Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Muzzleloaders Are seasons decreasing

When I first got into muzzle loading it seems like most states had special muzzle loader season. It was a way for me to spend more time in the woods. It seems that MZ season are going away (it may be my imagination). The states don't really care how you take deer and elk now, not that that's a bad thing.................am i over thinking this?

local CPW officer told us recently that hunting will most likely be done in the next 15 years. To many greedy politics running the show.

We actually picked up four more days recently, sidelock guns only, and in January when the hunting can be pretty tough. Our regular ML season, for all guns and sights, is the week after the two-week rifle season, a tough time as well. Other states give the ML boys their shot before the rifle season, VA being one. Their ML season occurs during the rut, so folks after big bucks addled with lust need a ML, or a bow/crossbow.

I think that is correct.The chances of ever having a conservative Republican governor are none.Boulder and Denver liberals have the majority of the votes vs all of Colorado and Colorado Springs is fast going that way. The liberal democrat governors will keep appointing the same to the Wildlife Commission who have little or no interest in hunting. They ask or tell and the democratic legislature bows to their whims.
The last legislation that increased the license fees now has the ability to increase fees without a vote of the legislature, based on what they interpret the inflation to be.

No doubt the same voters will pass the wolf introduction initiative this November and that will seal the deal

I don't know, an awful lot of businesses depend on hunters to stay in business. Politicians may be liberal, but they know better than to kill the golden goose.

Polis and the democratic Colorado legislature don't care one whit about businesses. Their golden eggs are the freebie loving voters in Denver and Boulder that will keep them in power so they can further their own agenda.Those small towns that depend on hunters for their livelyhood do not have enough voters for Polis and company to care about. They will put more emphasis on parks that promote tourism,but if hunting dies,they only lose the employees of the hunting side of CPW

Well, I think those small town businesses have more pull than you'd think.

Still have an alternative season here in Mo, not just for muzzleloaders anymore.

Crossbows, handguns and a couple other weapons allowed.

Still later in the year like the old muzzleloader season used to be.

Not a terrible time as it coincides with our secondary rut but still not as good as if we had a true muzzleloader season or primitive weapons season during our pre-rut in early November.

I'm not noticing any fewer ML seasons in Oregon. We added one last year, a unit I really wanted to hunt this year but it's a bit of a drive and I got a "nice" 20% pay cut courtesy of COVID-19 so I decided not to spend more money on gas to get to the hunt area. If things turn back around, I'll be there in fall of 2021.

More than a lack of seasons, I'm seeing a lack of mass produced, but quality, sidelock rifles. I have no interest in inlines at all. The supply of what I want is drying up. If anything will kill muzzleloading, that will be it.

Tom

Oklahoma muzzleloader deer season in 2020 will be one week long, same as last year.

Bulls hit!

Im talking about in colorado. Even new mexico officers are complaining about how the politicians are getting to deep in the department. Good luck trying to draw a bull tag in new mexico.

Some of my favorite and most memorable hunts have been during Oklahoma's muzzleloader season. Once I got over the heat and fear of rattlesnakes, that is.

Skeen, one of the coldest hunts I ever was on was a muzzleloader hunt in SW OK, back in the 80's when they were later in the year. Setting in a tree and realized that I was shivering so badly I couldn't have hit one if it had walked right under me. But you are right, these days it's pretty warm as a rule.

Poachers have the longest season of all, and it will increase..

You got that right Hubert! Its bad in southern colorado. But when the tags are scarce and they start making them even harder to come by, poaching will increase like crazy.

What do you expect? Make [bleep] easier, scopes, pellets, shotgun primers etc. More people will participate if they can use a modern weapon. Same [bleep] happening with crossbows. Pie is only so big.

if i wanted to hunt with modern stuff, i'd use a centerfire. Muzzleloading is, or at least should be, all about the tradition.

Years ago you could hunt several "seasons" with a single license. Now you can only hunt one "season" of your choice. And in some areas here, that's only in one particular area.

I have been hunting two seasons for quite a few years.I draw a ML cow tag ,which is 'B" tag and then buy an "A" OTC rifle tag, usually for 2nd season.This year, though due to a disability,I will be hunting the latter part of archery season with a special cross bow permit if these fires don't screw me up.

A person can also buy as m any "C" elk tags as they want for east of I-25. It takes some research,but can be done. If my body holds up,I will be doing that in December.