Pa Flintlock Season?

[zimmerstutzen]

OT. When I was 16 yrs old, I was squirrel hunting in the north end of the county, not far off a private dirt lane that served a scattering of farms. A car came to a stop and the guy rolls down the window and yells, be careful, the Game Warden is coming down the road checking hunters. What the gent didn't know, was that my father was the county Game Warden, and he happened to be at a federal conference about waterfowl in another state. For months, whenever we saw my dad coming down the steps or toward the house, my brother and I would warn each other that "the game warden" was coming.

 

[Walks with fire]

I am from PA and as long as it's flintlock ignition and the barrel is .44 (.50 caliber for handguns) or larger it's legal here. Don't concern yourself with the way it's worded.

Some weird things are that a .44 caliber rifle shooting a .430 ball is legal but a .50 caliber rifle shooting a .430 handgun style bullet is not but a .45 bullet is.

It's a great season.

 

[outbackzack]

The regulations changed in the late 90's if my memory is correct. I used to use my brother's T/C Hawkens, because it was a flinter, and then it was limited to iron sights and PRB. Somewhere near or before the turn of the century it changed. I know, because the lady is was dating bought me a Traditions PA Hunter, with a composite stock and fiber optic sights, on the advice of her friend that happened to be a WCO. I still use round balls, because I have them dialed in with that rifle. My Italian caplock "Hawken style" is also dialed in with the balls, I suppose I am only sort of a traditionalist.

 

[okawbow]

When Illinois started it's muzzleloader only season, the rules listed only side lock flint, percussion, matchlock, or wheel lock rifles with patched round ball.

Now, anything goes, as long as you load it from the muzzle. It would be a real shame if PA went down the same road.

 

[outbackzack]

It already has with the early season muzzleloader.

 

[nhmoose]

We in NH will NEVER see a real primitive season AKA flintlock no scopes, do to Green mountain and Thompson center that was sold out many years ago by THEM.

Glad to see TC gone from NH and GM has stepped away front ML with the new owners.

NH F&G is to politically run for any sportsman's issues.

 

[BigBoreBLR]

From the guns shops I visited in PA, to the youtube videos, and the people I have seen when I do hunt in PA in January, 99% of the people are breaking the law during that season with a modern "copy" of a hawken.

I broke the law too with my 54 cal GPR.

Hopefully I will redeem my illicite ways when my proper kit is finished.

I wouldn't sweat it.

 

[druid]

2014/2015 PAGC Hunting and Trapping Digest
http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pa_huntingdigest1415/#/0

Page 29 of the PAGC handbook:
http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pa_huntingdigest1415/#/29

Big Game Regulations-
Lawful Arms and Ammunition:
2) Muzzleloading long-guns of any type, .44 caliber or larger, or a muzzleloading handgun .50 caliber or larger;

Page 32 http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pa_huntingdigest1415/#/32

Gobbler - Fall Season -

Arms and Ammunition:
3) Muzzleloading shotguns, rifles and handguns;
Single projectile ammunition or shot no larger than No 4 lead, No 2 steel or No 4 of any other U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service approved non-toxic shot.

Spring Gobbler -
Arms and Ammunition:
2) Muzzleloading shotguns of all types and gauges;

Fine shot no larger than No 4 lead, No 2 steel or No 4 of any other approved non-toxic shot. Rifle/shotgun combination guns may be used if ammunition is limited to shotgun shells. Carrying or using single-projectile ammunition, rifles or handguns is unlawful.

Deer -
Flintlock Muzzleloader season:
Flintlock ignition, single barrel long gun, 44 caliber or larger or 50 caliber or larger handgun, using single projectile ammunition. It is unlawful to use telescopic sights. Peep sights are permitted.

Seems pretty straightforward to me....

 

[zimmerstutzen]

Straightforward if that really was the law. Try reading the actual law and regulations. Much different than the comic book you get with the license. There are serious factual errors in the digest.

 

[druid]

considering that the PAGC is the agency charged with controlling hunting and trapping in Pennsylvania, yeah....I'll do what their "comic book" says.

If charged with a "violation of Law" take the comic book to court.

Considering PA Game Wardens and Deputies are exempt from the Constitutional rules unlike the rest of us LE Officers are...like....they don't need a search warrant to look for poached game as an example...yeah...the comic book will suffice in Court.

 

[zimmerstutzen]

From page 7 of the comic book:
"The digest is not the game & wildlife code or its attendant regulation and should not be considered final on legal interpretation."
It is worthless as evidence of the law in court.
For instance the regulation still says open sights only, as it did for 40 year before 2005. They dropped the open sight requirement to allow peep sights about 2005, yet in 2009 the pgc put the open sight requirement back in the regulation again outlawing peep sights. Yet the digest still says peep sights are permitted. Totally wrong.