Conference vmsnet::hunting$note:hunting

    You've got to br kidding! But nothing would surprise me coming from
    that state.Just like the restrictions on muzzleloaders,can only
    use smooth bore not rifled barrel.I once asked these questions to
    a Mass. official:
    
    Q: why no rifles in Mass.
    A: because of distance.
    
    Q:why no muzzle loaders with rifle barrels.(you know muzzle loaders
    VS. the shotgun with slug the distance is so close its not worth
    mentioning)
    
    A: oh because the muzzleloader with rifle barrel is much more accurate.
       than the shotgun.
    Are you for real? How much more can it be that you would have such
    a law? Have you compared them on the range? I mean why does the
    word a rifled barrel scare these Mass law makers.I agree shotguns
    only,but a rifled barrel on a shot gun or muzzle loader is no where
    the same as a 270 or 30/06 and that is what you are comparing them
    to not to mention the fact that you are restricting these Mass hunters
    from being able to purchase some fine muzzleloaders to boot in 45
    or 50 cal. they are all stuck with 56cal.
    Now the Rifle slug barrel there's that word rifle again.If its true,I
    wonder what the reason will be(more accurate or distance)what a
    ridiculous state i'm sure they'll come up with a manufactured answer
    accurate,distance).
    
    see ya,
    Rick,(just a N.H. resident and hunter sticking up for you mass people)
    

    If this is true it probably illustrates the method the anti-hunting
    forces are using in the state.  Most people (doesn't matter what
    group they belong to) don't want to get involved in fights that
    don't affect them.  In the case of the hunter in Mass. the fight
    is to continue to hunt.  By targeting small groups of hunters, the
    anti-hunting forces can wittle away the hunting population (by
    aggrevating a small group and possibly drive them to take thier
    hunting to some other state) to such a size that when they do start
    to severly restrict hunting, the number of people who still hunt
    in Mass. are so small that they have no political clout.  I would
    be willing to bet that there are a lot of people who do hunt but
    to whom hunting doesn't mean as much as it does to us in this file.
    These people may quit hunting altogether, further reducing the
    political clout of the hunter.
    
    Didn't they try to ban bow hunting in Mass just recently?
    
    Rich

    I wonder how many deer suffer because of poor shot placement caused
    by the less accurate smooth bore muzzleloaders?  Surprised that
    they don't restrict your bowhunting to "long bow only".  It's really
     sort of strange the way every state has a differenct muzzleloading
    restriction.  I.E., Smooth Bore in Mass., Round Ball only in CT.,
    Bucks only in VT., Flint Lock/Fixed sights in Penn., etc..  You'd
    think that in this day and age game departments could work together
    and come up with something consistent.  Then I wouldn't have to
    own/maintain 4 different muzzleloaders.  Don't get me wrong, it's
    a great sport ...... just seems silly sometimes (especially when
    trying to explain it to my wife when I need a new gun).
     

    I think that the reason you see so much difference in the firearms
    allowed is that each state has their own interpretation of what
    a "Primitive firearm" is. I know a guy from Pa. who had asked the
    Pa. Fish & Game the question of why only flintlocks are allowed
    during Pa. muzzleloader season. The one he spoke to said that a
    percussion arm isn't "primitive enough". (???!)
    
    It's really stupid politics when you think about it. You're only
    going to get one shot with either a flinter or percussion, and if
    you take the responsibility of shooting at a deer you should be
    able to use the most accurate design possible along with the most
    reliable ignition system. After all, the fact that it takes so long
    to reload is the one thing that sets the primitive arm apart from
    all else...
    
    
    Joe

    That's like bow hunting...It's a primitive weapon, you need the
    primitive firearm stamp...and the bow can be used in shotgun season
    but not in the BP season...I don't understand these Mass laws...
    
    Happy Hunting
    

    There are 85000 deer hunters in Mass. And they are not a united
    front.
    
    The black powder rules in Mass. are :
    Caplocks must be smoothbore, flintlocks may be rifled.
    The "slug barrel" controversy probably relates to the Hastings
    brand of *rifled* replacement barrels for shotguns. Not legal in
    Mass. , though denying hunters the most accuracy possible *within
    the practical range of the weapon* is ridiculous. We are not
    allowed to use release aids on bows, rifled caplocks or shotguns,
    and other devices which contribute to accuracy BUT NOT EFFECTIVE
    RANGE.  The rulemakers obviously choose to ignore the laws of 
    physics as they apply to ballistics. Another case of facts being
    inconvenient.
    
    Dana