MAINE SUNDAY TELEGRAM • December 4, 2022
Every sport has its own lexicon, a vocabulary unique – or nearly so – to that specific endeavor. Hunting is no exception, with some terms or phrases applying more generally and others being reserved for a particular faction of hunters. For instance, all the muzzleloader hunter’s truck (balls or bullets, powder, caps, ball starter and nipple wrench) go into a possibles bag, a term popularized by the mountain men. Then they head afield and hope for the best. One must always remember to pull the hammer all the way back – two clicks – because it won’t go off half-cocked. Also one must hold steady through the shot because occasionally there’s a slight delay or hang-fire before the cap or pan powder ignite the main charge. The rest is fate. ~ Bob Humphrey