Laserfiche WebLink
n <br />U <br />• <br />MUZZLE-LOADING RIFLE ELK SEASON <br />Though muzzle-loading rifle deer seasons began in 1969 under a Primitive <br />Weapon Season category, muzzle-loaders did not have a special elk hunt until <br />1972. The numbers of licenses were not limited until 1974, and have been limited <br />ever since. <br />In 1978, there were 2,000 licenses issued and 1,834 participating hunters <br />harvested 268 elk for a 15 per cent hunter success. <br />In 1972, the first muzzle-loading elk season, 423 hunters participated. <br />The next year the number of hunters jumped to 1,359. This rate of growth <br />(221 per cent) in one year alarmed game managers, archers because the muzzle- <br />loading season was set during part of the archery season, and livestock operators <br />who still had their stock on public lands. <br />In 1974 the mid-September season was maintained, but muzzle-loaders were <br />limited to a total of 1,500 licenses in 17 elk areas. <br />In 1975 a total of 1,595 licenses were authorized for 15 elk areas. <br />The last three years the total number of licenses were limited to 2,000 for <br />the mid-September season with special and late season licenses boosting the total <br />to 2,550 in 1976, 2,075 in 1977 and 2,000 in 1978. Since the inception of <br />limited muzzle-loading elk licenses in 1974, the number of applicants has grown <br />annually from 2,182 in 1974 to 6,782 in 1978. <br />C <br />