Information on Flintlock & other primitive weapons seasons

[Nuthatch]

I'm in discussion with our state wildlife agency about proposing a primitive weapons deer tag, which would include traditional muzzleloaders and traditional archery only as a weapons restriction. I have been asked to create a proposal that addresses potential issues, such as enforcement, wounding loss and any other issues that may come up if it were to go in front of committees &, eventually, the commission for approval. So I'm curious what other states have either flintlock-only seasons or other primitive weapons seasons, tags, etc. so I can do some digging on how other states have addressed these & other issues. I'm not interested in special hunts or lottery tags but statewide, general seasons with primitive weapons.

Please reply if you know of any states that have state-wide primitive weapons seasons.

 

[bigstick6017555]

https://www.pgc.pa.gov/

 

[andy52]

Here in the State, I live they started a muzzleloader season in the mid 1980s Muzzleloader tags gave you the opportunity for an extra season which was 10 days later in the season. Along with that extra time you had to hunt all firearms seasons with a muzzleloader including regular firearms season. It is now called alternative methods season which includes handguns, even ar-15 pistols, air guns, bows, atlatls, and muzzleloaders which really means there is not "muzzleloader" season anymore.

 

[BradCayton]

My home state of WV has a primitive weapon season.

The four-day Mountaineer Heritage season will allow primitive weapons enthusiasts to continue big-game hunting into 2021. The season will be open to hunters who use flintlock or caplock rifles, recurve bows or longbows. The season runs from Jan. 13-16.

 

[appalichian hunter]

Md. has a late primitive weapons season also I believe it runs four days in Feb.

 

[Stykbow]

@Nuthatch, does California not have an archery only and black powder only season currently?

 

[Nuthatch]

@Nuthatch, does California not have an archery only and black powder only season currently?

We have an Archery-Only early season that is zone by zone where hunters are limited to a particular zone but can participate in the early archery season and/or the general season. There's also an Archery-Only tag, which allows hunters to hunt any non-premium zone (all A, B & D zones) so long as they only use only archery as a method of take. There is currently no muzzleloader season but there are a very few muzzleloader lottery hunts. So other than these lottery tags, there is no separate muzzleloader season. You can, of course, use a muzzleloader during the general season. But the vast majority of hunters won't do that when the success rates are usually less than 10% in the non-lottery zones.

AO tags are likely to increase in popularity out here because, for the last 2 years, we're dealing with USFS fire closures where entire zones can be closed for the season. An AO tag holder has the option of going to the next zone over, which isn't far to go and still getting out to hunt somewhere. But zone-specific tag holders are SOL unless they have access to private land. It's the USFS that closes their lands, not CDFW. So private landowners can hunt but the vast majority of the zone is public land. My idea is to have a similar method of take restriction, primitive/traditional only, that would allow hunters the ability to move to the next zone & adapt to the fire conditions we're going to have for a while. But with a similarly restrictive method of take so that the take wouldn't be impacted much -- longbow/recurve during the archery season and traditional muzzleloaders during general.

In constructing my proposal, I figured it would be good to do some homework on primitive weapons seasons, like flintlock-only, to see how it's all done and what issues we're likely to face. I'm chatting with some folks at CDFW about this. But the decision ultimately rests on our state Fish and Wildlife Commission, a group of political appointees.

 

[Stykbow]

I had no idea the seasons were so jacked up out there! You have my sympathies.

 

[appalichian hunter]

Good luck ,california, political appointees,you sure you want a primitive weapons only season, fire seasons, lead bans. might cause cancer.

 

[Nuthatch]

I had no idea the seasons were so jacked up out there! You have my sympathies.

There are good and bad parts. I think CDFW does the best that they can but it's complicated. One thing is for sure -- this isn't whitetail country. Blacktails and mulies are still deer. But hunting long before the rut in rugged country where densities are very low makes for some challenging hunts.

 

[sheriff john]

Missouri's "Primitive Weapons" season (probably 40 years old) has morphed into "Alternative Weapons" season today. At first, only single-shot muzzleloaders .40 and larger were allowed (along with bows & crossbows). It followed firearms season and usually hit part of the rut. This year (2021), we start at Christmas into January. Modern pistols (including AR pistols, archery, crossbows, multiple-shot muzzleloaders, air guns, and spears are legal. It once was "Historic", now it's just another deer season.

Counting archery (crossbows are legal), you can hunt deer from September into January (except for youth seasons) mostly. Call Missouri Department of Conservation for information if you want stats & history. They are most helpful and have LOTS of information. Good Luck.

 

[Nuthatch]

Missouri's "Primitive Weapons" season (probably 40 years old) has morphed into "Alternative Weapons" season today. At first, only single-shot muzzleloaders .40 and larger were allowed (along with bows & crossbows). It followed firearms season and usually hit part of the rut. This year (2021), we start at Christmas into January. Modern pistols (including AR pistols, archery, crossbows, multiple-shot muzzleloaders, air guns, and spears are legal. It once was "Historic", now it's just another deer season.

Counting archery (crossbows are legal), you can hunt deer from September into January (except for youth seasons) mostly. Call Missouri Department of Conservation for information if you want stats & history. They are most helpful and have LOTS of information. Good Luck.

Many thanks!

 

[soup1279]

PA has a flintlock only season starting the first weekday after Christmas. Usually runs for a couple of weeks and in the Special Regulation areas where there is an over population of deer it runs pretty much the entire month of January. I think last year or the year before it was estimated about 100,000 people participated (determined by licenses sold most likely) Regulations can be found on the Game Commission web site. No red dots or scopes, no inlines, no percussion, just flintlocks. I think the state does a fine job with this season. Really is one of my favorite to participate in.

It does overlap with the extended archery season which you can use any bow not just traditional.