Old hunting weapons in today's woods

By By Otha Barham / outdoors editor
Jan. 24, 2003
Some hunter invented the bow and arrow over 8,000 years ago. Both the bow and arrow have seen many improvements throughout their history, most having occurred in the last 75 years. Some people, in New Guinea for example, still depend on the bow and arrow to kill wild animals for most of their meat.
Mississippi bow hunters are enjoying an open season on whitetail deer that began Thursday and continues through January 31. Today's archer still pulls back a string attached to a wooden bow that has flexible limbs and that load with energy to thrust the arrow.
Black powder was used by ancient Chinese, Arabs and people of India prior to 1242 when its formula was revealed to the western world by Friar Roger Bacon of England's Oxford University. Bacon published a book detailing how to make black powder. It was used in cannons by 1346 and eventually shoulder arms were loaded with it by stuffing it down the barrels along with wadding and bullets.
The above Mississippi deer season also allows hunters to take the game with black powder firearms. Hunters still pack the barrels with powder and a bullet from the muzzle end of the gun.
Modern improvements
Today's bows have distance compensating sights, string silencers, stabilizers and wheels that give the archer a huge mechanical advantage. Dissenters complain that the improvements give the hunter too much of an edge. Yet we are overrun with deer out there, even with our extremely long seasons, so we aren't hurting the population. And virtually all of man's inventions have been improved as time passes.
Archers who wish to accentuate the use of primitive bows use longbows with no mechanical aids, wooden arrows and shoot instinctively (no bow sights.) Often the hunter makes his or her own bow, arrows, quiver and other accessories.
Modern muzzle loading rifles use improved versions of black powder, but still it is black powder. The newest ignition systems are in a straight line with the barrel and removable breech plugs allow much easier and better cleaning of the corrosive powder residue than was possible with early black powder rifles. Improved sights, including telescopic sights which are now legal in Mississippi, give today's shooters better accuracy. Saboted bullets, those of smaller than bore diameter enclosed in a plastic sleeve, are easier to push down the barrel and offer higher velocities than earlier bore-size slugs that weighed much more and thus adversely affected trajectory.
Reliable rifles
Current muzzle loading rifles are more reliable and resistant to moisture invasion than the old timers. Many have weatherproof stocks that won't warp and never need refinishing. Those who wish to precisely duplicate the hunting adventures of Daniel Boone find replicas of the primitive rifles he used widely available today. Round lead balls, loose powder for a flask that hangs by a shoulder strap, a wooden ramrod and flint for the frizzen are all available. Some enjoy wearing the coonskin cap, leather clothes and moccasins while hunting with an old Kentucky rifle with iron sights and brass accessories. These hunters give a frontier slant to their sport.
Regardless of the armament one chooses, today's black powder hunter gets only one shot and must view his target through a cloud of smoke after firing. And the bullet, powder and wad must be pushed down the barrel to load.
The late primitive arms season lets us go afield with our favorite old timey weapons and try for a deer with a bit of a handicap as compared to the use of typical modern firearms and bows. There is nothing quite like the swish of a bowstring and feeling the bow's limbs spring forward against your arm muscles; or touching off a charge of black powder and feeling the mushy push against your shoulder as a clap of thunder sends forth a giant plume of white, pungent smoke. It's exciting stuff. And it's been enjoyed for a long, long time.