Muzzle Loader Season

Ugly Dogs

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Why is it that I have to wait 10 years and still no tag? Bow hunters get tags over the counter. Rifle hunters get 60,000-100,000 tags depending on the count. It really seems like we get the shit end of the stick all the way around.
- Worst drawing odds. There isn't a white tail unit in the state that is harder to draw than a muzzle loader tag.
- Worst season. The weather can make the season brutally cold and snow depths can make it tough to access hunting areas.
- No chance to draw a Mule deer tag. Both rifle and bow hunter can hunt Mule deer.

I'm not saying to take anything away from bow hunters or rifle hunters of which I am one. I am saying that those of us that muzzle loader hunt are getting shit on. I don't see it changing any time soon.
 


Bfishn

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Put in for normal deer license and use your smoke pole, you could shoot deer every year. Or does that make to much sense?
 

SlamminSalmon

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Do like I do as I wait to draw. Hunt elsewhere if North Dakota doesn’t want my money someone else sure does. Go east you can by the tag over the counter. There’s options.
 

guywhofishes

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40B5D12F-CF0D-4345-A54C-771A645FDAF9.jpeg
 


LBrandt

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I have used mine to shoot gophers and prairie poodles. Its takes two people, one to shoot and one to tell if you hit with all that smoke.
 

Ugly Dogs

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Put in for normal deer license and use your smoke pole, you could shoot deer every year. Or does that make to much sense?

I understand that. But why does the muzzle loader season have to such a back seat. I didn't mean for this to sound like I'm whining just looking for some discussion. The area that I rifle hunt is wide open prairie and isn't the best for muzzle loader hunting and I don't want to switch area because it's a family hunt
 

JMF

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Are you using a traditional muzzle loader or a single shot rifle?
 

Wags2.0

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Complain it takes too long to draw an extremely coveted tag, complain about possible cold weather if one were to draw,,, which I would argue is the absolute best time to hunt. Bucks are still dumb and chasing a bit, and deer start to herd up a little. You seem like a pretty self aware dude with a good sense of humor. You had to have known you were gonna get shit on posting this...

- - - Updated - - -

Unless you are trolling. In that case, you got me.
 


8andcounting

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Apply for antlerless muzzy tag and you’ll draw every other year or so . I’ve had 4 out of last 7 years . I’m a buck hunter mostly but I get a gratis and a bow tag so I don’t feel I should ever be shooting 3 bucks in a year . Plus I’ve got a good heard on my property so taking a doe occasionally doesn’t hurt
 

Phill Latio

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If you really wanna bitch about something bitch about how gratis tag holders get a muzzleloader tag EVERY YEAR. (Just not statewide). OR bitch about landowners getting to put in for the regular lottery and if they get denied they still get a gratis tag. ;:;popcorn
 

Ugly Dogs

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Are you using a traditional muzzle loader or a single shot rifle?

I own both but prefer the traditional. I use the modern with Rifle tag but in the area that I hunt even then it is hard to get a ethical shot.
 

Wildyote

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If they would go back to traditional only there would be a lot less people put in and success would be down which tag numbers would be up.
 


wby257

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That is the way it should be IMO.

I have had this discusion with the " traditonalist " how it should be just black powder and no inline muzzleloaders. Just the flint lock style. But them say guys will drive there 4 wheel drive pickup and wear there goretex clothing and 1200 gram boots. And still pound themself on the chest and say I'm a traditonalist. I say put your buckskin on and your moccasins and walk or ride your horse to where your hunting. If you do that then yes your a traditonalist.
 

pluckem

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I wish they would structure the draw where a person would have to pick to put in for the centerfire season or the muzz season. Not both. It is like that in the majority of other states I apply in and have previously hunted in.

It solves a number of problems people always complain about. For myself and the way I hunt (public land) it would allow me to hunt with less hunting pressure on the land available to me to hunt. Which to me is probably the top factor in what I consider a "quality" hunt.

The problem is 50,000 people in this state would never consider giving up there centerfire tag for a muzz tag. So they look at the muzz tag as just a bonus... every 15 years I can draw a muzz tag, who-hoo! It's looked at like something is getting taken away from them, instead of focusing on the positives for them of less people applying for the tag they want and less people in the field at the same time.
 

Wags2.0

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I have had this discusion with the " traditonalist " how it should be just black powder and no inline muzzleloaders. Just the flint lock style. But them say guys will drive there 4 wheel drive pickup and wear there goretex clothing and 1200 gram boots. And still pound themself on the chest and say I'm a traditonalist. I say put your buckskin on and your moccasins and walk or ride your horse to where your hunting. If you do that then yes your a traditonalist.

then you should have to make your own bow as well. Where do you stop? The trad archery guys are some real insufferable people btw. Sorta like baseball purists, and golfers that take it too seriously.
 

Holmsvc

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Why is it that I have to wait 10 years and still no tag? Bow hunters get tags over the counter. Rifle hunters get 60,000-100,000 tags depending on the count. It really seems like we get the shit end of the stick all the way around.
- Worst drawing odds. There isn't a white tail unit in the state that is harder to draw than a muzzle loader tag.
- Worst season. The weather can make the season brutally cold and snow depths can make it tough to access hunting areas.
- No chance to draw a Mule deer tag. Both rifle and bow hunter can hunt Mule deer.

I'm not saying to take anything away from bow hunters or rifle hunters of which I am one. I am saying that those of us that muzzle loader hunt are getting shit on. I don't see it changing any time soon.

Get a rifle tag and shoot it with your muzzle loader
 


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