does to a deer; just imagine what a force 140 times greater could do to your home or vehicle. It might be a good idea to store in your powder horns only the powder you need, and keep the rest in the container that then is stored in a secure wooden - not metal - container kept somewhere other than in the house or car. Metal containers actually increase the blast effect of stored powder. Heat and humidity are two environmental conditions that cause problems for powder. That's why a cool, dry magazine in a locked outbuilding is the best location. The building also should have appropriate signage to inform fire companies and first-responders of its contents. sion rifle is not a difficult task in a tree stand, reloading is. Space is limited on many platforms and the unsteady shuffling of feet to make room for the butt stock sometimes causes the muzzle to drift clumsily past one's face. Muzzleloader safety demands a greater attention to detail than some common-sense procedures might dictate. So take the time and make the effort to ensure the future of our sport is both safe and fun. There's no better way hunt than with this anachronistic old-time method. Muzzleloaders & Tree Stands One last observation on muzzleloader safety revolves around our desire to hunt off the ground. Tree stands have become a hunting phenomenon over the last quarter century. Elevated positions often give hunters advantages in their ability to see whitetails and keep from being smelled by them. But climbing into a tree stand raises safety concerns for muzzleloading rifles. Since the rifle, in most circumstances, is loaded before climbing, it is vital that these rifles are raised up to the tree stand on a line that keeps the muzzle pointed downward - not always an easy task. Moreover, if the muzzle is down, there is a chance debris from the forest floor will find its way into the bore. This is dangerous. While priming a flintlock or percusMAY 2015 Getting your flintlock into a tree stand can be a challenge. So, take it slow. 63