Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game NM muzzle loaders.

NM’, what’s your guess on what it will do for odds?

My guess it will have little to no affect on the Northern units? Not sure what to think about the Central/Southern units where long range was more in play? Seems the guys I’ve talked to around here are split on it.

I think it’ll be just like the flip flop on Q/hd vs Std hunts. Everyone chasing odds from the year before. It might be tough for a year or two because everyone thinks it’s gonna makes odds better and in turn make them worse. I’m really not sure if it’ll affect anything in the long run with total number of applicants the way they are.

I absolutely hate muzzleloaders, but, I love good dates, early or late and certain units and big critters so it won’t affect me, I’ll keep applying. If they change it to atl atl only, I guess I’ll be a spear chucker.

One thing I noticed was that they claimed wound loss would go down which I believe is totally false. Guys will still continue to push their limits.

I think you’re right on the next couple years. I laughed on the wound statements as well.

ML’s are a love hate relationship for me as well. Mostly in it for 1 unit.

Nothing primitive about that rifle for a primitive hunt. Most of the hunters I know couldn't take that shot with a CF Rifle, which is sad.

Pretty sure that’s mike Jahnke from down Medford, buddy guided him to a dandy Roosevelt in Oregon this year. Good hunter, kills alotta nice critters. 👍

Don't believe it either. Have seen those 100 yard bow shots and 800 yard rifle shots by those nuts and the "lost" animals. Helped a guy track a wounded bull, he gave up after 5 minutes or so and I carried on for another 2 hrs by myself and the guy was a complete stranger. Found the bull the next day about a mile away at least what the bear left. Nice 100 yard archery shot he bragged.

Know you didn't ask me but I think it will affect little. Maybe the crappy poverty units which I hunt in the central areas might be a bit more available but with today's tag demands, it won't be a game changer on odds IMO. I'd love to be wrong....

I don’t think you’ll be wrong.

It seems like the commission is just trying get the success ratio for muzzy back to historical levels. There's always going to be people pushing the range with any weapon. I just hope they've practiced at that range beforehand and acquired the skills to make a long range shot.

Oh yeah????? What do you got for metaphorical trade?

I did pass on an old Win 1897 in .30-40 a while back that had a Lyman 21 on it.....still kicking myself.

“Where this has a bunch of people scratching their head is in the NM units that are strictly archery and ML elk. In the same meeting (actually minutes before introducing the ban) the NMDGF said the herds in those units were on the rise”

To me that is where this change can really shine. They should be able to substantially increase tags in those units.

That is a possibility and could be a good thing, but you factor in E-Plus and then does it become a crowding issue? One of the units has ~200 unit wide authorizations.

I'm all for their decision, MZL seasons were originally set up as primitive seasons to use the weapons our forefathers used to harvest game. As far as I'm concerned it could go back to patched round balls also. A modern MZL rifle is not very far different than if I pushed the bullet down the barrel of a Ruger #1.

I hear the statement that the modern MLZ is a progression in the advancement of the MZL rifle, we did that 150 yrs ago it is called the Centerfire rifle. The modern compound bow is actual a progression of the equipment. I started bow hunting with a long bow in the 1950's and actually saw the introduction of mass-produced recurves and then compounds, I do feel that crossbows being allowed in archery seasons is not right as they are far closer to a rifle than a handheld bow.

Like I’ve said, I think the ban will have some positive affects, but comments like this have me scratching my head. It makes no sense to me how people can gloss over the advancements in center fire and archery equipment in the conversation but want ML’s to be what they were 50 years ago.

It is a good conversation.

Sounds like a good idea. It will be interesting if success rates decrease.

It can be difficult to regulate technological advancements but if you're like me and think that getting to go hunting is more important than shooting something then these regulations make sense.