I think you need to have your wife take you to the doctor to see whats wrong. It's obvious that you are not thinking right!

Have a 54 cal hawkin I have shot a few deer and hogs with. Lots of fun to shoot and hunt with. Havent had it out in a few seasons, gonna have to work on that.

I love muzzleloader hunting. It is my preferred method. Have probably taken at least as many deer and hogs with my smokepole as with centerfire guns. Usually take a week off work in October and drive to NE Oklahoma for their ML season. Oklahoma and Arkansas have their ML season in October before modern gun season, so it is a great time to catch pre-rut and early-rut hunting. 2017 ML season was a rodeo, with bucks running does like mad. No better time to be in the woods.

When you say "surprisingly the old stuff still works," you are talking about your gun?

Haha ok, let me rephrase that. I can’t afford to buy another gun and all the crap that goes with it.

Yep. Both of them!

Hunting military installations most of my career, I've been relegated to either shotgun slugs or muzzleloader, especially post-9/11. Back when I started hunting those locations, I added a Savage 10 ML-II smokeless muzzleloader to my safe and it quickly became one of my favorite rifles. I'll admit it's not the most rustic ML in the world, but it's hard to argue with no cleaning and only a 10 inch drop at 200 with a 250 gr bullet.

I don't get to hunt with much these days, but if I'm ever able to, I'll definitely be dusting it off.

Wife and i both bought cva optimas several years back, love hunting with them. I do meed to play around with the powder a little more, but for now i use 80 grains of blackhorn by weight, hornady 250 sst and a federal 209a primer and both will shoot about 3" at 100 yards depending on the wind. I plan on backing off that load a little and doing a little more load development, but for now its good enough. Im a firm believer in the blackhorn powder is much less corrosive and no swabbing between shots is a huge plus. My silly dad left his powder/bullet in his dam muzzy for year a couple years ago, i was quite suprised he hit within 2" of the bullseye and the bore had no rust where the charge was at in the barrel. I believe if he had been using the ole blackpowder, that rifle would of been toast. Fun stuff!

Putting a final cleaning on the old 50 cal. the weather is getting right you know I will post plenty pics.

Enjoy it, from what I hear this could be the last year we have a muzzle loader season in texas, next year they are considering just extending general season through the current late season.

Out this morning it's cold but nice first deer 7:30
Think might be nubber.

Girls showing up 7:45

This guy showed up bout 8:15

You can hunt with a muzzle loader during the regular season, and the original idea was generating more funds from charging for the extra stamps, and then most everyone ended up just buying the super combo's.
Right now in some counties if not all, the youth late season runs the same time as the muzzle loader season, so the kids can use a centerfire rifle and dad can only use a muzzle loader.
I've wondered for a long time why they don't just extend the season.
The deer can't tell the difference if it was shot with a muzzleloader or a centerfire, and you still can only use the same amount of tags that were allowed during the general season unless MLD.

I would think part of it is ML doesn't ahve the range or quick reloading capability of centerfire, not as easy. Same reason we have a separate archery season.

Out with Karsen my grandson had beautiful sunrise we have doe all around us and a young coyote ran by great morning .

Apples and oranges basically!
The modern in-line muzzle loaders can reach out as far as center fire rifles, and most folks don't need or get more than one shot at a deer after that first shot.

Then texas should ban modern inlines ML during that late season, other states have, side lock only.

Last day got it loaded up going to stay till coffe runs out. Who else is out?

I'm enjoying the last day also. Cant stay to long this morning daughters truck needs some brakes and have a party at 1 but I will be back in the stand this evening rain or shine.

Good luck!

Hunted Saturday morning, and saw a nice buck before it was light enough that I could make out my iron sights.....Saw several small bucks, but he never came back out when it was light enough to see.
Oh well, he will be a good one next year!

Went a couple of times this weekend Coyote busted my deer once and cocking the gun got me the second time. Want to upgrade before next season.