I am so tired of all these special seasons. All it does is promote basic human nature of getting the most for least amount of effort. It's never going to change because of the huge amounts of money being made by companies that cater to it and special interest groups that want an advantage. Archery, muzzleloading, youth, handicap, doesn't matter. The ink doesn't even dry on the regulations before people are trying to push the envelope and companies are lining up to sell their wares that give the buyer some sort of advantage. Look at the equipment used when these seasons were initiated and compare them to today. Muzzleloading: mostly flint and percussion side locks with iron sights, patched round balls and real black powder. Archery: recurve and long bows with cedar arrows, feather fletching and broadheads you sharpened. What I see now is a lot of people who don't really care about the disiplines of the sport but just want to hunt longer/kill more. Don't think I'm a "traditionalist", I own cartridge guns from BPCR to barrel burners, archery from long bows to crossbows and muzzleloaders from 150 year-old sidelocks to smokeless and I hunt with them all for MY enjoyment, not because there's a special season for it. My opinion is the wildlife departments should set the season dates and limits and leave it to the hunter to use the weapon of their choosing. Kill your limit and your season's over, simple. But as I said, never going to happen. Too much money involved and too many whiners that want special treatment.
Just my gallon of gas, your mileage will vary.
