Muzzleloader heritage season opens Sunday

Muzzleloader heritage season opens on Saturday, Dec. 14, and runs through Sunday, Dec. 22. This season is for heritage muzzleloaders only; no other means of taking game, such as archery, is allowed. Note that some areas have elk shoulder seasons through Feb. 15, where firearms and archery equipment may be allowed. 

Hunters should also note that many of Montana’s Block Management Areas (BMAs), even though they are open for upland bird or waterfowl through Jan. 1, are not allowing the harvest of deer or elk during the muzzleloader heritage season. Make sure to check BMA rules before you hunt. 

Hunters can 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 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. 

During the muzzleloader heritage season, hunters 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. The season is for heritage muzzleloaders only; inline style modern muzzleloaders are not allowed.  

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.