Primitive Weapon Season changes

[hunter5567]

.35 caliber rifles that are singelshot with exposed hammers are now legal for LA. Primitive Weapons season.
It was taken out of the hands of the Game Commission and passed by the legislature and signed into law by Jindal.
So, you don't have to use a 357mag or the 35/351 Winchester SL cartridges which were only chambered in Winchester Self-loading rifles around the turn of the century and used mainly by prison guards in the first half of the 20th century.
The 35 Whelen is a badass round and the ballistic twin of the 350 Rem. Magnum.

 

[Gus McCrae]

Does anyone really need .35 Whelen to kill a deer?

 

[sandman7925]

On one hand I can understand the change. But if it was up to me I would have made it more restricted. I'm ok with using the old single shot replicas. But I don't think scopes should be allowed.
I'm gonna keep using my high wall anyways

 

[LaBelle]

So I guess it should now be called the "Primitive Weapon-including-not-primitive-weapons-but-now-legal-to-use" Season?

I didn't like it when the season was first opened to non-black powder firearms. Call me a purist, but Primitive Weapon to me means;

Single or double barreled muzzle-loading rifles of at least .38 caliber; reproductions or reintroductions of those type rifles; and single or double-barreled muzzle-loading, shotguns with single ball or slug. All Primitive Firearms must use black powder or a black powder substitute with either percussion caps or #209 shotgun primers or flintlock ignition.

Really, even the #209 primer part kinda sticks in my craw. I know, I've heard the most-used argument..."It gets more people in the woods hunting", and "Increased reliability".

What it actually does, is let regular hunters cram in more days and still allowing them to use modern firearms. And yes, anything that uses smokeless powder & cartridges IS a modern firearm, regardless of the action type.

What ever happened to the original intent of allowing those who DO use the real primitive guns, who understand and accept the inherent issues of percussion or flintlock ignition, the opportunity to hunt the game before it gets too spooked at every little sound?

I guess that's what happens when bureaucrats start feeling that THEY know best. (Or a campaign contributor/constituent wants it so).

Okay, rant mode is OFF now.

 

[jmeng]

Is that the only change or did they also change the language to allow Encore rifles?

 

[Gus McCrae]

I don't think Encores are allowed.

As far as scopes and modern cartridges, I think the help ensure a quick kill and get more people to hunt.

That being said, I plan on trying a real NO gun this year..... Maybe even a flintlock if I can afford it.

Sent from my smart phone where autocorrect will make me look stupid.

 

[SGT_Kramer]

Whole thing seems silly. Should be Bow and Gun season. I'd like a snare and knife season. Would be neat.

 

[Win1917]

I don't think Encores are allowed.

They are. I don't have the exact wording handy but I saw it on another site and it just has to have an exposed hammer so it's basically MS rules.

 

[hunter5567]

Yep, it includes any singleshot rifle with exposed hammer. No more pre -1900 restrictions.
We have to keep up with Mississippi dontcha know.
I hunted with blackpowder rifles back in the early 70's before there were any blackpowder seasons. All we had were caplocks and flintlocks back then but there was a 2 barrel swivel over and under rifle. I agree that blackpowder season should just be that --blackpowder or substitues with iron sights, caplocks or flintlocks. That won't sell licenses these days.
The current form of regulation is basically in response to inline rifles with scopes firing 150gr charges of powder behind saboted 44 or 357 bullets to make 2-300 yard rifles.
Might as well use a cartridge rifle since the muzzleloader part was so bastardized.
With fewer kids being able to be pried away from their computer games to actually go outdoors, we need anything we can to attract people and kids to the sport.
I guess if you wanted to really get some power just take your 35 Whelen rifle and have it rechambered to 358 Norma Magnum or neck up one of those 300 Ultra magnums. I guess if you look at power to kill a deer do you really need a 45-70 ? I watched a video where a guy killed a 10pt buck with a Career 909 air rifle firing a 45 cal round ball at 700fps. The buck ran about 75 yards but was dead when he got there and the ball was found under the hide on the opposite side. You could get more power with a traditional muzzleloader with a 50gr charge of powder behind a patched round ball.

 

[jmeng]

I understand and agree with the comments that the rifles allowed today are not "primitive". I've hunted during primitive arms seasons for close to 20 years now. Started with a T/C Caplock .50 cal, then stepped up to an inline that used musket caps, and finally a couple of years ago to a H&R .444. IMO they got away from primitive when they started allowing magnifying scopes. With that being said, I use "primitive arms" to extend my hunting season by 2 weeks, not because I crave the challenge. I'm pretty happy with my .444 but now that the law has changed I'll probably add an Encore with a custom 35 Whelen barrel to my shopping list just cause.

 

[Win1917]

With that being said, I use "primitive arms" to extend my hunting season by 2 weeks, not because I crave the challenge.

I'm in the same boat. Specifically the extra time it affords to firearm hunt on public land.

 

[sevenpt62]

I'd like a snare and knife season. Would be neat.

a primative trapping season would be awesome.

 

[LA_Huntsman]

So I guess it should now be called the "Primitive Weapon-including-not-primitive-weapons-but-now-legal-to-use" Season?

I didn't like it when the season was first opened to non-black powder firearms. Call me a purist, but Primitive Weapon to me means;

Single or double barreled muzzle-loading rifles of at least .38 caliber; reproductions or reintroductions of those type rifles; and single or double-barreled muzzle-loading, shotguns with single ball or slug. All Primitive Firearms must use black powder or a black powder substitute with either percussion caps or #209 shotgun primers or flintlock ignition.

Really, even the #209 primer part kinda sticks in my craw. I know, I've heard the most-used argument..."It gets more people in the woods hunting", and "Increased reliability".

What it actually does, is let regular hunters cram in more days and still allowing them to use modern firearms. And yes, anything that uses smokeless powder & cartridges IS a modern firearm, regardless of the action type.

What ever happened to the original intent of allowing those who DO use the real primitive guns, who understand and accept the inherent issues of percussion or flintlock ignition, the opportunity to hunt the game before it gets too spooked at every little sound?

I guess that's what happens when bureaucrats start feeling that THEY know best. (Or a campaign contributor/constituent wants it so).

Okay, rant mode is OFF now.

I'm with this dude!!

 

[Gus McCrae]

They are. I don't have the exact wording handy but I saw it on another site and it just has to have an exposed hammer so it's basically MS rules.

Cool. Thanks for clarifying.

 

[Emperor]

So I guess it should now be called the "Primitive Weapon-including-not-primitive-weapons-but-now-legal-to-use" Season?

I didn't like it when the season was first opened to non-black powder firearms. Call me a purist, but Primitive Weapon to me means;

Single or double barreled muzzle-loading rifles of at least .38 caliber; reproductions or reintroductions of those type rifles; and single or double-barreled muzzle-loading, shotguns with single ball or slug. All Primitive Firearms must use black powder or a black powder substitute with either percussion caps or #209 shotgun primers or flintlock ignition.

Really, even the #209 primer part kinda sticks in my craw. I know, I've heard the most-used argument..."It gets more people in the woods hunting", and "Increased reliability".

What it actually does, is let regular hunters cram in more days and still allowing them to use modern firearms. And yes, anything that uses smokeless powder & cartridges IS a modern firearm, regardless of the action type.

What ever happened to the original intent of allowing those who DO use the real primitive guns, who understand and accept the inherent issues of percussion or flintlock ignition, the opportunity to hunt the game before it gets too spooked at every little sound?

I guess that's what happens when bureaucrats start feeling that THEY know best. (Or a campaign contributor/constituent wants it so).

Okay, rant mode is OFF now.

It's just another stab at raising hunting numbers and thus hunting revenues. We are losing this heritage at an alarming rate. The technical aspects of the firearms won't matter when you don't continue to have opportunities/hunters hunting.

Us old hardcore hunters can't keep this sport alive by ourselves, and no one is telling you to use this more modern weaponry if you choose not to. But the truth is, they need to do whatever it takes to get more people involved.

 

[spanky]

I'm with this dude!!

She's not a dude.

 

[tbone]

Yep, it includes any singleshot rifle with exposed hammer. No more pre -1900 restrictions.
We have to keep up with Mississippi dontcha know.
I hunted with blackpowder rifles back in the early 70's before there were any blackpowder seasons. All we had were caplocks and flintlocks back then but there was a 2 barrel swivel over and under rifle. I agree that blackpowder season should just be that --blackpowder or substitues with iron sights, caplocks or flintlocks. That won't sell licenses these days.
The current form of regulation is basically in response to inline rifles with scopes firing 150gr charges of powder behind saboted 44 or 357 bullets to make 2-300 yard rifles.
Might as well use a cartridge rifle since the muzzleloader part was so bastardized.
With fewer kids being able to be pried away from their computer games to actually go outdoors, we need anything we can to attract people and kids to the sport.
I guess if you wanted to really get some power just take your 35 Whelen rifle and have it rechambered to 358 Norma Magnum or neck up one of those 300 Ultra magnums. I guess if you look at power to kill a deer do you really need a 45-70 ? I watched a video where a guy killed a 10pt buck with a Career 909 air rifle firing a 45 cal round ball at 700fps. The buck ran about 75 yards but was dead when he got there and the ball was found under the hide on the opposite side. You could get more power with a traditional muzzleloader with a 50gr charge of powder behind a patched round ball.

Same thing in general that I posted a while back. The "real" muzzleloader hunters asked for and got an additional license fee to allow them to hunt one week extra without competing with modern smokeless powder metallic cartridge rifles with scopes. Then the bastardization began and this is where we are now. I said it before. LDWF whored themselves out to sell a few more licenses and stabbed the original muzzleloader hunters in the back. Everyone wants the easy way. They don't want to take the time to learn how to efficiently manage a rifle that has inherent difficulties in operating dependably.

 

[PawPaw]

What ever happened to the original intent of allowing those who DO use the real primitive guns, who understand and accept the inherent issues of percussion or flintlock ignition, the opportunity to hunt the game before it gets too spooked at every little sound?

There's nothing saying you can't do that. I still hunt with my .54 Hawken during that season. Heck, I'm the only guy on the lease, except for those bozos working on their stands for the next week opener. They come out late and leave early, so I've got the best times to myself.

I fought it for years, but finally said "What the heck?"

 

[jgreg]

Are you sure the 35Whelen/encore can be used?

 

[SpencerSS]

Are you sure the 35Whelen/encore can be used?

The comission was given the charge of defining what guns can be used and setting season, etc. The legislature just mandated the caliber resriction be changed to 35 or larger. As of yet the comission hasn't reworded their rules, so unless they change it, yes T/C is in.

For the "Primitive"pushers, I hunt with a stickbow; that's as primative as I get for now. When it comes to guns, I'm always trying something new. I can't wait to shoot something with my Haley .457cal Airgun; I may go to MS so I can shoot a deer with it.