The Death of a Muzzle Loading Season

[Semisane]

Louisiana Department of Wildlife & FisheriesNews Release
L.D.W.F. ISSUES LIST OF APPROVED PRIMITIVE WEAPONS FOR 2008-09 PRIMITIVE HUNTING SEASON
In a response to the recent approval of Act 51, which partly consists of changing the language from a muzzleloader season to a primitive firearm season, the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) has issued a list of approved primitive firearms for the 2008-09 Primitive Firearm Season.
All of the approved primitive weapons meet the criteria set forth by the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission as authorized primitive firearms. The criteria is a single shot, breech loading, metallic cartridge rifle with metallic cartridges loaded with either black powder or modern smokeless powder, .38 caliber or larger, of a kind or type manufactured prior to 1900 and replicas, and reproductions or reintroductions of that type rifle having an exposed hammer. The pre-1900 distinction applies only to the firearm and not the ammunition. All approved primitive firearms may be fitted with magnified scopes.
Approved single shot breech loading primitive weapons:
"¢ Sharps rifles or replicas
"¢ Remington Rollingblock rifles or replicas
"¢ Ballard rifles
"¢ Maynard rifles or carbines
"¢ Burnside carbines
"¢ Frank Wesson rifles
"¢ Farrow rifles
"¢ Remington Hepburn rifles
"¢ M1873-1888 Springfield (Trapdoor) rifles and carbines and replicas
"¢ Snider (British) rifles and replicas
"¢ Wesson & Harrington 1871 rifles
"¢ New England Firearms or Harrington & Richardson Handi rifles in caliber larger than .38
"¢ Winchester M1885 Hi Wall or Lo Wall rifles or replicas (Also Browning B78 or 1885) .38 or larger
"¢ Knight KP-1 in caliber .38 or larger
"¢ CVA Optima Elite in caliber .38 or larger
"¢ Traditions Pursuit break-open single shot in .38 caliber or larger
Non-approved single shot breech loading rifles:
"¢ Ruger Number 1 and Number 3 (Reason: No exposed hammer)
"¢ Thompson Center Contender or Encore Carbines (Reason: Designed after 1900)
"¢ Mossberg SSi Single Shot Rifle (Reason: No exposed hammer and designed after 1900)
A primitive firearm license, formerly sold as a muzzleloader license, is required for the taking of deer during the primitive firearm season in addition to the required basic and big game hunting licenses. During the still hunt and with-or-without dogs segments of the (conventional firearms) deer season, the primitive firearm license is not required.
For more information on Louisiana hunting regulations, visit the LDWF Web site at www.wlf.louisiana.gov.

[corey012778]

did they have a reason for doing that. On my side of the Blue ridge in va, they added 2 weeks to early ML season. Start the state out at the same time.

[MLKeith]

I doubt that I will ever hunt there but some of the wording sure makes me wonder if it was possibly copied incorrectly. Some of the rifles (NEF for instance) specify "larger than .38 caliber" and some (CVA Optima) specify ".38 caliber or larger". I can't imagine that they would allow a 38-55 in a CVA rifle but not in an NEF.

[HEAD0001]

To me it just shows how ignorant our law makers can really be. It is obvious that very little research could have been put into this.

I do like the looks of that early MZ hunt in VA. My friend has a camp on the Greenbrier river, which is only a few miles from the VA line. That sounds like a fun early hunt. Tom.

[arcticap]

Louisiana offersalligator hunting and has a public lakelottery too.
I read that in 2005, over 31,000 wild alligators were harvested duringtheir September hunting season.
They've got a bunch of alligator farms where they hatch wild eggs and then helpstock the gators back into the wild.
Isearched but Ican't seem to find any huntingregulations about it.
I hope that Katrina didn't ruin the alligator hunting.
I wonder what kind of guns hunters can use to shoot them with?
Those alligators grow into some big monsters weighingover 500 pounds and about aslong as a car.

About the new primitive Louisiana season. Some states have gone so conservative with their regulations about bullet length, using sabots, only open sightswithoutscopes, or no enclosed actions, that it'sno wonder thatother states respond by liberalizing their regulations.
Louisianawants to be a sportsman's paradise,and some folks want to hunt deerwith their civil war type guns ontheir own private land oronguided hunts. Just look at all of the waterfowlers thattravel to Louisiana and hunt the wintermigration.
Ishaving the new primitiveseasonas bad asliving in a state where the regulations are too conservative and so much is outlawed?

[bronko22000]

It almost sounds to me like all they did was extend the regular rifle season, just limiting to the type of weapon used. It is definately no longer a strictly muzzleloader season.

[lemoyne]

Does this mean no muzzleloaders? It says metaliccartridge rifles. Lee

[spaniel]

I'm failing to see MLs included in that list too...am I missing something? It would seem kind of stupid to exclude MLs from a "primitive" season.

These regulation makers are idiots. How are the Traditions Pursiut and CVA considered legal, but the T/C Contender is not because it was "designed after 1900"? Traditions and CVA designs are certainly post-1900.

[rafsob]

I think you guys are not reading the whole article. It talks about rifles made prior 1900 or replicas. Inlines were not made prior to 1900. They do talk about exposed hammer rifles. I personally like this primitive season because this would be a true primitive hunting season. I always thought I should be able tohunt my 1874 Sharps using BP cartridges. I don't necessarily think they should do away with the ML season per se. A primitive season should be in addition to the other seasons. But like most of us, I don't think I will ever hunt in La.

I think that the reference to the larger then .38 cal. was a typo.

[Semisane]

There are no typos in the article, unless they were made my the LDWF. The article was copied directly from the LDWF web site. Itannounces the type of breech loading guns that are allowedin addition to muzzle loaders during the new "primative weapons" season. Louisiana's rules are almost a direct copy of the rules Mississippi implemented two years ago. Sales of Handi Rifles went through the roof in Mississippi when they changed their laws. I suspect the same will happen in LA. Gonna be a lot of "slightly used" MLs on the market around here this fall.