I can and will say unequivocally the present Utah muzzleloader season was added to the mules deer hunting regulation for one reason and one reason only, in the late 1970’s. That reason was to allow hunters to experience a “primitive muzzleloader” hunt, after every other hunter was finished hunting mule deer. Meaning the hunt was intended to allow a sportsman to hunt, “IF and only IF he to hunt with a “primitive muzzleloader” but “primative” was poorly defined because………….. at the time no one was expecting ANYBODY to reinvent the breechloading rifle, to improve the tool to hunt with.
It’s not unusual for humans to make advancements to tools, when they see an opportunity to improve their efficiency……. it is however, almost always true that we “never” take this human expectation into consideration when we put regulations in place, especially for a “first time regulation”. The standard answer from the regulation makers is; that’s not going to happen” when in fact advancements in tools is almost always a guarantee to happen.
At that time of inception “primitive” was defined as a breachloading, black powder, powder rifle.
Why?
Because the modern muzzleloader and modern propellants hadn’t been considered yet. Scopes were used on primitives muzzleloader but they were not typically used primitively and originally Utah mule deer hunters, who pressed for a annual Utah Muzzleloader deer hunt, never considered mounting a modern scope or a primitive scope, on their Hawken, CVA or Zouave replica muzzleloaders….. so it was not an issue until a older gentleman on the Wildlife Board by the name of Jerry Mason wanted a 1x scope approved because he couldn’t see open sights anymore. (Like most old folks).
What’s my point? Because I don’t care what they do………. But if you want to know the original intent, that was it.
If going back to the original intent is your goal, that was the original intent, but if the original intent “is no your intent”, then take up any fight, for any reason, you want because anything other than the original intent can be justified and regulated for….. in as much as the original Utah Muzzleloader hunt no longer exists and you’re are actually starting over, for different reasons, with different objectives and completely different exceptions. This should have been addresses in the 1980’s like some other States did. But folks in Utah did the “that will never happen” management strategy again, as they always have.)
If you want long range breachloaders, with 1000 yard scopes, or you don’t, it a new fight, for a new hunt, but it most certainly is not a Primative Muzzleloader hunt, in any why shape or form and in hasn’t been primitive but it’s intended definition, since the late 1980s.
With the deer herd the way it is, I don’t believe you can justify any mule deer hunting in Utah…….. other than to keep raising revenue for the Wildlife agency operating expense unless you believe we should be funding the management of our mule deer into another homing pigeon species.
And by the way……..you probably should stop saying there were no long range muzzleloaders with scopes in the 1830-40. Here’s some data that will provide a smattering of accuracy about those facts.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baker_rifle
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whitworth_rifle
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telescopic_sight#History
100% Spot on
