Caleb's love of muzzle loading and it's accompanying history started when he was a young boy and his father sat him down to watch the movie "Gettysburg", released in 1993. It was during that first viewing that young Caleb fell in love with American history and it’s companion, the muzzle loader.

Fast forward to now, Caleb is 28 years old and has introduced a bill through the Montana Legislature to add a muzzle loader exclusive season to the end of Montana's rifle season.Caleb has hunted with modern firearms, but now focuses on hunting with his flintlock Kentucky longrifle. Caleb’s brother, Jedidiah Hinkle also enjoys hunting with a muzzle loader by using his percussion Hawken rifle. Jedidiah is also a representative in the Montana Legislature, making them a tag team for muzzle loader support in the state.

Hunters in Montana can use their muzzle loaders during the normal rifle season, but Caleb wants to reward those who hunt with “heritage” arms some extra time in the field. “It can be hard to introduce a new hunting season.”, says Caleb, “We don’t want to step on any toes. The other seasons have their time and we respect that.” Caleb’s bill, Montana House Bill 242, would give hunters using traditional muzzle loaders an extra 9 days in the field.

Opposition to the bill is low, with many supporting the introduction of the muzzle loading season to Montana, the only state currently without it’s own separate muzzle loading season.

As of writing, the bill has passed in the Montana House, and will appear in front of the Montana Senate Fish and Game committee on Tuesday, March 9 2021.

If you are interested in watching the hearing, you can do so at 3pm Mountain Standard Time online at Leg.mt.gov. Click “Watch and Listen” and then select “Fish and Game”. You can also click here to go directly to the hearing.

We’d like to thank Caleb for his dedication to muzzle loading hunters in Montana. It’s not often we hear of new muzzle loader seasons being introduced, and seeing one lead by a young man such as Caleb shows us there is a bright future ahead for muzzle loading enthusiasts.

Find out more about Caleb and his work at his website, https://calebformontana.org/ or on facebook https://www.facebook.com/Caleb-Hinkle-Montana-Legislature-101542258053145

Update for March 11, 2021:

Representative Caleb Hinkle presented the bill to the Montana Senate Fish and Game on Tuesday, March 9, 2021. You can watch the presentation through this link. You can see this bill in particular at 15:18:27. To see how the bill has moved through the Montana Legislature, you can check out this link.

During it’s review in the house, the Backcountry Hunters and Anglers (BHA) supported the bill, but during review in the senate Fish and Game hearing, the BHA opposed the bill. Much like the other parties opposing the bill, they cited the long hunting season putting stress on wildlife, landowners growing tired of hunters during the regular hunting season, as well as the allowed use of muzzleloaders during the general rifle season.

In responding to questions and concerns, Representative Hinkle touted Montana’s history and connection to traditional muzzleloaders via the fur trade of the 1800s. In response to concerns over legislating a new season, Hinkle cited Montana legislation that allows the introduction of a 9 day or less special season through legislation, going on to add that allowing input from the Montana Fish and Game department to help make decisions with accurate data from the department.

One committee member asked that in an effort to make the season more traditional muzzleloader exclusive, Hinkle may want to include verbiage limiting the muzzleloaders to those with exposed firing mechanisms.

In closing, Representative Hinkle shared his love of muzzleloaders and how it inspired him to bring this bill to the legislature. “Muzzleloader hunting and shooting is a dying art, yes art. There is something special about stepping into the shoes of our ancestors.”, said Hinkle.

We look forward to following this bill as it moves through the legislative process in Montana, and hope to see this muzzleloader season established for those muzzleloading enthusiasts of Montana.