think. Thought makes man wise. Wisdom makes life endurable.

 

[Little Wattsy]

Hunting is hunting and shooting is shooting (DUH :youcrazy: ) but at 100 yards I can hit a 3" circle with open sights and home made round balls outta my .54 hawken... During Sept when all the "rifle guys" are sighting in, I can out shoot a noticable percentage at the range to 100 yards. My point is everyone misses at some point but if you are a practiced shot and know your range you wont miss anymore then you would with a centerfire. get a buck with in 75/80 yards and my .54 or my .270 dead is DEAD. In addition if you are NOT getting in range then hunting skills are in question NOT the gun. lastly, once you do it A) you can feel quit smug :blah: and 2) it closes alot of yaps right quick. :hatsoff:

 

[silly goose]

Wow, well said.

 

[Problem Child]

It's a mindset. We don't use percussion or flintlocks because they are better. It's the challenge. We use them to make us better. Better sportsmen, better hunters, better able to understand how hard it was for those who didn't have a Mauser to fall back on and a miss or missfire might mean hunger. And I don't mean "better" to be that were are better than someone using a regular centerfire. I mean the challenge will make us better by making us learn about our strengths and weaknesses if we are to succeed. I might not be better than so-and-so, but I'm better than I was before. That's all that counts. I don't do it to change how anyone else thinks about me. I do it to make me think about me and the deer - or whatever game. How do I get in range of a buck while he gives me a standing broadside? Better - as in better figure it out or go hungry. Or at least go without venison.

I hunt with a recurve bow and that makes the flintlock seem much easier by comparison - though this year I'm eating "off the bow" because I arrowed one in early archery and later passed on a few antlerless that turned out to be the only game I saw in range through regular and m/l season.

Good news is the rifle went right off when I discharged it before heading in after the last sunset of the season and I centered the flat rock I targeted. So it coulda-been if my luck or skills were better. And that, in my mind, was a minor victory and a good season ender.


Suffering makes man think. Thought makes man wise. Wisdom makes life endurable.

Very well said. :thumbsup: