1. Generally, when stalking the rifle is capped and the hammer is in the half cock position. Some hunters chose to add an extra margin of safety by using innovations, I remembered this thread and located it:
http://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/ubbthr...part=1&vc=1
2. If I had a conical loaded in my barrel while hunting, I would try to keep my muzzle pointed upward as much as possible while traversing. It's not as hard as it seems either. I use a "belt buddy" (caddy or holster) that I place the butt of my gun into with the muzzle upright while walking. This item is similiar in design to a carpenter's pouch, or a staple gun holster, or any other kind of rather shallow (3 to 5 or more inches deep) leather or heavy canvas pouch that can be either attached around the waist or attached to a belt worn around the mid section. Another name would be a rifle butt holster. (A shallow trap shotshell bag might be a substitute now that I think of it, but it's a little deep.) Yes, when walking through the brush the rifle is surely going to be tilted, even parallel with the ground at times, in every and any diection, but the holster aids in one handed control of the gun, and leaves the other hand free to move brush if necessary or even glass with binoculars. It's one of the most useful hunting items I own for any long gun that I carry for long periods of time, especially through thick brush.
If you chose not to employ this device or something as functional (sling), you would want to periodically check your conical with your ramrod to be sure it is still properly seated, especially if you carry muzzle down.
3. Since it is very common for any large animal to run off despite having been well hit and possibly mortally wounded, I would suggest that your reaction would be determined by the circumstances, and the terrain. It's probably more important to view the animal's escape so as to not lose track of the potential blood trail and hiding place of the wounded, since that's priority number one, whether you have another shot or not, is to think ahead of your quarry, and to deduce where it's heading. However, this period of time should be (extremely!) short lived I would guess. Don't waste too much time reloading, especially if the animal is out of sight. The amount of time it takes to stalk and reload shouldn't be affected by the order you do it in. But, I certainly wouldn't move too far without reloading. Animals can bed down when injured just out of sight, behind an obstacle.
4. If you are in flat country and begin hunting a smaller animal, do you have a lighter weight alternate bullet that you could employ if your barrel is empty to give you additional range?
5. Another
eace: ? :blue:
