The Late Muzzleloader Advantage

After the pulse-pounding thrills of archery season and frenzied pace of firearms hunting, many whitetail nuts begin to lose interest as fall morphs into winter. However, an increasing number of hunters have started to embrace that period, especially in states where muzzleloader seasons extend beyond or open after modern firearms seasons. And although late muzzleloader seasons probably won’t be as exciting as peak rut or the gun opener, they can be the ticket to tagging bucks that have eluded everyone else. Further, getting started is easier than ever. Try these tips to take advantage of late muzzleloader seasons.

The Chance For Redemption

Like many folks, you might have hunted one or two target bucks throughout archery and firearms seasons without success. Late muzzleloader hunts provide great last-chance opportunities at those deer. Further, assuming you didn’t spook mature bucks at your hunting area out of the proverbial county, you have a season’s worth of intel to fall back on for the hail Mary attempt.

Refer to your hunting log and trail camera library to note the movement patterns of big deer throughout the season. When did you get the most daylight pictures? Did the bucks favor certain areas during specific wind or weather conditions?

And don’t forget how the cold depths of late fall and early winter will likely change the patterns of big deer—all deer, really. After gun seasons, deer will typically—albeit slowly—resume patterns with somewhat normal movement. However, typical movement patterns during winter differ substantially from those of the early season or the rut. Food rules the day, especially for bucks, which are trying to recover from the rigors of the rut. Obviously, hunting stands near hot food sources can pay dividends.

Remember, though, that during harsh conditions, deer minimize their movement to conserve energy, so they might only feed during evenings or at night. Further, incoming fronts and other weather changes can kick-start periods of relatively high activity. Scouting cameras and personal observations might confirm this. Do your homework, and then focus your efforts during the period with the most deer activity and at stands likely to see the best action.

Prepare For The Conditions

Even rookie smoke-pole hunters know that muzzleloaders, despite substantial recent advancements, differ from modern firearms. Further, conditions during late seasons—brutal cold, snow or rain, huge temperature swings and resulting condensation—make it extremely tough on weapons that rely on powder or pellets that aren’t encased. Most muzzleloader hunters have experienced the dreaded pop of a hammer falling on a primer but failing to ignite the powder charge, usually because of moisture.

FireStick, a new ignition system from Federal, solves that issue. It’s completely sealed, with the powder being fully encapsulated by a polymer shell, making the system impervious to moisture and eliminating worries about precipitation and condensation. Also, it facilitates consistent loading, as the bullet pushes against the shelf in the breech rather than against loose powder or pellets. That lets shooters enjoy the same reliable ignition and ballistics regardless of environmental conditions and ensures unprecedented shot-to-shot accuracy. FireStick is built with the same tight tolerances and quality control as Federal’s loaded ammunition, and the propellant capsule uses clean-burning powder.

In addition, FireStick is extremely easy to charge and decharge. Simply insert FireStick into a compatible muzzleloader’s breech and then insert a 209 primer (the bullet, of course, must be loaded from the muzzle.) After the hunt, remove the primer and FireStick from the breech. There’s no need to fire the rifle to de-charge it.

Late Might Be Great

Aside from technical concerns and hunting strategies, one element of late muzzleloader seasons often gets overlooked. It allows a few more days on the deer stand, enjoying a time of year when many folks are stuck inside. That alone is worth the effort. When you add the chance of a big post-rut buck, you’ll find that late muzzleloader seasons might be too tempting to ignore.