Memories of hunting with Traditional Muzzleloaders are hard to shake off

roundball

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
2017 was my last year of a quarter century doing all my hunting with Flintlock rifles & smoothbores...gradually sold off all the hunting guns & equipment during the couple years after that. But each year since then the activity on the hunting forums keeps reminding me of how much I enjoyed it / miss it.
Now, even more memories, I was just clearing out / rearranging storage area and ran across my stacks of T/C Arms catalogs from the 70's / 80's / 90's...spent some time flipping through them.....tough letting go of something we were so heavily invested in.

Wishing continued good luck to all...
 

FishHunt

Old Mossy Horns
2017 was my last year of a quarter century doing all my hunting with Flintlock rifles & smoothbores...gradually sold off all the hunting guns & equipment during the couple years after that. But each year since then the activity on the hunting forums keeps reminding me of how much I enjoyed it / miss it.
Now, even more memories, I was just clearing out / rearranging storage area and ran across my stacks of T/C Arms catalogs from the 70's / 80's / 90's...spent some time flipping through them.....tough letting go of something we were so heavily invested in.

Wishing continued good luck to all...
Here's one of the best things about memories of days spent afield.

<>< Fish
 

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D. Buck Stopshere

Six Pointer
Roundball, you and I are probably in the same age or health bracket, so, I know where you're coming from.

I just sold my .40 caliber left-handed flintlock longrilfe built by the late Bob Watts of Stone Mountain GA. Bought it in 1973, and hunted squirrels & won target matches with it. "NC Hawkeye" has a similar one in the right-hand version. But pushing 76, no one in my family has any interest in guns in general. So, I transported it up to its new home in Waynesboro, where a new owner will care for it and admire the beautiful tiger stripe as this southpaw did for years.

I can still "see it" in my memory and related memories on the hunt for "tree rats" come back to relive the old days, and that's reward enough. Gorgeous curly maple stock looks like this from muzzle to buttplate. Regrets about the gun show lighting.
 

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agsnchunt

Old Mossy Horns
Roundball, you and I are probably in the same age or health bracket, so, I know where you're coming from.

I just sold my .40 caliber left-handed flintlock longrilfe built by the late Bob Watts of Stone Mountain GA. Bought it in 1973, and hunted squirrels & won target matches with it. "NC Hawkeye" has a similar one in the right-hand version. But pushing 76, no one in my family has any interest in guns in general. So, I transported it up to its new home in Waynesboro, where a new owner will care for it and admire the beautiful tiger stripe as this southpaw did for years.

I can still "see it" in my memory and related memories on the hunt for "tree rats" come back to relive the old days, and that's reward enough. Gorgeous curly maple stock looks like this from muzzle to buttplate. Regrets about the gun show lighting.

i have for far too long said I want hunt with a traditional muzzleloader and done nothing about it. Maybe soon.
 

YanceyGreenhorn

Still Not a Moderator
RB,
Do you mean you have stopped hunting completely at this stage of your life? Not trying to pry. Just curious whether you meant sold all your flintlock stuff, or hunting stuff altogether
 

DarrinG

Six Pointer
I've appreciated your insight to traditional muzzleloaders here.

Oddly, traditional muzzleloaders have almost pushed aside my traditional bowhunting. Just something about the sight and smell of smoke from real black powder drifting thru the woods on a frosty morning..... I havent gotten into deer hunting with mine yet but thoroughly enjoy my small caliber rifle and squirrel hunting.
 

roundball

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
I've appreciated your insight to traditional muzzleloaders here.

Oddly, traditional muzzleloaders have almost pushed aside my traditional bowhunting. Just something about the sight and smell of smoke from real black powder drifting thru the woods on a frosty morning..... I havent gotten into deer hunting with mine yet but thoroughly enjoy my small caliber rifle and squirrel hunting.
I was 100% hooked the morning I shot my first buck with a Flintlock…sitting down against a tree at 1st light…smoke curling up out of the vent with the rifle across my lap…and wondered if any settlers had hunted those very woods long ago with their Flintlocks
 
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adkarcher

Six Pointer
A little disgusted with myself this year, got busy and didn't get my muzzleloaders ready or shoot enough to feel real comfortbale. I had issues with one last year and never got the issue resolved. but was planning on using my other caplock anyhow. Screwed around and never got it on paper to make sure it was still ok and my sights were off. Better prepared for next year. Maybe I will even be good enough to use my new flintlock, but not so sure about that! Until this year, I had pretty much exclusively used my old caplocks for the last 4-5 years and really missed it this year.
 

roundball

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
A little disgusted with myself this year, got busy and didn't get my muzzleloaders ready or shoot enough to feel real comfortbale. I had issues with one last year and never got the issue resolved. but was planning on using my other caplock anyhow. Screwed around and never got it on paper to make sure it was still ok and my sights were off. Better prepared for next year. Maybe I will even be good enough to use my new flintlock, but not so sure about that! Until this year, I had pretty much exclusively used my old caplocks for the last 4-5 years and really missed it this year.
FWIW, I remember struggling with the transition period and one day I finally decided, that's it...I'm done with conventional guns / done with caplocks...its Flintlocks for everything...and it made me pour myelf into getting things figured out, getting up to speed, getting confident, etc.
 

Aaron H

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
I never have shot a flintlock and when I built my first Hawken cap lock from a kit in 1977 I thought that was exciting and "primitive"... I sold my deer rifle and for years hunted with just my bow and muzzleloader. Now days I have an inline muzzleloader and another deer rifle, the hunt is not as challenging but still exciting. Each year I think about going some with that old Hawken but probably never will. Taking a deer with a flintlock has to be an awesome feeling for a hunter, lots of memories for you, and I too enjoy your photos.
 

adkarcher

Six Pointer
I never have shot a flintlock and when I built my first Hawken cap lock from a kit in 1977 I thought that was exciting and "primitive"... I sold my deer rifle and for years hunted with just my bow and muzzleloader. Now days I have an inline muzzleloader and another deer rifle, the hunt is not as challenging but still exciting. Each year I think about going some with that old Hawken but probably never will. Taking a deer with a flintlock has to be an awesome feeling for a hunter, lots of memories for you, and I too enjoy your photos.
Yeah I ended up using the inline and took a nice 8 point, but the challenge is not really there - like hunting with a rifle, which I do as well. Don't get me wrong, it was fun and certainly glad I was able to get one for the freezer, but the hunt is anti-climatic. When I use a rifle or inline, I am not one to sit in a box blind and shoot one 200 yards away that doesn't even know I am there, I keep the mentality of getting one in close, so must shots are are around 35 yards - 40 yards and often on the ground. Makes it a little more interesting at least.
 

adkarcher

Six Pointer
FWIW, I remember struggling with the transition period and one day I finally decided, that's it...I'm done with conventional guns / done with caplocks...its Flintlocks for everything...and it made me pour myelf into getting things figured out, getting up to speed, getting confident, etc.
I should clarify that I used my caplocks exclusively in muzzeleloader season...still use the rifle during gun season for the most part...
 

CJF

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
RB,

Because of you I got into flintlock and smoothbore shooting. Even though I own several inlines I only hunt with percussion caplock muzzleloaders using much of the stuff I purchased from you. I have always had a lot of respect for you and learned quite a bit through your posts.
 

waymoe1

Ten Pointer
Getting really interested in flintlocks and Kentucky style rifles. Are there any good rifle builders in the state or close by? Would love to start looking at getting one. Just don’t know much about them. Iv hunted for many years with inline muzzleloaders and have a tc Hawkins.
 

adkarcher

Six Pointer
Getting really interested in flintlocks and Kentucky style rifles. Are there any good rifle builders in the state or close by? Would love to start looking at getting one. Just don’t know much about them. Iv hunted for many years with inline muzzleloaders and have a tc Hawkins.
I had Kevin Blevins here in NC make my flinter. Phoenix Mountain Flintlocks.
 

billrjoh

Spike
Getting really interested in flintlocks and Kentucky style rifles. Are there any good rifle builders in the state or close by? Would love to start looking at getting one. Just don’t know much about them. Iv hunted for many years with inline muzzleloaders and have a tc Hawkins.
Bobby Denton Morganton
 
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