Hunting with a flinter

[Justin]

This fall I want to hunt with the rifle I built last winter/spring and this will be my first attempt at hunting with a flintlock.

I don't like sitting in one place for a long time so my approach to deer hunting this fall will be slowly walking my way through the woods, pausing frequently and glassing around for deer. That could mean quicker shots required if I see a deer in the woods. (I'll be in Wisconsin this year).

That got me thinking about what folks do when it comes to powder in the pan. I don't completely trust my lock on half-cock as even Jim Chambers told me clearly "It is not a safety". But it also seems quite unlikely I'd have time to load the pan and get a shot if I jumped a deer out of its bed. Now I do have a small brass pan primer that I will hang around my neck so maybe it won't take that long.

What do the more experienced folks do?

[smokinbuck]

Carry the rifle loaded with a leather stall on the frizzen.
Mark

[stubshaft]

That's the way I carry mine too.

[Sawfiler]

I carry mine on halfcock and I am willing to trust it as a safety. Any so called safety on a modern gun is just as "safe" - its a mechanical device that can fail, and shouldn't be trusted as the sole means of keeping the gun from injuring yourself or others. Be sure to learn your gun and lock and how they function normally. If there is any question of the lock not holding at half cock when the trigger is pulled don't hunt or shoot with it until its fixed.  If you follow the normal gun safety rules for hunting anyway it shouldn't be a problem. Keep it pointed in a safe direction, and whatever you do if you stop to glass - don't rest the muzzle on your toe.

[Dave Marsh]

I carry mine like Smokinbuck and Stubshaft.  Quick flick from your finger and you are ready. 

Dave

[Mauser06]

I carry my flinters as sawfiler.  Loaded pan, closed frizzen and on half cock.  Keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction.   Just a choice the Hunter has to make. 

[Hungry Horse]

Thank you for hunting like our ancestors. No tree stand, not butt pad, no 4 wheeler,  just slowly, quietly slipping through the woods. This is real old time hunting. My grandad was raised in the Missouri back woods, and could slip up on you even after he was old and infirmed.

  Hungry Horse

[Justin]

Thanks for the suggestions! Anyone have a source they prefer for leather frizzen stalls?

Thank you for hunting like our ancestors. No tree stand, not butt pad, no 4 wheeler,  just slowly, quietly slipping through the woods. This is real old time hunting. My grandad was raised in the Missouri back woods, and could slip up on you even after he was old and infirmed.

Thanks! Except I'll also be wearing modern clothes with a fancy pack on my back and binos in a pouch on my chest

[smokinbuck]

Most of the ML supply houses carry them. Easy to make, cut 2 pieces of leather the shape of your frizzen, a little larger, and either sew of glue them together to make a pocket. I tie mine to the trigger guard so it's not lost when I push it off.
Mark

[OldMtnMan]

Thank you for hunting like our ancestors. No tree stand, not butt pad, no 4 wheeler,  just slowly, quietly slipping through the woods. This is real old time hunting. My grandad was raised in the Missouri back woods, and could slip up on you even after he was old and infirmed.

  Hungry Horse

Yup! It's called still hunting. The only way i've hunted for 65 years. Very simple and rewarding but does take time to get good at it.

[PPatch]

You probably know this but if a deer bolts out of a thicket it won't run very far before beginning to graze or circling around to see what spooked it. You can either sit and wait on it or give it 10 minutes and move on forward.

dave

[Bob Roller]

This fall I want to hunt with the rifle I built last winter/spring and this will be my first attempt at hunting with a flintlock.

I don't like sitting in one place for a long time so my approach to deer hunting this fall will be slowly walking my way through the woods, pausing frequently and glassing around for deer. That could mean quicker shots required if I see a deer in the woods. (I'll be in Wisconsin this year).

That got me thinking about what folks do when it comes to powder in the pan. I don't completely trust my lock on half-cock as even Jim Chambers told me clearly "It is not a safety". But it also seems quite unlikely I'd have time to load the pan and get a shot if I jumped a deer out of its bed. Now I do have a small brass pan primer that I will hang around my neck so maybe it won't take that long.

What do the more experienced folks do?

The "safety" on an antiquated device such as a gun lock will usually hold
against the power or thrust of the mainspring in the lock.ANY gun lock on
the first position** can be can be possibly fired by a hard pull on a single trigger or
by constantly snapping the set trigger against the sear.Some of the best
English and European locks had a sliding external safety that could engage
the cock in addition to the FIRST position. I would not be afraid to
hunt with a Chambers lock on the first position if the lock is as new and no
tampering is evident and inletting hasn't interfered with the sear.

Bob Roller
** First position IS the half cock on 99.9% of gun locks.

[OldMtnMan]

I hunt on half cock but have a leather sleeve on the frizzen. It takes a second to pull it off and I have it tethered. It seems like the safest way to do it.

It's easy to make.

[Dennis Glazener]

The first deer I had a shot at with my flintlock was spooked when I cocked the rifle, yes I missed him! From then on when standing or sitting in one place I have the lock on full cock and a leather stall on the frizzen.

When I move, lock goes on half cock and still have the stall on the frizzen.
Dennis

[RVAH-7]

Along with the safety tips offered above, I keep my lock area covered with anything to keep snow or rain off.  If the temp is below 32, that's good, in addition to keeping the temp of your fingers and breath away.  Even if cold enough to not thaw snow on it's own, I habitually check my priming every half hour or so.  Will it shift in the pan if you tip it?  I use a TINY twig  (vent pick) diameter to move the grains around to see if it is dry, loose and ready to burn.  If it starts to clump up like sugar (humidity), dump it, wipe or brush the pan and re-prime. If you walk under snowy tree limbs or brush, position your rifle & lock under your armpit/coat. 5 years ago in November, the one day I forgot to wear my .44mag, I had to kill a lion.  Dry powder & Jim Chambers came thru.  All is well. Good luck in your hunting with a flintlock longrifle. Very satisfying.

[TommyG]

I'll second what Dennis said about the noise of going to full cock.  I've had deer at 30 yds hear the click.  Also, depending on the humidity, I'll change my flash powder every 20 min. or so if it's foggy or wet. 

[Tim Ault]

A cheap frizzen stall can be simply made by cutting the finger off and old leather work glove and attaching a string .

[bob in the woods]

My target rifles have set triggers, but my hunting guns don't.  A nice simple trigger can allow the cock to be pulled back without any sound .  While applying pressure to the trigger, I brought my 10 bore to full cock while a black bear was less than 10 yards away. No click.   

[Pukka Bundook]

As Bob says, above.  No click!

I also use primed and half cock.  No leather.   

[Darkhorse]

I do as Dennis does. I use the stall religiously.
I will never, ever, trust half cock as a safety regardless of who made the lock.

[OldMtnMan]

Frizzen cover is simple to make, but if you'd rather buy it. It's pretty cheap. They make two sizes.

https://www.trackofthewolf.com/Categories/PartDetail.aspx/45/1/FRIZZEN-STALL-MUSKET

[hanshi]

What Dennis, oldmtnman and smokinbuck said.  Moving it's halfcock with leather stall on the frizzen.  When I stop and sit it's fullcock with a leather stall on the frizzen.

[David R. Pennington]

Lots of good advice already given. I have hunted with nothing but flintlocks for years. I still hunt (move very slowly on the ground) and rarely 'sit' on a stand for very long. It is something that takes some practice and aquired skill but is very rewarding. I carry the lock primed on half cock but always treat it as if it is on full cock. I use a stall on the frizzen if I come into camp etc.,. after I empty the pan.
Here are a few things I have learned over the years.
1 Deer are alerted by sights and sounds, but aren't necessarily spooked until they positively identify you as a threat. The most positive identifier to a deer of your presence is your scent. ALWAYS hunt into the wind.
2 The best chance you have of scoring is if you see the game first, so hunt as quietly and invisibly as possible.
3 Don't move unless you can do so quietly. I often hunt in mocasins or bare foot. If I have to cover ground I know I can't walk silently on I wait for cover sound, such as wind, crows calling, or even an airplane overhead.
4 Don't hunt too close to yourself. If a deer walks out in the meadow in front of you, you will see it. Don't look for it there. Look as far to the horizon as you can see in all directions and don't look for a deer, instead look for anything that doesn't belong: a horizontal line among vertical tree trunks etc.,.
5 Learn to use all your senses. Even the ones you might not know you have. I have learned I can often smell deer. I have often smelled fresh buck scrapes before I saw them. I have also learned to trust something I am just going to call a feeling. Many times I have had a 'feeling' and ignored it only to spook a deer from a nearby thicket without a chance for a shot seconds later. Now when I have that 'feeling' I won't move from that spot untill I have scanned every inch and scrutinized every sound and / or the feeling passes.
6 Use natural cover and only cross open ground when absolutely necessary.

On the family farm (my cousin owns it) he has a nephew who usually brings a crew in to hunt. They no doubt spend thousands on equipment with stands and feeders and trail timers and cameras etc.,...and they all perch up in their trees and get all bent out of shape if I invade their area, so I usually wait till they all go out of town and slip down with my old homemade rifle and get some meat for the table.

I doubt I'll ever hunt a modern rifle again. This is sooo much more fun.

[Daryl]

I carry my flinters as sawfiler.  Loaded pan, closed frizzen and on half cock.  Keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction.   Just a choice the Hunter has to make.

Exactly - Trust the half-cook- almost. Keep the muzzle always pointed in a safe direction. We-ve always taught that DOWN-RANGE is THE safe direction afforded to you.  If straight UP is THE only safe direction, THAT is down range.

[hanshi]

Few things can compare with taking game with a flintlock.  You'll always remember the first deer to fall to a flint.  Just don't get careless with one; they aren't toys.