Montana passes "traditional" muzzleloading firearm season

[CRC]

The Helena Independent Record reported on April 20th, 2021 that Montana Governor Gianforte has signed Rep. Caleb Hinkle’s Muzzleloader Hunting Season bill into Law.

House Bill 242, from Rep. Caleb Hinkle, R-Belgrade, establishes a nine-day traditional muzzleloader season for deer and elk beginning the second Saturday after the end of Montana’s general firearm hunting season. The bill limits the hunt to muzzleloaders with iron sights, a minimum of .45 caliber and not having more than two barrels. Limitations also include traditional firearms such as flintlock, percussion cap and matchlock designs rather than modern muzzleloaders with scopes.
-Helenair.com

 

[CRC]

(8) There is established a special muzzleloader heritage hunting season that begins on the second Saturday after the end of the regular season and lasts 9 days. During this season, subject to the provisions of 87-6-401(1)(i) and rules adopted by the commission, a person may take a deer or elk with a valid license or permit using plain lead projectiles and a muzzleloading rifle that is charged with loose black powder, loose pyrodex, or an equivalent loose black powder substitute, and ignited by a flintlock, wheel lock, matchlock, or percussion mechanism using a percussion or musket cap. The muzzleloading rifle must be a minimum of .45 caliber and may not have more than two barrels."

(i) during the special muzzleloader heritage hunting season established in 87-1-304, use a muzzleloading rifle that requires insertion of a cap or primer into the open breech of the barrel, is capable of being loaded from the breech, or is mounted with an optical magnification device. Use of preprepared paper or metallic cartridges, sabots, gas checks, or other similar power and range-enhancing manufactured loads that enclose the projectile from the rifling or bore of the firearm is also prohibited.

 

[agsnchunt]

I like it. That’s the point of muzzleloader season. Otherwise, why have one at all?

They also should require hunters to wear animal skin clothing, extra special days if buckskin with fringe and moccasins.

 

[CRC]

I like it. That’s the point of muzzleloader season. Otherwise, why have one at all?

They also should require hunters to wear animal skin clothing, extra special days if buckskin with fringe and moccasins.

There is a backlash against muzzleloader seasons anymore.

 

[CRC]

 

[adkarcher]

There is a backlash against muzzleloader seasons anymore.

No longer primitive.

 

[Aaron H]

The guns have changed so much over just the last couple of decades, some will shoot well at 300 or more yards and it's hard to see much difference in weapons like that verses high powered deer rifles. Except for the muzzleloader industry having considerable strength against it I could see the laws changing all across the country. My very modest inline gun is way more accurate than my first old Hawken rifle that I built from a kit- sometimes I think about going back to that old gun.

 

[Longrifle]

I have resisted the temptation to go to an inline since they first came out for the same reason I went back to traditional archery. To each his own but some things...at least to me...are best enjoyed doing them the old fashioned way. I do think that any primitive season should follow archery season like it use to, give those who accept the limitation a first "crack" if you will...

 

[surveyor]

I have resisted the temptation to go to an inline since they first came out for the same reason I went back to traditional archery. To each his own but some things...at least to me...are best enjoyed doing them the old fashioned way. I do think that any primitive season should follow archery season like it use to, give those who accept the limitation a first "crack" if you will...

1850, Those Germans were ahead of the inline percussion thing....

 

[lasttombstone]

So..... were the inlines developed to increase the harvest numbers or to make it easier to be successful. It takes a lot less skill to kill a deer at 100 yards than it does at 30 yards. Once something is granted, as in modern muzzleloaders, it is difficult to do away with them. The best the traditionalists can hope for is a separate season, hopefully immediately after archery season and prior to "modern muzzleloaders'.

 

[CRC]

Once something is granted, as in modern muzzleloaders, it is difficult to do away with them.

Colorado outlawed 209 primer guns but the outcry was so great they folded

 

[DrSpeed]

I think the favoritism of some muzzleloaders over others is a double edged sword. By limiting capability, you effectively start gate keeping, yes it can "preserve" it as what it was meant to be, but it can also doom it to extinction.

It's like Crossbows versus normal bows, but for guns.

 

[CRC]

I think the favoritism of some muzzleloaders over others is a double edged sword. By limiting capability, you effectively start gate keeping, yes it can "preserve" it as what it was meant to be, but it can also doom it to extinction.

It's like Crossbows versus normal bows, but for guns.

But gate keeping in muzzleloading seasons has been going on for years and continues.

Pennsylvania refused to legalize cap lock percussion guns in the 1970s for their season and still limits the late season to flintlocks only.

Idaho does not allow 209 primer guns at all during their muzzleloading seasons

South Carolina does not allow guns that shoot smokeless powder during their seasons

Several states have now enacted these "traditional" seasons (in addition to the seasons they already have) and the list will grow

NC won't do it but other states are

Georgia legalized air rifles during their muzzleloader season and is going the other way by expanding the types of weapons one can use

 

[DrSpeed]

But gate keeping in muzzleloading seasons has been going on for years and continues.

Pennsylvania refused to legalize cap lock percussion guns in the 1970s for their season and still limits the late season to flintlocks only.

Idaho does not allow 209 primer guns at all during their muzzleloading seasons

South Carolina does not allow guns that shoot smokeless powder during their seasons

Several states have now enacted these "traditional" seasons (in addition to the seasons they already have) and the list will grow

NC won't do it but other states are

Georgia legalized air rifles during their muzzleloader season and is going the other way by expanding the types of weapons one can use

Right, my point is the only way to satisfy both crowds is to add more seasons. I think the baseline for muzzleloader hunters is small enough that the data on how much the gate keeping helps or hurts is still fuzzy.

 

[CRC]

Yep you will see more “special” seasons

 

[DrSpeed]

Yep you will see more “special” seasons

Always need a reason to buy a new gun

 

[Longrifle]

Never need a reason to buy a new gun

There...fixed that for ya....

 

[CRC]

Montana's restrictions:

Muzzleloader Heritage Hunting Season Lawful Weapons 87-1-304(9):

Plain lead projectiles and a muzzleloading rifle that is charged with loose black powder, loose pyrodex, or an equivalent loose black powder substitute, and ignited by a flintlock, wheel lock, matchlock, or percussion mechanism using a percussion or musket cap.

The muzzleloading rifle must be a minimum of .45 caliber and may not have more than two barrels.

Additionally, 87-6-401(1), a hunter may not use a muzzleloading rifle that requires insertion of a cap or primer into the open breech of the barrel, is capable of being loaded from the breech, or is mounted with an optical magnification device.

Use of prepared paper or metallic cartridges, sabots, gas checks, or other similar power and range-enhancing manufactured loads that enclose the projectile from the rifling or bore of the firearm is also prohibited