Anyone gonna go out for deer or elk with a muzzlelaoder...I have a brand new one and ready to go..I havent hunted with one before but I am extremely excited.

When and where are you going?

20 yrs ML'ing for deer and elk and I still love the challenge. I hope you plan on shooting that NIB ML a ton before you hunt with it. Them babies aren't like a madern rifle, it may take a 100 shots to find a load that will put two shots near each other. Good luck with it. Bill

I've hunted with a muzzleloader for the past 14 years in Washington. I've enjoyed it much better then hunting with a centerfire rifle,due to the fact that a whole lot less people hunting muzzleloader and its very much a friendlier group of people to hunt with. My success rate has been great , with this year my only year I didn't get an elk. I'm still in the game for a big buck yet

I picked one up last spring and have been practicing for the last 9 months. I just installed new sights and need to get to the range one or two more times before late deer season starts.

I took up ML last year. Had a blast and got a nice doe. No elk, but it was fun. This year did it again and have seen tons of deer, no elk. I am waiting for late season and should at least fill my deer tag. Too many deer seen so far not to. I am really hoping to get a shot at an elk. I spoke with the guys at Sportco and Puyallup Valley taxidermy and ML supply. They were very helpful. I decided to stay with the easy route. Powerbelt bullets and Pyrodex pellets. I shoot an inline ML. Pellets will not work in side locks I have been told. I can reload my rifle in less then 10 seconds and have found that if you keep everything dry, you should have no misfire problems. Oh, carry a deer call too. I was amazed how many deer on a dead run will stop and lock at who the heck just bleated at them. I keep mine set on doe. I am planning on deer on the 19th, that is when the Rainer Tree farm reopens for me. Elk is the 24th and I have not decided between areas yet. I may hit 667.

Catcher, where are you going to hunt? Muzzleloaders don't get much of a season in our part of the state.

My 13 YO got a shot at a spike buck in the early season but he didn't get a hit. We are thinking of going east for the late season. We both drew doe tags for moses coulee in the month of December and are hopeful if nothing late to get something then. We went out with DOGFISH last year during the late season in Western Wa...Andy was very helpful providing information and a great guide on the day we went out with him (too bad his bike broke down :-() Thanks again for a great hunt last year dogfish - how did you do this year?

Havent really had a chance to check yet cuppo,,,do you plan on doing any muzzlleroader hunting in the state for elk this yr?

T

No, I don't hunt with a muzzleloader, nor do I hunt elk. I took one look at the deer season and knew it wasn't for me. Muzzleloaders get one week in early October and no late season in the GMUs of Skagit and Whatcom counties. Just wanted to make sure you knew before you planned a late season hunt.