Now that's an interesting article. IMO, the money quote:

Ah, but the big surprise comes at 0-degrees of elevation which would be more or less a typical shot at a deer on level terrain. Here the rifle, shotgun and muzzleloader projectiles travel 1,408', 840', and 686' respectfully plus ricochet distances of 3,427', 4,365', and 3,812' respectfully. Now the total distances traveled by the projectiles are 4,835' for the rifle, 5,205' for the shotgun and 4,498' for the muzzleloader.

So assuming a solid ricochet, a ML bullet shot level could travel 4498 feet. Surprising.

WOW! The 348 grain Powerbelt at 1,595 fps mv traveled 1.7 miles. I never would have expected that.

Thanks for that link UC.

Tragic for sure and My Heart goes out to the Family. But it seems hard to believe, I have picked out of the snow slugs from a shot gun after a hunter had failed to hit his mark on a deer on a drive and the shot was less than 80yds. It had to be a one in a gazillion chance that the shot would or could have done any damage at that distance let alone made it that far.
(BP)

Wow, that is just terrible. I need to call my old boss to see if he knew that girl - I used to work in that town (Fredericksburg) about 10 years ago when I lived in Ohio. My boss was an Amish guy, so I assume he would have at least known the family. There is just no excuse for something like that. I have discharged my muzzy at the end of a hunt, but always into the side of a hill- something that will stop a bullet 100% of the time. It almost seems like the guy must have pointed the gun up in the air at a 45 degree angle or something for this to happen....

Just saw an update to the story- the guy shot his muzzy into the air to clear it- no ricochet needed for it to travel 1.5 miles if you are dumb enough to shoot the rifle off into the air at an unknown angle.....

So this is not so much of a muzzleloader story as a stupid gun owner story. People die every year during New Years and Independence Day from nimrods firing their guns into the air. Bullet has to come down somewhere. Very sad.

Thats doubtful, just the weight of the bullet falling from a high enough altitude, say even 400', i bet would be enough to go thru a skull. So, depending on angle of shot (which was obviously up into the air) and the trajectory of the downward flight. It is not that impossible to believe it would have enough energy to kill.

Charge the guy with reckless homocide and maybe it will be enough to convince the next idiot, not to shoot into the air.

I have a hard time believing that a muzzleloader can shoot that far. I assume the man who fired the gun was Amish too? If so, he was probably using a sidelock traditional style gun with patch and ball and maybe even real blackpowder. I don't see it shooting that heavy of a bullet with sub-optimal shape that far. But maybe it did? Time will tell when they get the bullet out.

Most Amish guys that I see also shotguns and rifles so it is very possible it was an a modern inline just like anyone else shoots. From the little bit that I read there was no information on whether or not the guy was Amish or not.

if the idiot fired his ML towards the sky to unload it he deserves jail time... what a moron...