Hunting Washington Forum

Big Game Hunting => Muzzleloader Hunting => Topic started by: ElkTipper on January 27, 2011, 09:05:00 AM

Title: How and what do you carry when you step into the woods with your ML?
Post by: ElkTipper on January 27, 2011, 09:05:00 AM: Before you step into the woods for your hunt what do you grab and what do you put it in? When I hunt I cram everything into a couple of vest pockets, usually in plastic bags. I was curious what others do? Do you have a leather pouch, a military gizmo, throw it in a ruck sack? What all do you carry as far as muzzleloader paraphanaleia? I am trying to get organized and develop a better system and routine. Sometimes you need to work fast and not forget anything. I learned pretty much on my own. Any advice or explanation of your system would surely be a great help in getting me streamlined and organized. Thanks in advance. :rolleyes:
Title: Re: How and what do you carry when you step into the woods with your ML?
Post by: CP on January 27, 2011, 03:22:01 PM: I roll my own paper cartages; in each is a measured powder charge, bullet & sabot (or wadding and ball), and 2 caps). I put a few of these in my shirt pocket and I put a few extra caps in another pocket. That's it, simple.
Title: Re: How and what do you carry when you step into the woods with your ML?
Post by: shoot-em-dead on January 27, 2011, 03:30:26 PM: I bought a few plastic things that each hold a measured amount of powder- a bullet of choice- and two caps. I carry three of these in my back pocket or in my jacket pocket so I have a total of 4 shots.
Title: Re: How and what do you carry when you step into the woods with your ML?
Post by: woodswalker on January 27, 2011, 03:48:50 PM: I carry a possibles bag with tools appropriate to the ML, Qwik-Loads or E-Z loaders with 4-5 shots and a sealed capper with a few more spare caps aside from those in the loaders. I load all but for the cap at the truck...fade into the woods and cap the nipple, there is a water balloon over the muzzle after i load to keep the wetness sort of at bay.

Thats for the ML...for me I dont leave home with out my fanny pack with the essentials, game care tools/materials water for me and some food.
Title: Re: How and what do you carry when you step into the woods with your ML?
Post by: teanawayslayer on January 27, 2011, 03:50:17 PM: 3 speed loaders and several caps in a plastic bag. that's the recipe for success for me.
Title: Re: How and what do you carry when you step into the woods with your ML?
Post by: Dan-o on January 27, 2011, 04:09:57 PM: 4-5 speedloaders and a capper.

Then the fanny pack with protein bars and candy bars, 2 water bottles, fire starter and emergency blanket and 2 flashlights (I admit it... I'm fraid of the dark), cow call if elk hunting, strand of parachute cord, knife + sharpener, bone saw,.... I think that's about it.
Title: Re: How and what do you carry when you step into the woods with your ML?
Post by: Blsum on January 27, 2011, 05:46:31 PM: When hunting I will carry 3 speed loads in my pocket. A capper around my neck. In my pack I will have 2-3 more speed loads, just in case. Back at camp I will have my possibilities bag with all the tools and cleaning supplies in it. Plus in my pack I will have everything else I need to process the animal, food, water, and emergency survival gear. :twocents:
Title: Re: How and what do you carry when you step into the woods with your ML?
Post by: boots on January 27, 2011, 06:51:14 PM: My weapon is loaded and ready to go prior to getting in the field. Park the truck, cap the nipple and ready to go.

I use nail polish over the nipple (whether its supposed to be a wet day or not) and I use electrical tape over the muzzle.

I carry 3-4 quick loads within easy reach along with some spare caps in a sealed bag. Another 2-3 quick loads shoved in my pack with my muzzleloader bag which has extra caps, tape, cleaning jag, nipple wrench and nail polish.

Plus whatever else I want in my daypack for the hunt
Title: Re: How and what do you carry when you step into the woods with your ML?
Post by: ElkTipper on January 27, 2011, 07:01:17 PM: Some great information. Looks like I need to migrate to speed loaders. Is there any type of speed loader that performs better than others? I load 100 grains of American Pioneer Powder FFG into my measuring thingy each time I load. CP you spoke of rolling your own paper cartridges. Is there some way you can show me or talk me through how to "roll my own"? I think I like that idea. Do you wax the paper to keep the powder dry? What is a possibles bag? Does it just carry the ML paraphanalia or is it like a small rucksack/backpack? Is it made by Gucci? I throw all the things in the following picture in my pockets loose and zip them up. I also carry a camo colored backpack that I used when I did Archery. In that I carry knives, rope, short stick, lots of water, some food, and always a plastic bag for the heart and liver. Great information keep it coming. Thanks in advance.
Title: Re: How and what do you carry when you step into the woods with your ML?
Post by: Hank on January 28, 2011, 03:27:29 AM: I use a possibles bag for organizing my kit also. Traditionally a possibles bag consisted ofa leather shoulder bag that had a wood and canvas insert that held 24 pre-loaded cartridges. Patches were carried in three stalk and priming powder was carried around the neck. My personal possibles bag consists of a Fanny pack that i wear on the front of me. I only carry what I need to make the gun go boom in my possibles bag. I have my capper and my ball starter onlanyards around my neck. The rest I carry in a small ruck sack.
Title: Re: How and what do you carry when you step into the woods with your ML?
Post by: Hangfire on January 28, 2011, 05:58:42 AM: I carry probably more than I need but, I want to be able to take care of any perceived problem. I may be several miles from the truck. For the rifle I have a belt pouch that has speed loaders, extra powder in a small flat sided horn I made along time ago. I carry a few extra round ball and patch paterial. I always have my repair kit with me. It is carried in a leather pouch little larger than a bull Durham pouch. It will contain a short screwdriver, nipple wrench, nipple pick, ramrod worm and screw. I also have in there a little container of a couple ounces of ffffg priming powder. There are always a couple of flints. I do not change what I carry in the pouch so it is compatible for the flint or cap gun. I carry two caper's in shirt pockets. I also have a few extra caps in the pouch. I also carry a couple little bags of tissue, a couple granola bars, apple or two. I carry a short starter around my neck. I normally have a pocket and a belt knife. If I am elk hunting I carry a belt saw.

The shot gun I don't carry the belt pouch but a over shoulder possibles bag( my bag is made of leather and is deer colored). I have the little leather pouch, the flat horn, several film containers of assorted sized shot ( need to make a traditional shot container), extra shot cups and over shot cards. A ffffg primer. a few cleaning patches. When turkey hunting I also wear a turkey vest full of calls, camo gloves and face mask, goddies to eat and a flame orange cap for the walk out when carrying a turkey. A a half roll of tissue paper. I allways have a couple of nipple picks. I loose them often. They are essential with the flint lock and work well with the cap gun.
Title: Re: How and what do you carry when you step into the woods with your ML?
Post by: dawhunt on January 28, 2011, 06:25:21 AM: I carry 4 speedloaders,couple knifes,fire starter,compass,lunch and a book to read just in case,small coil of avis strap,couple candy bars,water.

Bob

OH yea a capper with 10 caps ya never know ??? and binos !!!!!!,some ace bandages incase I sprain an ankle and some 1st aid stuff.
Title: Re: How and what do you carry when you step into the woods with your ML?
Post by: CP on January 28, 2011, 08:14:57 AM: Quote from: ElkTipper on January 27, 2011, 07:01:17 PM
CP you spoke of rolling your own paper cartridges. Is there some way you can show me or talk me through how to "roll my own"? I think I like that idea. Do you wax the paper to keep the powder dry?

Paper Cartridges .50 cal:
You will need:
½” wood dowel rod
paper (plain printer paper works, but Butcher paper provides a bit of water resistance).
cotton ball
glue stick
tape (2 different colors)
scissors

Cut the paper to about 3.5” x 6”
Coat one of the long edges with glue – if you are using butcher paper the glue goes on the paper side, not the slick side.
Roll the paper up on the dowel (start at the non-glued side)
Slide one end off the dowel and roll the end up and tape it with your brightest color tape (I use blue masking tape for this end)
Slide that tube off the dowel

You now have a .50 cal paper tube closed at one end.

Pour a measured powder charge into the tube.
Add a bit of cotton, enough to seal the powder and keep it from getting past the cotton.
Tamp it with the dowel
Insert your projectile, the end that is loaded first goes toward the powder
Add another bit of cotton
Add 2 caps (I use 2 caps in case I drop one or need to snap a cap after cleaning)
Cut the tube to length (leave enough to roll up)
Roll up the open end
Tape it shut

To load:
Bite off the powder end of the tube (that’s why we used the 2 different colors)
Pour the powder down the barrel
Discard the cotton
Seat the projectile
Discard the cotton
Remove a cap and cap the weapon
Title: Re: How and what do you carry when you step into the woods with your ML?
Post by: superdown on January 28, 2011, 08:52:38 AM: could you possibly post pictures that sounds cool.
Quote from: CP on January 28, 2011, 08:14:57 AM
Quote from: ElkTipper on January 27, 2011, 07:01:17 PM
CP you spoke of rolling your own paper cartridges. Is there some way you can show me or talk me through how to "roll my own"? I think I like that idea. Do you wax the paper to keep the powder dry?

Paper Cartridges .50 cal:
You will need:
½” wood dowel rod
paper (plain printer paper works, but Butcher paper provides a bit of water resistance).
cotton ball
glue stick
tape (2 different colors)
scissors

Cut the paper to about 3.5” x 6”
Coat one of the long edges with glue – if you are using butcher paper the glue goes on the paper side, not the slick side.
Roll the paper up on the dowel (start at the non-glued side)
Slide one end off the dowel and roll the end up and tape it with your brightest color tape (I use blue masking tape for this end)
Slide that tube off the dowel

You now have a .50 cal paper tube closed at one end.

Pour a measured powder charge into the tube.
Add a bit of cotton, enough to seal the powder and keep it from getting past the cotton.
Tamp it with the dowel
Insert your projectile, the end that is loaded first goes toward the powder
Add another bit of cotton
Add 2 caps (I use 2 caps in case I drop one or need to snap a cap after cleaning)
Cut the tube to length (leave enough to roll up)
Roll up the open end
Tape it shut

To load:
Bite off the powder end of the tube (that’s why we used the 2 different colors)
Pour the powder down the barrel
Discard the cotton
Seat the projectile
Discard the cotton
Remove a cap and cap the weapon
Title: Re: How and what do you carry when you step into the woods with your ML?
Post by: CP on January 28, 2011, 10:28:38 AM: Maybe next time I roll some. Meanwhile this isn’t exactly how I do it but should give you the general idea:

http://www.3rdalabama.org/roll_cart.htm (http://www.3rdalabama.org/roll_cart.htm)
Title: Re: How and what do you carry when you step into the woods with your ML?
Post by: bobcat on January 28, 2011, 11:22:01 AM: I have a camouflage vest from Cabelas that I use for muzzleloader hunting. I believe it was designed for archery hunters but it works just as well for my purposes. It has lots of pockets and for most of my hunting I can usually get by without carrying a fanny or day pack. It has enough pockets for my speed loaders, capper, short starter, rangefinder, gloves, lunch, license/tags, etc.

This one is similar to what I use:

camo vest (http://www.cabelas.com/product/Clothing/Mens-Hunting-Clothing/Mens-Layering-Clothing/Mens-Big-Game-Vests|/pc/104797080/c/104748480/sc/104428980/i/104055480/Cabelas-Ultimate-Bowhunters-Vest-II/750645.uts?destination=%2Fcatalog%2Fbrowse.cmd%3FN%3D1100991%26WTz_l%3DSBC%253BBRprd733059&WTz_l=SBC%3BBRprd733059%3Bcat104055480)
Title: Re: How and what do you carry when you step into the woods with your ML?
Post by: fair-chase on January 28, 2011, 11:53:54 AM: I either carry a fanny pack or a backpack (depending on how far I am going) to haul all of my water, food, emergency, and game cleaning supplies. I don't use a ball starter so the only things in my pockets are 4 speed loads, caps, and windicator. I like to keep them in separate pockets so that I don't have to search for them. Speed loads go in outer chest pocket (opposite of shooting shoulder) and the caps and windicator are in separate front pants pockets. Caps are in a ear plug canister that is pretty thick plastic so it keeps the noise down. I have never had any luck with the cap dispensers. They work good for #10 or #11s but I haven't found one that works good for musket caps yet.

I also use a lanyard that holds 8 calls that I attached my bino's to. So now it holds my bino's and 6 calls.
Title: Re: How and what do you carry when you step into the woods with your ML?
Post by: ElkTipper on January 28, 2011, 02:06:55 PM: OK CP you have me going now. I looked up making cartridges on the internet and found this WIKI that someone put together that shows pretty much what you said. There is a video that is part of the WIKI that shows what you describe. I am definitely going to give this a shot. I like the idea of the cartridge being easily made, disposable and biodegradable. Very good info CP thanks a lot! I went to the Cabellas site and they have several "possibles bags". That leather one looks real nice.

www.wikihow.com/Roll-Paper-Cartridges-%28Reenacting%29#Tips (http://www.wikihow.com/Roll-Paper-Cartridges-%28Reenacting%29#Tips)
Title: Re: How and what do you carry when you step into the woods with your ML?
Post by: carpsniperg2 on January 28, 2011, 02:24:35 PM: Plastic bags are my friends when hunting with a muzzy. I put everything in them. I can't stand stuff getting wet and messing up my hunts. All my stuff is in coat pockets and my pants.
Title: Re: How and what do you carry when you step into the woods with your ML?
Post by: ElkTipper on January 29, 2011, 08:36:32 AM: Thanks Everyone. Really good info. I found a dowel that is 1/2" and I am going to try rolling my own today.