Well I drew 3 deer tags but no antelope tags so now it is time to start to get loads worked up for this fall.  I will be shooting my Rolling Block in 38/56 with a jacketed bullet so any critter within 200 yards is in serious trouble if I can use my shooting sticks.  Last year I used a 235 gr Speer but this year I think I will switch to a 270 grain round nose.  My second rifle will probably be an original Hiwall in 40-65 shooting a lead bullet over blackpowder.  I am heading to the range tomorrow to see how my first attempt works out.  Other choices are my 25/35 Stevens 44 1/2 which has proven very successful on mule deer in the past and my 30/40 Krag Improved in my Borchardt.  That is my favorite rifle and will be hard to leave home but I also have a cow elk hunt this wall where I will pack it.  If the 40/65 does not shoot good I plan on putting my other barrel in 40/65 on which is a proven shooter.  I can almost smell the campfire now!   

No California for me again this year.  I am heading for the Rocky Mtns of Wyoming and then elk hunting in NM.  Seems to me that the California Fish and Wildlife treat me like a criminal until proven innocent and Wyoming tells me what bush to hunt behind.  I have nothing but praise for the Wyoming Fish and Wildlife Department.  Hoping to hunt mostly with a 40/65 with blackpowder but will take my trusty 25/35 if I can't find a buck that allows me to sneak into blackpowder range.  I am also starting to experiment with blackpowder in my 38/56 Rolling Block.  Tom

I have the 32-40 HW and the 25-20 LW ready for deer season here and may try out the 38-40 if I have enough tags. The HW in 40-70 Ballard with pp bullets is ready as my back up rifle for our Newfoundland moose and bear hunt. All are bp loads. Should be a fun season!

I have my 38/56 Rolling Block dialed in with a 250 gr cast 20:1 with Swiss fffg.  It is shooting three shots in an inch at 50 yards with a Lyman tang sight and Firedot bead.  The 40-65 is on hold as I am having mechanical troubles.  The 25-35 Stevens with scope and the Rolling Block in 6mm-30/30 are shooting lights out.  The Borchardt in 30/40 Krag Improved is shooting minute of angle as well.  Now I need to decide which rifles to take.  For sure the 38/56 will go as I want to kill a deer with a black powder cartridge rifle with lead bullet.  6 weeks until my hunt and I am excited as a little kid even though I have been hunting deer since 1961!  Going to strictly single shots the last 15 years or so has been good but now I am trying to go with period ones only as much as possible.  Since some of the shooting is several hundred yards I still like hunting with a scope on at least one rifle.     Tom