Good news for Old Eyes

[clearwater150]

I missed two cows in Unit 23 during the Muzzleloader season. First one was 153 yards and the second 103 yards. Both elk were unaware that I was anywhere in the country. I had all the time in the world to get in position, set up my backpack for a great rest and wait for a perfect shot. I excused the first miss based on distance. After all, at 153 yds, 1/3 of the elk was covered up by the front sight. I had no answer for the second miss. Both times I shot the muzzy to very best of my ability but....I am old and I can no longer clearly see the front and back sights. The front bead is a big, fuzzy blob. The back V sight is a shadow. After the second miss, I went to a safe place and recreated the scene and shot three times. I shot a 2 1/2 foot group at about 130 yards. (My son (40) shot a six inch group. You don't think that was humbling? I taught him to shoot.) Well...we finally concluded that I was allowing the bead to "swim" around in the V of the back sight. In bright sunlight off the bench I shoot a 6 inch group with occasional 4 inch groups at 100 yds but, as my experience this year showed....ideal bench rest conditions are never the case in the field, especially chasing elk on the Salmon River Breaks in late November.

So...I wrote the ID F&G and asked "IS THERE ANY PROVISION IN IDAHO GAME AND FISH REGULATIONS THAT WOULD PERMIT THE USE OF A NON-MAGNIFYING SCOPE THAT WOULD COMPENSATE FOR US OLDER FELLOWS WHOSE VISION IS GIVING WAY TO OLD AGE OR DO WE JUST HAVE TO GIVE UP THE IRON SIGHTED MUZZLE LOADER?"

ID F&G answered: "Yes, there is a IDFG Commission rule that allows for a person to apply for a permit to us(e) a non-magnifying scope on your muzzle loader for use during a muzzle loader only big game season." You can read their entire answer by going to the IDFG web Home Page, click on "questions" under the "Stay connected banner, then scroll down through the "categories" and click on "Muzzleloader" (or go to the following) (https://fishandgame.idaho.gov/content/questions?keys=muzzleloader)
I post this for all the rest of you old guys like me whose eyesight is getting worse and worse. Cheers!

(P.S You don't know helplessness until you miss a shot what would have been a gimmee in your younger days!!!....unless that is seeing a wolf at 400 yds while holding a muzzy in your hand. We saw a lone wolf following a whitetail buck across the canyon....and felt pretty helpless about the situation!)

 

[cletus14]

Good info!

 

[powderfinger]

Hey Old Eyes
I hear ya! Another option is to go with peep sight. After 20 years of smokepole hunting I made the switch last year from buckhorn sights to peep and all I can say is it made an amazing difference, on the bench and in the field. Felt very comfortable on a neck shot on a nice buck this year during late sawtooth tag at 84 yards. Was afraid to shoot any further back because of a doe behind him. Dropped him so hard and clean I didn't even start reloading

Powder

 

[clearwater150]

Good point. Thanks. I killed my first few elk and deer with a war-surplus 8mm Mouser my dad bought for me from Montgomery Wards in 1964. He had the sense to put a nice peep on it for me...and I still have the gun and shoot it occasionally for the fun of it. Looking through the peep, the front sight still resembles a floating amoeba with very fuzzy edges. You are absolutely right.....it is easier to center the blob in the peep than center the front bead in a V.....but when shooting iron sights now, I am finding it requires a repetitive three-step process. First, I concentrate on getting the front bead on the target. Second, I then concentrate on getting the bead centered in the V or Peep. Third, I shift back to checking to see if the bead is still on the bull....then I go back to step two and recheck....and usually find that the bead has "swum" around in the rear V or Peep and I have to start all over at step one! Not a good scenario when you have only a few seconds to get a shot off at an elk that is staring at you after rising from its bed! Plus it takes bright sunlight, warm temps and a good bench to make it all come together at the target these days!