Black powder and whitetails, part II

Let's pick up our discussion about cleaning muzzleloaders. Expert opinions differ a bit when it comes to cleaning between shots. Some say that muzzleloaders shoot better when slightly fouled. Others say a clean barrel always shoots best. I tend to lean toward the latter. My thought process is; "How can clean be bad?"

I suggest running a pre-lubed cleaning patch down your barrel and a couple of dry patches between shots. My main reason for this is that, on a hunting day, I will be seating my hunting load into a clean barrel. Very few of us are in a position to pre-fire our muzzleloaders in the morning before loading it for a hunt. So I swab between each shot. End of shooting cleaning is also much easier if this swabbing process has been ongoing.

If you are cleaning an in-line gun, the first step is to remove the breech-plug. Manufacturers provide a tool with each gun for this task. For the most part, these tools work very well. However, after you mount a scope on your muzzleloader, these tools can become difficult to use. You may have to modify your breech-plug wrench if you add a scope.

After the breech-plug has been removed, swabbing is now made even easier. It is just like cleaning a straight pipe. Once the barrel is clean and dry, a final patch with "bore butter" should be applied to seal and help season the bore. Now you can lubricate and replace the breech-plug.

Using the same pre-lubed cleaning patches, thoroughly clean the primer or nipple area. This is much more important in traditional muzzleloaders than in the closed system of the in-line guns. Corrosion and ultimately rust can take place around the nipple if this area is not regularly cleaned. Also, wipe a cleaning patch around the muzzle to prevent corrosion there cause by the burning powder.

Finally, wipe down your entire gun with a moisture displacing solution. Moisture is the single worst enemy of a gun in storage. Go to great lengths to keep your stored guns clean and dry and you will be able to keep quality firearms in your family for generations.

I have taken more than five dozen white-tailed and mule deer with muzzleloaders. I have shot and hunted with smoke-poles from many different manufacturers. In fact, my first muzzleloader was a .50-caliber Hawken I built from a kit. I have never been so proud in the deer woods as the day I shot my first deer with a gun I had finished and assembled myself.

In my decades of testing black-powder rifles I have fallen in love with only one. Thompson/Center's Encore .50-caliber is by far the finest muzzleloading deer rifle I have ever used. There are many different versions of this gun but the Pro Hunter is my personal favorite.

The overall design of the Pro Hunter is second-to-none. The T/C Omega is close, but the feel of the Pro Hunter Encore is as good as it gets. This gun shoots great, cleans easily and is as dependable as any centerfire rifle. I have never had a misfire from any of my Encores.

Regardless of the gun you choose I recommend using #209 shot-shell primers for your ignition choice. Some inline muzzleloaders still use percussion caps. I do not think you will be happy with these. I have had percussion caps fail me in bad weather conditions. Not so with #209 primers. I do suggest you replace your primers each season.

There are several good propellants from which to choose. For many years I shot loose powder and did pretty well with it. However the convenience of powder pellets cannot be beat. Again, after years of testing I discovered Pyrodex to be the best. I shoot their .50-50 pellets which means each pellet is equivalent to 50-grains of loose powder and fits into a .50-caliber barrel.

You will need to practice enough to find out what load matches the bullet you choose to shoot. Although many muzzleloader experts maintain that two pellets are more than enough for deer hunting I disagree. I shoot three Pyrodex pellets for more velocity and a flatter shooting, harder hitting shot.

Since we just mentioned bullets you will need to find out which projectile best meets your specific needs. Again all I can do is give you the benefit of my years of research and practice. I shoot a unique 250-grain .50-caliber Flex Tip bullet by Hornady. This special bullet comes in a sabot sleeve designed for rapid loading. The SST-ML Lock-N-Load Speed Sabot system is the slickest loading system on the market. The sabot actually has a tail that allows you to slide your Pyrodex pellets onto it for a really fast reload. This Hornady system is the only way to go regardless of your gun.

To repeat, the first best piece of advice is simple but of utmost importance; put the powder in first! Nothing will slow down a trip to the range or a hunt quicker than dropping the bullet before the powder. There is just no easy way to get the bullet out. The Hornady Lock-N-Load system will help you prevent this unfortunate accident.

One of my favorite times to deer hunt is in the January late doe season in Illinois. I can hunt Adams, Hancock and Pike counties and all have an abundance of deer. This is the perfect time to exercise some herd management as well putting a good deal of venison in the freezer.

As we can all remember last winter was very mild for most of Illinois. But deer still had to find winter food. I was very fortunate to have a tuber-rich food plot over which to hunt in the late doe season. The Whitetail Institute Tall Tine Tubers product had produced a three-acre bounty that a dozen deer were using every evening. Late season bowhunters had already harvested a couple of deer here and as archery season ended the final firearm season began. This provides one last shot (no pun intended) for gun hunters to fill their tags.

I invited my pastor, Bob Cowman, to join me on the last Saturday deer hunt of the season. I positioned Bob in a stand along the timber where the deer were coming out heading for the tubers. I chose and archery stand right at the edge of the food plot.

We were locked-in at about 3:30 p.m. and the temperature and the wind were both very mild for the middle of January. At about 4:15 I saw movement coming my way out of the timber. Two antlerless deer were making their way toward their evening meal. I say antlerless because they were still too far away to see which sex they were. By this time in the year many bucks have already shed their headgear. Even though taking an antlerless buck in the late season is perfectly legal, it is something I would like to avoid at all costs. I would rather not shoot than accidentally kill a buck.

As the first deer crossed the ditch in front of me I could see her head clearly in my scope. I waited until she was well inside the food plot before shooting. Why drag if you do not have to. See went down quickly and cleanly with the .50-caliber Hornady bullet. I did not even reload.

Within minutes I saw two more deer coming across the field toward Bob. I texted him to be on alert but he did not respond. Later he told me he felt his phone vibrate with my message but he already had his rifle up aiming at the oncoming deer.

I could not see the deer when I heard him shoot. I got down and checked my doe. I then made a short circle to check on Pastor Bob. He pointed out where his doe was standing when he shot and we found her just 50 yards up the trail. It was a great way for two buddies to end the season.

So as you can see Illinois has abundant opportunities for you to get out and get a deer with a muzzleloader. Follow these tips and you too can become a proficient black powder deer hunter and extend your Illinois deer season in the process.