Pennsylvania Game News - January 2015 - 61

system that consistently successful
hunters are sometimes referred to as the
professors of the shooting sports. For
this reason, the challenge to mentor
the next generation of flintlock deer
hunters needs the patience and skilled
hand of experienced hunters.
Never start the mentoring process by
handing a loaded flintlock to a novice
and have the expectation that he or she
will start hunting like an experienced
flintlock muzzleloader hunter.
Folks new to muzzleloaders
need a learning curve with
careful guidance to establish
the safe handling and accurate
firing of black powder. There
are just too many ingredients for
success to expect that a mentored
youth will just "get it" with a
couple of shots.
A great place to start the
mentoring process is in the
warmth of a garage or basement. This warm and familiar
environment is the perfect
place to study the flight of
the roundball.
Using an old-fashioned low-velocity
BB-gun - such as a lever-action Red
Ryder, pump Crossman or similar air
rifle - inexperienced eyes can more
easily note distance to target, velocity
and trajectory of the copper-plated BB.
They also can learn to use open
sights effectively.
The next step in the process is to
have the mentored shooter learn gun
safety. While you started this with the
air rifle, move on to the range with
a more powerful open-sighted smallbore rifle.
As the mentored shooter becomes
comfortable with identifying background, target and purpose, begin the
JANUARY 2015

safe-loading process.
By working the safety and trigger
release of a longer-range rifle at 25
yards, you are priming shooters to safely
handle a more complicated system.
As he or she shoots from a rest,
always emphasize the concept of one
safe shot. Multiple shots from a repeating rifle containing a full tube or clip
magazine will not instill this.
As familiarity and comfort grow, accuracy will follow. Accurate shooting
will increase with the practice
of breathing techniques and
trigger-finger control. Hitting
the target also will reinforce
the concept of "one bullet accuracy."
When you feel that the new
flintlock shooter is ready, bring
him or her to the range while
you practice.
Show the new shooter how
a muzzleloader is different
from any other type of firearm. Begin by demonstrating
how to check for a loaded
flintlock. In so doing, you will
be teaching the valuable concept of
never double-loading a muzzleloader.
On any flintlock there likely will be
a "witness mark" inscribed on the ramrod that shows the depth to which the
rod will sink when the rifle is loaded.
Such a mark can be made on any ramrod that doesn't have one.
And new shooters should be advised
of this safety precaution.
Safety is a major issue that is somewhat complicated with a flintlock.
As you explain to the shooter how
black powder has a low-ignition temperature (480° F), it is still extremely
hot. Therefore, we want to keep the rifle's
bore empty after hunting and at home.
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Pennsylvania Game News - January 2015

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