BOZEMAN — When explorers first visited Montana, they carried heavy rifles that required separate gunpowder and round lead balls to shoot, allowing for only one shot to bring down game.
This weekend, that history comes alive with Montana's Heritage Muzzleloader Hunt.
Starting Saturday, hunters will be looking for deer and elk using Montana's earliest hunting tools during the Heritage Muzzleloader Season. The rules are straightforward but specific.
Heritage Muzzleloader Hunt starts Saturday - hunters use primitive firearms just like early explorers. One shot, no scopes, pure skill
"Flintlock, percussion cap, wheellock, or matchlock firearm. Minimum of 45 caliber has to have loose powder or Pyrodex or an equivalent. No cartridges or anything that can be loaded from the breech of the rifle. So it has to be a true, primitive muzzleloader," said Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife & Parks spokesman Morgan Jacobsen.
All of the same regulations that apply during the general season still apply for hunting deer and elk during this season.
This is the way the earliest visitors to Montana brought down game, and it takes time and patience.
"Put your powder here, then you have this piece of steel and a piece of flint here that strikes the steel, ignites the powder that's in there, and fires the gun, so creates a spark," Jacobsen said.
All without the use of scopes and with a projectile that doesn't travel very far, this is heritage hunting at its finest.
"That creates an element of challenge people enjoy and look forward to because it really is a different hunting experience when you're within 50-100 yards of the target you're after, and you get one shot, that's all you get. It makes a big boom, lots of smoke, and then that's your opportunity," Jacobsen said.
Montana's Heritage Season runs from this Saturday until Sunday, the 21st.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
