Oregon muzzleloader deer?

[dk17hmr]

A good friend of mine drew a muzzleloader tag for blacktail this year. We know there's specific requirements on what you can use there for a rifle and I want to make sure mine will work for him.

It's an H&R 58 caliber huntsman inline, iron sited, #11 ignition, and the top of the barrel and breech plug have had a window milled in to expose the nipple.

I shoot 100gr of blackmz powder with a patched .570 roundball and a magnum #11 cci cap.

We have both read the regs and it appears it's legal and I think I got the muzzleloader from a guy in Washington about 15 years ago which I know has similar rules to Oregon.

My buddy has never shot a muzzleloader until this morning when we went to the range. He was keeping a 4" group at 50 yards off hand with it. It's plenty accurate at close range and for sure powerful enough I just want to make sure it's legal for him to use there.

[quilbilly]

Sounds legal to me in both states with the cap exposed and iron sights. You didn't say what part of western Oregon but that would be a fine tool in any firearm hunting season for the Willamette River bottoms if it is open. The best spots are only accessible by boat from the river, however. There are some real monsters down there but you better have "greased lightning" reflexes to get a shot off before the monster disappears into the canary grass.

[Der Gebirgsjager]

Oregon Big Game Hunting Regulations, 2018:

Page 18: Buck Deer, Muzzleloader: any .40 cal. or larger -- No --, .40 cal. or larger: open or peep sights & open ignition --Yes --
any .50 cal. or larger; -- No -- , .50 cal. or larger: open or peep sight & open ignition -- Yes --

Page 19: Muzzleloader:
During muzzleloader only seasons and 600 series hunts where there is a weapon restriction of shotgun/muzzleloader only or archer/muzzleloader only the following restrictions apply:
Scopes, and sights that use batteries, artificial light or energy are not allowed except for visually impaired hunters (a permit is required; please see page 25).
Open and peep sights made from alloys, plastic, or other materials that do not have the properties described above are legal sights. Fiber optics and fluorescent paint incorporated into or on open or iron sights are legal.
It is illegal to hunt with jacketed bullets, sabots, and bullets with plastic or synthetic tips or bases. Only the following projectile/bullet types are allowed: a) Round balls made of lead, lead alloy, or federally approved nontoxic shot material, used with cloth paper or felt patches. (b) Conical bullets made of lead, lead alloy, or federally-approved nontoxic shot material, with a length that does not exceed twice the diameter. (c) Lead free copper conical bullets with a length that does not exceed twice the diameter.
It is illegal to hunt with centerfire primers as an ignition source, the muzzleloader must have an open ignition. See definition on page 90.
It is illegal to hunt with pelletized powders or propellants. Granular (loose) black powder substitutes are the only legal propellants.
No other firearm may be used for hunting during a muzzleloader=-only season.
Muzzleloading firearms with revolving actions are prohibited.

Page 90: Definitions:
"Open Ignition" is an ignition system where the percussion cap, frizzen, or flint is visible and exposed to the weather at all times and is not capable of being closed or covered by any piece of the weapon.

On the surface of it, it does sound like you'd be O.K. with your rifle as described. But, I'd run it by Oregon Fish & Wildlife for an opinion.
Information and Education 503-974-6002. or www.oregonhunter.info

Blacktail deer are mostly located in the western part of the state, between the Pacific Ocean and the west slopes of the Cascades. Therefore, these
numbers might also help: Northwest area of state, headquartered in Clackamasl OR, 971-673-6000. Southwest area of state, headquartered in Roseburg, OR, 541-440-3353.

Of interest: Fish and Game laws in Oregon are enforced by the Oregon State Police. They have certain troopers assigned to F&G duties, but any trooper is potentially a game warden. The F&G troopers usually drive pickup trucks or RVs.

At one time the whitetail deer was common here, spread throughout the state. They were hunted almost to extinction, and they've been trying for years to re-establish a statewide population. At present, taking one anywhere in Oregon is forbidden, except in Douglas County (Roseburg) which for some reason has had enough of an increase in the whitetail population to actually allow hunting them. But that's the only location that I'm aware of. Basically, west of the Cascades you have blacktail deer, and in the Cascades and to the east you have Mule deer. The distinguishing features seem to be the tail, of course, which is black on the blacktail deer with maybe a small white fringe around it, and brown on the whitetail deer which has a noticeable white fringe around it. The sort of scary thing is that there are some cross breeds running around. If you shoot one, and such is the apparent case, they'll usually give you the benefit of the doubt.

I'd be happy to send you the print copy of the hunting regulations if you provide a mailing address by PM, but the F&G people will probably also do so if asked.

Good Hunting!

[dk17hmr]

Thanks for the info guys I'll be sure to pass it along to my buddy with the tag. He also drew a Roosevelt rifle elk tag this year in Oregon. I am unsure of the areas.

[taco650]

Just a little more on the Oregon game wardens. As mentioned, they are part of the Oregon State Police (OSP) and have been through the same trooper academy as all the other OSP troopers. I had a friend in Bend, OR who was one and did a ride-a-long with him once. He drove a 4x4 truck but was still looking for illegal marijuana grows, meth labs, etc along with checking for bear bait stations as well. They can have pretty hot pens when it comes to enforcing game regulations so...

Also, blacktails are very quick to disappear