Well, tonight's my last night at work. Have next week off.

Leaving for the U.P. early Saturday. Need to be there by noon. Guide wants me on stand by 2 p.m. at latest.

My friend Mike P. nudged me with ideas of using one of my favorite guns in the safe, the Knight .50-caliber muzzlerloader. Definitely have been pondering the Knight .50-cal. I feel that's the best gun I have, but it's all systems go with the 7mm Savage. Knight up to 100 yards or so is deadly accurate. But I shot the 7mm today as I said I would in my last posting. Didn't have any guinea pop-up targets in addition to the paper one. Damn!

Confirmed the accuracy of the Knight last December when I was trying out a M-1 Garand before buying it while on a South Carolina boar hunt. Made a stop at the Garard's Fort, Pa., gun range while camped out at the in-laws in West Virginia. Also had smokepole with me. Couldn't hit s--- with M-1. (Later, I was able to sight it in at home range.) I put down the M-1 and took a shot with Knight. Right in center ring.

My one concern is the lack of blood you sometimes get with muzzle. Happened last year with the doe I popped behind my house. Was a heart shot at 80 yards. Only found tufts of hair where it was standing for the shot but not even a speck of blood.

Funny, went to outdoor shop down the road about a month ago. Had awesome deal on .45-cal Knight. Told a friend who's always needing a muzzleloader about it. "Naw, can't swing it," he says.

The more I looked at deal, the more I had to go with it. I mean for $99. You get gun. Free boresighting if buy a Simmons 3X9 scope for $45. Free pack of Power Belt rounds. And, of course, a free hat. Seems like I'm missing something, but that's enough to seal it. So I picked up one. Anyway, that's how much I like the one I already have.

Also, just picked up an ATV, much to the wife's chagrin. Man, I hope I don't kill myself on that thing. More worried about that and boloing the shot than getting mauled by a bear.

But it's in God's hands now.