[Tater86]

All,


I just go into using an in-line muzzleloader a few years ago and recently during a hunt in MD, I was wondering if PA would ever change the rules to be similar to MDs laws. You are allowed to utilize an inline during the muzzleloader seasons and you can take a buck with one as well.


What is everyone's thought? My thought process is it is a great possibility that it will happen. Similar to the use of crossbows during the archery season.

 

[Woods walker]

You are allowed to use an inline in muzzle loader season, you just can't use them in "Flintlock" season. I hope it never changes.

 

[Tater86]

That's correct, I should have been more specific. I was referring to the "flintlock" season. It doesn't really matter to me though, I love archery hunting and if I still have tags left after rifle season (and not my broken foot I have right now) I will be out there with my bow in the late season.

 

[whil e kioti]

Personally I like being the only state with a FL only season...IMO it would be a great idea to be able to take a 2nd buck with the flinter (if that is what you meant by "you can take a buck with one")...nothing against in-lines but IMO, they are closer to single shot rifles than they are to flint locks.

 

[Varmintmist]

You can take a buck with a inline. Take it out during the general season. If you want a opportunity, there it is. Some, me included, have taken or do take their flintlock out during the general season. There is nothing restricting you from hunting with a inline for buck.

Flintlock season is for flintlocks and is a low impact season not designed to take a lot of deer, but give a opportunity for old fat guys to dress funny and carry antiquated rifles whose birth, production and development world wide started in Pennsylvania.

 

[elk yinzer]

Inclusion in flintlock season would have a significant impact on the harvest, but then again we saw that happen with crossbows in archery season so I wouldn't be suprised if it happens as rifle harvest continues to decline. I pretty much gave up flintlock hunting.

Between me and the group I hunt with, there's historically about a 10% chance of killing a deer when pulling the trigger between misses, misfires, and hangfires. With an inline every deer I've ever missed with the thing would be dead. I've seen youtube videos with similar results and frankly the flippancy which people treat missing deer with them bothers me. I know in a hunting setting my ethical range is probably less than with my bow, frankly I am terrible at shooting mine, so lacking the desire to practice more I've hung mine up for now.

 

[Tater86]

Personally I like being the only state with a FL only season...IMO it would be a great idea to be able to take a 2nd buck with the flinter (if that is what you meant by "you can take a buck with one")...nothing against in-lines but IMO, they are closer to single shot rifles than they are to flint locks.

I agree with you that they are closer to single shot rifles than a flintlock. It's a just a thought that popped in my head with all of the other threads that have popped up on here about the lack of hunters in rifle season and asking if you would want to change the dates of the season to accommodate. I think I saw more hunters this year during the junior/senior/muzzleloader early season then I did in rifle.

 

[curverbowruss]

I saw this thread, and was a little reluctant to respond. I am not a flintlock hunter--so lets get that out of the way first. I do however associate with those who are Flinters. Some actually go all out to even dress in leathers, and such, and go totally old school because it's a passion for them, and they have even spent big money on flint locks that look like they belong in a museum--beautiful pieces of traditional black powder arms that are prized possessions. These guys deserve a little time to use their gear, and be left alone--it's low impact on the herd, and I hope it remains that way. I own an "In-Line"--I've taken a few doe with it. There is NOTHING traditional, and low impact about them. They are nothing more than a hand loaded single shot rifle. Some even use smokeless powder. These days I honestly believe many use the early season that comes in during October here in Pa. to break the law, and go after bucks when they know full well it's antlerless only. I actually had an elder fellow tell me he had missed a nice buck in the early muzzle loader season. I quickly informed him it's antlerless only, and he got mad as heck, and told me I was wrong. I made sure to really inform him of the law regarding what he could shout with his In-Line. I see the early season for "In-Lines", and youth, and Seniors as both a blessing, and a curse because there are those who will, and do abuse this season. I hate to be "that-guy" who is negative, but if they closed the season for "In-Lines" here in Pa. I wouldn't complain. With more bucks being killed in our archery season before the rut there will come a day when things will need to be changed if anyone truly cares about the herd impact. I see things much differently than some--people seem to want it all--want to be able to use any kind of weapon they want to make things easier, and totally disregard the impact on the animal (herd numbers) and the ecosystem.
Keep the flintlock season as it is--keep the single shot rifles(In-Lines) out of the flintlock season period. Sorry--but the idea that we need to keep making things easier to kill game raises my dander a bit. I do not mean to offend anyone, and if I did--well it's just my opinion.

 

[NittanyBearcat]

I believe that as long as hunter numbers continue to decline we will see an expansion of hunting opportunities to try and retain those who hunt and bring others back in. I believe that eventually we will see inlines included in all muzzleloader seasons. I don't think is is a bad thing and the PGC can regulate harvest numbers by decreasing antlerless tag allocations if the number of deer taken becomes a problem. However, I agree with others who have stated that it is unique PA has the only flintlock muzzleloader season. Personally, I would love to see the muzzleloader seasons switched with the early season being a flintlock only regulation and allowing for the flintlock hunter to havest a buck or doe. Then open the late season to any muzzleloader, but make it an antlerless only season. I really do not think opening up an early flintlock season with a buck harvest would have that great of an impact on harvest numbers. This is especially true given the inclusion of crossbows in archery season. This is by no means a knock on hunting with crossbows, I am all for making seasons and hunting opportunities as accessible as possible to all. What I mean by that is, the average hunter if given a scoped crossbow and a flintlock will likely be more accurate and thus more likely to harvest a deer with a crossbow than the flintlock. So I think that allowing flintlock hunting for bucks prior to the rifle season will not lead to a drastic change in harvest numbers. However, I do think I would lead to a major increase in those hunting with traditional muzzleloader equipment, which is great for the sport. Most states open the early muzzleloader season to antlered and antlerless deer harvests. I would love to see the traditional flintlock hunters get a shot at an early season hunt like this.

 

[zimmerstutzen]

What I truly feel about inlines for hunting would get me a vacation from this site. Typing and "biting my tongue" they are for people without the self discipline to learn to shoot a real muzzle loader. If there was a staples easy (moron) button for loose powder guns, in lines are it. If you want to cheat the rules, get an airbow and call it archery. Similar to a harpoon gun being fishing. You want things that blankety-blank easy, lobby the game commission to use tranquilizer bait. Hunting would be easy and no worries about safety zones, just spread the bait and when the deer is unconscious, go slit it's throat. The commission could charge an extra $50 if lazy butts did not have to sit in the cold to hunt deer. They could just stroll out during TV commercials and harvest their deer. What's next, paying a surrogate to sit in the woods and shoot your deer for you. You want to use an in-line during the late season? go hunt penned deer because that's all the fair chase ethics such a hunter has..

 

[chester farmer]

What I truly feel about inlines for hunting would get me a vacation from this site. Typing and "biting my tongue" they are for people without the self discipline to learn to shoot a real muzzle loader. If there was a staples easy (moron) button for loose powder guns, in lines are it. If you want to cheat the rules, get an airbow and call it archery. Similar to a harpoon gun being fishing. You want things that blankety-blank easy, lobby the game commission to use tranquilizer bait. Hunting would be easy and no worries about safety zones, just spread the bait and when the deer is unconscious, go slit it's throat. The commission could charge an extra $50 if lazy butts did not have to sit in the cold to hunt deer. They could just stroll out during TV commercials and harvest their deer. What's next, paying a surrogate to sit in the woods and shoot your deer for you. You want to use an in-line during the late season? go hunt penned deer because that's all the fair chase ethics such a hunter has..

Wow. Really? Would it ruin traditional flintlock season? Absolutely! I am assuming your wearing a loin cloth and throwing rocks? Jk. I just don't get the harshness when using a 75-100 yd gun with sights. My first experience was a .50 kit my uncle handed me. Years ago. Showed me how to load. We went and shot squirrels with it for practice. Went bang 90% of the time and had similar success rate with hitting squirrels at short distance. My initial thought was OK. It's not that hard. Unfortunately I've never shot a muzzleloader is accurate or reliable sense. Point is I could've killed a buck with it fairly easily. And not done any more work then if I pick the rifle out of the cabinet

 

[tdd]

Ratchet it back on this topic, folks. The accusations on people's ethics get real close to the line. No one has advocated anything illegal. Yes, I realize ethics and regs/laws aren't always the same.

At the same time, it's well-established on HPA that there is no tolerance for questioning the ethics of another forum member who's espousing a legal hunting method.

Keep it in-bounds, or vacations WILL be given. That's for all to read and follow, please.

 

[blackpowder]

its that time of year :smile2:

 

[zimmerstutzen]

Why not load a 12 inch arrow instead of a bullet and call it archery? It is flintlock season. Learn to use a flintlock or stay home. The PGC has "dumbed" down the requirements far more than necessary for the primitive seasons. The PGC thinks Daniel Boone must have got all those deer and bear with his pre-1800, plastic stocked carbine with day glow sights. I don't ask to use laser sights in flint season, or uranium frizzens, I fit into the rules or stay home.

 

[Marcus99]

I do not want the use of inlines increased. I think it has gone far enough already. I wouldn't mind it going back to a 3 day event. I think the flintlock season is something special that should be left alone and should be a source of pride for the commonwealth in an ever increasing "modern" world.

 

[NittanyBearcat]

Along the lines of increasing muzzleloader opportunities, does anyone think we may be on the verge of a muzzleloader bear season? I have not followed the bear harvest data in the extended season, but I know the preliminary reports about the regular rifle season were that the harvest numbers were lower than expected. Bear season runs concurrent with the early muzzleloader season in a very limited number of WMU now. Could there be an expansion of this opportunity to the rest of the state in the coming years?

 

[Blue Bird]

The only reason guys post threads like this is because they want to take advantage of our flintlock season, but they don't want to learn to use a flintlock. Its that simple.

I say heck no, leave flintlock season alone. You can already use an inline during the early antlerless muzzle loader season, and during the general rifle season. That's plenty of time to take one out. Leave flintlock season alone. I personally like being the only guy in the woods at that time.

 

[blackpowder]

I do not want the use of inlines increased. I think it has gone far enough already. I wouldn't mind it going back to a 3 day event. I think the flintlock season is something special that should be left alone and should be a source of pride for the commonwealth in an ever increasing "modern" world.

and there in lies the problem. people who don't care about it being special, a part of our history or a source of our pride, its all about them not being included with whatever equipment "they" want to carry. it just isn't fair in their "I want it my way world". enjoy it while we have it :smile2:

 

[curverbowruss]

http://www.gunbroker.com/item/724070210
This is what I think of when I hear the words--Hunting in Pa. with a flintlock.
In my dreams.

 

[loridr]

http://www.gunbroker.com/item/724070210
This is what I think of when I hear the words--Hunting in Pa. with a flintlock.
In my dreams.

Wow, that's a beauty!

Black powder guy's, question: it states approximately .42 cal. If one were to buy it, how would one determine exact caliber and would molds be available?