A friend posted this on fb, and thought one of you might know the answer.
Looking at muzzleloader statistics from 1995 to 2016…In 2007 there were 9,867 muzzleloader licenses sold, in 2008 there were 64,673 licenses sold…roughly a 655% increase. From 2000-2007, the licenses sold were relatively constant between 9000 – 12,000 per year. Since 2008, muzzleloader has had between 43,000 and 65,000 licenses sold.
What happened between 2007 and 2008 that caused such a monster increase?
I think the answer is here:
http://www.presspubs.com/article_ab214bb1-9506-57a3-9a49-515a58505e19.html
Which I believe means you could take an additional deer with the ML license.
I think the answer is here:
http://www.presspubs.com/article_ab214bb1-9506-57a3-9a49-515a58505e19.html
Which I believe means you could take an additional deer with the ML license.
Not really. Go back and read the article carefully on bag limits. It states that one deer in lottery areas, two in management areas and 5 in intensive harvest areas is the rule. Regardless of where you hunt only one buck can be taken in a year. If a person hunts the regular season and shoots a buck in a management area he can still take a doe, or four more if in an intensive harvest area. The muzzleloader license doesn’t allow more deer than the set aside statewide limits allow. It simply allows a different way to get the animal.
If I recall, you couldn’t hunt both firearm AND muzzleloader season.
That is about all that I can think of that would cause that drastic of an increase in sales.
Probably when I started muzzy hunting.
And glancing at the article confirms that.
Multiple licensees.
No changes to bag limits.
MN is 1 buck only.
5 deer Max state wide bag limit, some exceptions.
Many years I had a bow, firearm, muzzy license and only tagged a single deer.
I think the combination of the modernized equipment, the regulation changes, and just the fact that you can potentially hunt longer have all factored in.
Personally, I think with more and more people owning and managing properties specifically for hunting, there are increasing numbers who are looking for more ways to hunt and hunt longer. That may or may not mean taking more deer, overall, but I can honestly see where many property owners would look at the situation and at most in MN, you have a 16 day regular firearms season (Z1). But in other areas, you may not get more than a weekend.
Even at 16 days, I can tell you my season to enjoy hunting my property was WAAAAAAAY to short. I took up bow hunting, but I can easily see the attraction of the muzzleloader.
Grouse
You must be logged in to reply to this topic.
