New to ML hunting

[Diablo]

I’d invite any of you guys that want to learn about muzzleloading to go over to a dedicated muzzy forum like MML…..

 

[Nick87]

I’d invite any of you guys that want to learn about muzzleloading to go over to a dedicated muzzy forum like MML…..

It's a great forum. Some very knowledgeable and helpful folks there. Yourself included obviously.

 

[Nick87]

Matchlock only or gtfo.

I shoot an inline. But I'm all for it. Recurve during archery season too and no drones or dogs after the shot either. While we're at it let's have kids wait until they're at least 8 years old. So at least they can remember shooting there first deer. Know a guy who's five year old shot his first buck this year. Gut shot and found it the next day while he was home sleeping with the bloodhound. What an experience that must have been for the young hunter. Maybe it's best he won't remember it.

 

[MTGomer]

I hate muzzleloaders. I like the unique hunting opportunity ML only tags provide. Don’t shoot well if it’s too dirty. Don’t shoot well if it’s too clean.

 

[rjthehunter]

Modern muzzleloaders are not the flintlocks some of you think they are, 300 is not hard

300 yards, add a scope and who knows what a guy could do with a $9,000 muzzleloader! lol

 

[tkhuntsman]

“Many” is an exaggeration. Most western states are not very primitive in their muzzy regs.

Give me a list of the states that only allow “Open sights, no scopes, black powder.”

The regs are the regs - absolutely nothing wrong with using equipment that meets the regs.

And for the record….I use a muzzy for all my big game hunting - including for once-in-a-lifetime species during “any weapon” hunts.

Montana

 

[brymoore]

I killed my first elk with a muzzleloader this week. I used my son’s CVA Wolf 50 cal with peep sights. Rifle meets Idaho’s primitive requirements with no Blackhorn 209 or scopes.

We made three different stalks on bedded cow herd. First stalk was abandoned due to wind shift. Second we were closing in on the herd when we had two sentinel elk we found bedded on a hill edge on our left (main herd on right). We shifted to them. I had the cow standing at 156 yards. Tight target at that range but doable - 8 inch drop. Peep sight would let me pick high shoulder but there wasn’t a lot of error room in aiming. She moved providing a bad angle. We shifted closer. Her calf was broadside at 117 yards and an easy target. Cow was 127 wrong angle. Other herd saw us and now stood at 250 yards - 50 inch drop. No shot with the non adjustable perp sight. They all ran away before shot.

Next day we stalked into a much larger cow herd in the same location. We saw cows bedded at 200 yards (20” drop) and I decided I wanted 100 yards. We Daniel Booned within 60 yards of the herd that had a calf grazing on the edge. As I peaked above the rock we hid behind, I had a fat cow at 115 yard - easy target. For son reasons, rifle wouldn’t @#)(# and took some noisy clicking to get it to @#)(#. Fat cow had changed her angle but was staring at us along with the sentinel calf. I caught movement on our left and had about 20 elk starting to stand and stare at us. I picked one broadside and separated at 98 yards. I dropped it easily with a high shoulder shot.

Based on actual hunting and aiming at elk, I’m good with the peep sights to roughly 150 yards. Out to 200 maybe. I’d prefer 100 yards. Looking at elk at 250-300 yards with the peep sights would result in a risky shot. Small target with a small error zone. (Note - I’ve killed elk at 600 yards with a rifle with a good scope.)

Loved the hunt and will do it again.