Bowhunting during CO Muzzleloader?

[Bonedalien]

It's the ML hunters that you don't see that are the hunters. It's like someone saying an area has no elk, because they didn't see one.

great point. Hey Bar, on the years you dont draw regular muzzy,do you still just head out with your smokepole and cruise dark timber during a regular rifle season? Or do you end up rifle hunting?

 

[Bar]

I'll hunt the rifle seasons with the ML if that's the only tag I can get.

 

[Bar]

I agree with all - ML appears to be no threat in area I hunt - if they are there I'm not seeing them, nor do I feel it has an impact on my bowhunt. Actually considering having my dad or others apply for ML and just bowhunt that week with them. Great time of year to be hunting Elk!

Great idea. I'm sure your dad will love it.

 

[Bonedalien]

Great idea. I'm sure your dad will love it.

agreed, bring them on out!
on a side note, I have a 58cal. that my father built in 1972. one day I would love to honor him with an elk ,with that rifle.

 

[Bar]

A .58 will get the job done. The round ball weighs 270gr, and will kill any elk.

 

[husky390]

In one particular unit where I've seen them they only worry me if I'm walking the road back to camp. Might get run over by their UTV/ATV.

 

[Bar]

Yeah, because bow hunters never use ATV's.

 

[dotman]

Haha, I get a kick out of all the bowhunters that road hunt on their atv's and I'm mainly a bowhunter, very easy to glass them a few miles away flying down roads on their quads. This will be my first year ml hunting for a change up.

 

[dotman]

I would agree with this. I have NEVER run into a ML hunter that was hunting it like I would if I was hunting the rut. Not a one has ever been calling at all, and have only seen one or two that even had a bugle with them. Every single one of them has been sitting down and set up somewhere waiting for the animals to get pushed around just like most rifle hunters. Which is really odd to me, the whole reason to hunt the ML season is because of the rut.

However, if you unknowingly have one set up close to where you're working a bull, and that bull really gets going with you......that ML hunter will most likely move in on you and make the kill.

Haha, still licking your wounds from this past year

 

[Bonedalien]

A .58 will get the job done. The round ball weighs 270gr, and will kill any elk.

yep, pretty much only shoot round balls out of my pistols and rifles.(i love ml Bar, have army and confederate 44,s) the maxi ball I hunt with are 555 grains out of the .58.BUT ! have not hunted muzzy in 9 years. also,dont know if it matters to you, im traditional muzzy, not flintlock,though dad has one. good ole side percussion on my guns

 

[Bar]

yep, pretty much only shoot round balls out of my pistols and rifles.(i love ml Bar, have army and confederate 44,s) the maxi ball I hunt with are 555 grains out of the .58.BUT ! have not hunted muzzy in 9 years. also,dont know if it matters to you, im traditional muzzy, not flintlock,though dad has one. good ole side percussion on my guns

That's good to hear. I'm a traditional muzzleloader too. I've used a Hawken style up until this year, but my 72 year old eyes are having a hard time with primitive sights. So, for this year I bought a Kentucky style rifle with a 39" barrel. The longer sighting plane helps me see the front sight better. Even with the longer sighting plane I still need to get close. Under 45yds is my range, so i'm pretty much in bow range now. I've always liked to get close by still hunting, but now I have to.

I also love percussion revolvers like you. I shot CAS for a couple of decades. I always shot the frontier class, and used two 1860 Colts in black powder. Tons of fun.

 

[LostArra]

Lots of us bow hunters hunt right along with the muzzle loader during their short season. No reason to not hunt with them IMO. Orange is not required if you are hunting with an archery tag.

A non-coyote colored backpack might be a good idea.

 

[cobrad]

Bonedaleian, tried to send you a PM but your box is full.

 

[Bonedalien]

sorry bout that, should be good now

 

[CrzyTrekker]

The last time I went backpack muzzleloader hunting, I walked down some nice bulls simply by listening to them. Easy to do in the backcountry, because they're so vocal, and because you're carrying a 100-yard weapon.

 

[MAT]

I usually hunt in CO later in the season and its usually w/o incident but a few things to note. Look up the number of cow tags, some hard to draw muzzy units give out a ton of muzzy cow tags. OTC archery areas will have the most hunters that week too, as the OP pointed out there will be a few with muzzy tags and the rest of the crew that didn't draw will buy archery tags so you'll see big camps of 8-10 guys. All those people really push elk around. In fact I ran into 4 guys 3 miles into the Zirkels 2 years ago, only one had a muzzy tag (only one to kill a bull).

Orange is a personal preference but I've called in too many archery hunters so I'm always questioning if its real elk or not. And since I like to use a decoy that is a potentially serious problem during the muzzy season so I only use it when I'm sure I'm alone, which isn't that often. I wish they would separate the 2 seasons as it's really stupid to have them both open at the same time.

Also if you are not big into bowhunting the muzzy tag is by far the best option, way better than any of the rifle seasons. I'd have killed a bull every year with one.

 

[bowhunter15]

Also if you are not big into bowhunting the muzzy tag is by far the best option, way better than any of the rifle seasons. I'd have killed a bull every year with one.

I like archery, but some of the guys I hunt with are thinking about muzzleloader. The only problem is the OTC archery units I'm looking at are not 100% draw for ML. So we might have to compromise if they really want to do muzzleloader.

 

[Bar]

It would be nice if they made the muzzy season really primitive like it was intended to be when the season started. That would keep it from getting so crowded. How many would hunt the muzzy season if you had to use a flintlock, black powder, and a round ball? Don't forget the primitive sights too. Colorado banned inline muzzleloaders, but it only lasted one year.

 

[bz_711]

It would be nice if they made the muzzy season really primitive like it was intended to be when the season started. That would keep it from getting so crowded. How many would hunt the muzzy season if you had to use a flintlock, black powder, and a round ball? Don't forget the primitive sights too. Colorado banned inline muzzleloaders, but it only lasted one year.

I haven't checked the regs on ML for a while...is it still any ML can be used, just must use powder (no pellets), iron sights (no scopes), and cast bullets or balls (no sabots)? Any primer or cap allowed? Thanks.

 

[bowhunter15]

b. In-line muzzleloaders are legal.
c. Must be a single barrel that fires a single round ball or conical projectile.
d. To hunt deer, pronghorn or bear, they must be minimum of .40 caliber.
e. To hunt elk or moose, they must be minimum of .50 caliber.
f. From .40 caliber to .50 caliber, bullets must weigh a minimum 170 grains.
g. If greater than .50 caliber, bullets must weigh a minimum 210 grains.
h. Shotshell primers and B.O.R. Lock MZ System bullets are legal.
i. Pelletized powder systems prohibited in muzzleloading seasons.
j. Cannot be loaded from the breech in muzzleloading seasons.
k. Only open or iron sights allowed in muzzleloading seasons. Fiber optics
and fluorescent paint incorporated into or on open or iron sights are
legal. Scopes or any sighting device using artificial light, batteries and
electronic gear are prohibited during muzzleloading seasons.
l. Sabots are prohibited in muzzleloading seasons. Cloth patches are not
sabots.
m. Smokeless powder prohibited in muzzleloading seasons. Black powder
and black-powder substitutes are legal.
n. Electronic or battery-powered devices cannot be incorporated into or
attached to muzzleloader during muzzleloading seasons.