Alabama, special flintlock season, any supporters

[54ball]

Hello,
Here in Alabama we have one of the most liberal bag limits in the nation. October 15 begins the archery season for deer followed by BP season on November 14 and finally the general centerfire season on Nov.19. The deer season ends on Jan. 31. Durring the gun seasons you can harvest a buck and a doe a day in some counties. The special blackpowder season runs five days. Basicly it is an unlimited muzzleloaing season. Any Muzzleloading arm is allowed. Any type of sight is allowed including scopes as long as they dont emit light aka laser sights and night vision. Red dot scopes are allowed. I am very happy about our muzzleloading season but the purists like myself would like to see a primitive pre 1800 season.
I am thinking about pettitioning the state for a three day flintlock season or should I say pre 1800 igniton season so the three guys with matchlocks can hunt too. :kid: I think a flintlock-matchlock two or three day season may become a reality with some support. The hardest sell I see would be allowing primitive clothing with no hunter orange. These are the points I see to allow us not wear orange. A Flintlock-matchlock shooters are advacned students of muzzleloading arms. B Flintlock and matchlock guns take some expertise to master and shoot well, anyone who invests in these weapons knows their power and limitations and would tend to be safer than say a guy that bouht the 49.99 inline and headed to the woods. C Durring the primitive season fewer hunters would be in the woods. I do not want the primitve season to be taken out of the present muzzleloading season but added to the begining, say the Friday Saturday and Sunday before the muzzleloading season starts. Do any of you have any ideas or recomendations? How do you feel about a primitive season of our own? Please share your comments.

 

[WSmitty01]

With that early season you will propably see quite a few of those 49.99 in-line shooters looking for a 49.99 flinter.

 

[Bald Baron]

54 Ball, I agree. The problem is the archers, they feel they loss pure archery days to muzzle loaders. I would like to see a pure traditional season, no training wheels on bows and no in-lines.

 

[roundball]

Hello,
Here in Alabama we have one of the most liberal bag limits in the nation. October 15 begins the archery season for deer followed by BP season on November 14 and finally the general centerfire season on Nov.19. The deer season ends on Jan. 31. Durring the gun seasons you can harvest a buck and a doe a day in some counties. The special blackpowder season runs five days. Basicly it is an unlimited muzzleloaing season. Any Muzzleloading arm is allowed. Any type of sight is allowed including scopes as long as they dont emit light aka laser sights and night vision. Red dot scopes are allowed. I am very happy about our muzzleloading season but the purists like myself would like to see a primitive pre 1800 season.
I am thinking about pettitioning the state for a three day flintlock season or should I say pre 1800 igniton season so the three guys with matchlocks can hunt too. :kid: I think a flintlock-matchlock two or three day season may become a reality with some support. The hardest sell I see would be allowing primitive clothing with no hunter orange. These are the points I see to allow us not wear orange. A Flintlock-matchlock shooters are advacned students of muzzleloading arms. B Flintlock and matchlock guns take some expertise to master and shoot well, anyone who invests in these weapons knows their power and limitations and would tend to be safer than say a guy that bouht the 49.99 inline and headed to the woods. C Durring the primitive season fewer hunters would be in the woods. I do not want the primitve season to be taken out of the present muzzleloading season but added to the begining, say the Friday Saturday and Sunday before the muzzleloading season starts. Do any of you have any ideas or recomendations? How do you feel about a primitive season of our own? Please share your comments.

With such a long season, and extremely, extremely generous daily bag limits, the place must be overrun with deer.
And considering the relative population densities, isn't there a strong probability for traditionalist/purists to hunt like they want right now and probably not even see another hunter?
::

 

[arcticap]

The hardest sell I see would be allowing primitive clothing with no hunter orange.

:agree:

 

[Old Charlie]

With such a long season, and extremely, extremely generous daily bag limits, the place must be overrun with deer.

Round ball we do have a severe over deer population. Which is the reason in most areas of the state the deer are small. They kept the bucks only rule to many years. Now they are having a hard time getting the herd down to the size it should be.
Old Charlie

 

[roundball]

They kept the bucks only rule to many years. Now they are having a hard time getting the herd down to the size it should be.

I wonder if all those hunting days and bag limits are really effective in bringing down the herd size...the reason I ask is because here in North Carolina, we get 6 tags...4 bucks + 2 does where I hunt...but the average hunter rarely ever fills all 6 tags...and if he did, I'm not sure what anybody would do with 6 deer a year even if they loved vension.

For the last several years I been giving all mine away to needy families out in the country where I hunt, but even at that, every now and then I have to put a little work into finding someone who'll take one.

So that makes me wonder if in spite of the generous bag limits there, is it really getting the job done...does the average deer hunter kill dozens of deer, and if so, what in the world do they do with them all.

From a pure herd thinning perspective, I wonder if a special January "depredation month" or something might have an effect by taking out pregnant does...a deer shooting event only...leave them laying where they fell...might appeal to some hunters.

I used some depredation permits for a farmer a few years ago and the rules were, does only and leave them laying where they fell...shot 20 does each year, two years in a row...it was like conducting a .30-06 clinic.

 

[peashooterJoe]

I hunt year round with tradional muzzleloaders(rifles,shotguns) here in the Alabama blackbelt. I would love to see a Flintlock only in Feburary. I'm just thankful we finally got a Thunderstick season. Some of the pellet guys have bought real guns since last year. I convinced them I could clean up faster less trouble. They are not purist but will work on them...

 

[Old Charlie]

I hunt year round with tradional muzzle loaders also in Alabama. I am in the central part of the state. Every one I know that hunts with muzzle loaders use in-line. Then only for the extra week of hunting. They for the most part think am nuts to shoot these side locks in the regular season.
Old Charlie

 

[54ball]

Yes we have a strong population of deer. It is to the piont of being over run with them. You even see them now in suburban areas. I hit one the night before last :cry: a spotted fawn. I tried to miss im
I hunt on leased land. So I can hunt pretty much unbothered with whatever I want.
The reason I suggested the special season is, I want to see a renewed interest in traditional weapons. I want to see local outlets carry black powder. I miss seing walnut stocked TC rifles at the sporting good stores. I want the younger folks to be introduced to the traditional aspect of this sport.
After a lot of thought I think a simple sidelock only, no scopes,loose powder one day hunt on Feb.1st would be enough to foster renewed interest in traditional muzzleloaders. When I say sidelocks I mean percussion also. :blue: :grey: :front: :thumbsup:

 

[Blkpowder]

Its sounds like a good plan to me.I come down to Opp Alabama twice a year.I would love to see a flint or side lock only hunt for the old style BP hunters.Wish I could meat up with some of you folks in Alabama central part.I should be back down around christmas.Would be glad to meet some new fellow hunters. [email protected]
Larry :agree:
:front:

 

[riverrat43]

I live in South Alabama and for the past 3 years have hunted exclusivley with traditional Bp Rifles. I'd love to see a traditioanl season only. I have heard that up north in the Wheeler refuge they have a flintlock only rule and a traditional bow only rule. Might be a nice place to visit sometime.

 

[cptleo1]

I just got back from a 5 day hunt near Pineapple AL.

Never heard a shot or saw another hunter

I harvested two deer.

In talking with the locals they favored a primative ML season for the first week in FEB.

Let me know if I can help.

 

[Birddog6]

Personally, I wish they would kill the ML deer season entirely. That way all the inliners will go back to their HP rifles & leave the ML hunting to those who are really there because they love to hunt & shoot real ML's, not imitations......

You start a Flintlock season, as half of the Inliners will be there now with flintlocks & wanting to shoot 250 yards with a flintlock RB rifle...

The inline industry has taken advantage of the ML deer season, simply because of the wording of it, as they know good & well know it was meant for primitive traditional weapons....... They would find a way to screw up a new Flintlock season also......

 

[chickenlittle]

Just like in PA, the local stores will be selling the Traditions Deerhunter Flintlock Redi-pack for under $200 so any guy can buy one the night before the opener and try to hunt with it. Of course, this happens for any season since some people will buy a centerfire rifle right before the season and go out hunting with it.

And then there are other guns that "purists" won't like such as the RMC Accusporter, TC Firestorm, and Traditions PA Pellet. These things have options like laminate or composite stocks, fast rifling twists, stainless steel or nickel plated steel barrels, and even removable breech plugs so guys who have only shot an in-line will be able to figure out how to clean them. Oh, the horror!

The way I see it, the more people that try flintlocks, the better off we all are. For most hunters, that will never happen unless they have to use a flintlock for a special hunting season. Some of those guys will get more into ML than they ever expected and start wondering which cartridge guns to sell to buy one of BD6's rifles.

And you guys that moan about not being able to find real BP nearby would see that change. Try getting a flintlock to fire with Pyrodex or 777.

 

[bigbang1]

great idea. I just hunted in ala from the 14th to the 19th. I used my percussion as my flint was being repaired. got two deer, one was a 9 pt other a doe. since ala has such an abundance of deer they might go for it, but I dought they would ever let us go without hunter orange