The last I heard F&G was kicking the muzzleloader hunters out of one of the best deer areas and giving those tags to the centerfire guys?.all the while claiming that the muzzleloading hunters are too successful and they're killing too many deer.
After the way Idaho's managers have spoken to me and the lies I have been told, all I can believe is that they hate dealing with us and the sooner we go away the happier they will be.
Also, with more restrictions on the sport and lot of traditional shooters being completely satisfied with non-trophy hunts, I bet that's all they'll continue to offer. Their contention will most likely be the same as it's been the last few years..."less hunters are participating in muzzleloader hunts". This is one of their best lies because they've been cutting muzzleloader tags each year for the past three years so, of course there's less people participating?even though the interest in muzzleloading continues to grow.
In 2002 I talked to Brad Compton about getting a muzzleloader rut hunt for bulls. His reply was, that would be doubtful because the bow hunters would have a fit if we gave one of their units to some muzzleloading hunters. He went on to say, maybe if we could find a unit without an early archery elk season, so I said, how about unit 39? He replied, you should come to the meetings next year, so I did, and now we have a cow only muzzleloader hunt in 39.
IMO, all F&G wants muzzleloading hunters around for is to hunt hair in areas where they only want a few animals killed.
