Maybe a Stupid Question??

[coalkickin]

I was wondering how many of you guys and gals use your smokepole during regular firearms season? I am just now getting into it, and I am thinking of taking it along here in Pa in a few weeks. I really want to take a deer with it. As long as I am asking, can I use my .50 Cal for turkeys here in Pa? Thanks guys!!

 

[roundball]

I've gradually hunted more and more each full season with muzzleloaders, and specifically only flintlocks the past two years...starting my 3rd year this Saturday...Good luck with yours!

 

[albert]

I quit using centerfire rifles for deer back around 1980 when I built my .54 Hawken,I have taken 22 deer so far with it.

 

[cayugad]

Black powder rifles are all that I have hunted with for many many years.. even during the modern season. I lost interest with the modern rifles....

 

[Stumpkiller]

I use a percussion rifle during regular season. Formerly with conicals, but this year I'm roundballing for regular and muzzleloader only seasons. I confess that I have always used a centerfire slug shotgun until I get the first one in the freezer. THE ADMIRAL thinks muzzleloaders are "fooling around" and not to be attempted until there is at least one on the meat pole.

 

[gordy]

I still have two centerfire shotguns,one I bought over 50 years ago,and the other My Wife bought for me over 30 years ago.I keep them as defense weapons as I don't like leaving the load in a muzzleloader for prolonged periods."All" hunting,I do with the MLs.I have 5 longguns and a CB revolver. :RO: :thumbsup:

 

[oneshot]

Well our Deer Season last 4 months alowed all the Deer we want.All I need is 7.Get about 3 with Crossbow.Then finish off with Muzzleloader.

But all I hunt with is Muzzleloader.

oneshot 1

 

[Huntinfool]

Use it Use it Use it!!! You can't beat it when ya kill em with the muzzleloader! :imo:

Chuck :redthumb:

 

[vanstg]

I have been using a muzzleloader rifle during regular gun season ever since I started shooting BP. I don't care for centerfire rifles for hunting anymore. Even sold my old deer hunting tool, a .270 rifle.

 

[Bunyan]

I intend to use mine this year during some of MDs regular firearms season. To me a shotgun is for birds (and maybe a squirrel or three). Rifles are for deer. And while I usually hunt in areas of the state where you can shoot rifle, this year I'm gonna be doing a bit of hunting in a shotgun only area. I'll take the flinter along on these trips.

 

I hunt with my flintlock through all the seasons, general muzzleloader and traditional even draw hunts , its my chosen weapon system . my centerfires have been drawing dust for years.

 

Not a stupid question atall. Up here in Massachusetts, you have three options, blackpowder, shotgun and archery. Modern rifles are strictly forbidden.

I carry my one of my smokepoles instead of a scattergun during shotgun season. I have a 20 gauge H&R that I bought from K-mart, back when I turned 18 years ago, and it will shoot slugs true at 50 yards. But, I just plain prefer to lug one of my smoke belchers.

As for archery, it took two navel hernias to convince me enough was enough. :m2c:

Suggest you call the Pennsylvania Game Commission about your turkey question. From what I see on their website its shotgun and archery only. But who's to say if you can or can't use a front stuffing scatter gun??? :imo:

 

[Keith]

I'm another one that lives in an area where you can't use a centerfire rifle, shotgun only. I save the scttergun for birds. I use a caplock with PRB.

 

[GobblerKnob]

Using your ML during the regular gun season is not only legal in PA, but great fun, too. As far as hunting turkeys with it, that, too is legal (fall only if it's a rifle. A smoothbore with fine shot is required for spring.) Good luck! Rick

 

[bob1961]

or you can go out with your bow in the spring....now that would be good....i've only got one so far with the bow with one shot taken................................bob

 

[harryo]

I'm another one that lives in an area where you can't use a centerfire rifle, shotgun only. I save the scttergun for birds. I use a caplock with PRB.

Illinois is the same. Firearm season is shotguns with slugs, or muzzleloaders. We also have a muzzleloader only season and in the past, you had to choose between firearm season and muzzleloader season. These seasons consist of a 3 day weekend(Friday-Sunday) and a 4 day weekend(Thursday-Sunday), for a total of 7 days. Since the first weekend of firearm season starts 2 weeks before the first weekend of muzzleloader season, which is also the second week of firearm season, and is also right in the peak of rut, most muzzleloader hunters opted for the firearm season. The last weekend of muzzleloader season is the weekend after the combination opening muzzleloader weekend/2nd firearm weekend. This year you were allowed to participate in both seasons. So by getting tags for both seasons, you can hunt a 3 day weekend, a 4 day weekend and another 3 day weekend, for a total of 10 days and 2 anlerless only and 2 either sex tags(4 total).

In addition, we used to have a seperate pistol season the second weekend of January, where you are allowed 1 antlerless only tag. Last year the DNR started allowing hunters to use pistols during the regular firearm season. You can carry a pistol along with your firearm of choice. Now this year, the former pistol weekend has been changed to a late season firearm season. You can use any legal firearm, shotgun, pistol, muzzleloaging rifle and they even will now allow a muzzleloading pistol, although it is not allowed for the regular firearms season or muzzleloader season. Again, you can carry the pistol along with your other firearm of choice. This adds 3 more days for muzzleloader hunters.

These are great changes for muzzleloader hunters in Illinois. We now have many more opportunities and more days to hunt, as well as more available tags. I got them all this year so I have an antlerless only and either sex firearm tags, the same for muzzleloader tags and an antlerless only late firearm season tag, for a total of 5. I don't need 5 deer but I plan on hunting everyday, with my muzzleloaders, so depending on how things go, I might be making some donations of meat to the local food pantries.

 

[rabjr]

I haven't hunted with a centerfire or took part in our shotgun season here in a few years now. I prefer black powder, however I must confess I was once a sinner (in-line user) but I have seen the error of my ways and ask forgiveness.

In my 20 plus years of muzzle loading I had never seen a flintlock anywhere, never held one, never shot one. It was just about a year ago I got caught up in this Lewis and Clark bug that really bit hard. I found myself wanting to get back to simpler times.

I have a kind soul from Penn helping me, guiding me with the building of a "personal rifle" one more suited to me and I'm very excited. This will enable me to use a flintlock full time. With the exception of our shotgun season here, muzzleloaders still have to be smoothbore during it, but that only means a future project! :thumbsup:

 

[musketman]

I have never hunted deer with anything but a muzzleloader, even during regular gun season...

You mean there's other types of guns out there??? ::

 

[RCL]

I've been doing it off and on for about 10 years now, lately I find myself turning to the smokeploe more.

 

[Slowpoke]

Centerfire rifle, :imo: makes you lazy, it did me. Shooting a deer at 100+ yards doesn't make you a better hunter or enhance the experence. Personaly, if I can't get a deer at 50 yards or less, I have no business hunting. At a distance greater than that, the deer has outsmarted me and will live another day. If I'm ever to poor of a hunter to get them closer than that, I start going to the grocery store for my meat.

CH