Thanks guys.. as I said I was really enjoying my first experiences with "Muzzies"

There were lots of guys giving me tips and advice... made it a fun experience.

The one thing that was mentioned here and at the shoot I was told was I was not lining up my sights properly..

Heck my first shot did not even hit the board let alone the target

And yes it was the flinch...
they told me I moved the gun a foot when the powder went off...

what part did I fine the most fun... all the SMOKE !!!!

There was one guy that was really impressive... he belongs to the Jefferson County long guns.. I think that's what they are called.. he had made his own gun and I could not believe how LONG it was... he pulled a "Davy Crockett" he really did put one "ball" (?) in the same hole as the shot before !!!!!

Most of the guys were really good and shot small patterns on the target with many bull's eyes at 50 yards..

Who knows maybe I'll think about trying it on a more serious note...

One more question..

the "kits" they have out there to make your own gun.. are they worth it or should I think of only buying one already together ????

thanks

Last year was the first time I ever had to rely on the late season to harvest a deer...

do you guys that hunt it alot find it easier to stalk or is sitting still a good opinion, last year I sat ... but I figure with snow it may be easier and more "fun" to creep up on them ???

Being left-handed I could never get into flintlock hunting unless I wanted to spend more for a LH flinter to basically hunt 2-3 days a year...no thanks
 
 
 
I will try with the bow though here in late season

I find "still hunting" works the best for me when muzleloading. I have a T/C and it is very accurate. I installed a larger touch hole last year and what a huge difference. Way less missfires, and the delay is way shorter.

ORIGINAL: ready2fish

ORIGINAL: Big Tuna

ready2fish, Whats a GROUSE? I remember getting 25-40 flushes a day hunting the Slippery Rock area after XMas but that been about 20 years ago.Sometimes it took that many for me to get my 2,what a great game bird to hunt and eat. I miss the old days of great to good small game hunting.Many years the gang shot 100-150 bunnies off my pack of beagles.I had a three dog pack that would run a rabbit to the hole or gun,losing the trail was not going to happen.

I've had a banner year on thunder chickens. The area I hunt is thick with them and I'm having a ball chasing them around. Only had one flush yesterday in 2 hours of walking, managed to miss. I'm fairly certain I've had well over 50 flushes, probably more like 75, mostly hunting by myself since early November. Bagged 10 so far, hope to add a few more. Been out a couple times this past week, birds are somewhat more skiddish since all the guys were tromping around in deer season. If I manage to drop a deer with the muzzy, rest of the time will be spent after the woods rockets!

 
Grouse hunters around here are covering a lot of ground and finding very few birds then hitting a pocket where they will have a dozen flushes in just a few hundred yards. Around here it is pretty much all about hunting where there are beechnuts. Around here if you find the beechnuts and you will find where all the grouse disappeared to.
 
R.S. Bodenhorn

The grouse have been on a downward sprial for several decades nationwide and statewide from a high of over 15 million to todays numbers of less than seven million, This area has pockets but they are few and far between. I know of one clearcut in a nearby gamelands that currently has a lot but the hawks and owls will have them cleaned out in a couple more weeks if things hold true to form. The cycle seems to be up a bit the last couple years.

ORIGINAL: psu_fish

Being left-handed I could never get into flintlock hunting unless I wanted to spend more for a LH flinter to basically hunt 2-3 days a year...no thanks



I will try with the bow though here in late season

There are more left handed options now PSU. Besides, shooting the right hand models lefthanded is a hoot! The flash is right in your face and your right arm is right where the blow out the flash hole goes!!! Ask to see my self tattoo job on my right arm if you ever meet me in person! lol

ORIGINAL: ready2fish

ORIGINAL: RSB

ORIGINAL: ready2fish

ORIGINAL: Big Tuna

ready2fish, Whats a GROUSE? I remember getting 25-40 flushes a day hunting the Slippery Rock area after XMas but that been about 20 years ago.Sometimes it took that many for me to get my 2,what a great game bird to hunt and eat. I miss the old days of great to good small game hunting.Many years the gang shot 100-150 bunnies off my pack of beagles.I had a three dog pack that would run a rabbit to the hole or gun,losing the trail was not going to happen.

I've had a banner year on thunder chickens. The area I hunt is thick with them and I'm having a ball chasing them around. Only had one flush yesterday in 2 hours of walking, managed to miss. I'm fairly certain I've had well over 50 flushes, probably more like 75, mostly hunting by myself since early November. Bagged 10 so far, hope to add a few more. Been out a couple times this past week, birds are somewhat more skiddish since all the guys were tromping around in deer season. If I manage to drop a deer with the muzzy, rest of the time will be spent after the woods rockets!

Grouse hunters around here are covering a lot of ground and finding very few birds then hitting a pocket where they will have a dozen flushes in just a few hundred yards. Around here it is pretty much all about hunting where there are beechnuts. Around here if you find the beechnuts and you will find where all the grouse disappeared to.
 
R.S. Bodenhorn

I've checked every bird I've taken this year. Here they are mostly eating small red berries and small red apples that were on what I call "thorn apple" trees. Sorry I have no idea what the proper name is. They are also eating small green ferns. We have little beechnuts, which is probably why they are eating what I described.

I hunted 2.5 hrs aftter work yesterday morning. Had 8 flushes, zero birds downed, LOL. May head back out for a walk tomorrow morning to see if I can redeem myself.

 
Without seeing them I can’t tell you what small red berries you are seeing but the small red apples are most likely hawthorn. We had grouse in the hawthorn around here too but the beech that produced were the real hotspot for most of the fall season.
 
R.S. Bodenhorn

Know that bush too- ya can find Box Turtles under them eating those same oval red berries.