Scopes on muzzleloader

[indyefi500]

A guy I work with says that the law for using a scope during muzzleloader season has been changed so that they will be legal for everyone.   I haven't been able to find any info. Does anyone out there know of anything?

[Cody Gruchow]

i havent heard of any rule changes, thats something i dont think will announce until august. but then again i could be wrong

[deadeye]

This is part of the information in the MDHA web site regarding outdoor legislation affecting MN hunters and fishermen.

MDHA Final 2013 Legislative Session Wrap-up

Scopes on Muzzleloaders – Again this year, legislation was introduced and supported by MDHA
that sought to allow scopes on muzzleloaders. Again, this year, we were unsuccessful. MDHA
was successful, with the help of Senator Bill Ingebrigtsen (R-Alexandria), in adding it to the
Senate Game and Fish Bill and even got the provision passed off the Senate Floor. However,
due to strong opposition from Senate DFL leadership, the provision was dropped from the
game and fish package before it was eventually passed by the Senate and sent to the governor.
Be assured that this issue is not dead and it will be back in the Legislature next session for yet
another round of debate.

[kenhuntin]

Evidently the strong DFL leadership knows best
 It is incredulous that scopes are illegal on muzzleloaders. They have been used on muzzleloaders since muzzleloaders were invented. The only reason for banning them is to have more wounded game. Real nice.

[markn]

If I'm not mistaken the muzzeloader season originally started out as a "primitive" season which only allowed 1x scopes. I think this still holds true today.

[Cody Gruchow]

no scopes on muzzleloaders at all unless you have a doctors note that you have to have a scope to see and you  give that  to the dnr and they give you a permit to use a 1x scope. or something along that nature. but everyone else without that note from the doctor has to use open sights

[Boar]

well lets just extend rifle seaon for another 3 weeks then.I enjoy muzzy far more than rifle. Really don't agree with scoping a smoke pole except unless ones eyesight is in need of one.

[beeker]

i'm just getting into this muzzleloader sport.  is the fear with the scoped muzzleloader that it would basically extend rifle deer season. like with modern scoped muzzleloaders you would be able to reach similar distances with a scoped shot?

you could hunt with a scoped muzzleloader during regular deer season correct?

[deadeye]

Beeker, yes you can use a scoped muzzle loader during the rifle season.  I too am afraid allowing scopes on muzzle loaders would be extending the rifle season.  Just watch a few hunting shows and it won't take long to see a guy shoot a deer, bear, antelope, moose, varmit or whatever at 200+ yards.
 

[kenhuntin]

C'mon guys. You all acknowledge  that using a scoped firearm offers better shot placement. If you give a care at all about the animals you wish to hunt and hope to have them sustain a four legged healthy  population why would you wish to compromise the one shot one kill effort that most all people strive for? If the Humane society got hold of the actual statistics of how many animals were wounded to suffer for any period of time with the mandatory primitive use of iron sights it could mean another hunting privilege gone forever.
 A scoped muzzleloader in reality only offers a cleaner kill. It has absolutely has no meaning of an extended rifle season. The Individual deciding to harvest a particular animal still has only 1 shot. Which means a concerned outdoorsman will certainly make an effort to make it count.
 The bag limits in Minnesota do not change because you purchase more licenses right?

[deadeye]

kenhuntin makes a very good point about one shot one kill.  However, with the use of scopes, maybe the number of not wounded (close kill shots) may be over come by the number of longer shot wounded deer. People may just take longer shots because through the scope they look like an easy kill.  I can take it or leave it, but most likely would use one if allowed.  I believe it would help me pin point a shot a closer (50-75 yards) shots. 

[Cody Gruchow]

in a way scoped muzzleloaders do extend the rifle season because of how accurate and how far you can shoot them, true you only get 1 shot unlike a rifle. but with the scope on mine and atleast 4 other guys i know that i shoot with, we all can hit a playing card at 150-200 yards consistantly. with iron sights i practice at 100 BUT i refuse to shoot past 70-75 yards tops, its just to much to risk wounding a animal beyond that. i refuse to beleive that they say no to scopes because they want more animals wounded

[beeker]

didn't they just lower the size of bullets allowed during regular rifle season? I think they were looking for ways to feed more wolves