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Those numbers jive with my personal experiences hunting with a muzzleloader on public land in Washington. Interestingly enough, muzzleloader hunters had success rates comparable to, or slightly higher than, rifle and bow hunters in the state. In 2018, just 6% of the deer hunters in Washington used a muzzleloader, while about 77% of hunters used modern firearms and 17% hunted with a bow. This advantage is especially apparent in states like Washington, which has a lot of over the counter hunting licenses and tags.

So, you’re almost guaranteed to have less competition while you’re out in the woods if you hunt during a dedicated muzzleloader season.

The good news is that, compared to bow and rifle hunters, very few people hunt with a muzzleloader. Having fewer encounters with other hunters while you’re afield is almost always a good thing, especially when you’re hunting on public land. Fortunately, Unit 15 does have a couple of archery and muzzleloader seasons that provide some excellent opportunities for hunters. However, the unit has no rifle season for deer or elk. That unit encompasses the northern portion of the Gila National Forest and has some really good elk hunting. Using a muzzleloader can also allow you to access certain areas where hunters are not permitted to use modern firearms - New Mexico’s Unit 15 demonstrates this well. Colorado is another state that offers muzzleloader elk hunts in September. However, they can often offer a fantastic opportunity to hunt bugling elk that’s normally restricted to archery hunters or rifle hunters who draw even harder to get early rifle tags. Those tags are generally not easy to draw. In other states, hunting with a muzzleloader doesn’t result in more time afield (quantity), but that state’s muzzleloader season occurs during better times of year (quality) to hunt to hunt certain species.įor instance, Arizona has a few muzzleloader elk hunts during the rut in September. In other states, there are extended season later in the year specifically for muzzleloaders. In some states, a dedicated muzzleloader begins prior to the rifle season, allowing hunters with a muzzleloader to beat the pressure of the more popular firearms season.

The exact details vary depending on exactly where you’re hunting though. While it’s not always the case, those additional opportunities can sometimes result in increased bag limits, the ability to hunt in areas where modern firearms are not allowed, and/or fewer restrictions on what constitutes a legal animal as well. Additional Seasons & Increased Bag Limitsįirst, hunting with a muzzleloader creates additional hunting opportunities.

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In the next article, I’ll cover how to get started hunting with a muzzleloader as well as some specific gear recommendations. In this article, I’ll go over some of the advantages of hunting with a muzzleloader and why you should consider going afield with one.

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With all that in mind, this article is the first in a two-part series about hunting with a muzzleloader. They also have a much longer effective range than their traditional counterparts. These more modern types of muzzleloaders are far more accurate, powerful, and reliable than most people think. While some people do still enjoy hunting with a traditional flintlock or percussion cap muzzleloader, hunters are not limited to using those rifles and have the option of using modern inline muzzleloaders.

Most people don’t fully appreciate that hunting with a muzzleloader can offer a number of different advantages. Hunting with a muzzleloader is another great option for anyone looking to expand their hunting opportunities - including backcountry hunting opportunities. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with hunting with a bow or a rifle, but they’re also not the only effective weapon options that big game hunters should consider. I think we can probably agree that archery equipment and modern firearms get the lion’s share of attention when it comes to the most popular weapon platforms for hunting big game.

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