From the Heartland

This is my soap box, on these pages I publish my opinions on firearms and any other subject I feel like writing about.

Sunday, September 17, 2006

Let's just eliminate Primitive Firearms Seasons altogether Part 3

In part one I explained how and why primitive huntings seasons came to be and the current threat to the continuance of them.

In part two I exposed an individual that appears to have no concern for history or may not even realize that his actions could bring an end to the primitive hunting seasons that many of us enjoy.

It is my opinion that Toby Bridges is a useful idiot for the big money that is modern in-line muzzle loading and has no concept for the consequences of his actions.

The whole concept of primitive hunting is to;

Do it the way they did it back then.

It is/was not to provide a bunch of modern minded people that won't learn to hunt an opportunity to take game at hundreds of yards.

Now that most people are using muzzle loaders that are as capable of taking game at 250 yards as the 30-06 many states will likely eliminate primitive hunting seasons all together.

Who is behind it?

It is not necessarilly the modern day Daniel Boone neverwillbes that are really behind this though. They, as I see it, are just dupes to the advertising used by modern muzzle loading manufactors.

There are some that have resisted buying an In-line. The reasoning? Why buy a firearm that you will never be able to realize the full benefit of?

To realize that full benefit one needs to mount a telescopic sight on the firearm. In-line shooters can't do that in states that do not allow scopes during the primitive seasons.

There is nothing stopping them from using these high-tech firearms with scopes during the regular firearms deer seasons in most states by the way.

I can put a scope on one of my caplocks and use it during the cartridge gun deer season if I want to.

In an effort to increase their profit margin one company is perpetrating an all out assault on history.

Read the following very carefully and understand that;

I have never objected to and still don't to the use of an In-line Muzzle loader during the primitive firearms season. As I have stated before the basic concept has been around since 1822.

My objection is that Toby Bridges with the primary finacial backing of Knight Rifles is trying to hijack the tradition of primitive hunting for their own selfish reasons..PROFIT.

Knight is not the only profit center that is lending their name and money to the cause. Scrolling down Bridges page they are conveniently listed with the appropriate links.

I will never buy a Knight product because of their support of this action.

In July 2006 Toby conducted a poll that is far from scientific. It surveyed his websites viewers, a group of like minded readers thus skewing the process.

While 58% of those who responded to the poll indicated that they ONLY owned, shot and hunted with a muzzleloading rifle of modern in-line ignition design, a full 40% said they enjoyed BOTH the old-style muzzleloaders of the past and the modern, high performance in-line ignition rifles.

Note the use of the words responded and enjoyed.

Just 2% of the poll responders claimed to ONLY shoot and hunt with rifles of very traditional design.

Note the use of the word claimed. As if Toby thinks they are lying.

Toby himself "claims" to have used traditional muzzle loaders in his past;

Depending on caliber, and powder charge, round ball loads from any of those old-style rifles were pretty much 60 to 75 yard maximum range effective loads.

Well Duuuuuhhhh Bridges that is what it is all about. That is why primitive seasons were created in the first place.

What part of "your using the 30 pieces of silver from your sponsors in pressuring state game departments to allow 300 yard guns with varmit scopes will cause them to end the special seasons altogether" don't you understand?

Get this through your head Toby;

Muzzle loading is not about performance. Muzzle loading is about history. It is about doing it the way our ancestors did it using the tools and equipment they had at that time.

Nebraska only allows the use of a clearly manufacturer marked ONE power telescopic sight on muzzle loaders during the primitive hunting seasons. There were scopes of this sort in use during the Civil War, so it is not out of the realm to allow a tool that was in use at that time.

Other states do not allow scopes at all. Their take on primitive hunting predates the use of scopes. Their laws are geared toward the late 1700 to early mid 1800's time frame. The hey day of the Mountain Man era.

Specifically in Nebraska Toby there is no prohibition on using any scope on your In-line that you want to if you hunt during the regular deer hunting seasons.

Primitive seasons were set to allow people that wanted to the opportunity to hunt with a limited range firearm. Toby and his minions do not have limited range firearms. They have rifles that are every bit as effective at hundreds of yards as most of the average deer cartridges.

In a number of states, very traditional organized state muzzleloading associations have managed to maintain control on the effectiveness of the modern in-line hunting rifles by forcing state game departments to enact regulations that dictate the use of bullets, powders and sights that make a modern in-line little more effective than a traditional side-hammer percussion rifle.

Good for them Toby, they are PRESERVING the sport the way it was intended. The key words in that statement are modern in-line hunting rifles.

Performance and effective are Toby's buzz words. That is the foundation on which he is putting his reputation and the base in which he is making his money.

And there are thousands of you in this boat who have grown weary of this traditional control of regulations that prevent you from shooting and hunting with the loads and accessories you want. Fortuantely, there is now change in the wind.

Yea Toby thousands that have no conceince for why primitive seasons were created in the first place. Thousands that have no concern for those that went to a lot of hard work to create a season where those that chose to could hunt in the manner of their ancestors. Thousands whose actions will put an end to the primitive seasons that many of us enjoy.

Toby states that he responds to all correspondance that is derogatory to his cause with (in part);

So, ask yourself, will the game department in your state side with a very small, niche group of fanatical traditional muzzleloading hunters who want it all for themselves...and chance losing $5...$10...$15 million in Federal funding every year...or to adopt muzzleloading regulations that embrace ALL muzzleloading hunters, traditional and modern, allowing ALL muzzle-loaded hunting rifles, traditional and modern, shooting ALL variety of hunting projectiles, traditional and modern, and fitted with ANY suitable hunting sight, traditional or modern?

You forgot one option Toby, the most important one;

When you threaten people they tend to dig their heels in and fight back back.

Instead of maintaining the standards that is primitive hunting or caving to your whiney ass cry baby for profit temper tantrum the States can simply choose to eliminate muzzle loading seasons all together.

That is an option I suspect that some will take.

Lastly Toby writes;

Traditional or Modern? That should be entirely the choice of the shooter and hunter...not mandated by a very small faction of the sport that seems to be stuck in a time warp. - Toby Bridges

Hey Toby wake up your dreaming what part of TIME WARP is the reason for the seaon DON"T YOU UNDERSTAND?

Well heres to you you Toby, whether you realize it or not you are doing more harm to the sport than you can ever hope to imagine.

Toby I reject your premise that denying scopes for those with tired old eyes is an act of discrimination. If you adhered to the limited range concept that established the seasons in the first place this would not be an issue. You just want to amke a ton of money for Knight Rifles in hopes that you will benefit financially as well. Thirty pieces of silver is never enough is it Toby.

This is all about you Toby using the disabilities act is just a tool to further your own reputation and bank account.

You make you living on writing about effectiveness and performance at long ranges. The mores states that you can threaten into submission results in more revenue for you and your sponsors.

As I stated before my sight is not what it was when I wore a younger mans clothes either, but I still have no problem using my traditional muzzle loaders with open sights at the ranges that they were desighned for.

It is my opinion that you are a self serving pompous ass that wants what he wants and to hell with everyone else. I think you are doing this for your own selfish reasons the primary being greed.

Yours is just a publicity stunt perpetrated as a shill for Knight Rifles in order to increase the profits for that company and all others that contribute to you travisty.

A publicity stunt that will result in many states eliminating separate muzzle loading seasons altogether.