Jim Bridger, Daniel Boone, Davy Crockett. All legendary frontiersmen who carried their trusty muzzleloaders everywhere they went. Their adventures are well documented, and their abilities when using these primitive firearms – whether for self-protection or to harvest game – is equally impressive. That era ended long ago, with the invention of smokeless powder cartridges and the repeating firearms that accepted them. But for their capabilities to “get the job done” with a single shot, the old muzzleloaders did just that, despite the occasional misfire or hangfire.

Now let’s fast-forward ahead a couple of centuries. Following the closure of the Southern Zone’s regular deer season on Dec. 12, many hunters will trade their modern cartridge rifles to carry their muzzleloading rifles during the SZ’s special late season, which allows both muzzleloaders and archery hunters an extra week of deer hunting opportunities. Although many of the muzzleloaders will bear little resemblance to those of centuries ago – being in-line ignition and carrying scopes – they must still be loaded in the same manner as the Boone and Crockett era, through their muzzles and allow just a single shot to be fired before being reloaded. The allure of hunting with a muzzleloader probably has a much to do with nostalgia as it does with the opportunity to extend the hunter’s season to hunt deer.

However, of the two methods, archery presents the biggest challenge since it involves drawing and then accurately releasing an arrow despite the cold conditions and deer that were made extra wary by weeks of already being hunted. The muzzleloading hunter has it a bit easier, but there are hurtles unique to hunting with a muzzleloader that modern gun hunters need not be all that concerned with. Paramount is the fact the hunter gets just one shot when or if the opportunity presents itself, and there's also still the chance of a misfire. And despite modern in-line designs, no muzzleloader is as accurate or as long range as modern centerfire rifles. Generally, any shots over 75 yards are iffy at best, despite the claims made by some manufacturers and a few hunters.

Bowhunters brave enough to take advantage of the late bonus season encounter a far different environment than they did during the regular archery season. For one thing, the technique of hunting from a tree stand can be a real ordeal if it's cold and windy. Also, if there's a snow covering, deer are more apt to spot the hunter before they get within bow range. Even if the deer doesn't initially spook, the bowhunter will probably alert and spook it when he tries to draw. And when it's below freezing, the draw-weight of a bow is increased due to its parts becoming frozen. That, coupled with cold muscles and heavy clothing, can often make what is normally an easy draw-and-release into a grunt-and-strain one.

Those who hunt with a muzzleloader, regardless of the in-line or sidelock ignition type, normally put some kind of thin seal material over the muzzle to keep rain or snow from getting down the barrel and contaminating the propellant. Some use tape while others use a section of a small balloon (when fired, the force blows the seal off without affecting accuracy). However, the biggest problem with moisture often occurs when a muzzleloader that's been in sub-freezing temperatures for several hours is brought inside where it's warm. The gun sweats due to the temperature change and the moisture contaminates the propellant. If you plan to remove the ignition cap but leave a charge in the barrel for tomorrow's hunt, don't bring the gun inside. Either leave it locked in an unheated garage or vehicle, or unload it, let it sit an hour, dry it thoroughly, and place a fresh charge in it just before you hunt the next day.