Wobblyshot1
Well-Known Member
Grit's post about Tennessee's first muzzleloader season bugged me that there was no clear consensus as to when it was first implemented. I was guessing sometime between 83 and 85. This kind of info must not be publicly available from the TWRA so I began an internet search and stumbled upon this from a 1981 newspaper article out of Nashville. I could find no mention of a ML season in 1980 in that paper. This is what was reported in 1981:
" Tennessee's blackpowder enthusiasts will participate Saturday in the opening day of a greatly-expanded deer season in deer management Units A and B. The blackpowder season is being held for only the second time in Tennessee. Last season the special hunt was held Jan. lull, after all other deer hunting seasons had ended in the state. The activity was confined to Unit A only. Because of the late date, short season and the confinement to Unit A, muzzleloaders bagged only 12 deer during the first season. THIS SEASON the hunt is being held between Part I and Part II of Tennessee's two-part gun-archery season. Muzzleloaders will have seven days of hunting in both units A and B with the season ending on Dec. 18. Also, a special muzzleloader hunt will be held in Units' C and D on Dec. 19-20, giving hunters a possible nine days of hunting. The bag limit is one buck per hunter. To participate, a hunter must have a state hunting-fishing license and a big game license."
From 1980 this could be looked on as notable: "To hunt deer one must purchase a $7.80 hunt-fishing license and a $7.80 big game license."
In 1982 an article gave the Muzzleloader Season in Unit A, Dec.10-16; Unit B, Oct.22-30; Unit C, Dec.14-18 with all having a 1 buck limit.
I was leaning toward a later 85 date after talking to a long time friend, hunter and world class offhand flintlock shooter(LOL) who is retired TWRA and has kept records of all of his kills. He had killed a doe in Dec. 85 with his .50 caliber flint gun. That 85 date was what he was thinking of as well. He did recall the first ever dedicated ML hunt in Tennessee. It was at the Central Peninsula WMA(now Chuck Swan) in 1966. He couldn't participate because he was working but in 67 he made it up there and killed a buck with a .45 caliber flintlock.
One other thing that I thought about and probably contributed greatly in the general interest to muzzleloader deer hunting is that in 1985 Tony Knight introduced his model MK85 inline.
" Tennessee's blackpowder enthusiasts will participate Saturday in the opening day of a greatly-expanded deer season in deer management Units A and B. The blackpowder season is being held for only the second time in Tennessee. Last season the special hunt was held Jan. lull, after all other deer hunting seasons had ended in the state. The activity was confined to Unit A only. Because of the late date, short season and the confinement to Unit A, muzzleloaders bagged only 12 deer during the first season. THIS SEASON the hunt is being held between Part I and Part II of Tennessee's two-part gun-archery season. Muzzleloaders will have seven days of hunting in both units A and B with the season ending on Dec. 18. Also, a special muzzleloader hunt will be held in Units' C and D on Dec. 19-20, giving hunters a possible nine days of hunting. The bag limit is one buck per hunter. To participate, a hunter must have a state hunting-fishing license and a big game license."
From 1980 this could be looked on as notable: "To hunt deer one must purchase a $7.80 hunt-fishing license and a $7.80 big game license."
In 1982 an article gave the Muzzleloader Season in Unit A, Dec.10-16; Unit B, Oct.22-30; Unit C, Dec.14-18 with all having a 1 buck limit.
I was leaning toward a later 85 date after talking to a long time friend, hunter and world class offhand flintlock shooter(LOL) who is retired TWRA and has kept records of all of his kills. He had killed a doe in Dec. 85 with his .50 caliber flint gun. That 85 date was what he was thinking of as well. He did recall the first ever dedicated ML hunt in Tennessee. It was at the Central Peninsula WMA(now Chuck Swan) in 1966. He couldn't participate because he was working but in 67 he made it up there and killed a buck with a .45 caliber flintlock.
One other thing that I thought about and probably contributed greatly in the general interest to muzzleloader deer hunting is that in 1985 Tony Knight introduced his model MK85 inline.