I still-hunt quite a bit with MLs, inlines and traditional hammer guns. You won't shoot many deer if you have to prime after spotting a deer. All guns have some sort of safety, and of course the most important safety is the person carrying the gun.

I never walk to or from a stand without the gun primed, unless it is before or after shooting hours.

Myself, i have always kinda felt the hammer type rifles were more safer, than the bolt/etc. rifles, that had a 'safety'. At least, i have always been more comfortable packing my Omega, or a lever action with a bullet in the chamber, than i feel when i carry a bolt action with the safety engaged.

Don't you think that it makes sense to have no primer in your rifle when you aren't 'hunting'; carrying equipment to a stand isn't really hunting. Sneaking to a stand is just still hunting, and one's rifle can/should be loaded and primed. Whilst still hunting my rifles are always primed, loaded, and with cartridges in the chamber. Whilst dragging deer, or whatever, my rifles have no cartridges in the chamber, or primers in the breech plug.

My scoped muzzle loaders have 4x scopes.

Carry your gun with no cap on it. You will see 50 deer by the time you find your capper in your pocket/carry pack


at least it always seems that I see more deer when I am unarmed.

Thanks for all the replies. I plan to still hunt almost every time after sitting 2-3 hours in the morning, so it was good to read all of the info you provided. And I think I'll go with the 3-9 x 40

Ron - I never asked whether or not it was a good idea to have your firearm loaded/primed when not hunting (as in your examples - dragging a deer, lugging equipment, etc). The entire context was still hunting. And you don't still hunt in a stand. I was only trying to cut through all the "safety" (gun manufacturer CYA) info to find out from experienced muzzleloading hunters if they felt any differently about still hunting with a ML vs a centerfire or shotgun. Lord knows that if we followed all the "official" gun safety advice out there, no-one would be bringing home any venison.