Scopes on muzzleloaders

[shae1986]

I just got started into muzzleloading in the past couple of years and from my experiance i will just name MY pro and cons on scopes.

Pros

They WILL allow for more deer to be harvested with the use of magnified scopes because people will be able to make longer shots with their muzzleloader (This can also be an con with people attempting shots on deer too far away)

They will allow for more precise shots on deer.

Cons

More Hunters

Less primitive, way less of a challanges than with open sights and people who disagree with that statement have not shot enough.

I agree with BLACKJACK on that it will rile up a few more deer and i love late season bow hunting. And Also, the best point is that this isn't between us hunters, its between us vs Antis.

I hope i didn't make anyone mad, this is my Opinion only, I would not like to see scopes, but if it happens I also cant say i wouldn't put one on bc i would, if we were allowed scopes i would have had a buck for the wall this past year, but like bowhunting when they are out of range they are out of range. Thanks for reading.

Andrew Shae

[gorrilla]

I know that there are few of you out there still using traditional materials and techniques, but for the rest of the "average" muzzleloaders, I bet 90+% are already using inlines and already thinking they can drill a deer out to 100 yards. I don't get how someone can shoot a modern muzzleloader (non-flintlock) and use powder pellets and modern jacketed bullets and fiber optic sights and throw stones at someone wanting to make more ethical clean kills with a magnified scope... Sounds hypocritical to me. I've been Muzzle loader hunting for about 8 years now and gun/archery for 23 and I like them all for different reasons as well as the same reason - IT GETS ME IN THE WOODS>>>>

For you guys that want the woods to yourself, I can see that to a point, but lets keep in mind if something gets more of us hunting its good for the sport (ever heard of dwindling hunter numbers? & lack of recruitment???) Lets stick together and by the way I still believe the morning temps of -15 degrees will keep us diehards in a relatively empty woods this time of year...

[Johnny_Namakan]

I, personally, would like to see scopes allowed during muzzleloader. This past season I shot a deer that had I had a scope I wouldn't have shot at. I shot what I thought was a doe. The deer was 136 yards out from my deer stand. I know, it sounds far with a muzzleloader, but I paced it out three times. It's the same deer stand I rifle hunt with and my lanes are 100-150 yards long, and this deer was at the very end of my longest run. I dropped the deer in its tracks, clean kill, shredded the heart. The deer didn't even take a step. it's knees buckled and went down. Anyway, I walk up to the deer and it had a tiny 6 point rack on it. I was very upset with myself. At the distance I was at I could not see any horns. the ears were bigger than the rack. This deer was very young and already had a 6 point basket rack on him. This deer would have been a really nice buck in two years, and is the kind of deer that I would let go by 99% of the time. I had both tags still so I was ok, but bummed about what I had shot.

Scopes are not going to make things any easier, or put more people in the woods. It will only allow us to make cleaner kills, and wound less deer. To be honest I doubt I would put a scope on simply cause I like the open sights, and I love the challenge. But I would have no problems if the DNR allowed them.

Note to self: make binoculars more accessible. Tough to dig them out of your pack when a deer is walking by.

[WigglinMyWorm]

Hey Johnny instead of a scope they make these neat new things called binoculars...should pick up a pair....maybe you wouldn't shoot immature bucks.

[TUMBLEWEED]

I find a good peep sight every bit as accurate as any

scope is, out to a hundred yards. The peeps also

don't fog up,and some have the newer fiber systems that will really help in low light conditions. They look great

on my hawkens styled rifle. Williams makes them for

just about any rifle out there too.

[shae1986]

Johnny,

Im not trying to be mean here but how are scopes not going to make it any easier? Sure you still have to see deer, but shot wise, saying it doesn't make it easier is just incorrect Information. Ask a lot of hunters and on guns such as muzzeloaders and rifles, scopes make deer hunting a lot easier.

Also be sure of your target before you take the shot, thats one of the first things we teach our young people in Hunter Education

[BiffleFan]

johnny. get yourself a set of bino straps. I think they are from crooked horn outfitters. That way you always have them on and the suck up against your chest and are out of the way when you don't need them, they work great. ON THE SCOPE DEAL. I can go both ways on this one, I at times would love to have one especially for that last few minutes of the day but I also don't want to see any more hunters that show up from town, don't put in the effort and screw things up because they think now they can just get out of the truck a half hour before sunset run to a spot, prop up and let one fly cause now they have a 300 yard gun. I think this is why I gave up hunting during regular firearms season about ten years ago. I still like battling wits with a whitetail and tryin to outsmart them and with the extra pressure of even more people it just pushes them deer back into areas like nature conservancy,which in my area are too plentiful and have farmers and taxpayers not too happy. just my opinion about the way things are in the particular areas that I love to hunt.

[metrojoe]

Why change the muzzleloader season when you can use a scoped muzzleloader during the regular firearms season?

I say leave the muzzleloader season alone.

[Fishhawk]

I found it was difficult to get out during the muzzeloader season, so I started using my inline during the rifle season just to be able to use it on a regular basis. I did put a scope on it and have taken several deer over the past few years. It really has turned out to be my gun of choice since then.The thing is you still have only one shot, so you need to make count and the scope only helps make the shot placement better. I think using a scope during the muzzeloader season should be a personal choice, just like whether to use an inline or not is a personal choice. I wouldn't mind seeing the regulations change in regards to scopes, at least then you have the choice to use one, one way or the other.Just my .02 worth.

[metrojoe]

Welcome to FM Fishhawk.

Your already hunting with a scoped muzzleloader, why should it matter when you hunt with it?

[Fishhawk]

Thanks Metrojoe! We have something in common - I'll let you decide what it is. As for the scope, other than having to take it off during the muzzelloader season, it really doesn't matter to me. I'm all for leaving things as they are, but what I was trying to say, it's still a muzzeloader with or without a scope. You load it yourself, and you still only have one shot. You need to make if count...