Why It Matters: Advancement in muzzleloading technology has created a modern iteration of the classic firearm with enhanced safety and reliability without sacrificing the characteristics that have defined muzzleloader hunting for hundreds of years. Wisconsin recently passed legislation that will allow hunters in the Badger State to use this updated technology during the 2024 season, expanding hunting accessibility and safety.
Highlights:
- Senate Bill 587 redefined “muzzleloader” in Wisconsin to include modern iterations of the classic firearm, which safeguard tradition while improving safety and reliability.
- Allowing Badger State hunters to use modern muzzleloaders expands hunting accessibility and safety while honoring the state’s longstanding outdoor traditions.
- The Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) supported the legislation from its introduction and helped guide it through both chambers until it was signed into law by the Governor.
With Wisconsin’s muzzleloader season only a little more than a month away, hunters in the Badger State that are looking to either extend their opportunity to bag a white-tailed deer or expand their sporting horizons – while shrinking the space left in their safe – may now use modern iterations of the classic firearm during the 2024 season. Muzzleloader options like the Federal FireStick allow hunters to use new breech-charging muzzleloader technology that is safe and reliable without changing the existing characteristics that otherwise define muzzleloader seasons.
Modern muzzleloaders still require the projectile to be loaded through the muzzle, they still only accept one projectile at a time, and they have a similar effective range to muzzleloaders that have been traditionally authorized for use. They also eliminate a potential cause of inconsistency in traditional muzzleloaders – user-caused variances in powder charges. Eliminating this variable enhances the consistency and repeatability of muzzleloaders afield while simultaneously reducing risk of injury to the user caused by overloading or double-charging the propellant.
Through the robust NASC network of state sportsmen-legislators, CSF will continue to support the passage of legislation that expands opportunities for hunters, including through the use of modern muzzleloading technology.
