Four things can happen when a hunter decides to try the primitive black powder hunt and three of the things are the wrong answers.

After the Christmas holiday, the primitive hunters come out with their flintlocks to try their luck with whitetail hunting in Penn’s Woods. I’ve hunted with a flintlock since my college days at The Rock when several of the local woodsmen took me on as a black powder apprentice.

It certainly helps with the learning curve when you have an experienced shooter showing you the ins and outs. The first lesson I learned was that cold and dry weather was favorable while damp conditions were going to shut down the hunt.

Secondly, a good flint makes a good spark, which helps the rifle go off with a smoother ignition. Using the right powder load and not flinching while the pan powder goes off sure helps your accuracy. Finally, if your ignition goes slow you might have a delayed (hang fire) shot by several seconds.

That’s why so many hunters avoid muzzle loader hunting and why so many hunters liken the primitive art to hunting with a flintlock. I’ve learned a lot over the years and I have taken a few deer, but more times than not the elements, human error or crafty deer have won out.

So far this season, I have had a failed ignition, a clean miss and a chipped flint. From the sounds of my hunting companions, they have had much of the same results thus far.

Black powder enthusiasts are a different breed and some dress the part with the 1700’s look in wool, hides and fur garb. I’ve threatened to do the same, but my so called buddies told me I would look like a furry shrub and this dissuaded me!

This past week, I hunted with two local farm owners in Butler County and had some fun experiences. John and Dan Dellich took me on a tour of the thickets for a shot at the many deer that they see all year round except hunting season.

We did get into some this year and we saw a pretty hefty deer sliding back along the wetlands surrounding Slippery Rock Creek.

No shots were taken on that day but I did see a coyote and nice gobbler while chasing around the deer.

The other farm was a horse farm with the Bryan Family outside of Butler. Robbie and his boys, Luke and Nash, worked hard for me and Beaver boy to get a shot. His father Ken and I have shared a few adventures in the outdoors in recent years and we always have a few laughs.

The Bryan boys are always trying to get me to go on a horseback hunt in remote areas, but I have had the sense to resist them thus far. It probably has something to do with this mule they once owned named Andrew Jackson or Ajax for shortened version.

I witnessed that mule kicking and bucking down Route 308 for half a mile and if his hind legs weren’t 10-15 feet up in the air, I’m a rock star! That sight burned into my brain and there is no way to exorcise the fear it brought!

Anyway, I found myself still hunting one afternoon and I settled into a nice hollow looking down hill. The wind was blowing towards me and uphill, giving me the advantage over the sharp sense of smell deer possess.

I saw some movement and I immediately went into predator mode. I froze all body movement and searched the landscape for signs of deer.

Sometimes it’s an ear twitching or a small shake of a tail or back and at times a careful step or two. Yes, there was a deer moving toward me and it looked like a mature one.

All of a sudden, I noticed more movement and the woods came alive with nine or 10 deer moving ever so deliberate towards me. The problem with that many deer is that you have a dozen set of eyes looking about for something out of place.

I was patient and waited. They were still a long shot away for a flintlock and you have to make one shot count.

The sound of a quad came to my ears and just like that the group of deer melted away into some thick cover and disappeared in front of my eyes. I never saw the quad or the deer after that and I thought to myself .. I betcha Davy Crockett or Daniel Boone never had that problem!

Flintlock goes on until the middle of January and I’m sure that another chance might come my way!