Initially because I liked the looks and the nostalgia of the sidelock muzzleloader. Sleek lines and feel of my Hawken. Then it gave me more time to hunt with a special primitive season. I have centerfire rifles but when I go hunting, I usually am carrying a bow, handgun or ML.

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.

My uncle did civil war renactments and has many orginal guns from the war. Seeing the smoke and loud cracks got me going. No one ever showed me the ropes, I read the manual over and over to the point I could recite it before going to the range the first time. I must admit it was scarry at first but there was an old guy who helped me and had a good time helping and sighting in the gun. If I see new guys that need help I offer and they are glad that you had offered the help. Keep passing on the fun of these guns. I had inlines, shotguns for turkey and now am looking for a good side arm revolver smoke gun. I am still hunting hard for a good 58 caliber TC Big Boar gun if i can find one. Oh yeah, that is part of the fun as well, more guns to try and make more smoke.