Maybe thunder??? I've shot at and missed deer with a muzzle loader and they pay absolutely no attention to it whatsoever. I had a 9pt at 25yds one time years ago and got big eyes and missed him, he never stopped walking up the trail he was on. He was just slowly strolling thru the woods.I was able to get the gun loaded again and kill him at about 110yds. One time I had a bunch of does and shot one, the others just watched as if they were deaf. I missed a 6pt with a 45 sidelock/maxiball at around 70 yards and when the smoke cleared he was still standing in the scrape he was working. He just stood there then walked away.