If walking in the woods with another hunter be sure to stagger the direction of your muzzles or better yet leave de-capped until you reach your stand.

Try a sharp blow with a gloved hand against the back of the hammer (in a safe direction) to test that your trigger mechanism works.

I'd have to say my own mistakes that cost me a deer were, first, not shootinga primer through to get rid of some oil residue ona really cold day...cost me a nice buck and then this year, just blanked out and after shooting a nice spike buck I cleaned the gun at the truck on lunch and got some water in the breech plug when cleaning it....and didn't shoot anything through to blow it out and wow...what happens to water in the cold...freezes...even a little bit of water...that dripped off the patches...and caused two misfires on a nice doe....live and learn...to be thinking all the time with blackpowder...the smallest things make big differences in outcome.

watch what you eat in morning or your hunt will be going to the pot at first light.

never hurry.if someone is ahead of you, take your time.

never take a shot over 100 yds with muzzleloader,just is not fun and chance of bad hit on buck.let buck walk.

mount a RMC v- peep next to the frizzen,better there than down barrel.

get a good gun sling.OKLAHOMA LEATHER PRODUCTS and case too.

use .50 power reading glasses if you cant see sights very good,you can still see deer very well too.

Now lets hear what your mistakes were Sproulman, what did ya eat? What didyou hurry doing? What sling is junk? Why RMC V-peep next to frizzen? Why 1/2 power readin' glasses.
Chap

A mistake I seem to make over and over - a quick turn of the head when I hearsomething move to the left or right of where I happen to be looking.Busted AGAIN!

One thing I've seen at least twice in this thread, that is worth highlighting:

REMOVE THE BORE OIL BEFORE YOU LOAD!!!

Back when I shot only a sidelock, I spent a couple seasons having a few frustrating misfires on game. It was ALL my fault, I did not swab the oil before I loaded with Pyrodex. I learned my lesson, and never had another misfire in the field.

This was also because some well-meaning old-timer on an old ML email list told me to use only Murphy's Oil Soap to clean my ML, and I did....turns out that stuff CAUSES rust and I had to oil the crap out of my barrel to keep it from rusting. I took my lumps and learned from it, no more Murphy's, a fraction the oil, and problem solved.

Step #1, Measure and pour powder down bore.
Step #2, Load rifle with projectile.

***DO NOT REVERSE STEP ONE AND TWO***

Keep the power turn down on your scope so you can see some thing of a 40 yard deer beside brown hairs. Ya I had a buck walk out of the shooting lane into the brush when I tried finding the aiming point thru 9 power.

Carry a large size freezer bag good place to put a heart and liver from a deer), great for holding a couple sheets of paper toweling( ever need TP), matches/lighter, (Ya Icarry both since those bic's will fail when needed.) some pre moistened baby wipes (In a sealed bag of their own use as TP or cleaning hands and such.), extra compass (ever find yourself second guessing a compass), Waxed paper towels(fire starters) 8 feet of 1/4 nylon cord (as a drag cord). I keep about 6 inches of (red)thread on my front sling swivel as a wind direction indacator and to tie offthe bowel end when dressing a deer.
I also carry a 6'x6' plastic sheet(folds small), makes dragging a deer a lot easier,8 inch folding saw, a 5 inch lock blade knife.


Al

A range rod will shoot downfield approximately 50 yards. Always remove the rod.A true bonehead mistake.

BACON/CEREAL WITH RAISINS GET ME.

HUNTERS TRY TO OUTRUN ME TO GET AHEAD TO THEIR SPOT, SOME WERE 65 YRS OLD,1 FELL WHILE RUSHING UP HIS TREE WITH A SUMMIT CLIMBER, I SPENT THE WHOLE MORNING WITH AMBULANCE GETTING HIM OUT OF WOODS.

OKLAHOMA LEATHER SLING IS ONE I LIKE, IT GOES OVER BUTT OF STOCK,SOME DONT AND YOUR MUZZLELOADER CAN FALL OUT OF TREE OR OUT YOUR BACK TO GROUND.

RMC V-PEEPIS MOUNTED ABOUT 8 INCHS DOWN BARREL.DRILLING A HOLE NEXT TO FRIZZEN AND MOUNTING IT THERE IS WHERE IT SHOULD BE,CLOSER TO YOUR EYE.

OVER 50 YOUR EYES ARE NOT GOING TO SHOW THINGS ,DEER/FRONT SIGHT/REAR ALL CLEAR.
WITH PEEP, ITS NOT NECESSARY TO HAVE REAR SIGHT CLEAR BUT A LOT OF US CANT SEE FRONT SIGHT CLEAR.

.50 READING GLASSES YOU CANUSUALLY SEE FRONT/REAR CLEAR AND DEER OR TARGET IS JUST SLIGHTLY FUZZY,ALMOST YOU CANT NOTICE IT.
IF YOU CAN TAKE YOUR GUN TO EYE DOCTOR.

HE WILL BE ABLE TO ADJUST MAYBE YOUR PRESCRIPTION, IT COULD BE THAT TO,IF NOT HAVE HIM PUT A .50 AND I BET IT CORRECTS PROBLEM.

IF NOT JUST ORDER A .50 READING GLASSES IN BIGGEST SIZE LENSE AND TRY IT OUT.

IF IT DOES NOT WORK ,YOU ARE NOT OUT MUCH MONEY.