How long ago did this happen to your Dad? Wet weather should not be a problem with many of the newer ML's.
Inline muzzleloaders don't have that issue that I've heard...if really worried you can even get a rubber "condom" for the tip of the gun for real wet days in the field.
I like the challenge of only having one shot, I will shoot at to 200 yard's no problem id do 300 if I still had enough kinetic energy to feel good about. My job is the reason why I wont use a rifle, it just wouldnt be fun or fair to the animals. I would have no problem at all shooting a deer or elk at 800 meters and be fully confident I could put the bullet anywhere i want to. Why iv gotten back into bowhunting so much.
The thing is, you can always restrict your range to make things a little more difficult. I have iron sights on my ML and my max range will be 50 yds but, in all likelyhood, I will be much closer when making the shot. Anything, bowhunting included, can be as easy or difficult as you make it. Bowhunting certainly isn't nearly as hard as some want to make it out to be.
I'm picking up a lever action iron sighted .44 mag in a couple days and plan on doing just as you described (may push out to 70 yards with practice), but I love close range hunting too much to really change anything when I do hit the woods with a gun. Like I said I may bump stands back 15-30 yards but compared to others I'm still hunting right on top of them even when I have a boomstick in my hands.
I do alot of ML hunting off ground too...just like you said the challenge is set by the hunter and what they'll do or not do.
The muzzy my dad was using belonged to my Grandpa. it was/is very old. at least 40 years old or older. I thought my dad said that Grandpa got it after he came home for WWII, so do that math. OLD a&$ gun for sure. I'm sure they come a long way.
