DECEMBER: THE MONTH FOR MUZZLELOADING
by Ryan Walker

The sun rises over a snow encrusted cedar swamp that lies silent and motionless. The hunter’s breath hangs in the air like a white cotton dress shirt hangs in a closet. It wouldn’t be hard to imagine the hunter leaving tracks in the snow around the 1840s. Luckily for today’s outdoorsmen the scene plays out each December in the Thumb area. Michigan hunters are fortunate to have additional opportunities to pursue whitetail deer using a muzzleloader following the firearm deer season. The actual muzzleloader season extends a license holder’s chances of placing a tag on a buck. Huron, Tuscola and Sanilac Counties fall into zone three of the hunting and trapping zones, therefore the muzzleloader season begins December 4 and runs until December 20. The late doe season is a time for unused doe permits to be filled using a black powder gun, thus providing invaluable meat for the freezer. The late doe season is available on private land from December 21 until January 1 for select counties throughout the Lower Peninsula; among the counties that provide a late doe season are Huron, Tuscola and Sanilac.

The term muzzleloader refers to a firearm that is loaded from the front of the barrel with black powder. Then a slug or ball projectile is rammed down the barrel on top of the charge. As simplistic as it sounds, it is a process that beginning muzzleloaders should review and practice with a seasoned veteran. Muzzleloaders fall into two basic categories: primitive and in-line.

Primitive guns resemble the tools toted by the likes of Davy Crockett and Daniel Boone. Their “smoke poles” may have been the flintlock variety popular from the Revolutionary War until the 1800s. The hammer of a flintlock gun holds a piece of flint wrapped in leather. Below the hammer is swinging metal plate and below the plate is the pan which holds a small amount of fine black powder. When the shooter pulls the trigger it begins a chain reaction that ends with a ball being shot from the gun. After the trigger is engaged, the hammer hits the plate causing sparks and the plate to fold back. The sparks shower the powder in the pan, which shoots a tongue of flame into the barrel via a small port. The flame ignites the powder that has been loaded in the barrel. It is not uncommon for a flintlock gun to misfire or hang fire.

Another type of primitive black powder gun is the cap lock variety. Models such as the Hawken .45 caliber are still used by hunters today. A cap lock muzzleloader allows hunters to transport back in time to the days of earlier outdoorsmen when hunting was a matter of survival. This type of firearm is loaded like the flintlock variety; however a big improvement is the use of an ignition cap instead of the elaborate system mentioned in the previous paragraph. As with the flintlock, the cap lock muzzleloader’s cap is exposed to moisture which can lead to misfires.

The more technologically advanced in-line muzzleloaders resemble modern rifles in appearance and accuracy. They fit the requirements of a muzzleloader because they load from the front of the barrel and are still one-shot wonders. The number of dry fires, instances where only the cap ignites, greatly decreases with in-line guns. The cap or ignition system is more protected from the elements and moisture. In fact, many area firearm deer hunters choose to use an in-line muzzleloader instead of a shotgun during the regular firearms deer season. One common reason stated is the in-line’s capability for long distance accuracy.

Regardless of the style of muzzleloader used, the methods used to harvest a deer with one shot change with the onset of winter weather. Deer, during December, seek food sources to replenish fat stores to sustain them throughout the upcoming winter. Harvested agricultural fields that haven’t been plowed under draw whitetails like bugs to a yard light. A proactive approach utilizing feeding patterns when hunting the late season is to plant winter food plot blends that provide late season forage. Rape, turnips and sugar beets are great late season foods to bring deer within range of a black powder gun. Another proven strategy for locating December deer is to locate natural browse sources. Cedar stands, berry bushes, small fruit trees and exposed patches of grass receive regular visits by grazing whitetails. Hunting one of these food sources greatly increases your odds of muzzleloader success.

Another enjoyable method for taking a December deer with a muzzleloader is incorporating a stalk into your bag of tricks. If snow is present, deer can be tracked to and from their bedding areas. A pair of snowshoes not only makes the stalk more enjoyable; it also quiets the hunter’s approach. Slow, deliberate movements are necessary because you never know what patch of grass or clump of brush may hold your quarry. The sheer beauty of a Thumb area winter will create lasting mental pictures that serve as reminders of the splendors of nature.

Primitive and in-line muzzleloaders can extend the Michigan whitetail deer season nearly an extra month. During the month of December additional memories can be forged, an unused buck tag can find an antlered home, and/or empty freezer space can be occupied by nature’s bounty. You may find yourself transported back in time on a clear, cold snow-covered Thumb morning.