I have been around muzzleloading for 10 or so years now but have only really gotten into it this year. I bought a used Lyman side hammer, percussion gun from my wife's uncle to extend my deer season. We only had 2 weeks of rifle season and we got 1 more week of blackpowder. I took it out about once a year but never got a deer with it. I snapped 4 caps on one buck as he stood their looking at me. The gun finally went off but it was a hang fire and I missed. The other times I would take the gun home after hunting and try to shoot it and not once did it fire on the first cap!

A few years ago, my cousin in Ohio invited me up to hunt with him, but rifles aren't allowed. I didn't have a suitable shotgun for slugs and didn't really need a slug gun. So I bought a Knight Revolution in-line BP rifle figuring I could use it in Virginia as well. I didn't scope it and missed the first doe I shot at in Ohio. Reloaded and not 5 minutes later smoked another doe that was following a few minutes behind the one I missed. That should have hooked me right there but it didn't.

I got the gun out a few more times since and didn't get another shot until last year. My wife was in the blind with me one evening when a young buck showed up at last light. It was my first hunt in a blind and first time with my wife. It was picture perfect. I lit him up at about 85 yards but the blood trail ran out after about 100 yards and I lost him. My wife and I were so excited at first but it was very disheartening to lose the deer.

Since last season, I decided to scope the gun so I could be sure of where I am hitting the deer. I am getting my wife into hunting as well and I am starting her on a TC Encore Pro Hunter blackpowder rifle. I scoped it as well. I have had both guns to the range multiple times to get them dialed in. All the range shooting has me really pumped to get a deer in front of me and see how the gun and myself do.

My wife missed a young buck with her Encore and was really dejected. I got that buck the next evening with my 30-06. I should have been using the Knight as I haven't had a shot since. It is looking like the odds of either of us getting a deer with the blackpowder guns this year are slim. But I am hooked on smokepoles now and I am even finishing out rifle season with my Knight.

Interestingly enough, my younger brother has the exact opposite experience with tradition blackpowder rifles that I do. It is rainy, snowy or otherwise damp when I have my traditional gun out. For my brother, it is clear blue skies and sunny everytime he goes. He took a deer his first year out with a borrowed gun. Bagged another one the next year with the same borrowed gun. So as soon as I can get one with my inline, I am going to setup my traditional gun with patch and ball for next year.

That's my story and I am sticking too it.