{"id":4055,"date":"2023-02-16T16:14:12","date_gmt":"2023-02-16T16:14:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tractoptics.com\/blog\/?p=4055"},"modified":"2026-05-21T11:36:27","modified_gmt":"2026-05-21T11:36:27","slug":"hunting-with-a-muzzleloader","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/hunting-with-a-muzzleloader\/","title":{"rendered":"Hunting With a Muzzleloader"},"content":{"rendered":"

Hunting with a muzzleloader<\/a> takes considerably more skill and knowledge of the firearm than using a centerfire rifle<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>

The biggest buck I\u2019d ever seen in the wild moved like a lazy stream, graceful and gliding, from the treeline into the greenfield. He was one of those deer you don\u2019t need to look at through binoculars<\/a> to know he\u2019s a shooter. But I did take my time to calm the nerves as an intense case of buck fever caused my heart to race and limbs to shake.<\/span><\/p>

Easing my Thompson Center Omega muzzleloader up onto the window seal of the shooting<\/a> house, I found him in the scope<\/a>, increased the magnification<\/a>, settled the crosshairs on his shoulder, and pulled back the hammer.<\/span><\/p>

He stood broadside at 75 yards. A virtual chipshot. In this age of inline muzzleloaders, pyrodex powder pellets, and technologically advanced bullets, the range of a black powder rifle has increased considerably. I was confident, too confident, as I settled into the gun.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

The report put off a plume of smoke that screened the field in front of me for a couple really long seconds. The buck was running full tilt out of the field, surely going to crash just inside the woodline, if not sooner, I thought. Except he didn\u2019t. He kept running and running and running until he disappeared into thick brush.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

I spent several hours scouring the field for signs of a hit. Several more that night and again the next morning pursuing the general direction he\u2019d run. Nothing.<\/span><\/p>

Table of Contents<\/p>Toggle<\/span><\/path><\/svg><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>