Muzzleloading Maniac

It's almost Easter everyone!  I used to date a guy that would buy me the most thoughtful gifts on holidays, birthdays, and other special occasions.  His name was Sam.

Who wouldn't love a guy that bought you gifts...right?!  Well, let me just say...I loved Sam for many reasons...but his creativity when purchasing gifts was just beyond!   I got a fancy Buck brand pocket knife, a Buck filleting knife, a knife sharpening kit with all the oils and stuff, an awesome sharpening stone, a Zebco 33 fishing rod and reel, too many fishing lures to mention, a camping lantern, a fly rod with many flies, a light-up Bobber for night-time fishing, a registered lop-eared rabbit I named Patrick that I trained to go in the litter box, huge Cerwin Vega speakers for our stereo and television (way before Bose surround sound became a thing), a Siberian Husky we named Zack, a Honda Odyssey, a Siamese cat we named Kitty, and last but not least...a muzzleloader! (Yes, I knew deep down that these gifts were all things that he really wanted...but I didn't care!!)

It was super fun to learn how to load the muzzle...loader.  Is it still a muzzleloader if you are loading it or just a muzzle?  I have no idea, but it was fun to wrap the silver ball in the cloth and measure out the black powder from the flask and try to aim and hit your target...then you had to do it all over again...one ball, one cloth, and one powder pour at a time.  I would often think of the Pilgrims trying to hunt with their blunderbusses or the matchlock muskets and try and bring back a turkey or a deer or some wild animal to feed their family.  It's a one and done deal with a muzzleloader...nail your target or head back to the house empty-handed!

After learning how to use the muzzleloader, we took it to the woods at my parents' house.  I climbed up in the tree next to Sam and waited...and waited...and waited for that big thirty-point buck to walk under our stand.  I secretly hoped...and hoped...and hoped that one wouldn't come.  I'm an animal lover and I just didn't want to shoot a beautiful deer.  I don't care if I was going to get to eat all the jerky a girl could ever want or the deer steaks or the deer chili...I did not want to kill a deer...and we didn't.

Several hours passed by and HE finally gave up!  I was smiling inside because my hopes were fulfilled.  I got to go back home empty-handed.  Take me back to the chat pile for target practice any day of the week, but sitting up in the tree stand...that wasn't for me.

                                      The Muzzleloading Maniac wearing hightop Reeboks!