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Does Your State have a Primitive Deer Season

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To the moderators, if this thread needs to be moved please do so. Hello to all, I live in Indiana. We have a muzzleloading deer season. This includes any muzzleloader from a matchlock to a $10K scoped inline. I'm going to petition our DNR to establish a primitive firearms deer season. A primitive firearm would be
any matchlock, flintlock or sidelock muzzleloader loaded with loose black powder or loose BP substitute with patched round ball only and open sights, including tang or peep sights. Rifled or smoothbore, but no inline of any type. I spoke with one of our deer biologist and he suggested I include any states that already have a primitive firearms season. Especially any state near Indiana in any direction but any state would be helpful. A internet search was disappointing with only Georgia coming up. I really believe there are more than one state with a primitive firearm deer season. So, I'm reaching out to the members of this forum to respond about your states' primitive deer season. Thanks in advance for response.
 
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Your restrictions described the rules for the Colorado muzzleloader season. No sabots allowed here either.

Edited to add: CO allows conicals that are not saboted. That probably has a lot to do with the fact that the same rules that apply to deer apply to elk, which are a lot bigger and tougher, and bears.
 
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True. I guess I tend to forget about that because I don't even think about inlines and all the other pieces are there.
 
Here in PA we have flintlock, and bow season for 3 weeks post Christmas. No in-lines or percussion or optics. A saved buck tag can be used for a doe or a buck.
We also have 1 week in mid October for any muzzle loader. Naturally flintlocks can be used in that season, but only doe are legal.
 
Kansas has a muzzleloading season, but not a primitive season. Basically anything goes as long as it loads from the front. There is a minimum caliber. I can't remember, but I think it is .45.
 
Alabama gives muzzleloaders the 5 days before gun season starts as a BP season. However anything(centerfire, muzzleoader .40cal. and over, plus archery and crossbows) goes in gun season which is 2.5 months long from the weekend before Thanksgiving until (this year)Feb. 10, 2020. 3 bucks and all the does you can find, but no more than one of each per day. :thumb: I usually use one of my flinters, but I did porch one early in the season with a centerfire.
 
Mzl. season, after archery, after rifle. After the rut. Bring your inline. It's a joke.
I wish we had a primitive season for muzzleloaders and recurve bows only up here in Maine.
In October, not December.
That is my wish also for CT. The archery season is far to long in my opinion, but I am sure that has to do with the small hunting areas.
 
Maryland has two muzzle loader seasons an early one sometime around the middle of Oct. and a late one the last part of Dec. alas anything goes if it loads from the muzzle. I am not sure about the cal. restrictions. My advice would be to ask for assistance from your local traditional muzzle loader clubs and perhaps organization's such as N.M.L.R.A.- N.R.A. or even a petition process from like minded hunters. I whish that the state would set aside a week for weapons as you described them. As to the archery part it is a very long season some time from the middle of Sept. through the end of the year. But being a greedy state and run by people who do not know the first thing about hunting, in my opinion it is a money thing. A purely primitive season would be nice but as stated follow the money and you will understand the process. Good luck on your quest I think you will be beating a dead horse.
 
North Carolina has a Muzzleloader season by zone or district, generally East, Central and West - each having its own "season" or not. The rules for hunting implements is as follows:
During the blackpowder deer season, the only lawful firearms are blackpowder shotguns, rifles and handguns. The Commission defines a blackpowder firearm as any firearm – including any firearm with a matchlock, flintlock, percussion cap, or similar type of ignition system – manufactured in or before 1898, that cannot use fixed ammunition; any replica of this type of firearm if such replica is not designed or redesigned for using rimfire or conventional centerfire fixed ammunition; and any muzzle-loading rifle, muzzle-loading shotgun, or muzzle-loading or cylinder-loading handgun that is designed to use blackpowder, blackpowder substitute, or any other propellant loaded through the muzzle or cylinder and that cannot use fixed ammunition.

In Texas, Muzzleloader season is not Statewide but by County. The definition of hunting implements are the same as N.C.'s rules. Texas specifically says a BP Revolver is not a "muzzleloader" for hunting purposes.
 
I've lived in Georgia, Virginia and now in Maine. All have a muzzleloading season separate from the regular season.
 
Kansas is projectile of .400”. So technically a .40 prb wouldn’t be legal. The other factor is it in September, so it is hot and buggy. I have talked with Division of Wildlife to enact a primitive muzzleloader season in November. they ignored me.
 
As Zion mentioned, Kansas season is the middle part of September. It is often in the upper 80s or more during the day. Many years grain crops are still in the fields and the deer are hanging near the edges and not where one would see them later in the season. They are generally on private property and not in the public hunting areas. This can make it difficult if you aren't in good stead with a farmer or land owner.
 
PA is the only state with an only Flintlock season.
WV just had their new Traditional season, side hammer and long bows.
Many southern states have a Primitive season allowing straight wall cartridges - go figure!
I’d suggest a special hunt (3 days?) with open sights only - ML, Pistol & Bow: man is limited my sight..
 
ppg, good luck with your endeavor, and I mean it. As a fellow Hoosier, let me know if I can sign a petition or help otherwise.

I'd love to see a truly primitive muzzleloader season. Ideally the week previous to the firearm season!

Best regards, Skychief.
 
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