"Muzzleloader" Season?

[WMR]

We're considering doing the Standing Indian Loop next weekend (10/12-13). Someone suggested checking the NC hunting calendar, and sure enough, next weekend is the end of "muzzleloader" deer season. I have a vague sense of what a muzzleloader is; perhaps a dumb question, but should we treat it like regular (gun) season - wear blaze orange, etc.?

[nastynate]

Yes. A muzzleloader is a rifle loaded from the muzzle (business end of the barrel) instead of the breech like a conventional rifle. Blaze orange is a great idea any time you are in the woods during deer/turkey season.

[PD230SOI]

Wear blaze orange, but many muzzle loaders are shorter range and therefore the hunter will have a much better look at the target. I hunt with bow, black powder, and high power, but don't worry too much about hiking/backpacking if wearing blaze orange.

[Last Call]

I'm hiking next weekend, I believe gun deer season begins in Georgia the 10th, will my blaze-orange cap & shirt be enough? Really don't want a blaze-orange pack cover because I don't use them, although my pack is already bright yellow. Will I be visible enough?

[moldy]

Just go hiking. Muzzle loader hunters are few and far between,

[MuddyWaters]

Its ALWAYS a good idea to wear blaze orange in the woods in hunting season. Its not just a case of mistaking you for game, its so you are visible from a distance and a hunter will know you are there. You could be in the background with game in between you and the hunter.

Dont listent to anyone that tells you a muzzle loader is some kind of short range weapon. There is nothing primitive about them. The open-sight hawken rifle that shot round balls 20 yrs ago was a 50 yd gun on a good day.

Todays scoped inline muzzleloaders shooting pelletized propellent ( very accurate loads) and saboted conical bullets are high power rifles that are hunting accurate at 100 +yds, and capable of still killing YOU out at 500 yds or more from an errant shot. Not as accurate as a modern high power rifle, but just as deadly when a 295 grain expanding bullet hits you.

You probably wont see any hunters, but you would be stupid IMO not to wear some orange in hunting season. I only came near a few squirrel hunters last week in GA.

[Theosus]

muzzleloaders are reminiscent of old-fashioned rifles: think revolutionary war era. you know - dump the powder in the dangerous end, add wadding, ram down a big ass lead ball. fire once, take thirty seconds to a minute to reload.

Not as accurate as a 30.06, but just as dangerous to be caught on the wrong end of (and some of the muzzleloaders are around .50 caliber.)

They may be a dying breed, however. My uncle had one that used percussion caps (instead of flint and steel) and it was a beautiful gun. I fired it once, kicked like a mule and sounded like a cannon. Some like to use them to get an early start on deer season, but as you can imagine, you have to be a darn good shot. Always wear blaze orange during any hunting season... isn't the general advice two square feet? That's two orange bandanas, really.

[atmilkman]

Its ALWAYS a good idea to wear blaze orange in the woods in hunting season. Its not just a case of mistaking you for game, its so you are visible from a distance and a hunter will know you are there. You could be in the background with game in between you and the hunter.

Like a bow hunter, a muzzle loader hunter realistically has only one shot and more than likely is going to be very sure of his/her target and mistaking you for an animal is highly unlikely. As stated above you want to be visible in case you are in the background. Rifle season is a whole different story. Sad to say but there are some out there that just blast away and then go see what they might have hit.

[TrippLite]

Yep... inline muzzleloaders are a different creature than the old school ball shooters. Along with load combo, they have taken a 200-300 yard shots to another dimension... Normally hunting is forbidden within a certain distance of maintained trails. Be wise though, do your homework and confirm if hunting is allowed in the area you will be hiking..


Rule of thumb...
~never wear white clothing while hiking in the Georgia woods during deer season as you could easily be mistaken by an eager hunter as a white tailed deer, hence bushy white tail..
~same applies for black clothing during bear season...


I used to be an avid hunter and while I would not shoot unless I knew what I was harvesting, I can not speak for others.. So yeah, blaze orange clothing of some type is highly recommended as previous posters noted.. Also note prime hunting times are sunrise and a few hours afterwards and likewise before sunset.. If you are hiking with a partner, continuously talk to each other when in known areas where hunting is allowed.. If hiking alone, carry a whistle and use it every so often, let yourself be known..

[Tri-Pod Bob]

This is the law in Massachusetts....YMMV elsewhere: Hunter Orange: No person shall hunt during the pheasant or quail season on public shooting grounds or WMAs where pheasant or quail are stocked without wearing a “hunter orange” cap or hat except while night-hunting for raccoons or opossums, or while hunting waterfowl from a blind or boat. During the period when it is legal to hunt deer with a shotgun, all hunters, except waterfowl hunters hunting within a blind or from a boat, must wear, in a conspicuous manner on chest, back, and head, a minimum of 500 square inches of “hunter orange” clothing or material. During the muzzleloader season, all deer hunters must comply with the 500 sq. inch hunter orange requirement.

[Pathfinder1]

Hi...


Blaze Orange? YES, YES YES...!! Displaying White? NEVER, NEVER, NEVER...not even your hanky...!!!

[Sarcasm the elf]

We're considering doing the Standing Indian Loop next weekend (10/12-13). Someone suggested checking the NC hunting calendar, and sure enough, next weekend is the end of "muzzleloader" deer season. I have a vague sense of what a muzzleloader is; perhaps a dumb question, but should we treat it like regular (gun) season - wear blaze orange, etc.?

To add to the other posts, yes, orange is always a good idea, it's not primarily about someone mistaking you for a deer, it's primarily to make you stand out in case you are anywhere in the vicinity/down range of the deer that the hunter is looking at.

[Rasty]

To add to the other posts, yes, orange is always a good idea, it's not primarily about someone mistaking you for a deer, it's primarily to make you stand out in case you are anywhere in the vicinity/down range of the deer that the hunter is looking at.

Very true. Always remember that most people are terrible marksman.

[atmilkman]

Heck when pulling maintenance even our mowers are orange. O2L Corbett WMA South Grade to Little Gopher 027.jpg

[Alligator]

This thread is in the SF section. All the OP ask was whether to equate a muzzleloader to a regular rifle in regard to hunting season. The OP was unfamiliar with muzzleloaders. That was it. If your post was deleted, it was because you didn't answer the question.

[WingedMonkey]

You may hear gunfire around nightfall from "muzzleloaders" (most hunting regs refer to them as black-powder) as they often need to be fired to "unload" them.