The Muzzleloader Season in da U.P. was unproductive as usual. After being pursued for months during the Early Antlerless, Liberty, Independence, Archery (including unrestricted crossbow use), and Regular Firearm seasons, the deer are few and the remaining Bucks mostly nocturnal. Large numbers of deer are also killed annually by farmers claiming crop damage. Over the past six or seven years our camp of five or six veteran hunters have managed to kill only an average of a little more than one buck a year during the regular gun season. The two or three of us foolish enough to venture out with the smoke poles in December have seen very few deer and harvested none. Although I went out with my smoothbore flintlock this season, the only shots I took were with my camera.
