In the ever-evolving hunting world, it seems weaponry is constantly changing. Utah went from iron sight muzzleloaders to a virtually unlimited muzzleloader, but a few years later, they decided to open up HAMS hunts to allow traditional muzzleloader- only hunts to be a thing again. Sweet, right? There are a lot of commonalities across the west where you can have a few different setups that allow you to hunt all states. One thing you can count on out west is no smokeless powder. This is by no means an article to replace the states’ regulations but to give you an up-to-date directory on what is out there. Rules and regulations are subject to change, so be sure to check the state you’re going to, as unfortunately, this article cannot be timeless.
ALASKA
Hunters wishing to hunt in a weapon- restricted area must successfully complete a course for the weapon with which they will be hunting. Certain bowhunter, crossbow, muzzleloader, and shotgun hunts also require the hunter to be in possession of a Basic Hunter Education card. You can find more information at www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=huntered.muzzleloader.
The muzzleloader must be a shoulder-mounted long gun of at least .45 caliber or larger with a barrel that is either rifled or smooth bore and discharges a single projectile. You cannot use a muzzleloader equipped with a scope or that uses smokeless powder during any permitted, registered, or special season hunt for muzzleloader only. Alaska has certified muzzleloader-only seasons for which you must have completed hunter education before applying.
ARIZONA
In Arizona, there are no real laws in place. No minimum caliber, no scope restrictions, so long as the muzzleloader is loaded from the muzzle and shoots black powder or synthetic black powder. They suggest user discretion for caliber.
CALIFORNIA
A disabled muzzleloader scope permit is available to any visually impaired hunter having a permanent loss. The Disabled Muzzleloader Scope Permit allows the hunter to use a 1X scope on a muzzleloader rifle while hunting under the conditions of a muzzleloader deer hunt tag. Hunters must renew the permit each license year, but hunters may provide a copy of their previously issued permit to the CDFW’s License and Revenue Branch to renew annually. The Disabled Muzzleloader Scope Permit Application can be found at https://wildlife.ca.gov/Licensing/Hunting.
Muzzleloaders must be wheellock, matchlock, flintlock, or percussion type, including “in-line” muzzleloading rifles using black powder or equivalent black powder substitute, including pellets, with a single projectile loaded from the muzzle and at least .40 caliber in designation. Under the provisions of a muzzleloading rifle only tag, hunters may only possess muzzleloading rifles with open or “peep” type sights only except as described in the subsection. Lead free bullets must be used.
COLORADO
In-line muzzleloaders are legal. They must be a single barrel that fires a single round-ball or conical projectile. To hunt deer, antelope, or bear, conical bullets must be a minimum of .40 caliber and round ball bullets must be a minimum of .50 caliber. To hunt elk or moose, conical bullets must be a minimum of .50 caliber and round-ball bullets must be a minimum of .54 caliber. From .40 caliber to .50 caliber, bullets must weigh a minimum of 170 grains. If greater than .50 caliber, bullets must weigh a minimum of 210 grains. Shotshell primers and B.O.R. Lock MZ System bullets are legal. Pelletized powder systems are prohibited during muzzleloader seasons. They cannot be loaded from the breech during muzzleloader seasons. Only open or iron sights are allowed. Fiber optics and fluorescent paint incorporated into or on open or iron sights are legal. Scopes or any sighting device using artificial light, batteries, and electronic gear are prohibited during muzzleloader seasons. Sabots are prohibited. Cloth patches are not sabots. Smokeless powder is prohibited. Black powder and black-powder substitutes are legal. Electronic or battery-powered devices cannot be incorporated into or attached to a muzzleloader.
IDAHO
In any hunt, including general any weapon seasons and shortrange hunts, it is unlawful to pursue or kill big game animals with any muzzleloading rifle or musket that is less than .45 caliber for deer, antelope, mountain lion, or gray wolf or is less than .50 caliber for elk, moose, bighorn sheep, mountain goat, or black bear. Any person hunting in a muzzleloader-only season, including controlled hunts, must have in their possession a license with a muzzleloader permit validation. In addition, the muzzleloading rifle or musket must be capable of being loaded only from the muzzle.
A muzzleloader can only be equipped with open or peep sights. Scopes and any electronics are prohibited, except hunters with a visual disability may apply for a Reasonable Modification Permit to use non-magnifying or up to 4X power scopes. Applications are available at Fish and Game regional offices. Muzzleloaders can only be loaded with loose black powder, loose pyrodex, or other loose synthetic black powder. Pelletized powders are prohibited. Muzzleloaders must be equipped with a single or double-barrel and loaded with a projectile that is within .010" of the bore diameter. Sabots are prohibited. Muzzleloaders must be loaded with a patched round ball or conical non- jacketed projectile comprised wholly of lead or lead alloy, equipped only with a flint, percussion cap, or musket cap. 209 primers are prohibited. Muzzleloaders are to be equipped with an ignition system in which any portion of the cap is exposed when the weapon is cocked and ready to fire. For additional information about muzzleloader equipment, go to idfg.idaho.gov/hunt/ weapons/muzzleloader.
KANSAS
Legal muzzleloaders include rifles, pistols, or muskets that can be loaded only through the front of the firing chamber with separate components and that fire a bullet of .40" in diameter or larger using hard-cast solid lead, conical lead, saboted, or tumble-on-impact bullets. You may use a scope.
MONTANA
Muzzleloader hunters must use plain lead projectiles and a muzzleloading rifle that is charged with loose black powder, loose pyrodex, or an equivalent loose black powder substitute and be ignited by a flintlock, wheel-lock, matchlock, or percussion mechanism using a percussion or musket cap. The muzzleloading rifle must be a minimum of .45 caliber and may not have more than two barrels. You may not use a muzzleloading rifle that requires insertion of a cap or primer into the open breech of the barrel, is capable of being loaded from the breech, or is mounted with an optical magnification device. Use of pre-prepared paper or metallic cartridges, sabots, gas checks, or other similar power and range-enhancing manufactured loads that enclose the projectile from the rifling or bore of the firearm is also prohibited.
NEBRASKA
Muzzleloading rifles must be .44 caliber or larger, and muzzleloading muskets must be .62 caliber or larger that fire a single slug. Breech loading (powder or bullet) muzzleloaders are not legal during the muzzleloader season. You can use scopes in Nebraska.
NEVADA
Muzzleloading rifles must have a single barrel of .45 caliber or larger. Muzzleloaders must have a wheel-lock, matchlock, or flintlock ignition system or a percussion ignition system that uses a primer or percussion cap. In-lines are permitted. You can use a lead ball, lead bullet, semi-jacketed bullet, or a metal alloy bullet that expands. A saboted round may be used. Only open sights or peep sights are permitted. Scopes are prohibited. A sight that is operated or powered by a battery, electronics, or a radioactive isotope, such as tritium, is prohibited. Only black powder or a black powder substitute may be used.
NEW MEXICO
Muzzleloaders are any sporting arm in which the charge and projectile(s) are loaded through the muzzle. Only black powder, pyrodex, or an equivalent black powder substitute may be used. Use of smokeless powder is prohibited. Scopes, sabots, and in-line ignitions may be used with muzzleloaders except during restricted muzzleloader deer hunts. During the restricted muzzleloader deer hunts, only a muzzleloading rifle using open sights, black powder, or equivalent propellant and firing a full-bore diameter bullet or patched round ball is legal. The use of in-line ignition, scopes, and smokeless powder are prohibited. Bows and crossbows are legal during restricted muzzleloader deer hunts.
NORTH DAKOTA
Muzzleloading long guns of .45 caliber or larger and handguns .50 caliber or larger, having all components loaded through the muzzle with flint or percussion ignition, firing black powder, or black powder substitutes are legal. Smokeless powders are not legal. Telescopic sights are prohibited, with the exception that no magnification (1X) scopes are legal.
OREGON
New for 2022, muzzleloaders no longer require an “open ignition.” It is unlawful to use scopes (permanent or detachable). You many not use sights that use batteries, artificial light, or energy, except for visually impaired hunters with a permit. More information can be found at www.eregulations.com/oregon/hunting/disabilities-hunting-fishing-permit-information. Open and peep sights are legal, including open and peep sights with fiber optics or fluorescent paint on them. Hunt with or have in possession while hunting sabots or bullets with plastic or synthetic parts. Cloth, paper, or felt patches are allowed. Hunt with pelletized powders or propellants. Granular (loose) black powder and black powder substitutes are the only legal propellants. Hunt with a revolving action muzzleloader. During any legal weapon seasons, hunters may use muzzleloaders with any ignition type (except matchlock), any legal sight, any propellant, or any bullet type provided the weapon meets caliber restrictions for the species. For deer, antelope, black bear, and cougar, you must use .40 caliber. For elk, bighorn sheep, and mountain goat, you must use .50 caliber.
SOUTH DAKOTA
In seasons restricted to muzzleloading firearms, telescopic sights are not allowed. Telescopic sights are sights that utilize magnification. No person may hunt, shoot, shoot at, wound, kill, or pursue any big game animal with any muzzleloading rifle which discharges a projectile less than .44 caliber. Muzzleloading handguns must discharge a projectile of .50 caliber or larger.
UTAH
Muzzleloaders may be used during any big game hunt, except the archery hunt. To hunt big game with a muzzleloader, your muzzleloader must meet all of the following requirements: it can be loaded only from the muzzle; it may have open sights, peep sights or a variable or fixed-power scope, including a magnifying scope; it can have only one barrel, and the barrel must be at least 18" long; and it cannot be capable of firing more than once without being reloaded. The powder and bullet (or powder, sabot, and bullet) cannot be bonded together as one unit for loading. It must be loaded with black powder or a black powder substitute. The black powder or black powder substitute cannot contain smokeless powder, but it may contain some nitrocellulose.
To hunt big game, you must use a lead or expanding bullet or projectile that’s at least .40 caliber in size. If you’re hunting deer or antelope, your bullet must be 130 grains or heavier or your sabot must be 170 grains or heavier. If you’re hunting elk, moose, bison, bighorn sheep, or mountain goat, you must use a 210- grain or heavier bullet or a sabot bullet that’s at least 240 grains. If you obtain a muzzleloader permit, you may use only the muzzleloader equipment authorized to take the species listed on the permit. If you are using a muzzleloader for a HAMS hunt, you must use a legal muzzleloader listed above but with no attached scope.
WASHINGTON
A muzzleloader is a firearm that is loaded from the muzzle and uses black powder or a black powder substitute. It is unlawful to hunt wildlife using a muzzleloading firearm that does not meet the following specifications: a muzzleloading shotgun or rifle must have a single or double barrel, rifled or smooth-bored; a muzzleloading shotgun or rifle used for deer must be .40 caliber or larger; buckshot size #1 or larger may be used in a smoothbore of .60 caliber or larger for deer; a muzzleloading shotgun, rifle, or handgun used for all other big game must be .45 caliber or larger; a muzzleloading handgun must have a single or double barrel of at least 8", must be rifled, and must be capable of being loaded with 45 grains or more of black powder or black powder substitute per the manufacturer’s recommendations; and a muzzleloading handgun used for big game must be .45 caliber or larger.
In addition to the above requirements, it is unlawful to participate (hunt) in a muzzleloading hunting season using a firearm that does not meet the following specifications for a muzzleloader. As in the past, sabots are allowed. Any type of projectile is allowed. Ignition is to be wheel-lock, matchlock, flintlock, or percussion. Primers designed to be used in modern cartridges are legal. Those persons lawfully hunting big game with a double barrel muzzleloader may only keep one barrel loaded. Sights must be open, peep, or of other open sight design. Fiber optic sights are legal. Telescopic sights or sights containing glass are prohibited. It is unlawful to have any electrical device or equipment attached to a muzzleloading firearm while hunting. The exception is disabled hunters who are issued a Special Use Permit and are in compliance with the information found at www.eregulations com/washington/hunting/persons-with-disabilities. Muzzleloading firearms used during a modern firearm season are not required to meet ignition, sight, or double barrel restrictions.
WYOMING
For the taking of bighorn sheep, elk, moose, mountain goat, or black bear by the use of a firearm, a hunter shall use any muzzleloading rifle or any muzzleloading handgun of at least .40 caliber and firing an expanding point bullet or lead ball and using a charge of at least 50 grains of black powder or its equivalent.
For the taking of antelope, deer, mountain lion, or gray wolf where designated as a trophy game animal, a hunter shall use any muzzleloading rifle or any muzzleloading handgun of at least .40 caliber and firing an expanding point bullet or lead ball and using a charge of at least 50 grains of black powder or its equivalent. Scopes are good to go.
Many of us take to the field each year with a muzzleloader in hand, whether it be an open sight muzzleloader in Colorado or an “unlimited” muzzleloader in Utah or New Mexico. There are a few things that no matter what your setup is are consistent across the board. Consistency is king, and getting out and shooting your muzzleloader is obviously #1. However, another thing that is overlooked is how much your accuracy can change by being inconsistent with your charge. All of us at Huntin’ Fool shoot loose grain powder. Pellets are cool and easy to reload, but are you getting the same charge each time?
At the end of the day, there are a few options you can build to be able to hunt all of these states. The “cheapest way” or the way to have only a few options would be to have a .50 caliber inline muzzleloader that shoots loose grain powder and has a detachable scope and iron sight option. Also, have an open ignition muzzleloader. For me, I don’t want to disturb my scope if at all possible, so I opt to have multiple setups to ensure I am not handicapping myself on an already handicapped weapon choice. Use an unlimited muzzleloader for states like Utah, New Mexico, and Arizona, an open sight muzzleloader for states like Nevada and Colorado, and an open ignition muzzleloader for states like Idaho. And if you want to hunt in Montana, get yourself a Davy Crockett special.