Like where? I could care less what anybody else shoots; why should anyone care?
Two words: "special seasons"
A ban on roundballs is not what I'm talking about here though, I think that's ridiculous. I don't use round balls because I don't believe they're as good as conicals for killing big game, but in the hands of someone who likes the challenge of getting closer or just likes the traditional aspect I say, more power to you.
What I'm talking about is this: when muzzleloaders get to the point where they're scoped, using smokeless powder, and using smaller than bore-sized saboted bullets, a line has been crossed. All of those things add up to a huge increase in the effective range (for the average hunter) of a weapon that started out as "primitive."
Special seasons like the one in Colorado were originated to give additional hunting opportunities to hunters using a weapon that put them at a disadvantage compared to modern rifles. We get to hunt during mid-September, during the archery season and during the beginning of the rut for elk. And the reason we're allowed to do this is because the effective range of the rifles is limited for the average hunter. Colorado does this by banning scopes, sabots, pellets, and smokeless powder. It's not perfect, but it does honor the original intent of the special early muzzleloader season by limiting the effective range and keeping the ML hunter at a disadvantage. Take away that disadvantage and there's no justification for a special season, especially one during the rut.
I don't care if someone wants to shoot an ML with smokeless, sabots, and a scope. I just think their proper place is in the general firearms season. Or in places where there are too many deer and they need to be thinned.
