First Season w/ ML: Field Necessities??

[7.62NATO]

I bought a muzzleloader to get into the field a couple weeks sooner (whitetail...possibly black bear) and I'm curious as to what items will benefit me most in the field. I purchased a T/C Omega and I plan on using Blackhorn 209 powder instead of pellets. I believe the T/C Quickshot is designed for a quick reload of powder charges. Is it realistic to expect to be able to reload quickly enough (with practice, of course) to shoot a second deer before it runs off? In my experience with rifle or shotgun, you gotta be quick even then to get a good second shot off.

Anyway, I don't want to buy or take unnecessary things with me into the woods; I like to travel light.

So what do you take into the woods with you, and what have you regretting lugging along or wished you had brought (for day-long hunts...not hunting camp).

Thanks!

[Semisane]

I use a small zippered belt pouch for a one day hunt, but never expect a quick second shot. Never needed one anyway.

Here's my pouch set up for my .45 Renegade with the Green Mountain Long Range Hunter barrel.

It contains:
3 Lanes tubes with powder.
1 Tube with bullets in sabots.
1 Tube with caps.
Short starter.
Nipple pick.
Pipe cleaner.
Allen wrench for clean out screw.
Cleaning jag.
Patch worm.
Screwdriver.
Alcohol swabs.
Small plastic box of cleaning patches.
And still has plenty of room for a couple of folded up paper towels for wiping my hands (or other parts of my body).

[WOODTICK49]

Good list SEMI.The only thing I would add is a breechplug wrench. since he is carrying an OMEGA.

[Big Z]

The T/C t-handle short starter that can also thread into your ramrod. If you're hunting in, say, 30 below weather, you may want a capper. Primers are hard to handle with numb hands.

[UncleNorby]

I like to keep it simple. I have a multitool, additional primers, a knife and speed loaders. One speedloader is always at the ready. I have a tool box in the truck all season, and I usually hunt close enough to the truck that I can get anything needed for a "serious" problem within 20 minutes. I recommend that if your gun has iron sights, sight the gun in for 50 yds, even if you have to take them off to mount your scope. If you drop your gun with enough impact to make you question your scope being on, you can remove your scope (reinstall your sights if needed) and keep hunting.

I can reload my Renegade in a few seconds. The inline takes a little longer because the spent 209 can be a trick to remove. I have reloaded with enough time to shoot another deer a few times but I never have. I was more interested in finding the deer I shot and getting it out of the woods.

[MountainDevil54]

3 extra bullets, 3 extra powder tubes, 6 primers.

[ronlaughlin]

7.62NATO

The past 2 seasons, i have hunted with an Omega, and an Accura, not at the same time. In my hunting coat/vest i carry 3 of Lane's tubes with 105g of BH209 in them, and one Lane's tube with 3 bullet/sabot. I carry 6 primer in a TC primer holder in my pants pocket. The ramrod is marked at the end so that i know when the bullet is seated. I have carried a a ball with a hole that fits the end of the ramrod, to push the bullet home, but it isn't really necessary; any old thing laying on the ground will work. This year i was thinking about giving this chingadero a try; it fits on the end of the ramrod to help one push the bullet home, and it would be easy to carry in a pocket, and it also would look after the primers.




Some days, i wish i would have brought something to eat; other days i wish i had something better than jerky to eat; some days i have eaten a good breakfast, and don't walk very far. I have forgotten my hunting knife, and had to gut deer with my pocket knife. I usually have a piece of a rope, and a binocular, and a small camera, and a gps, and things to make a fire with.

[7.62NATO]

Thanks...very helpful y'all.