Question on Smokeless Regs

[nate121080]

Unfortunately I live in the great state of Va where smokeless powder is illegal. Since 2006 is an even year when State reviews the regulations I was wondering if anyone has heard that they will change this? Also it states that it is illegal under the deer hunting regs. Was wondering if you could tote it during the late muzzleloader season when turkey season is open? I asked a Game Warden here that I also know personnaly year before last before it was written into the regs about using it. Of course he didn't really know either but said he wasn't going to look down the barrel to see what people are shooting. Just wonder if this is going to be like the sabot thing. They use to be illegal yet people were still using them and then they become legal. I'd like to have one just to tinker with but would also like to hunt with it some to. Do you think I should just wait and see if they change the regs or go ahead and buy and go about my merry way? Randy, I know you have written about to the state and would like to know your opinion as well.

Nathan

 

[RWBinMD]

Unfortunately I live in the great state of Va where smokeless powder is illegal. Since 2006 is an even year when State reviews the regulations I was wondering if anyone has heard that they will change this? Also it states that it is illegal under the deer hunting regs. Was wondering if you could tote it during the late muzzleloader season when turkey season is open? I asked a Game Warden here that I also know personnaly year before last before it was written into the regs about using it. Of course he didn't really know either but said he wasn't going to look down the barrel to see what people are shooting. Just wonder if this is going to be like the sabot thing. They use to be illegal yet people were still using them and then they become legal. I'd like to have one just to tinker with but would also like to hunt with it some to. Do you think I should just wait and see if they change the regs or go ahead and buy and go about my merry way? Randy, I know you have written about to the state and would like to know your opinion as well.

Nathan

Yes it should be changed this year I hope.

http://modernmuzzleloader.com/phpBB/vie ... egulations

 

[campgutter]

Smokeless - illegal!

Nate,

I too am kinda wondering if the smokeless debate will come up this year here in Michigan. I live here with the hope that all hunters with muzzleloaders will stand up and be heard. I think that a muzzleloader is just that - you have one shot that is loaded by putting a propellant (of whatever form) down the muzzle-end of the barrel and then pack a bullet on top of it.

With the Savage, it is a quicker more humane kill; and, I get to see the animal react. I think there's a lot of game that dies in woods somewhere, but the shooter of traditional "smoke" powder can't see the reaction of the animal, let alone the direction it ran in. If someone is hunting over a bait pile that is literally trampled with tracks, how do they know which way a deer or pig even ran?!

Can anyone give me some insight in when Michigan will allow me to kill animals quicker and cleaner? I mean, come on, all I'm trying to do is lower everyone's car insurance rates with a little population control!

Campgutter

 

[grnhornet]

If one figures the percentage of smokeless muzzleloaders that are being used to the total numbers in use. The impact to the deer take is not significant. Once they let the black powder subs in, and sabots, the ethics and arguments went out the door!
My 2 cents worth...
Dave

 

[Ethang]

the MI question has come up before. I heard from a CO that smokeless is legal in the rifle zone during regular firearms. Not legal in the shotgun zone OR during ML season. Merril is in the rifle zone isn't it?

 

[oldsnow]

I am not saying that you couldn't be arrested for using smokeless in a state that won't allow smokeless. But I have never heard of any one arrested for doing it.
Have you?
Here in Delaware smokeless is outlawed but a lot of people use it in there MZ's. It is rumored that Fish & Wild Life officers use it and that is why they don't bother to ask what you have down your barrel.

 

[nate121080]

OLDSNOW I agree. I don't really see what the fuss is over. You still load from the muzzle and only have 1 shot. You might be able to get a little more velocity but the deer want notice it. My 50 cal gonic pushing a 495 no excuse bullet isn't fast but it sure has alot of knock down, alot more than the smokeless guns so why isn't it illegal. I believe our law makers just like making laws with no evidence to support their decision. This country is great but could be alot better if people would just use some common sense instead of people with a harvard degree that are book smart but dumb as a brick when it comes to common sense. Thats just my 2 cents. I believe I'm going to go ahead and get me a NULA. Like the Game Warden told me, "I'm not going to look down your barrel to see what you are shooting"

 

[oldsnow]

Click on the this news letter below and read who told the state of Delaware that it was not safe to shoot smokeless in a muzzle loader.
I agree that smokeless should only be used in ML's that are built for smokeless. This is latter was posted about the Savage came out with their ML II. I think they were afraid of a little competition

http://www.dnrec.state.de.us/dnrec2000/ ... keless.htm

 

[nate121080]

So they made it illegal to avoid confusion. See what I mean about common sense. If you have a muzzleloader and it states blackpowder or pyrodex only guess what? You cant use smokeless!!!!! I figured thats why they made it illegal but if they never made a law about it then their wouldnt be any confusion either. Now if they wrote smokeless is legal then there might be some stupid people out there that mght get the wrong idea. I just dont get it. Like why were sabots once illegal, why does colorado not allow bullets twice the diameter of the caliber or scopes. Do they want people shooting at elk with an open sighted bb gun? You would think that as broke as most states DGIF's are that they would allow it to bring in more money. I have wondered, espcially here in VA, whose side the DGIf is on. They do nothing here for land management except in the eastern part of the state. This area use to be full of quail but now you might see a covey every 2 or 3 years. They do give the Wardens nice vehicles to drive around in though. I've never been checked in my 18 years of hunting. The wardens are too lazy to get out of the vehicles anymore. Theres more poaching now than ever before. I dont want to seem like I'm ungrateful. I'm very grateful of having millions of acres of national forest, a long season, and liberal bag limit. I guess some things just erk me. It would seem that is the DGIF's were ethical and wanted more humane kills and less wounded animals that they would be on our side. The states where smokeless is allowed can see this just wonder why Va has to be an a**hole state.