There is a possibility that there will be a muzzleloader season in Alberta during the last two weeks of the archery season (last two weeks of Oct. in most areas)

In other provinces where there is a muzzleloader season (where regular center-fire rifles cannot be used) do you think it is a good idea or has it caused some problems?

Excellent idea - ours was a primitive weapons hunt for moose, which also allowed bows, spears, etc.
The regulatory mistake was not making it side hammer, patched round ball only with open sights.
We lost the moose season due to poor moose killing ability of TC maxiballs which a lot of new shooters were using back then - they don't travel in a straight line inside a moose as well as people showing up in the area with scope-sighted bolt action inlines with plastic stocks & stainless barrels - game branch felt these modern guns did not meet the 'Primitive Aspect' of the hunt.

Our current primitive weapons hunt for deer is very successful - side hammer only, patched round ball.

I'd be all in favour of it but as a privitive season. That's side hammer, flintlock, etc. and PRB. Anything else will be extremely detrimental to the existing stakeholders. The same ones who fought for the season extensions over 40 years ago at a time when technology wasn't king.

the chef

Duffy - a ML season only causes problems or developes problems if the rules are not laid out properly.

Is this to be a primitive season? ie; to shoot alongside bows, or is it an 'extra' modern season, in which bolt actioned rifles that load from the muzzle can be used? In that line of thinking, you can load a .45/70 from the muzzle - very easily. If you are not in possession of fixed ammo, only having loose bullets and powder, with primed cases, the courts can not convict you. That rifle is now no different and in fact usually more primitive than an inline bolt actioned rifle. At least, it might be a single shot!- HA! - so- rules must be laid out.

Another problem that can happen is not closing the season or area to any modern gun during the ML/Archery season. The areas must be restricted to the type of weapon the season is set up for. By this, I mean that wolf or coyote hunters not be allowed to pack modern CF rifles in that area during the season. This also happened to us, as wolf season was open in our primitive moose hutning area, so one guy in the truck going in had an '06 for wolves, while the other had a ML for moose. That causes problems. The entire area must be closed so that only ML's can be used and the type of ML must be specified, ie; primitive or modern or both. What is the flavour of the hunt.

I would think you mean the last couple weeks in September. Here in northern Alberta Archery season starts Aug.25 and goes till Aug.31 inthe "GREEN ZONES" and till around September 16 - then Rifle season opens.

I'm with calgarychef..Primitive Muzzleloader only during the last part of archery season. I'm for a Muzzle Loader season but maybe make it couple weeks in early December.

The proposal I heard F&W was looking at (not in stone) was the last two weeks of the archery season. And like i said in most of Alberta WMUs that would mean the last two weeks of OCT.

And there was no restriction of the type of muzzleloader or projectiles or sights.

The "top end" of long range centre fire rifle hunters claim they shoot game at 5,6,7 hundred yards. The average rifle hunter does not do so.

The "top end long range" muzzleloader shooters talk about 2 and 3 hundred yard shots. The average muzzleloader hunter does not.

For the average muzzleloader guy, a smoke pole is a single shot rifle that loads from the front and has a somewhat limited range.

The majority of deer are not shot at long range(2/300 yds+)
Why let people use a modern rifle(scoped inline) before rifle season?
I have a flintlock and my limit would be a little over 100 yds.
I love my flintlock, but if a new season is only defined as "muzzle loading", then I don't like the idea.

"Primitive" can be a dubious term.

There are patents for inline black powder systens dating way back.

Modern powder substitutes are definately a plus and black powder (rated as an explosive in many places) is getting harder to find, transport etc.

Ineffecient projectiles are a big target for the anti's.

And there is always the question about using; a GPS, SUV, ATV, Gortex, Thinsulate, Scentlok, Lazer range finders, Trail Cam's, etc. and calling it primitive!

As a bowhunter, and a primitive muzzle loader hunter, I just see it as stealing 2 weeks from bowhunters.

quote:

Originally posted by duffy4:
There is a possibility that there will be a muzzleloader season in Alberta during the last two weeks of the archery season (last two weeks of Oct. in most areas)

In other provinces where there is a muzzleloader season (where regular center-fire rifles cannot be used) do you think it is a good idea or has it caused some problems?

You've been in Australia too long, Robin. There is a general Archery season, that precedes most of the Rifle seasons. If you were to generalize this rule, you would have a muzzle loader, elk season, in the 400 units, the first two weeks in Sept., which would probably result in a greater mortality, than the Archery season, the effect of which is judged to be negligible. So, the question becomes, should this be a general season, or based on a draw and will it be reducing the already limited opportunities for rifle hunters?
Grizz

Grizz

Here is the direct quote from what F&W presented to AG&GA and some other groups at a meeting re; wildlife management and "proposed changes" to seasons etc.

Fish and Wildlife is consulting stakeholder regarding the creation of muzzle loader seasons which would precede November rifle seasons.

I believe that in most of the province the rifle season begins Nov. 1. So two weeks preceding that would be the last two weeks of Oct. and would include part of the archery season.

In other areas where the rifle season opens earlier, I have no idea what if any dates a muzzleloader season would be.