The way I understand the Pa season for flinters was this way. If I remember correctly there was no muzzleloader season at all when the season was set up. The PGC set up a season at the behest of muzzle loading afficianados..not flintlock people per se. And the PGC set it up with input from many sources but eventually deciding on flinters only either from a lack of good information as to what primitive firearms were or from a somewhat vindictive attitude because the idea had not come from the PGC itself but was foisted on it by someone else. Other states at the time were setting up muzzleloader seasons. The PGC(and you know how controlling they have always been) almost had to do a season for muzzleloaders...and vindictively set it up for Flinters only...thinking to keep the numbers of hunters to a lower level. Didn't seem to work as the ol boys went to work what they had to use with vigor. I'm really proud of 'em for that. The PGC still has a bit too much control without listening to the average joe hunter. I hear the rumblings from Pa...from places other than this board. Even Petey has decried the things that the board has done to hurt the deer population in Pa. As far as changing the rules on the flintlock only seaon..you are correct in stating that the flintlock users have kept the season they prefer. But even the PGC saw the handwriting on the wall as there were no percussion arms allowed at one time. That changed obviously in the not so distant past...mainly because of public pressure. The way the season is now at least covers the basics of both groups
Rattus..I attribute nothing to you. Your distinctions speak for themselves. I did not state there is any great conspiracy among the bow hunting crowds or the NBEF or any other organization. You can point to the things that make a crossbow so different than a conventional bow...but fail to miss the differences in muzzleloading firearms. It seems the distinctions are missed by you because the parameters don't meet your preconcieved notions. Expand the parameters of your mind and see that the main and really only thing that matters in all my discussion here is that no matter what kind of arm you choose to use.... It's all about the hunting opportunity to me. Flame away all y'all want but I'm done with this thread. As with the anti gun and anti hunting crowds...you can't argue with a closed mind. No matter how large or how small
