New Mexico legal muzzleloader

[txhunter58]

I still find it hard to believe. Sometimes you ask someone different, you get a diff answer. I sent them this:

“Is an iron rear peep sight legal? They may not be an “open sight” but they are certainly iron (or aluminum) sights”

Will see if I get the same answer. Hope not! It also clouds the issue when you add in “restrictive” muzzleloader seasons.

 

[ElDiablo]

Howard Pippin​	Wed, Dec 28, 2:03 PM (2 days ago)
to ispa

Are peep sights legal for muzzleloader rifles?
Thank you,

I’m not seeing their reply here Squint. Am I missing something?

 

[Squint]

I’m not seeing their reply here Squint. Am I missing something?

If you scroll down, it's there. You need to expand it.
Squint

 

[ElDiablo]

Yeah, still not seeing anything other than your question….

 

[Squint]

Yeah, still not seeing anything other than your question….

Here again is my question.

Are peep sights legal for muzzleloader rifles?
Thank you,

 

[Squint]

Yeah, still not seeing anything other than your question….

ISPA, DGF <[email protected]>​	Wed, Dec 28, 3:21 PM (3 days ago)
to me

Hello Howard,

No-all other optical sights are prohibited.
Open Sights ONLY for Muzzleloaders Only iron sights are allowed on muzzle-loading rifles when used during a muzzleloader hunt (Hunt Codes: XXX-3-XXX). Scopes, red dots and all other optical sights are prohibited.


New Mexico Game and Fish
1 Wildlife Way
Santa Fe, NM 87507
Phone: 888-248-6866 or 505-476-8000
Email: [email protected]



From: Howard Pippi
Sent: Wednesday, December 28, 2022 2:03 PM
To: ISPA, DGF <[email protected]>
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Peep sights

CAUTION: This email originated outside of our organization. Exercise caution prior to clicking on links or opening attachments.
Are peep sights legal for muzzleloader rifles?
Thank you,
Howard Pippin
Saco, MT.

 

[Greg_E]

So optical, which means lenses, are prohibited. You'll need to decide if it is worth arguing after the fact, but seems like an easy victory.

 

[ElDiablo]

Obviously whoever answered the question doesn’t understand what a peep sight is. I just talked to a warden in NM and he said peeps are legal.

 

[txhunter58]

Good afternoon,
Yes peep sights are legal for muzzleloader hunts.
Best regards .

Larry Garcia
New Mexico Department of Game & Fish
One Wildlife Way
Santa Fe NM 87504
1-888-248-6866
[email protected]

Squints guy misunderstood the question.

 

[Kalalau]

Good afternoon,
Yes peep sights are legal for muzzleloader hunts.
Best regards .

Larry Garcia
New Mexico Department of Game & Fish
One Wildlife Way
Santa Fe NM 87504
1-888-248-6866
[email protected]

Squints guy misunderstood the question.

Thank you!

 

[txhunter58]

Here is another question to be answered:

Are fiberoptic “open sights” legal?. The wording does not exclude them and doesn’t mention them in the prohibited equipment. I use a rear peep and a front fiberoptic post.

So I assume it’s legal but wonder if anyone knows for sure. I also sent game and fish another email asking that question.

 

[txhunter58]

Yes fiber optic open sights are legal.

Larry Garcia
New Mexico Department of Game & Fish
One Wildlife Way
Santa Fe NM 87504
1-888-248-6866
[email protected]

 

[CatHeadBiscuit]

i need a scope to shoot humanely and use a 1x red dot on a TC Hawken like .50 caliber percusion side lock. If a rule popped in BAMA of no scopes on muzzle loader hunts my early season days would be over. But I do understand the reasoning behind a more traditional approach. Maybe limit scopes to those Malcolm style ones or 2x max.

 

[txhunter58]

You need a scope to shoot humanely at 30 yards?

I personally wish they had allowed the use of a 1X scope.

 

[CatHeadBiscuit]

You need a scope to shoot humanely at 30 yards?

I personally wish they had allowed the use of a 1X scope.

I need a scope because I can’t see the sites and the deer at the same time. Either I can see the deer and the front site with glasses or I can see the rear site and all else is a blur with the bifocal. 30 yds isn’t where most of my shots are going out to. More like 70 to 85 from 3/4’s up a hillside across a valley to the opposite side about 20 feet below my level. With the 1x I can focus the dot and the animal at the same time and drill the lungs or heart. I can see to 150 yds but wait to fire till much closer to avoid branch strikes. It’s pretty thick with oaks.

 

[CatHeadBiscuit]

Fo

I need a scope because I can’t see the sites and the deer at the same time. Either I can see the deer and the front site with glasses or I can see the rear site and all else is a blur with the bifocal. 30 yds isn’t where most of my shots are going out to. More like 70 to 85 from 3/4’s up a hillside across a valley to the opposite side about 20 feet below my level. With the 1x I can focus the dot and the animal at the same time and drill the lungs or heart. I can see to 150 yds but wait to fire till much closer to avoid branch strikes. It’s pretty thick with oaks.

Forgot to mention. The 100 acres borders the city limits and behind me is a 300 ish housing development inside the city. And 600+ acres down range nobody has permission to hunt on. There’s about 250 yds of land in front I am allowed to hunt. The goal is to always have dirt behind the target deer so there’s no issues with hitting rich boy’s house 700 yds or so away and off to the left behind a hill top. The suburban deer have a well worn and leaf blown by me path. It runs from the big property to the suburban neighborhood where they love to feed bambi with feeders. That is until they get so many does out there that the hostas get chewed up too. Then they stop feeding but those does just keep coming especially in winter.

 

[txhunter58]

At 65, my eyes won’t focus on both either. I had to go to 1X reading glasses. They allow me to see the front sight clearly. Animal is a little blurry but not so much I dont know where to shoot. I can shoot that way accurately out to 100 yards.

If shots are 75-80 and you end up not being able to shoot that far, you can just get closer. Especially in thick cover.

Just trying to make the point that there are still alternatives if they ever take away scopes. If that means you have to get closer, so be it.

 

[txhunter58]

From 75 yards using 1X reading glasses.

 

[CatHeadBiscuit]

At 65, my eyes won’t focus on both either. I had to go to 1X reading glasses. They allow me to see the front sight clearly. Animal is a little blurry but not so much I dont know where to shoot. I can shoot that way accurately out to 100 yards.

If shots are 75-80 and you end up not being able to shoot that far, you can just get closer. Especially in thick cover.

Just trying to make the point that there are still alternatives if they ever take away scopes. If that means you have to get closer, so be it.

My eyes aren’t that good. I’ll probably go to just hunting with a scoped 20ga slug gun during gun season if scopes are dropped for muzzle loaders here. Patched round balls that often don’t pass through is risky enough. Having a deer flopping around and bleeding out on the back porch of somebody’s uber dollar McMansion just as the sun comes up or goes down won’t help retain the good graces of this landowner. I want that deer down inside 50 yds if at all possible. If there’s any issue with safety or shot obstructions I’m not squeezing one off until it’s a good shoot. We gun deer hunt here from Thanksgiving to February 10th. Bow season starts October 15th and runs the entire time. There’s plenty of time to wait for another chance. It’s a major hobby with permission hard to come by and public land gun hunts a sea of orange tree ornaments. The way I was taught to hunt was to make clean shots safe from down range issues. We don’t stalk hunt so much as set up ambushes. If you are moving down here you aren’t seeing deer.

 

[txhunter58]

There is probably no chance your state will change the regs. So I think you are good. It’s us that hunt places like Colorado and NM where open sights is the only choice where we have to figure out something else. Wrote those thoughts as much for those who hunt those states as you. Good hunting.