"Shooting" the day before opening day?

[cavalierowner]

This year I am loaning my deer rifle to my nephew for firearm season because his rifle was burned up in a house fire. I will be using my traditional muzzleloader for firearm season. I know it's not legal to shoot just before the firearm season, but I always like to fire one shot to dirty the barrel and be sure everything is clear between the cap and the main powder charge. What I'm thinking of doing is loading just powder (maybe 15 to 20 gr.), NO projectile and firing the powder at our cabin. What I will get is just a "poof" as the powder burns, no bang. It will assure me that everything is ready to go the next day. It seems to me this would meet the intent, if not the letter of the law. What do you guys think? I am torn about asking the DNR the question, as what St. Paul thinks and what the local CO thinks may be two different things. It has even occurred to me that I could shoot it IN the cabin, but that just goes against everything I have ever been taught all my life.

[Boar]

Take it to the rifle range

[cavalierowner]

There is no rifle range up by Isabella and I hate to dirty the barrel too long before the season. There is a gravel pit nearby, but it's surrounded by woods and could be interpetted as being the same as being in the woods. The latest I could be at my range in Elk River would be Wednesday. That's my dilemma. Maybe there isn't a good solution to this.

[DooWap]

I usually just pop a primer, seems like you get a good coating on the barrel from doing that. I don't think you need the powder. That's just going to turn your muzzy into a roman candle!!

[CrewJones]

if you have to do this and you can not live w/o it, you might just want to do it and not tell anyone. Kinda like speeding you dont tell everyone everywhere you go that you just hit 85mph before the last town.

I think shooting the primer is just fine, maybe shoot it before you leave and then just shoot a primer. Or shoot it before you leave, load it, tape the barrel and leave it in the garage untill you hunt should be good for a couple weeks loaded if you dont go from hot to cold

[fr0sty]

I swab out as much of the bore butter I can with a dry patch and then fire a couple primers before I load up.

[jay83196]

There is a rule not to shoot a gun (I assume rifle) before season? What if a guy wants to site in If he shoots on his own land cpl days before ? Is there a time frame on this, like 24 hours before opener or something? Seems like a stupid mn rule! Why?

[picksbigwagon]

I believe it is 5 days before the opening date.

[TruthWalleyes]

Wouldn't burning only powder leave way more residue than if you actually packed a shell in front of it?

If your going to shoot your gun the day before opener...Just put a darn bullet in it and shoot it...It's going to draw the same attention one way or another..>if it draws any attention.

My buddy shoots his gun in every year the evening before deer season at dusk (Ya i know...I tell him every year, in June, July, August, Sept...then i give up on him ) He usually drops his gun on opening morning anyway

[cavalierowner]

Wouldn't burning only powder leave way more residue than if you actually packed a shell in front of it?

I don't think so. I burned powder only once in the past at the range when I got distracted and forgot to load a projectile I swabbed and it didn't seem any more or less dirty than when I shoot with a projectile.

BTW, I want to shoot more than just a cap. Twice years back I snapped off a couple caps after dry swabbing the bore. I then loaded and the main charge failed to ignite. There was some kind of moisture/oil in the nipple that the cap failed to blow past. I have since figured out that I need to use less oil and store the rifle muzzle down. Learned this on a traditional muzzleloading forum. No problems since, but I want to be absolutely sure that rifle goes off when I'm hunting.

[rumeye]

Here ya go

Possession of Firearms Before, During, and After the Firearms Deer Season

(Note: This section does not apply to the Muzzleloader Season, see page 88, except that muzzleloaders legal for deer may be possessed only by persons with a muzzleloader or firearms deer license during that season.)

No person may possess a firearm or ammunition outdoors during the period beginning the fifth day before the open firearms season and ending the second day after the close of the season within an area where deer may be legally taken by firearms, except:

• A person who has a valid firearms big game license in possession may hunt big game during the open season with a firearm and ammunition authorized for big game.

• Possession is also legal under these conditions:

a) An unloaded firearm that is cased or in a closed trunk of a

motor vehicle.

A shotgun and shells containing No. 4 buckshot or smaller diameter lead shot or nontoxic shot.

c) A .22 caliber rimfire handgun or rifle with .22 caliber short, long, or long rifle cartridges, .22 magnum or .17 caliber rimfire.

d) Handguns possessed by a person with a carry permit.

e) On a target range or under a target range permit issued by a conservation officer.

[jay83196]

Rules rules rules....maybe should tell us what we should eat next. I don't get this one at all?

[mainbutter]

Has anyone gotten a "target range permit" from a CO before? Sounds like they might give you permission to shoot on private property.

[cavalierowner]

Rules rules rules....maybe should tell us what we should eat next. I don't get this one at all?

When I started deer hunting back in the mid-sixties, I recall my dad and my uncles talking about the rule. What my dad and uncles said then was it was supposed to keep the woods quiet the week before opener to avoid spooking the deer. Whether they were right about that, I have no idea. Up til this year it hasn't been an issue for me.

[paceman]

I think they are trying to reduce the number of deer shot the day before season. It does happen...

[Finlander]

Could you load lead pellets in your muzzy?

[Musky Buck]

Doesn't someone you hunt with at your cabin have a spare rifle to use or if it's just your family and you've fired that muzzleloader many times and you know it like the back of your hand, I'd simply check it over, run a pipe cleaner through the nipple, etc. Load it up and go hunting opening day. I shoot a TC with original black powder,370 grain maxi-ball and it's such a waste for me to fire it once before season, my gun is dead on at 100 yards year after year after year, then after the AM sit go fire it if you're not 100% confident, the more I shoot mine the less accurate it gets, I want a totally clean Muzzy, but I hear ya, good luck with it and I could borrow you a nice skunk to zero it in on that Friday the 2nd .

[gurkster]

I would shoot it as you described w/o the projectile.

[fr0sty]

My guess would be it makes it easier to enforce poaching laws. Some people will always want to get the jump on the season. Not allowing shooting stops the excuse that "I was just sighting in my gun". Any gun shots during the verboten period prior to the firearms opener clues in neighbors and/or dnr that something not allowed it taking place.

Oh yea, and eat your veggies!

Rules rules rules....maybe should tell us what we should eat next. I don't get this one at all?

[cavalierowner]

Doesn't someone you hunt with at your cabin have a spare rifle to use or if it's just your family and you've fired that muzzleloader many times and you know it like the back of your hand, I'd simply check it over, run a pipe cleaner through the nipple, etc. Load it up and go hunting opening day. I shoot a TC with original black powder,370 grain maxi-ball and it's such a waste for me to fire it once before season, my gun is dead on at 100 yards year after year after year, then after the AM sit go fire it if you're not 100% confident, the more I shoot mine the less accurate it gets, I want a totally clean Muzzy, but I hear ya, good luck with it and I could borrow you a nice skunk to zero it in on that Friday the 2nd .

I could borrow a rifle. But the last couple months I was debating whether to take my muzzleloader rather than my rifle anyway, so this just made up my mind for me. I've probably put close to a couple hundred roundballs through the old girl in the last couple years, so I have a lot of confidence in the gun. Where we hunt we have never had a shot over 85 yards, well within my range even with my old eyes. And if I have to pass on a shot because it's too far out, well I've shot a lot of deer over the years, so no big deal. One of the younger guys might get a chance.

[tipup]

There is shooting in my area every day before during and after season. There is always going to be the "bad" people(poachers) who will do what they do regardless of laws. Then there are the guys and gals like all of us, who do the right thing. Do what you feel is right, and what you can sleep with on your mind at night! I have shot 3 deer with my smoke pole and never shot it right before season? That being said, I guess my point is, you read the rules, you know your gun, do what you feel you need to do. Just my 2 cents!!

[slimngrizzly]

Although illegal, I dont know if shooting your gun on your property would make you a "poacher". Dumb laws.

[Musky Buck]

Especially if you take that crack at noon, anybody seeing good noon deer movement by your cabins ? With the rut coming on stronger I guess you could lol. My gut feeling tells me there isn't much poaching going on near noon. I think as much as poaching the 10 day period is so your neighbors aren't pounding out hundreds of rounds the night before season or so right down your fenceline etc. not that any hunter who takes the season seriously would. Then those that sight in the night before right next to your land go hunt elsewhere the next day of course. Good luck to all!

[ozzie]

so does small game season technically close down for 5 days prior to deer season? They can't shoot right judging by the law...

[fr0sty]

I think the way it's worded allows for small game hunting. There are exceptions for the following:

A shotgun and shells containing No. 4 buckshot or smaller diameter lead shot or nontoxic shot.

c) A .22 caliber rimfire handgun or rifle with .22 caliber short, long, or long rifle cartridges, .22 magnum or .17 caliber rimfire.

so does small game season technically close down for 5 days prior to deer season? They can't shoot right judging by the law...