Illinois Deer Hunting With Black Powder Cartridges

[aroseli2]

Illinois House Bill 1163 has passed the house and currently is listed on the Senate calender for 1st reading. It allows the use of Black Powder Cartridges during the Muzzleloader only deer season. Illinois has no centerfire rifle season only shotguns, handguns, and muzzleloaders are legal at present. Here is what the amended wildlife code looks like:

8 It shall be unlawful for any person to take deer except
9 with (i) a muzzleloading rifle, or (ii) bow and arrow, or
10 crossbow device for handicapped persons, as defined in Section
11 2.33, and persons age 62 or older during the open season for
12 muzzleloading rifles set annually by the Director. A person
13 may use black powder cartridges during the open season
14 for muzzleloading rifles.

I'm wondering if any other states have similar regulations to this. I've been checking around and the choices for factory loaded BP ammo are very limited. Just looking for opinions on whether this means:

A) Any rifle with factory loaded BP ammo.
B) Any rifle with hand loaded BP ammo.
C) Black powder caliber (44-40, 38-40, 38-55, 45 Colt, 45-70) with any ammo.

Your thoughts?

ps - It passed the house unanimously. I'm guessing it's gonna be option A.

 

[AlexanderA]

The law should define what a "black powder cartridge" is. Otherwise, your option C is a reasonable interpretation -- a cartridge originally designed for black powder, regardless of what propellent it actually contains. It actually gets more complicated than that -- what about Pyrodex or other black powder substitutes that are used in muzzleloaders? Can you use a muzzleloader with Pyrodex to hunt deer in Illinois, before this proposed law?

 

[aroseli2]

You can use a muzzleloader .45 or larger with a bullet at least .44. Sabots are legal but don't count towards the .44. All propellants (BP, pyrodex, blackhorn, and SMOKELESS) are legal in muzzleloading firearms as long as your gun is designed for them. It's definitely vague. Looks like it is to be determined by the DNR once it passes the legislature.

 

[isp2605]

If and when the bill passes then DNR will do what is called an Administrative Rule. In that Ad Rule it will give in detail what is legal to use. Ad Rules have the same force and effect as statutes.
There are Ad Rules for all kinds of statutes. If you want to read some of them go here:
http://www.ilga.gov/commission/jcar/admincode/titles.html

Here's the current Ad Rule covering blackpowder regs:
http://www.ilga.gov/commission/jcar/admincode/017/017006600000300R.html

 

[Blue Line]

aroseli2, you guys use SMOKELESS powder in a front stuffer up there? Isn't that sort of dangerous?

 

[aroseli2]

Not in a Savage muzzleloader. They're designed for it.

 

[Onmilo]

There have been a few blow ups with the Savage rifles.
Guy still don't seem to understand putting 100 grains of smokeless powder in the gun doesn't make it "shoot harder", it just makes the gun blow up!

 

[aroseli2]

Ignorance with any gun is a recipe for trouble. Not Savages fault.:banghead:
Anyways...Does anybody have an opinion on what the new regulations will look like? Just for fun.

 

[Owen Sparks]

In Mississippi everybody is using .45-70 during muzzle loader season but they are using modern smokeless loads.