October Muzzleloader Season - Today Is The Day

[Marshmallow]

Sitting fieldside as I type this. Nothing yet except a very annoying squirrel about 5 yards away.

 

[gaskg]

Got another one this morning.. Six came in so I took one of the bigger ones. These deer are killing my feeder I guess Ill head back out this afternoon

I'm happy to help you with that problem! Nice doe.

 

[gaskg]

I'm sitting out as well. Nothing but squirrels so far.

 

[SOMDSHOOT]

Sitting fieldside as I type this. Nothing yet except a very annoying squirrel about 5 yards away.

Same here. I have been skunked 2 days in a row now. This afternoon I will change my hemisphere on the farm and go to the other side. The Deer have been on strike here for the past 2-3 days. The wind has been out of the NW and it's screwed up all pre-laid game plans. That wind Wednesday night cold really cold and would not stop blowing.

 

[Marshmallow]

Same here. I have been skunked 2 days in a row now. This afternoon I will change my hemisphere on the farm and go to the other side. The Deer have been on strike here for the past 2-3 days. The wind has been out of the NW and it's screwed up all pre-laid game plans. That wind Wednesday night cold really cold and would not stop blowing.

The wind picked up here mid morning and I'm relocating for the afternoon. Hopefully it blows steady one way.

 

[wilcam47]

Well I couldn't help myself. I ordered a name plate to go with my mount plaque I made out in the woodshop for my Buck I got with the Optima Pistol. I don't normally go this extreme, but, since it was a "first" I had to do it up.

.

don't let you PETA see it...you'll hurt their feelings you killed an innocent creature

 

[SOMDSHOOT]

don't let you PETA see it...you'll hurt their feelings you killed an innocent creature

I've never come across a real live PETA member, but, I'm sure they would go away mad.

 

[wilcam47]

I've never come across a real live PETA member, but, I'm sure they would go away mad.

and crying

 

[foxtrapper]

The wind is bad, deer tend to stay put in it, though maybe some rutting activity will get does busted up for you.

 

[Marshmallow]

That's what I'm hoping for. Tomorrow isn't looking great either

 

[MDHunter]

Taking the bow out tomorrow so I can shoot buck or doe if either gets close enough (I still-hunt on the ground). Gotta wear orange, but looking forward to being in the woods in the cool weather.

 

[SOMDSHOOT]

My heater sure is comfy, cozy, and warm this morning. I am pretending to be sitting in a tree right now, but, I prefer the warmth of this heater. I think I have reached the age where heat beats hunting. I also miss my fat. I can't stand the cold any more these days. I should not have lost so much weight over the past few years LOL I'll go out this evening after it warms up a bit...

 

[itsslow98]

Well on a quest to get my first deer with a gun, I had a golden opportunity to shoot a very good sized doe yesterday. I shot that deer 5 times with a hawken and it misfired every single time. Even with the percussion cap popping I had 5 deer at 8-25 yards and they never moved out of range. I finally just sat back down disgusted. Back to bow hunting for me.

 

[Half-cocked]

Well on a quest to get my first deer with a gun, I had a golden opportunity to shoot a very good sized doe yesterday. I shot that deer 5 times with a hawken and it misfired every single time. Even with the percussion cap popping I had 5 deer at 8-25 yards and they never moved out of range. I finally just sat back down disgusted. Back to bow hunting for me.

Grease or bore butter (or oil+dirt) plugging up the nipple, would be my first guess.

Were you shooting powder, or pellets?

 

[SOMDSHOOT]

Well on a quest to get my first deer with a gun, I had a golden opportunity to shoot a very good sized doe yesterday. I shot that deer 5 times with a hawken and it misfired every single time. Even with the percussion cap popping I had 5 deer at 8-25 yards and they never moved out of range. I finally just sat back down disgusted. Back to bow hunting for me.

Two things I highly advise when using a Hawken style rifle. First is to upgrade the nipple to a Flame Thrower or a Red Hot and the second is to use Pyrodex P powder and not RS. The P "pistol" powder is a a finer powder and burns much better in a hammer gun. The finer powder allows the powder grains to get in the nipple port better and will not clog the port.

You can not use pellets in a Hawken.

 

[wilcam47]

Two things I highly advise when using a Hawken style rifle. First is to upgrade the nipple to a Flame Thrower or a Red Hot and the second is to use Pyrodex P powder and not RS. The P "pistol" powder is a a finer powder and burns much better in a hammer gun. The finer powder allows the powder grains to get in the nipple port better and will not clog the port.

You can not use pellets in a Hawken.

I have a screw on the side of my Hawken where the nipple screws into that I open and had to pour some loose powder in and put the screw back on. I then fired the pellets. I dunno if you are supposed to do that but it worked. I didn't use pellets again for that particular rifle. I also had a misfire before but it was after I ran some bore cleaner foam down it and it didn't dry up all the way so the powder got a little wet. I opened the screw port again and put some loose powder in and got it to fire.

 

[iH8DemLibz]

Yeeeeaaaahhhhhh.

I tried pellets in an old style percussion Kentucky rifle. Once!

Click-Pop.

Click-Pop.

Click-Pop.

My immediate thought was: "Where's the KaaaaaBooooom"!!!

P.S. Got a small doe last night. I named her Sausage.

Also, I like that name tag. Who makes them? A trophy shop? Local PETA branch?

 

[SOMDSHOOT]

I have a screw on the side of my Hawken where the nipple screws into that I open and had to pour some loose powder in and put the screw back on. I then fired the pellets. I dunno if you are supposed to do that but it worked. I didn't use pellets again for that particular rifle. I also had a misfire before but it was after I ran some bore cleaner foam down it and it didn't dry up all the way so the powder got a little wet. I opened the screw port again and put some loose powder in and got it to fire.

OMG no wonder you had problems. Pellets are only to be used in "inline" rifles... that's what the hole in the center of the pellets are for. That's their "ignition point". Trying to set fire to the side of the pellet is no good a'tall.

They ignite like this:

This is also a major reason why I do not, never, ever, under any circumstance use pellets. The biggest issue I have seen with them is one pellet will light and the other one, or two, get blown out the barrel either unburned or smoking. Also, technically the pellets are supposed to be inserted in the muzzle in one direction. Look at your pellets and you'll notice a black, darker band, at the base of the pellets on the part that was in bottom of the factory box. That is the ignition end.

 

[SOMDSHOOT]

Yeeeeaaaahhhhhh.

I tried pellets in an old style percussion Kentucky rifle. Once!

Click-Pop.

Click-Pop.

Click-Pop.

My immediate thought was: "Where's the KaaaaaBooooom"!!!

P.S. Got a small doe last night. I named her Sausage.

Also, I like that name tag. Who makes them? A trophy shop? Local PETA branch?

Yep Pellets are not designed for any Muzzleloader except inlines... Like I said the hole in the center is the utmost importance.

The plates I get from this fella here. I have gotten 12 plates from him and he has them to me in 3 days or less. BUY HERE $2.99 EACH

 

[SOMDSHOOT]

Here's a good, short, article I suggest
anyone reads who debates the issue:
Powder Vs. Pellets

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