Does anyone.............

ENCORE said:

Does anyone even hunt with a muzzleloader anymore down below?

Seems like everyone jumped into the straight wall cartridge thing and their muzzleloaders became safe queens. To me, that's sad.
Now I'm certainly not one of the die hard traditionalists and demand muzzleloader season is a primitive season only but, its just my personal opinion that they should have never opened up CF during muzzleloader season. There are ways to control the doe populations besides using CF's.
Just an opinion from a long time muzzleloader. Not banging on anyone who hunts with a 450 Bushmaster or the like. I just like seeing more hunters involved with muzzlelaoders.

After not hunting at all last year. First season I didn't buy a license in 56yrs, and with all the medical issues that both the wife and I have had, I was finally in good enough shape to get into and out of the blind. So earlier this month I ran down to the store and bought a single tag. It paid off.

After a solid week of hunting, seeing a few does and spikes, I finally had a better buck come through.
It made for a great day for both the wife and I. Boosted spirits.

I was able to field dress it myself and pulled it out with the Ranger. I went inside and filled out my harvest report for the DNR, then it was off to the processor.



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Awesome buck & glad you were able to get out this year. I've been retired for 2 years & wife retired last December. She surprised me when we bought our fishing licenses & bought a combo licence. Said she wanted to try deer hunting. Had to have her hip replaced in june. All went well til October when she fell & shattered her femur. Spent 20 days in hospital. She's not supposed to be left alone very long so it's been a challenge for me to find time to get out. Hopefully, next year is better health wise.

ENCORE said:

Does anyone even hunt with a muzzleloader anymore down below?

Seems like everyone jumped into the straight wall cartridge thing and their muzzleloaders became safe queens. To me, that's sad.
Now I'm certainly not one of the die hard traditionalists and demand muzzleloader season is a primitive season only but, its just my personal opinion that they should have never opened up CF during muzzleloader season. There are ways to control the doe populations besides using CF's.
Just an opinion from a long time muzzleloader. Not banging on anyone who hunts with a 450 Bushmaster or the like. I just like seeing more hunters involved with muzzlelaoders.

After not hunting at all last year. First season I didn't buy a license in 56yrs, and with all the medical issues that both the wife and I have had, I was finally in good enough shape to get into and out of the blind. So earlier this month I ran down to the store and bought a single tag. It paid off.

After a solid week of hunting, seeing a few does and spikes, I finally had a better buck come through.
It made for a great day for both the wife and I. Boosted spirits.

I was able to field dress it myself and pulled it out with the Ranger. I went inside and filled out my harvest report for the DNR, then it was off to the processor.



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Happy to hear you were able to recover from your health issues. Great deer & story. At 66 I feel your pain. It ain't easy handling a deer by yourself but persurverance pays off. Sometimes a year off will relight the fire.

Congratulations Encore glad you got out was shocked when you posted u never hunted the tree last year...

I'm in zone 2 I hunted five years of gun season with my Optima Elite.... Had more confidence than any other gun, I don't shoot long and I like big holes...

Muzzy season used to be my favorite unt they catered all the sissies and shortened the break... Let deer get back to somewhat normal,normally had snow keep the sissies outta the woods...

Heck 15 years ago I loved late bow for the same reasons before they declared war on deer...

Lazy-J said:

Happy to hear you were able to recover from your health issues. Great deer & story. At 66 I feel your pain. It ain't easy handling a deer by yourself but persurverance pays off. Sometimes a year off will relight the fire.

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Well, I recovered enough to be able to hunt, but I'm not 'out of the woods' yet.

I couldn't hunt last year because the wife fell off a step ladder and ended up with eight (8) fractures in her left leg. They had to take her down to Beaumont in Royal Oak to even help her. She was close to losing her leg. Weeks in the hospital there, then a week in a care home up here before I could bring her home. She made over 53 physical therapy visits. She's about 85% and that's going to be it.

Then this past July, the 26th to be exact, I had a full right knee replacement. That went well and my PT was going excellent. At the end of 5wks, things went all to hell in less than an hour. Long story shortened..... my knee started with pain so bad, I couldn't handle it. Brought tears to my eyes and.. I was in the truck coming home. I called the wife and when the garage door opened she was waiting. I was in pretty bad shape with what ended up being septic shock from a bacteria. She checked my temp which registered 105°. I don't remember much after that. Somehow she got me out of my truck and into her vehicle and in to town to the ER.
I remember NOTHING, that is until my knee surgeon showed up with a big needle to draw fluid from my knee. I could have bitten a 2x4 in half !!!!!!!
They had to open up the knee, remove all the plastics, flush it with 3 different types of antibiotics, then replaced the plastics with some infused with antibiotics of some kind. I spent 6 days there with IV after IV.
When the let me go, I had to have a PICC line and had an IV for 24/7 for six (6) weeks. We had home nurses that came in and showed and taught us how to change the IV's. They came once a week to completely change the dressings. I was on amoxicillin 24/7 but every evening had to inject some other type of antibiotic. It was rough.
After the 6wks it still isn't over. There's a doctor in Midland who is an infectious disease doctor who's in charge now. We have to have video conferences with her to update her and answer her questions. I'm FAR FROM DONE with antibiotics. I have to take 500mg of amoxicillin three times a day and for an entire year.
I've had so many antibiotics; I don't think I could catch the clap LOL

I'm working hard and doing exactly what I'm told by the doctors and PT. Its not easy but its manageable.

DEDGOOSE said:

Congratulations Encore glad you got out was shocked when you posted u never hunted the tree last year...

I'm in zone 2 I hunted five years of gun season with my Optima Elite.... Had more confidence than any other gun, I don't shoot long and I like big holes...

Muzzy season used to be my favorite unt they catered all the sissies and shortened the break... Let deer get back to somewhat normal,normally had snow keep the sissies outta the woods...

Heck 15 years ago I loved late bow for the same reasons before they declared war on deer...

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That brings back memories DG, but that was about 40 years ago. The Bow hunting in between the holidays in knee deep snow chasing the illusive neighborhood big Buck. The talk of the local watering hole was what mile he was at, just look for were my vehicle was parked.

I use my muzzleloader exclusively for hunting gun and muzzleloader season here in Michigan. I love my CVA Optima. Has killed every deer I've shot with it. Deadly accurate. Just haven't found the need to go buy a straight walled gun when this does just fine. Plus it's cooler to shoot Bucks with a muzzy than a rifle. Just like it's even cooler to shoot em with a compound, and even cooler yet with a recurve.

tdejong302 said:

I use my muzzleloader if I don't harvest a deer during bow or regular gun season. Then I haul out my trusty stainless CVA Apollo. Been a great gun and accurate to 100 yards.

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My first inline was a Apollo or CVa fire????? Which was very similar.... I'll have to look it's all in parts.... The plastic but broke I believe I got the part went to put back together and bought a new muzzleloader I think thats when I got the 700ml lol.

Sal and I both killed some deer with that gun and your right it was deadly accurate out to 100....

Sal and I had a piece had the best thermal cover for miles....It was nothing see 50 deer a day.... There was a buck I had at 35 during bow season legitn140s deer and I didn't shoot because he was five yards over the line.... FF to muzzy, one of those bright sunny days they move midmorning to midday.... He crossed pass sal at 150.... She passed the shot.... Sal was a great shot her 243 he'd a took a hit to the neck....She had that gun.... She coulda stretched it but I was proud of her... I told her keep everything inside a 100.... Most guys woulda let it rip

Chessieman said:

That brings back memories DG, but that was about 40 years ago. The Bow hunting in between the holidays in knee deep snow chasing the illusive neighborhood big Buck. The talk of the local watering hole was what mile he was at, just look for were my vehicle was parked.

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Yeah put on every bit of clothing you can.... Tree stands creaked like crazy and the sound traveled the entire section.... Man I was a monkey back than stands 35-40 feet... I had stands that were definete no gos because of clothing and ice...

I'd always save a doe tag for Jan 1.... I'd be hungover as **** but three four years running filled that tag on the first...

We moved to southern MI back in 1986 from NW Indiana. Bought a MK-85 in 86' one hell of a gun, awsome, killed a deer or two every year with it. Up graded to a T/C Omega about 6-7 years ago and still use it today. Only have 6 more preloaded BH209 powder and will need to put Omega away till I can find some BH209, hope it comes on the market again. Any help in locating is deeply appreciated.

Have a TC Scout, most accurate gun I own in my hands. Have not shot it in a few years (tagged out during bow seasons!), have not found replacement powder for Shocky's Gold and there is no incentive since what was MZ season in zone 3 is now just an extra week of General FA season.....SMH! I'd just assume bowhunt the entire month of December now.

Moldman said:

We moved to southern MI back in 1986 from NW Indiana. Bought a MK-85 in 86' one hell of a gun, awsome, killed a deer or two every year with it. Up graded to a T/C Omega about 6-7 years ago and still use it today. Only have 6 more preloaded BH209 powder and will need to put Omega away till I can find some BH209, hope it comes on the market again. Any help in locating is deeply appreciated.

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Walmart by us had some gone quick

454casull said:

Have a TC Scout, most accurate gun I own in my hands. Have not shot it in a few years (tagged out during bow seasons!), have not found replacement powder for Shocky's Gold and there is no incentive since what was MZ season in zone 3 is now just an extra week of General FA season.....SMH! I'd just assume bowhunt the entire month of December now.

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That shockey powder was a spin off of a oulsr propellant forget who.


One bullet I never tried was the shockey endorsed partition... Think their obsolete too

Safe Queens, muzzleloader over shotgun with slugs for accuracy for me, straight wall
over muzzleloader not having to chase corrosion from black powder still like the muzzleloader
for shooting mostly plinking though. The problem I have with plinking at public ranges is
the range master not letting you touch the muzzleloader when people are down range.