Well deer season is over and I hope everyone had a good one. Hold on....... don’t put that muzzleloader away. Now is the time to do some serious practicing. If you happen to be like some of the folks I have talked to and done some missing, or some hitting and not getting, then you need lots and lots of practice. If you are a first timer with a muzzleloader by about this time you have found out that you didn’t have a 30.06 in your hands, did you? I want to take this opportunity to invite you to join our little group called the Bayou Muzzleloaders. Don’t get all fired up about you not being good enough shot to come out and compete with your ole front stuffer. We are just a bunch of good ole boys that are hard core muzzleloader shooters. We meet once a month and shoot once a month. I guarantee you that after a good spring and summer of shooting that thing and picking our brains about why that thing didn’t go off when you pulled the trigger you won’t be singing the blues over a missed deer next year.

I want to talk here about "hang fires" and "misfires". First off it will happen at the wrong time and it doesn’t make any difference if you are shooting a side hammer or one of them new fangled inlines, its all the same. Unless you got some rock solid nerves or been used to shooting a flint lock, you are gonna miss what you are trying to hit. The best way I know to make sure you are getting a good fast ignition is to get your buddy to stand about 20 or 30 feet behind you when you shoot. If he can hear the cap go off before the main charge, you got a problem. Contrary to what you have been told, a good muzzloader goes off instantaneously, almost like your 270. There are several reasons for hang fires. Something got in the way of the fire from the cap to the main charge. What I have found in most cases is that there is corrosion in the flash channel and breach area. (This goes back to doing a good cleaning.) A poor or worn out nipple is next. Another thing is leaving oil or cleaning solvent down in the breach area. A good idea is to clean it good with rubbing alcohol before you load up to go hunting or shooting. And last, but not least, is what kind of powder you are shooting. Most of us diehards use the real thing "black powder". The switch from a substitute to black powder will come after you prove it to yourself how much better it performs. Let me insert this right now (and I hope no one is doing this), NEVER EVER use smokeless powder in your muzzleloader.

Well back to your invitation to come out and have some fun with your muzzleloader.... We shoot at the LDWF range in Woodworth, LA on the second Sunday of each month and meet on the second Thursday. The National Shoot will be March 5, 6 & 7 and the State Shoot will be in mid September. Fore more info contact Tom Cogburn at (318) 793-4551 or e-mail www.tomcogburn.com@aol.

TOM "ROOSTER" COGBURN