Make sure muzzleloaders are primitive — and legal

Muzzleloader hunters in Washington must stay on the primitive side to be legal.

Washington regulations specify that in order to be used in a muzzleloading season, a muzzleloader cannot be equipped with a scope or electronic sights.

Most in-line muzzleloaders are not legal for muzzleloading seasons in Washington, said Matthew Tuttle of the Washington Fish and Wildlife Department hunter education division.

“The key is that the powder must be exposed to the elements,” he said. A nipple or flash pan are examples of exposures to the elements, but a muzzleloader that fires with a shotgun-type primer would not be legal.

Many muzzleloaders are confused about what they have to do to unload a muzzleloader and render it legal to carry in a vehicle, Tuttle said, noting that Washington law prohibits hunters from carrying loaded guns in their vehicles.

“The ball and powder can remain in the barrel as long as the percussion cap is removed from the nipple or the powder from the flash pan,” he said.

“Another common misunderstanding is that only lead projectiles can be used. We know that lead projectiles also contain some tin and that’s fine, but they cannot include other metals such as copper. A sabot is legal because it falls away like a wad in a shot shell. The rule is that only lead can hit the target.”