BuckNrut Posted November 23, 2005 Report Share Posted November 23, 2005 This past Saturday I took a friend & co-worker hunting for the Southern zone opener. Our morning was uneventful. Deer in the cut corn scattered before sunrise as some yahoos on the adjacent property arrived "late" and pushed the deer out. We moved to another area for the afternoon hunt. I sat on a hardwood ridge overlooking a thicket near a swamp bottom. At 4:00 or so, two mature does and a fawn came out from the direction of the swamp, heading up the ridge in my direction. I set the sights of my muzzleloader in an opening and waited. One of the mature does stepped into the opening and after she turned slightly quartering to me I let-er bark. When the smoke cleared, three deer ran off down the ridge twards my partner. I heard a light snort, then a doe and the fawn came back, heading twards the flat bottom thicket. I recovered my doe shortly thereafter. After unloading, field dressing, making phone calls home Tim and I drug my doe a half mile or so back to his van. Sunset was at 4:48 - it was now 6:00pm. No sooner did we put the deer in the van did the headlights come on, and the SUV pulled up. If you guessed the DEC, you're right! "It's a little late to be out hunting deer don't you think boys?" was the officer's first words. We got the thorough check down. Tim showed the officer the time of calls on his cell phone, guns were unloaded, we had our licenses, and my tag was properly filled out - and attached to the deer. The CO was checking us out because she heard shots after sunset, and with us out in the field with a flash light.... Anyway, I had to explain why "unloading" my muzzleloader was not safe, or practicle. The breach plug can be removed from the rear, but with a loaded charge, should be submersed in water overnight before unscrewing. Discharging is the only practicle method of unloading in the field. I guess I was lucky. I got an officer on a good night, who made a judgement in my favor. Next time, I'll be sure to "unload" before sunset! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drkillemquick Posted November 23, 2005 Report Share Posted November 23, 2005 Re: Close call, but legal Congrats on the doe. You were indeed lucky. I know a guy up here who shot a nice buck, legally, used his legal tag to tag it. However he forgot to knotch the date and time of kill on his tag and when he took his deer into the ministry weigh in, the warden slapped him with a hefty fine . It would have seemed logical to just remind the hunter to knotch it, seeing that the deer was still warm and was obviously shot that day. At least you were stopped by one of the good ones!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hutchies Posted November 23, 2005 Report Share Posted November 23, 2005 Re: Close call, but legal Hate to say it but I leave my ML loaded. I take the cap out but rarely unload it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuckNrut Posted November 23, 2005 Author Report Share Posted November 23, 2005 Re: Close call, but legal I've spent the last two days researching NY laws. It seems here that the "chamber and magazine" must be unloaded. I have not (yet) found verbage stating you can remove the primer and be OK. Up to this point, I've been doing the same, but am thinking of changing my ways to make sure I'm legal. Does anyone have a link to the correct statute? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rossman Posted November 23, 2005 Report Share Posted November 23, 2005 Re: Close call, but legal I live in NY too and have always just took the primer out. Without the primer it can not be considered a hot load. Did the officer tell you it was illegal to keep the powder and projectile in the gun while haveing the primer removed? I always thought it was legal to keep the charge and bullet in the gun. As long as you remove the primer. But, I may have been doing it wrong for years!!!! --Rossman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuckNrut Posted November 23, 2005 Author Report Share Posted November 23, 2005 Re: Close call, but legal [ QUOTE ] Did the officer tell you it was illegal to keep the powder and projectile in the gun while haveing the primer removed? [/ QUOTE ] No, but since the conversation was going my way I wasn't about to press my luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texan_Til_I_Die Posted November 23, 2005 Report Share Posted November 23, 2005 Re: Close call, but legal Wow, are you telling me that the CO didn't understand the fundamentals of muzzleloader operation? That's just unbelievable! BTW - You might want to look at one of those CO2 cartridges that will unload the weapon for you. Just a thought. BTW Part II - Congrats on the deer! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sasksheds Posted November 23, 2005 Report Share Posted November 23, 2005 Re: Close call, but legal Here in Sask. Canada it is considered unloaded if the primer is off.Otherwise you would have to remove powder & bullet everytime you transported your muzzle loader in your vehicle.It is illegal to have a loaded firearm in a vehicle here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6sixpoint_nobrows Posted November 23, 2005 Report Share Posted November 23, 2005 Re: Close call, but legal congrats on the doe, and good to see you didnt get in trouble Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoosierbuck Posted November 23, 2005 Report Share Posted November 23, 2005 Re: Close call, but legal ML is also considered unloaded as long as primer is off in Indiana. Specifically spelled out in statutes/admin. code. HB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WvBowhunterKE Posted November 23, 2005 Report Share Posted November 23, 2005 Re: Close call, but legal Well congrats, just consider yourself pretty lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJ Posted November 24, 2005 Report Share Posted November 24, 2005 Re: Close call, but legal BNR, It is clearly stated on DEC's webpage about uncapped ML being considered unloaded: Q. When is a muzzleloader considered unloaded? A. When the cap is off the nipple, the primer is removed or a flintlock unprimed, it is considered unloaded, and may be carried in a motor vehicle. You can read it on the FAQ page. It's the 14th question down. And you don't have to soak the gun in water to remove the breechplug on a loaded charge. Just unscrew it. You don't have source of ignition. The stuff is not nitro glycerin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhunt Posted November 26, 2005 Report Share Posted November 26, 2005 Re: Close call, but legal Yep, here a muzzleloader is also defined as "unloaded" if it is not capped. Removing the charge is not needed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turkeygirl Posted November 26, 2005 Report Share Posted November 26, 2005 Re: Close call, but legal Congrats Art! That was a close call,lol, but you didn't do anything worng. During opening weekend, I heard a few shots way before sunrise and way before sunset and was like where are the DEC officers when you need them,lol. Must have been checking on you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shaun_300 Posted November 26, 2005 Report Share Posted November 26, 2005 Re: Close call, but legal Congrats on the doe, Art! Glad to see the game warden was nice to ya, and let ya off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VTbowman Posted November 26, 2005 Report Share Posted November 26, 2005 Re: Close call, but legal [ QUOTE ] Hate to say it but I leave my ML loaded. I take the cap out but rarely unload it. [/ QUOTE ] This is what I did when I had a ML. VT says this its an unloaded ML as long as the cap or primers are not in it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beagleboy Posted November 27, 2005 Report Share Posted November 27, 2005 Re: Close call, but legal congrats on the doe and luckily the dec saw it your way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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