Would have been easier to never admit that this happened, but I learned a lot from forums like this over the years, and I want to share what I learned this time out in the field. When I started hunting 15+ years ago I didn't have anyone to teach me. Most of what I learned was from magazines and books and cutting my teeth on my own, out in the woods. I started hunting in 1990. I didn't kill a deer until 2002. Took about 4 years off in the middle while in the Army and didn't hunt at all. I knew I'd take a beating but that comes with the territory. Admitting that I am not an expert with a black powder gun doesn't bother me. As I said, I've used it enough to know I can hit my mark, (on paper anyway) reload, break it down, clean, etc. But I think it would take 10 years or more before I get comfortable with dropping powder down a barrel that was just fired. Next time, I'm sure my desire for a deer will drive me to reload and shoot again. And if I screw it up somehow, I will still share that as well.

Keep in mind DPV they call them "speed loaders" for a reason

You can reload as quick as you can get it off your shoulder.

I applaud your honesty and courage. I hope you not only learned something from hunting that day but also here on this forum!
The lessons that are the most valuable are never the easiest. Good luck!
Live it up! Doug

I too applaud the honesty. Yeah, you screwed up. I've screwed up. It's good that we can admit it. You've probably learned some things from people in this thread. Maybe some of them can learn from you, because EVERYONE screws up

rw

The hunter ed course says, watch the 'harvast" for 1/2 hour from a distance. after 1/2 hour, you can assume they won't get up and do a death run.

Then the guy says, poke them in the eye with the barrel to make sure they are dead.

I've been hunting for 35 years and I learn something new every time out in the woods. And each year I get schooled at least once big time by a deer and learn yet another new lesson!

That's what makes it so rewarding. If it came easy and wasn't a challenge it wouldn't be worth it anymore.

Those that are sharing their stories here, take heart: 1) it's happened to everyone 2) the experience has made you a better hunter.

Never forget those two things.

Take Heart DPV get back in the saddle with a new understanding that makes you a better hunter by trial and error.Good Hunting This weekend.

I'm assuming you were hunting in Pocahontas, correct? That place is big and is FULL of thickets. There are lots of places for deer to hide. I seriously doubt you combed through several square miles of earth, though it may have felt like you covered that much ground. If you did cover several square miles, you couldn't have done it thoroughly, so it's really one or the other.

Anyway, I wish I would have caught your post earlier. I was there on Friday morning and would have helped you look for it then. What part of the park were you in?

Also, you don't have to wait 10 years before you start loading your muzzleloader more quickly; you can start today! What gun are you shooting? Think about this, what is the WORST thing that could happen if you poured a single load of powder down the barrel and it burned up? BTW, this wouldn't happen just because the barrel was warm from a single firing, it's from sparks that could still be in play at the breech. I'm not sure this is an issue with modern inline MLers using 209 primers and BP substitutes, especially something like BH209.

I know I'm gonna get reamed out for this, but I feel like this will help you get over your fear. When you have a sec, take a bit of powder (say 10-20 grains or so) OUTSIDE and put it on a large flat stone, an open pyrex glass, etc...somewhere where the powder is OPEN and will not burn anything flammable (like leaves, your deck, etc), and toss a match on it (or use one of those extended grill lighters, etc). When it ignites, it pretty much acts like a sparkler or a big fuse. As long as you are not compressing the powder and sealing it off, there is no danger of an explosion, etc. So, EVEN IF on the off chance that pouring the powder down a just-fired barrel could cause it to ignite (which will probably never happen to you!), the worst thing that would happen is you might burn your hand a little, which is likely gloved anyway.

What they tell you NOT to do is pour powder into the barrel directly from a FLASK, for several reasons, but the main one is that the powder is SEALED OFF inside the flask, so if the powder going down the barrel ignites, it will travel up the barrel and into your flask, which has now become a BOMB, which will cause your wife to open ketchup bottles for you the rest of you life, assuming you still have a face to feed. Make sense?

My first time I actually shot a deer a buttonhead (I hunt on private land) with the muzzleloader and a scope on my weapon,when he came out I wanted to make sure of my shot so I watched him it was nearly dark enough I couldn't see him in the scope almost and I was not nervous or anything but I needed to find the spot that is right behind his shoulder and leg forward yes in his chest. He walked and was in long grass and I took the shot thinking of where the spot was. He fell and kicked I reloaded my weapon as fast as I could watching him as he kicked I thought it was many minutes but it was only seconds I am sure by the time I had reloaded he had stopped kicking. My husband has told me to reload right away INCASE the shot was off and you (in the general sense) have to shoot it again in the head. I thought this was what I had to do. But when he stopped he had passed on. I reloaded right away why wouldn't you?

Hey DPV, I think you acknowledged it in your first post, you made some mistakes, well done for passing it on to everyone, I'm certain not one of us on here has yet to make the first mistake hunting, we all learn from our mistakes that always seem more stupid and obvious when we re-tell them after they have happened. there have been a bunch of great suggestions here, thanks for sharing and good luck on your next hunt.