Traditional M/L Hunting ?

[FishDFly]

This is a traditional muzzle loading site and who actually does so when hunting?

I will admit I do not, I am a wimp in some aspects, but not totally.

There was a discussion on staying warm, fingers and toes for the most part. Thinsulate and goretex were favorites to protect the ends of body.

You get up in the morning, coffee in the electric coffee maker which is started by the timer (before you get out of bed), house is heated by gas. Breakfast in the microwave.

Off to the blind in a 4X4 with the heater on if needed. Willie Nelson in the CD player if not George Strait.

Shuffle off to the blind via the flashlight in the dark, need to watch for those stumbling hazards. Durn, left the Walkman in the truck this time, going to be a long morning.

After sitting in the swivel chair a bit, it's cold, time to start the gas heater in the blind.

Oh, kind of damp, it's time to have a hot cup of coffee from the stainless steel thermos bottle.

Still dark, wonder what time it is, peak at the illuminated dial on the wrist watch. Uh, day light in 11 minutes.

Huh, wonder what that movement was, up comes the Zeiss binculars which cost a weeks salary.

Nope, nothing under the feeder, which feeds 2 times a day or more.

Oh, the feeder is monitored by a Trailcam camera which monitors the feeder 24 hours a day and then can be downloaded onto the PC for analysis.

Yep, this flintlock is traditional M/L hunting.
Cannot wait to get back to the office and tell them how I got my deer with a M/L.

RDE

 

[tg]

"This is a traditional muzzle loading site and who actually does so when hunting?"

I think quite a few are traditional hunters, if the gun is passable as traditional without high tech peeps and modern bullets, that is traditional hunting, it is stepping back in time weapon wise, dressing the part is optional, or going to the next level of personal achievement, what you described sounded a lot like some of the hunts I have seen on ranches on TV and I am not sure I would call that "hunting" of any type.

 

[roundball]

Interesting post...not sure if you're offering some thoughts or welcoming comments, so I'll bite and offer some views.
My interest in traditionally oriented muzzleloading is 99% for the purpose of hunting...and more specifically, in taking some of the same game with Flintlock rifles and smoothbores that the settlers did.
I think there is a difference between 'traditional' and 'purist'. And in the 'traditional' category, there is a broad range of the "degree of traditional" that anyone might be at, at any point in time, given the amount of time in the hobby, the amount of time to devote to it, the amount of money to invest, etc.

Warm weather I take water & sandwiches...cold weather I take water, coffee, and soup.
I wear the warmest, driest clothes I can afford...wool, fleece, thinsulate, gore-tex, etc...my interest is basically in the "manner of take", not in purposefully being uncomfortable or suffering hardships for the sake of suffering them.
I don't use feeder stations, walkmans, heaters, when I hunt. But I do drive my truck for the 60 mile round trip to where I hunt...otherwise I could not hunt...walking or riding a mule or horse would be out of the question of course.

Claude once suggested drawing an analogy to an NFL team going to play a game in another city...they use modern modes of transportation, wear suits & ties, have good meals...then for a brief period of time they run up and down the field trying to score points...meanwhile they rest on the sidelines where there are oranges, gatorade, cooling / misting fans, bench heaters, medical staff, etc.

So for me personally, I'm OK with my truck, gore-tex, hot coffee, etc...once I walk away from my truck and step into the woods, I'm stepping onto the field carrying a Flintlock...so I consider my "manner of take" of the deer, turkeys, squirrels, doves, crows I've taken with Flintlocks to have been taken in a traditionally oriented manner...then I leave the field of play (go back to my truck and go home)

At least that's how I see it...

 

[ehepp]

:thumbsup: Well said Roundball!

Norge

 

[Robert Egler]

This is a traditional muzzle loading site and who actually does so when hunting?

For me, I'm not historically correct, I'm more "period appropriate", trying to use only materials available in the general time. Not going for a specific time, exactly, although I do appreciate the efforts of those who do.

Staying warm: Wool, layers of wool. (except briefs and tee-shirt, which I’ll admit are cotton). No thinsulate. Wool gloves with buckskin outer gloves, or wool mittens with buckskin outer mittens.

Hot chocolate (hate coffee). Made over a wood fire started with flint and steel. If I get a squirrel in the morning he might well be lunch.

No artificial blind, natural cover. Never been on a 4x4. Walk in (or canoe in or go on horseback a few times), although I do have to drive to the jump off point.

No heater, no walkman, no cd player. No flashlight. And yeah, I trip on things in the dark sometimes. I use a kerosene lantern if I’m camping, but not if I’m only out for the day.

Wind up pocket watch (antique, actually, but only to about 1908.) To be honest, that's the watch I usually carry anyway.

No binoculars.

My one completely modern concession is modern boots. I HATE having cold, wet feet! I actually had moderate frostbite on my toes once, I would prefer not to repeat that experience.

But now, I know there are a lot of people here who are a lot more historically correct than my feeble attempts. :bow:

Even so, I don’t think there’s anything wrong with using a muzzleloader with as much other modern equipment as you want. Not everyone is interested in the historical part, some just like to shoot muzzleloaders when they hunt. :thumbsup:

I got no problems with either group, as long as they don't try and tell me how I have to do it.

 

[roundball]

I got no problems with either group, as long as they don't try and tell me how I have to do it.

Amen

 

[Stumpkiller]

This is a traditional muzzle loading site and who actually does so when hunting?

Occasionally. Usually as a special hunt. My current avatar image was taken during a "traditional" deer hunt.

I will admit I do not, I am a wimp in some aspects, but not totally.

There was a discussion on staying warm, fingers and toes for the most part. Thinsulate and goretex were favorites to protect the ends of body.

I favor my Irish Setter hunting boots but have occasionally made only that concession to modern times - that and my prescription glasses . . . which I only need to see objects beyond seven inches away.

You get up in the morning, coffee in the electric coffee maker which is started by the timer (before you get out of bed), house is heated by gas. Breakfast in the microwave.

Perked coffee - yes. But cold cereal I'm afraid. House is heated (water, too) by wood furnace in cellar & wood stove in living room.

Off to the blind in a 4X4 with the heater on if needed. Willie Nelson in the CD player if not George Strait.

Nope. Walk out the back door. Only restriction I put on those I give permission to hunt my land is no shooting this side of the creek (200 yards from the house that crosses the property - 80% of it is beyond) is NO MOTORIZED VEHICLES ALLOWED! :nono: ('Ceptin my tractor if a deer is down).

Shuffle off to the blind via the flashlight in the dark, need to watch for those stumbling hazards. Durn, left the Walkman in the truck this time, going to be a long morning.

No blind. No stand. No flashlight, though I keep one in my haversack as a precaution.

Tie my tree-seat to a tree, park my backside and wait for first light.

After sitting in the swivel chair a bit, it's cold, time to start the gas heater in the blind.

Oh, kind of damp, it's time to have a hot cup of coffee from the stainless steel thermos bottle.

Still dark, wonder what time it is, peak at the illuminated dial on the wrist watch. Uh, day light in 11 minutes.

Huh, wonder what that movement was, up comes the Zeiss binculars which cost a weeks salary.

Well, you got me with the bonocs. But mine are Bushnell Waterproof 8X26 Legends (. . . though the week's salary part is almost still apropo :redface: ) But that's during regular season when a deer must be a buck. In m/l hereabout anything is a legal deer. :wink:

Nope, nothing under the feeder, which feeds 2 times a day or more.

Oh, the feeder is monitored by a Trailcam camera which monitors the feeder 24 hours a day and then can be downloaded onto the PC for analysis.

Does timothy grass planted as a winter cover crop count as a feeder? :blah: But that's 1/2 mile from where I generally sit. Illegal to use bait for deer in NY. Oh, and before I head out I make sure the chickens, turkeys and bunnies in the coops and barn have feed and unfrozen water and toss some cracked corn around the runs to keep them amused. :wink:

Yep, this flintlock is traditional M/L hunting.
Cannot wait to get back to the office and tell them how I got my deer with a M/L.

RDE

I even came home one night this season and the power was off, as happens for about two weeks out of the winter half of the year, so I had to clean the rifle by kerosene lantern. :wink:

We all draw our own lines. :hatsoff:

 

[paulvallandigham]

The legal requirement to wear Hunter Blaze Orange in the field- both vest or coat, and Hat, decided this issue for me before I began to hunt with a MLer. I have to drive to where I hunt, as others do. But, I purposely don't wear my buckskins in the field because there are just too many idiots, who have no clue that they have crossed off land where they have the right to hunt, and are now hunting illegally where I am. If they can't figure out boundaries, they surely can't be expected to look at their " game" long enough to identify a man vs. a deer, especially if the man is dressed in brown deerskins.

I have done brief "treks" in primitive gear, where we carried everything in, or camped in our primitive camping tipis. Concessions made for food, and drinkable water, but otherwise we cook over an open fire, in a pit we dig, and a fire we start with flint and steel, rather than lighters or matches. I have even started a fire once with a bow and drill for a camp, to demonstrate how its done.

I agree with others here that you have to decide just how Purist you can be or want to be. I have spent years trying to perfect my primitive living skills so I can shed one modern convenience after another, and rely more on my skills to take care of my comfort, than on something I buy in a camping store.

The same goes with the gear I carry into the field. IF there were no seasons on game, and IF their were no restrictions on taking some birds, at any time, and IF there were no restrictions in public forests in how we use the trees, I could do much better with the primitive skills I have learned.

I do not regret staying warm. Because of limited seasons, blinds are a necessity. Because of more hunters than there are open lands to hunt, you have to attend to your own personal safety. I envy the members here who have large tracks of land they can hunt without worry of meeting another hunter. I would have to drive hundreds of miles to find such an opportunity.

So, do as best as you can afford to do, given restrictions on time, and opportunities to spend in the field. At least you are making a conscious choice to shoot a single shot firearm, that really can't be reloaded quickly, no matter how much we talk about " short-cuts". That makes you quite a bit different kind of hunter from the guys with the semi-automatic rifles and shotguns who share the woods with you.

( FWIW, IMHO, a Speed Reload is one that lets you get more than one accurate shot off in one SECOND- not one minute!, or even one every 15 seconds!)

Making the commitment to take game with one shot is a major step in anyone's life, and marks a "graduation " milestone for most people who do it. I still have my repeating rifles, of course, but I hunt with my mlers. Each has its place, depending on circumstances. We are rarely in total control of our whole lives, much less many days.

I did decided to leave my pocket watch in the car, so I would not be constantly looking at it, rather than looking for game in the field. I found that morning- when the sun comes up, Noon- when the sun is high in the sky, and my stomach is complaining about being starved, and dusk- when the sun goes down, were the only three times I actually needed to know, when hunting. You have no idea how much we are addicted to watches until you don't have one for several days in a row. I swear, the withdrawal symptoms are as bad as Stopping smoking, or drinking caffeine! So, do your best, but don't make yourself miserable for no reason but" tradition." :hmm: :rotf: :hatsoff:

 

[Headhunter]

It has been written that Jim Bridger, Jedediah Smith, Bear Claw Chris Lapp, and others didn't really care for Willie Nelson.

HH

 

[John Wasmuth]

Wake up in the morning, re-stoak the fire and brew coffee. Slip on the brain tan buckskin leggins and loin cloth, pull on the brain tan buffalo moc's, pull over the drop sleeve and slip into the long shirt. Gather my shooting bag, the only thing not H/C in it is my ID and license, walk out the back door, reprime the pan, and go hunting. If it's cold I wear a cap of either wool or coonskin, if its warm I wear a cloth wrap. I try to do it as traditionally as possible in todays world, which due to the way things are, we can not get very far from. Its unfortunate but thats the way things are.

 

[pchwcf50110]

it would seem to me that those of you who want to dress the part, having to wear blaze orange would kind of take the wind out of your sales. i know how much i hate wearing it and i dress modern.

 

[FishDFly]

Thanks to all for your comments and I have learned from them.

I guess I am not/was not sure what the terms Traditionalist and Purtist really mean.

Does Tradition have more to do with the weapon and Purist have to do more with the entire experience?

I really like Squirrel Tails mention of the antique pocket watch. When I wear bib overalls, I carry an old watch, it just feels nice.

When I hunt, I am into creature comfort, a warm truck with CD player, warm clothes, boots, hats, gloves, padded swivel chair, propane heater, CD player and Pacman I will admit, the Pacman has cost me a couple of deer.

I once went to a friend's deer lease and there was an electric wire overhead running from the camp house into the woods and there was nothing in sight and the wire kept going.

After a bit people started showing up for the weekend. One guy gets out of his truck and he looks like an NFL center, the man is huge.

After lunch and visiting a bit, the hulk gets his things ready and heads down the electric wire and out of sight.

When he is out of hearing range, I have to ask, what is the deal with the electric wire? My friend's response, "Big John" gets cold and the electricity runs his electric blanket to keep him warm and he also follows the electric line to and from his blind. Seems "Big John" gets lost kind of easy.

Yep, hunt how you wish as long as you have fun and your time is enjoyable.

You ever go to a cemetary and see a tombstone that had "I wish I had spent more time at work".

RDE

 

[fiddler]

late flintlock season is the only time in PA where I don't have to wear orange and I take advantage of it. I'll be out on 12/26 in my Long Hunter garb. I'll be in the Buchanan SF in Fulton Co. I had originally planned to primitive camp at the trail shelter on the Tuscarora Trail in off of Tower Road but family commitments are limiting me to a one day trip. If I'm unsuccessful, I'll be stalking the SGL near Decker Pond up in Pike Co. the following week.

Fiddler

 

[bucktales]

I was never big on binoculars. Hunted for years with iron sights on my centerfires and ML's. Always felt I didn't need em.
When antler restrictions and counting points came into play in some states I have hunted, a quality set of compacts are always with me. I got used to using them most of the time nowadays.

Didn't cost me a weeks pay, but they weren't cheap. As far as optics go, I believe it's one of the few things that you get what you pay for. :2

 

[Trailgunner]

Being the old-timer (52) in my hunting group I always get good ribbing for what I carry and wear. I love my wools and fleeces, and use a traditional ML. Also only iron sights on my shotguns (2 single-shots) and my lever rifles( one a 1892 Winchester from my grandfather), have to legally wear the orange, but will use binocs and a good thermos. To each their own, and as long as everyone has good hunts and memories that's all that counts! :thumbsup:

 

[KyFlintlock]

I love to use the flintlocks and blackpowder. I do wear modern clothing/boots, but cherish every second I am slipping up a deer trail with the flinter in-hand.

To me it is about the connection/heart and not what the tag on your back says.

Wess

 

[BrownBear]

I come at it from another angle: The simpler the better, and the less stuff you have to pack around, the more you will get around.

At 58 I'm not even the old timer in our crowd, but we all get around pretty good. That is, till we start lugging lots of stuff. Things hanging on strings get hung in bushes, and the more you stuff in your pockets, the more you have to dig when you need something. I find the less I can carry and the smaller my possibles bag and attached horn, the better it works for me.

I'm not too concerned about clothing unless it gets in the way of my hunt, whether due to noise or bulk. Wear what's suitable for your conditions and laws, and get on back to hunting and leave the critics jawing around the campfire. If you can buy or make PC stuff that fits your circumstances and interests, goodonya.

When I find PC footgear that works on ice, wet leaves and wet snow, I'll wear it. In the meantime I'm SureAsHell not going to the hospital to prove a point by wearing footgear that's dangerous.

 

[John Wasmuth]

Texas does not require the wearing of orange on private property, and since we dont allow trespassers on our private property, we dont have to worry about whom else is out there. So we can keep it traditional as we can.

 

[John Wasmuth]

I'm with you on that. I carry in my shooting bag my tools for the flintlock. My priming horn, an extra flint, small piece of cotton cloth, license and ID, a pen for filling out those pesky tags, and a 3 ball loading block. My horn, starter,powder measurer and knife are in puches sewn to the bag strap. I dont carry a whole lot of things I dont need.

 

[Stumpkiller]

Thanks to all for your comments and I have .Does Tradition have more to do with the weapon and Purist have to do more with the entire experience?

I would say the weapon is traditional, or regulated by the state as to the "season" restrictions, but it takes more to make the hunt traditional. I hunt with a percussion side-lock or flintlock during regular deer season but I do not consider that a "traditional hunt". It's simply a hunt. I'll be tucked in my polar-fleece lined synthetic rain-shedding blaze orange hunting coat with matching overalls and Thinsulate out the giggie so it has nothing traditional except what I reach out and touch the deer with during the actual kill.

To me "traditional hunt" implies a lot more effort.