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Can you take two muzzle loaders hunting?

anderskandersk Member Posts: 3,627 ✭✭
Here in Massachusetts we can only hunt with muzzle loaders. [V] (Oh, yes, there is a two week shotgun season, too).

Since I'm kind of new to BP guns, my follow-up shot would not be too quick! Is there any reason why one could not take a second gun and while hunting in a stand, just have in handy in case you need a follow up shot?

Just wondering? [?]

Comments

  • allen griggsallen griggs Member Posts: 35,183 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    That is an interesting question, which I have never heard asked.
    If two guns are illegal, I have never heard of it.
    I did carry a pistol into the stand with me a few times, along with the rifle, in case I got a close shot on a small deer. Never got the chance to use it.

    I would say, it would be a real pain in the * to lug two rifles around. Better to practice a lot and make sure that the first shot counts!
  • anderskandersk Member Posts: 3,627 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Yes, I'm for the practicing a lot part! I was over at the range for a few hours this afternoon!

    I have a doe permit and the regular deer permit ... what if I saw two deer at the same time? Just wondering? [?]
  • mongrel1776mongrel1776 Member Posts: 894 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    The best advice I can give on the two guns / two deer / follow-up shot issue is the advice given in countless articles and discussions about hunting with muzzleloaders: focus on the best single shot you can make on a single animal. Having taken that shot, sit. Relax as best you can. Reload in a leisurely manner. If the animal'* for keeps, with any luck it'll go into shock, walk a short distance if at all -- then die. If it's not hit for keeps it's going to be running. Your behavior immediately after the shot may have a lot to do with how far and fast. In either case, there's no need to worry about a fast follow-up shot. You won't need one, or if you do the odds are excellent you won't get one.

    That said, the legalities of what and how many guns you can carry differ from state to state. Here in Indiana you can pack in as many firearms that are legal for that season's hunting as you can stand to carry. However, IN isn't MA, so check with your state DNR and be sure to get something in legal writing if the response you get seems in the least iffy.

    Oh, and good luck!
  • HandgunHTR52HandgunHTR52 Member Posts: 2,735
    edited November -1
    I have had a deer stand there and watch me reload after a clean miss (don't ask [B)]). I have also had one stand there and look at the one that I just shot while I reloaded and shot her too.
    Deer are weird sometimes. I will agree with allen to try to make the first shot count. Plus, it probably takes only a little longer to reload than it would to hang one gun up, grab the other and get situated to take another shot. Invest in a couple of speed loaders too.
  • allen griggsallen griggs Member Posts: 35,183 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Here is a sad story that happened to me.
    I was scouting, and found a hot scrape, fresh urine and crap in it. I knew the deer would come back that afternoon.
    I set up my stand at 4pm, 35 yards downwind from the scrape. I had my .50 T/C Hawken. I already had killed 5 deer with this rifle, and it was deadly at ranges under 80 yards with the patched round ball. Always had taken lung shots.
    In a few minutes here came a nice 6 pointer. He was standing in the middle of the scrape. I decided to go for the neck shot and drop him in his tracks. I fired and he dropped like the earth was * out from underneath him.
    I sat there looking at that beautiful scene. A dead buck, the autumn leaves, the blue smoke hanging in the air. I thought, "I am the modern age Daniel Boone."
    Just then, the deer flicked his ear. Then he moved his head. I thought, "What the h..., he is dead!" I grabbed the speed loader and dumped the powder down the barrel.
    The deer lifted his head up.
    I shoved the patched ball down the barrel with the short starter.
    The deer got on his legs, wobbly.
    I started the ramrod down the bore.
    The deer ran away, full speed, seemed to be uninjured.

    I was thinking, "Damn, wish I had a bolt action."

    I knew something was wrong, I could hit a dime at that range. I climbed down and found, ten feet in front of the scrape, a one inch grape vine cut in two by the bullet.
    There were two little drops of blood on the ground.
    I looked for four hours for that deer, and came back the next two days, looking for deer or vulture, found nothing.
    That bullet was deflected high by that vine, and hit the very top of the neck. It caused shock to the deer's spine, enough to knock him out, but caused very little tissue damage.
    I am pretty sure the deer lived, and was healthy once his neck healed up.
    I felt very badly for blowing the shot, and for wounding an animal and causing suffering.
    Had I gone for the lung shot, and had the bullet deflected high 3 inches, still it would have been a perfect shot and a dead deer.
    Had I had a scope, I would have seen the grape vine.
    The moral, don't get cute with a PRIMITIVE weapon. Take the lung shot, he won't go 50 yards.
    Also the moral, reload as soon as you pull the damn trigger, you never know when you will need a second shot.
    I easily could have reloaded and killed this buck had I not been sitting there patting myself on the back.
  • anderskandersk Member Posts: 3,627 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Thanks for the advice about reloading as fast as you can. I need to practice that, too. After hunting with a rifle for so long, I don't reload until after I wait 30 minutes and climb down out of my stand AND then I chamber another cartridge when I slip over to check to make sure the deer is dead with a stick.

    I remember once shooting a doe and waiting my 30 minutes, and she dropped right there and was not moving an inch. I check her out and then at that very second big buck that I had not seen at all jumps up not ten feet away and takes off at full speed. I would not have shot, anyway, but it sure surprised me! (Sometimes it is pretty hard to see in the woods even from a stand!)

    This is what makes deer hunting so much fun!
  • rgergergerge Member Posts: 183 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I too used to hunt Massachusetts, it's just stupid with all the regs on guns we have here,permit for this,a permit for that and 3 pounds of family dna, 2 pictures of your grandparents, plaster casts of your foot prints, a psyc profile, your military records and a picture of your bass boat and ex wife. You are much better off hunting Vermont, long gun and BP side arm is fine. And if you take a shot at a deer a S.W.A.T. team won't meet you at the carcus[xx(]
  • OdawgpOdawgp Member Posts: 5,380 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    if your tuff enough. check with local law officals

    good luck
  • derfhunterderfhunter Member Posts: 27 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Here in Ohio you are not allowed to carry more than one gun while deer hunting.
  • A.GunA.Gun Member Posts: 1,326 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    speed loaders = blessing, takes seconds...
  • anderskandersk Member Posts: 3,627 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    My reloading time really is getting better and with a speed loader ... I'll be like lightening!
  • GUNFUNCOGUNFUNCO Member Posts: 2,921 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    In Michigan, it is legal to carry more than one gun as long as you are not hunting Migratory Birds. Federal law prohibits that and Michigan law follows federal guidelines.
  • oldgunneroldgunner Member Posts: 2,466 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    In case you haven't figured it out..It varies from state to state, and you need to check your own state laws. Here in TN you can carry fifteen guns if you like, as long as they're all legal for the hunt you're involved in.
  • mississippi ramblin manmississippi ramblin man Member Posts: 8 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    In Mississippi we are blessed with a huge deer population and a generous bag limit. You can take a buck and a doe per day most of the season. You can carry as many guns as you can. I only BP hunt and normally carry two guns to hunt with off my larger "box type" stands. I take a T.C 45 rock lock with PRB and one of my scoped inlines for the long shots. Not nessecarly for a quick second shot, but for accuracy and quick kills, besides I love that flint gun when they are in it's range. I agree with everone else, practice loading fast and safe, spend time at the range, know your limitations and dont exceed them. one shot, one kill........
  • SlowDogSlowDog Member Posts: 15 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I am in Michigan...we can carry multiple guns here too. I always carry a sidearm into the woods because we have animals here that'll eat ya. Being raised in Alaska taught me to always carry a second!!
  • gearheaddadgearheaddad Member Posts: 15,096 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I always hunted with a 45 cal Browning Mountain Rifle.When my father passed away a couple of years ago, I decided to try his Kodiak 50 cal. double rifle. I always liked the idea of a double rifle. I learned a couple things. It's very heavy. Don't cock both hammers while shooting, the other perc. cap flies off!! A swivel barrel rifle would also be an option.
    good luck,
    Ed
  • bassranger420bassranger420 Member Posts: 5 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    In New Hampshire you are aloud to carry one muzzle loading rifle and one muzzle loading pistol.
  • CapnMidnightCapnMidnight Member Posts: 8,520
    edited November -1
    Out here we call that a New York reload.
    W.D.
  • owen219owen219 Member Posts: 3,799
    edited November -1
    How about a better idea. Try a double barrel muzzleloader! Your second shot is no problem. It is called the Kodiak and can be found in the Cabela catalog. It is pricey. I bought one for a friend. It has two sights on it,one for each barrel. I believe it was made in Spain. It is heavy. Two 50 caliber shots instantly. You could probably blow off both barrels at once as there are two triggers. Problem resolved! accuracynut
  • sniper762sniper762 Member Posts: 25 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    here in nc, no handguns are allowed. i bp hunted for years. i liked to carry a 12g double barrel shotgun and a .50 cal rifle with saboted rounds. shot the shotgun 5 times on 5 different hunts at 5 deer at distances up to 25 yds killing them all. i would hang the rifle on a limb beside me and use it for longer shots. killed several deer at distances of up to 200 yards with it.

    happy hunting/

    dean
  • anderskandersk Member Posts: 3,627 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Turns out that I just took my Omega 50 and I had the very same shot that I missed last year at 85 yards. Only this time the buck was down with one shot. I did reload quickly but did not need it at all. The shot went through and through ... the exit hole was huge and he died a few steps away. It was so still that the BP cloud hung there for a while and I sure was glad to see my deer down when it cleared! I had to get out of the woods before it got dark so I field dressed it at the Gun Club and the dear wife and I butchered it at the club a couple days later. We are enjoying eating it already. In fact, she cooked up a Stoganoff while we were still butchering![:D][:D] Yummmm yummmm ... what a great Dear and what a fine deer, too!
  • rgergergerge Member Posts: 183 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Hi guys, funny we spoke on this earlier this year, I got a nice little 4 point with my Griswald and Gunison .44 whilst takin' my mornin' pee at about 25 yards, no shoes but I had that on my belt.
    Merry christmas!!!!!
  • bghaugbghaug Member Posts: 51 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    If you carry one like I have that is about it , It is heavy. I have a hawkins with a sharon 32" barrel and added a scope with sling, I have used it since 1977 I'am 65 now and need wheels on it since I still -still hunt. I love these older black powder weapons.
  • smokepolecollectorsmokepolecollector Member Posts: 3 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    U probably could till you got caught[:p]
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