Early muzzleloader season starts up here in Md., next week. Pretty slow bowhunting lately, been darn hot, and I don't have the old fire this year. Still, it's nice to get out and scout, and if something worthwhile shows up, I would shoot it. Muzzleloader is a different story. I really enjoy it, and those bow stands make a rifle hunt a slam dunk for meat in the freezer! Not many big bucks around my spot, but that could change. I only get to hunt 2 of the three buck days, and I'll try to be picky, but I do like to eat venison. Gonna start off with the Cabela's Sporterized Hawken rifle, .50 cal. with a Nikon 4x, and after a couple go down, gonna try a roundball deer. I have two of these rifles. The first, with the scope is using 100gr. T7 and a 240gr. XTP. The second is factory irons, and using 75gr. T7 and a patched round ball. Can't wait to get some blood on that one! Got a couple others to use, a Traditional Hawken in .54, with a 2.5X scope, and a .50 carbine with a Lyman 57sml and globe front. Nice treestand gun, and I shoot a 385gr. Great Plains over 85gr. T7 in it. The .54 uses 100gr. T7 and a 250 XTP. Also shoots a 425gr. Great Plains over 100gr. T7 real well, and almost to the same point of impact. Lotsa toys to take out! There's a .50 CVA Bobcat that's pretty accurate in there too. If there are enough deer out there, we'll get to that one too. (300gr. Deerslayer over 75gr. T7)
