Muzzleloader help

[jtkratzer]

Hello, I'm new to the forum and I'm would like to deer hunt more than just during rifle season. I am debating between archery and muzzleloader. I haven't archery hunted since before college as it gets in the way of the hunting seasons and I have never hunted with a muzzleloader. Either way, I'll have to buy all the stuff I need. Someone told me in Pa, you must use a flintlock and that in-lines are not allowed. Is this right? Any suggestions which direction I should go as far as archery or muzzleloader?

Thanks for your help.

[Buckmark.35]

Welcome to the forum! Hope you enjoy yourself.

Here is a link to the game commission's rules and regulations.

http://www.pgc.state.pa.us/pgc/cwp/v...a=460&q=161003

There are two muzzle-loader seasons.

Directly from that page:

DEER, ANTLERLESS MUZZLELOADER (Statewide): Oct. 14-21. An antlerless deer with each required antlerless license.

DEER, ANTLERED OR ANTLERLESS FLINTLOCK (Statewide): Dec. 26-Jan. 13. One antlered per hunting license year, or one antlerless deer and an additional antlerless deer with each required antlerless license.

For the first season, which has already passed, you can use any type of muzzle-loading weapon, including inline. In the late season, you can only use Flintlocks.

I would hunt archery if I were you. The season is much longer, which means more time in the woods. Plus archery hunting can be pretty exciting when you're 20 and 30 yards from the action.

[jtkratzer]

My challenge is that work is a bit demanding on my time, so hunting during the week is pretty much out. The areas I used to hunt are no longer available me. My grandparents used to live in Lycoming county and we hunted there. They moved to Sunbury. We also used to hunt on private land that was available through a lease along Rt. 11 between Northumberland and Danville. The group I was with no longer has the lease. I live in Lancaster County and I have never hunted here before. Last year during rifle I hunted on 40 or 50 acres outside of State College, land owned by a fraternity brother of my dad. I'm sure I could hunt there, but I don't have the time to go and scout the area much at all, it's about a 3 hour drive one way.

That's my challenge with archery, having to be less than 30 yards or so to get a good shot, without knowing where the deer are moving and without a tree stand.

[Buckmark.35]

Originally Posted by jtkratzer

That's my challenge with archery, having to be less than 30 yards or so to get a good shot, without knowing where the deer are moving and without a tree stand.

Yeah that's pretty tough. If you only plan on hunting a couple of days out of the season, you're still only going to get two days out of the early muzzle-loader season.. and it's only antlerless deer. That's a pretty sticky situation all the way around.

[jtkratzer]

right. the main reason i'm looking for more options to hunt is I have off the week between christmas and new year's every year. this year, my wife doesn't. i figured i'd hunt. ideas?

[Buckmark.35]

What I hunt after the firearms deer season is small game. Squirrel, Rabbit, Grouse, and Pheasant are all in from the 26th until sometime in late January.

Archery season opens back up, but you had said you don't know if you can hunt archery.. so that leaves flintlock, which is do-able.. but you can't use a scope or anything... it's for the hardcore traditional guys.

Also, coyote is in all year round and they're pests.. so killing them is fun and constructive. lol.

[jtkratzer]

As much as I like a challenge, I'm just not interested in flintlock. There are some state game lands in Lancaster county I'll have to look into for small game.

[jtkratzer]

This might be a stupid question, but the way you can fish on private property without a license, do you have to use a flintlock if you're on private property?

[aubie515]

Archery will give you more time out in the field. You won't have many days to use your inline if you can only hunt on Saturdays.

[Buckmark.35]

Yeah you have to use the appropriate weapon irregardless of whether its public or private. The Game Commission would probably confiscate your license and weapon if they caught you at that.. lol.