The Reason is Visibility
The
focus of effective hunting has been visibility for decades. Naturally,
that is the reason for scopes, binoculars, and spotters. The debates
over the "better" scopes and binoculars seem endless,
but if they were not considered vitally important hunting equipment
there would be no particular reason to debate about them at all.
We all seek to know exactly what we are shooting at, and how far
we are shooting at our game-the reason that laser rangefinders,
yet another optic accessory are now considered vital equipment for
many hunters around the world.
We also seek the most
accurate, most terminally effective hunting projectiles-- projectiles
that were not made, and could not have been made back in the day.
The vast majority of muzzleloading enthusiasts are not using blackpowder
at all-- instead, more energetic synthetic propellants like perchlorate
enhanced Pyrodex or di-nitro hopped-up Triple Se7en are standard
fare. Muzzleloading rifles, regardless of brand, are made on equipment
that simply did not exist even a few decades ago. Modern manufacturing
mass-production techniques are applied in varying degrees to all
popular muzzleloaders made today.
No 209 fired inline
is designed around blackpowder at all-- the necessity for the 209
battery cup anvil primers is present in Triple Se7en pellets, where
"for 209 use only" is clearly stated. Of course, a quick
look at pellets reveals that they are not powder at all-molded cylinders
that you might expect to find as an Estes model rocket engine. Most
inlines are designed around pellet use; certainly all "magnum"
touted inlines are. Though Hodgdon only allows use of two pellets
in .50 caliber inlines, it is hard to find a popular model that
does not recommend three. Some makers recommend more. No disillusions
of role-playing persist: it is modern equipment and modern propellants
across the industry and across the country. The public record adamantly
shows this beyond dispute.
Yet, the severe limitations
of being handloaders in the field, with only one shot remain. The
one shot, by virtue of being loaded from the muzzle, has finite
limitations. With hand power loading only, we are left with soft
polymers and poor flying, large caliber projectiles. No matter what
the brand or make of muzzleloader, a second shot at a running animal
is unlikely, and the basic exterior ballistics of large caliber
projectiles limit what can be done.
An aversion to technology
would be specious; as this article is likely being read over the
internet. Everything we do when we hunt seeks to be as effective
as possible. Trailcams, ATV's, scouting, and glassing are all examples
of where we utilize the best equipment available. We do not always
make our own boots, gloves, blinds, walkie-talkies, treestands,
much less our own GPS units. We certainly don't head to the hunting
woods by foot or horseback for the most part; invariably a horseless
carriage is involved. In fact, even our hunting tags are often ordered
over the Internet.
After all of this embracing
of new technology, and working to both better and maintain our visual
equipment in the field-- it certainly seems a bit duplicitous to
destroy it. Yet, every time we fill the air with caustic smoke we
can deposit caustic residue on our equipment. Our scopes don't work
as well with a film of residue; there is no glory in taking more
time to clean your equipment than your deer, and to lose an animal
after the shot due to thick fog we produced in dense cover seems
self-defeating. It doesn't happen all the time, of course-- but
happen it does.
The
over one century old approach of not filling the air with toxic,
corrosive smoke that destroys visibility and equipment alike was
a good one a hundred years ago-- and it makes all the sense in the
world right now.
©
October, 2005 by Randy Wakeman
