Does Ontario Need A Primitive Muzzleloader Season?

My area is bow only with no controlled hunt.. Would like to see them implement a muzzle loader hunt. I don't own one.. But I would buy one..

I don't get this, for the purposes of safety a gun is a gun is a gun, if it is an in-line muzzle loader or a flint lock it does not matter at all.

With a primitive season for a tiny little portion of the hunting population it does not make sense.
The idea behind the shotgun hunt was a reduced range firearm with less shots then rifle season, the muzzle loader is a similar situation. At this point the reduced range cannot even really be considered because sabot rounds in both are deadly well beyond any hunting range.

If you were to bring in a primitive season would you restrict it to iron sights only with flint lock and round ball? It just seems odd to me.

I would love to see rifles be allowed during controlled hunts with a limited magazine capacity (say 3 rounds like a shotgun) but only in pistol cartridges, bring back the 44-40, 45 LC and 44 Mag for deer hunting, maybe the 357 Mag as well, but I do not think that we should isolate this group from any other.

You can hunt with a flinter during the muzzle loader season, you can also use it during the general gun season. Depending on the area of southern Ontario that gives you 3 weeks to hunt with your flint lock.

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Originally Posted by huntaway

Most area's that have a muzzle loader season do so because they do not allow centre fire rifles. The controlled hunts are like that but they also include shotguns. If I recall there is an early ML'er season way up North and West for moose. Westmeath area has a ML'er season for deer but they are few and far between.

HA

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I think Westmeath is in 59 which has a ML specific season in early Dec. There are actually quite few wmus that do. Bows are also allowed during ML seasons.

37, 60, 61, 62, 63A, 63B, 64A, 64B, 65, 66A, 67, 68A, 68B, 69B, 71, 72A, 73, 74A, 74B, 75

82A, 82B, 83A, 84

59 is unique in that it is the only wmu to allow dogs with MLs during a late season.

There are also a few wmus that have an early ML season (5,6,7,8,9,11,18 - maybe a few more).

There's already a designated M/L season for Deer in most southern WMU's,usually the first week of December,but,archery is included with it. Blaze orange is required,also,for every licensed hunter during that week,except for waterfowlers. This system is fair and seems to work well. There would be no justification to change it.

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Originally Posted by huntaway

Last I checked deer didn't hide in tree tops.

Do like the bear. On the ground orange on. In a tree orange off. And bear see colour unlike deer.

Flintlocks are pretty limited in range as well. 50 yds is a long shot with them. I have shot them out to 100 but only off a very solid rest. Even then I was only capable of pie plate accuracy. My personal restriction is 50-75 yds with 50 being preferable and 75 off a good rest. As a hunting tool, a roundball runs out of steam pretty quickly which also reduces it's effective range.


HA

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Well last I checked not all bow hunters sit in a tree.
I wouldn't change a thing in my WMU we hunt with bows early season, first week in Nov is a controlled shotgun/muzzeloader, we go back to bows until first week of Dec, hang them up for a week and go back for the late season.
As was said above it would only benefit a small %
Did not know flintlocks had a short range but still wouldn't welcome it during bow season

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Originally Posted by crayfish

Well last I checked not all bow hunters sit in a tree.
I wouldn't change a thing in my WMU we hunt with bows early season, first week in Nov is a controlled shotgun/muzzeloader, we go back to bows until first week of Dec, hang them up for a week and go back for the late season.
As was said above it would only benefit a small %
Did not know flintlocks had a short range but still wouldn't welcome it during bow season

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Agree with "not all bow hunters sit in a tree" - particularly in the late season cold weather where a ground blind keeps you out of the wind.

In all honesty, I could care less but if they were to implement a Primitive Firearm Season in my WMU, I would take advantage of it. As it is, I will use my flinter during the Controlled Hunt in Southern ON and during the second week of the regular gun season. That is if I haven't used my tag during the Archery Season. :scream::moose:

The arguement of there would be too few who would use it is probably what they said when they brought in Archery Seasons many moons ago. :silly:

HA

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Originally Posted by huntaway

The arguement of there would be too few who would use it is probably what they said when they brought in Archery Seasons many moons ago. :silly:

HA

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can you provide a link to that thread?

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Originally Posted by werner.reiche

Agree with "not all bow hunters sit in a tree" - particularly in the late season cold weather where a ground blind keeps you out of the wind.

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Even when they do. A guy on the ground shooting squirrels with a shotgun or .22 would give any camo'ed up hunter a reason to worry. In a tree or on the ground no one wants bullets or shot coming their way.

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Originally Posted by B Wilson

can you provide a link to that thread?

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I did say probably. :thumbup:

The bottom line is if they never create the season, no one will be hunting during it. You can use the "If you build it. They will come." euphemism.

If they are frightened of squirrel hunter's the same can be said of camofluaged bow hunters shooting towards the ground where the squirrel hunters are.

All good hunters are aware of their surroundings. Of their target and what is beyond. But the unexpected can happen. So l have the perfect solution. We'll carve out two weeks of the three month archery season for those who wish to pursue deer using their flinlocks.

HA