ORIGINAL: cayugad
"...I am basing this on the assumption that at one time smokeless powder was permitted in Minnesota during the muzzleloader season..."
I thinkMinnesota is like allstates...they had implemented special traditionally oriented muzzleloading seasons like all the states did,using languagebased upon muzzleloading as it existed backin the50's/60's.
Language written in the spirit of what the ML seasons were intended to be...the use ofweapons that were regarded as primitive,as being generally in the form ofthose used back during the early American traditional muzzleloading era...of those that were obviously representative of the typical muzzleloader in wide spread use back then.
I think all states got caught by surpriseas the modern, non-traditional inline craze exploded whichgot around the originallanguagebecause when the original languagewas written, high performance modern inlines were not yet invented so naturallyno thought was given to more explicitly defining whatthe muzzleloading seasons and regs should be...it was obvious to everyone at the time.
Many stateshave since changed/expanded their regs with language that allows in"BP substitute powder" obviously focusing onequivalent performing substitutes like Pyrodex....but states are a little further along now in their thinking and the notion of also allowingmodern high performance smokeless powders in these seasonsseems to be simply too much of a slap in the face to wildlife departments and traditionally minded hunters...sosome of the states are now saying...and rightly so..."time out, this is gone too far".
AndI doubtany states have anything already on the booksregarding smokeless powder that they'd have to go back and change...they're simplystepping up to their responsibilities and declaring smokelessbanned before it gets too far along.
Personally...I repeat personally...I'd like to see every state restore muzzleloading seasons to their original intent and purpose...traditional muzzleloading...for thosehunters who choose to pick up the challenge andlearn to master sidelocks, real blackpowder, patched balls, open sights, etc.
PS: and there's not a rationalhuman being on the planet who can in good faith declare that those seasonswere established and intended for anything different than what I just outlined.