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Joined
Feb 18, 2022
Messages
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Location
Vermont
Our muzzleloader hunting regulations specify:
A person hunting deer in a muzzleloader deer season shall not possess any firearms other than one single-barreled muzzleloading firearm, and shall not possess or substitute any archery equipment or crossbow while hunting deer under a muzzleloader deer hunting license.
Ok, so I guess my question is .........why are we not able to carry a ML long gun and one ML single shot pistol??? I'm sure historically (I'm guessing) that hunters would have been carrying at least that if not a couple of pistols. And would it not make sense to have a quick follow up shot so an animal wouldn't have to suffer while your reloading ,IF it wasn't a clean shot?? What am I missing, or am I just out of my mind?!?!?!
 
We had a nice discussion about this a while back.
General consensus, incl mine, was you should give the animal time to lie down and bleed out before going after it. Or drop dead right there.
And that gives you plenty of time to reload.

That said, I think it's nuts that you can't carry two single shot ML's.
 
We had a nice discussion about this a while back.
General consensus, incl mine, was you should give the animal time to lie down and bleed out before going after it. Or drop dead right there.
And that gives you plenty of time to reload.

That said, I think it's nuts that you can't carry two single shot ML's.
Right, thats my whole point, why the limitation? For what valid reason? If there is a valid reason that makes sense ,then I would understand.I'm just trying to understand why that would be.......
 
We had a nice discussion about this a while back.
General consensus, incl mine, was you should give the animal time to lie down and bleed out before going after it. Or drop dead right there.
And that gives you plenty of time to reload.

That said, I think it's nuts that you can't carry two single shot ML's.
And I agree about giving the animal time:thumb:
 
Right, thats my whole point, why the limitation? For what valid reason? If there is a valid reason that makes sense ,then I would understand.I'm just trying to understand why that would be.......

Give 'em a call. Ask them.
I've called my game commission a couple times so they could explain something to me.
 
Right, thats my whole point, why the limitation? For what valid reason? If there is a valid reason that makes sense ,then I would understand.I'm just trying to understand why that would be.......
Game Commissions probably don't like the general idea of someone "hunting with a pistol", which technically it would be, in a sense. Legal issue.
 
Game Commissions probably don't like the general idea of someone "hunting with a pistol", which technically it would be, in a sense. Legal issue.
But you CAN hunt with a single shot ML pistol !! It doesn't say it has to be a long gun. It just says : other than one single-barreled muzzleloading firearm. Doesn't specify rifle or pistol. It does specify single projectile so no shot but thats it......
 
But you CAN hunt with a single shot ML pistol !! It doesn't say it has to be a long gun. It just says : other than one single-barreled muzzleloading firearm. Doesn't specify rifle or pistol. It does specify single projectile so no shot but thats it......
So if you CAN hunt with a rifle and you CAN hunt with a pistol then why not be able to carry one of each is all I need to ask them I guess.
 
Our muzzleloader hunting regulations specify:
A person hunting deer in a muzzleloader deer season shall not possess any firearms other than one single-barreled muzzleloading firearm, and shall not possess or substitute any archery equipment or crossbow while hunting deer under a muzzleloader deer hunting license.
Ok, so I guess my question is .........why are we not able to carry a ML long gun and one ML single shot pistol??? I'm sure historically (I'm guessing) that hunters would have been carrying at least that if not a couple of pistols. And would it not make sense to have a quick follow up shot so an animal wouldn't have to suffer while your reloading ,IF it wasn't a clean shot?? What am I missing, or am I just out of my mind?!?!?!
How many guns should a deer hunter be able to carry into the woods?

1?
2?
7?

Limiting it to one solves those problems.
 
When our muzzleloader season started it was 5 days during midweek, bucks only and a legal buck had to have a 6” antler. We’ve come a long way since then.
Our muzzleloader season was created in the legislature and a lot of things were done at the last minute to try and kill it, that’s where the 6” antler thing came from. It was initially very restrictive because there was a lot of opposition. Many things have since been changed.
You can petition the F&W Board to change the one gun thing although my gut feeling is that they won’t do it.
 
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I have always assumed such law are to prevent a quick second shot. To force tge hunter to be one shot one kill
Bob has a single barrel, Jack a double, Jack has a seeming advantage. Pete with a pistol in his belt is half way between jacks and Bob.
Why isn’t a good question to ask the government as they have zero concept of facts or logic
 
You know, I love hunting with a muzzleloader. However, you had better reload after that deer is down. Here in the Rockies as in Vermont, you have bears and mtn. lions. You better have something to put that down if it decides it wants that deer, or you.
I will have to recheck the regs., but I think you can carry a modern pistol for protection in Arkansas during the muzzleloading season.
 

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