45 Cal

[RicinYakima]

Last time I looked, the Washington department of absolutely not made you choose between modern rifle, muzzle loaders, and archery. Therefore, you couldn't extend your season by using muzzleloaders. I think it's been changed, but a muzzleloader cap gun had to use a cap that was exposed to the elements. No primers.

One deer per year. Primer has to be exposed, last time I looked.

 

[CWLONGSHOT]

Our black powder season allows in lines or percussions or flints 40 caliber is a minimum and I don't know that they have a maximum but I know we have a clash because anything above 501 diameter is not allowed to be hunted with here. But I know a pile of people who hunt was 54 and I've never heard of anyone having a problem, so I think they were just trying to legalize the 50 BMG and forgot about black powder so because the books state that they just don't enforce them which is typical for here they do what they want

 

[CWLONGSHOT]

A friend in Alabama just picked up a bee CVA 45 to extend his season. Ill be sending him some to test and eval.

 

[Rushcreek]

In Texas, a cap and ball revolver is not considered a muzzleloader.
But you can hunt with one during regular firearms season.
I would be happy if we HAD a special muzzleloader season.
Preferably in January or February….. it’s too hot in October when archery season opens…..
A .45 Kentucky with PRB would work just fine.

 

[Joshua]

One deer per year. Primer has to be exposed, last time I looked.

All modern inlines are legal, the exposed primer rule is gone. What makes Washington muzzle loader season “primitive” is that you don’t get to use any glass, no scope, no red dot, nothing but iron sights (fiber optic inserts are legal). I’m personally running a target globe front sight, with a rear peep. The globe has an upper cross hair, a lower cross hair, and the lower post is wide, so I have three aiming points. Range finders are legal to use during muzzleloader season. I’m comfortable shooting out to 150 yards with my setup at deer. However this year I shot my mule deer at about 10 yards.

If you choose to hunt muzzleloader, then that is it, no modern, or archery season for you. I personally choose to hunt muzzle loader season because has the least hunter pressure out of all three seasons. There are very few people out in the woods compared to modern. Washington has a lot of pressure on our public lands, many of the timber companies have started to charge for access.

One over the counter deer tag per year, unless you draw a second lottery deer tag.

I copied and pasted our current muzzle loader equipment rules below.
We can carry a modern pistol, we have wolves, cougars, and grizzlies up here. I know of one hunter who filled his cougar tag in self-defense, he was being stocked by a kitty on his walk back to his truck.

We can also carry a modern shotgun in our vehicle, I keep one with me for grouse hunting. You just can’t have both with you, “in the field”.

It seems wild to me that in other states you guys get to have scopes, that muzzle loader is an “additional” season, and that you can purchase as many as 5 deer tags over the counter!

Copied from the Washington Regulations

Muzzleloader Regulations​

1. Definitions.
   1. Muzzleloader: A firearm that is loaded from the muzzle and uses black powder or a black powder substitute as recommended by the manufacturer for use in all muzzleloading firearms. The term load refers to the powder charge and the projectile, and both must be loaded from the muzzle.
   2. A muzzleloading firearm shall be considered loaded if a powder charge and a projectile, either shot or single projectile are in the barrel and the barrel or breech is capped or primed.
2. It is unlawful to hunt wildlife using a muzzleloading firearm that does not meet the following specifications:
   1. A muzzleloading shotgun or rifle must have a single or double barrel, rifled or smooth-bored.
   2. A muzzleloading shotgun or rifle used for deer must be .40 caliber or larger. Buckshot size #1 or larger may be used in a smoothbore of .60 caliber or larger for deer.
   3. A muzzleloading shotgun, rifle, or handgun used for all other big game must be .45 caliber or larger.
   4. A muzzleloading handgun must have a single or double barrel of at least eight inches, must be rifled, and must be capable of being loaded with forty-five grains or more of black powder or black powder substitute per the manufacturer's recommendations. It is unlawful for any person to carry or have in his possession a modern firearm while in the field muzzleloader hunting, during an muzzleloader season specified for that area, except for modern handguns carried for personal protection.
3. In addition to the above requirements, it is unlawful to participate (hunt) in a muzzleloading hunting season using a firearm that does not meet the following specifications for a muzzleloader. As in the past sabots are allowed. Any type of projectile is allowed.
   1. Ignition is to be wheel lock, matchlock, flintlock, or percussion. Primers designed to be used in modern cartridges are legal.
   2. Those persons lawfully hunting big game with a double barrel muzzleloader may only keep one barrel loaded.
   3. Sights must be open, peep, or other open sight design. Fiber optic sights are legal. Telescopic sights are prohibited.
   4. It is unlawful to have any electrical device attached to a muzzleloading firearm while hunting.
   5. Exception, disabled hunters issued a Special Use Permit and in compliance with WAC 220-413-130and 220-413-140. See Persons with Disabilities.
4. Muzzleloading firearms used during a modern firearm season are not required to meet ignition, sight, or double barrel restrictions.

 

[Winelover]

Five deer tags per season, in my Zone, in Arkansas. Two of which are legal bucks.

2023-24 Deer Season Dates
Archery: Sept. 23, 2023- Feb. 29, 2024
Muzzleloader: Oct. 21-29 and Dec. 9-11, 2023
Private Land Antlerless-only Modern Gun Hunt: Dec. 29-31, 2023
Special Youth Modern Gun Hunt: Nov. 4-5, 2023 and Jan. 6-7, 2024
Modern Gun: Nov. 11-Dec. 3, 2023 and Dec. 26-28, 2023
Zone Bag Limit
Limit – Five deer, no more than two bucks, which may include:

• Two antlered bucks with archery, muzzleloader or modern gun,
• Five antlerless with archery,
• Three antlerless with muzzleloader and modern gun combined.

Zone Notes

• No dogs allowed for deer hunting.
• No antler point restrictions on harvest within the CWD counties. All other counties within this zone legal bucks must be a button buck or have at least three points on one side of their rack.
• Button bucks count as antlerless deer, but must be checked as a button buck.
• Button bucks do NOT count toward a hunter’s buck limit in this zone.
• In Baxter, Boone, Independence, Marion and Randolph counties, CWD regulations apply.

 

[fiver]

you get one shot at one deer here.
unless you buy an out of state tag.

our muzzle loader season is just that, a muzzle loader [flint locks are acceptable] no nuthin but a traditional hammer and cap/flash pan type rifle [under hammers are accepted too]

we can't even use any type of electronics that are attached to the rifle during the any weapon season, this includes stuff like lighted reticles [that one is usually overlooked] the way the law is written.

 

[Joshua]

Washington used to be more like Idaho, no optics, and exposed caps; with the exception that we could always use sabots, here in Washington. There are a few other states that ban the uses of sabots, Colorado being the other one that comes to mind.

 

[Joshua]

A interesting read on the absurdly different mix of rules for Muzzleloader hunting out here in the west.

Muzzleloader law breakdown throughout the western states

A state by state look

www.gohunt.com

I’m currently running an inline 209 primer 50cal with iron sights. Which is illegal to use in the neighboring states of Idaho or Oregon.