National Muzzle Loading

Rifle Association

P.O. Box 67, Friendship, Indiana 47021

Telephone: (812) 667-5131 • 1-800-745-1493 • www.nmlra.org

“A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State,

the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.”

Second Amendment to the Constitution

Dear NMLRA Members:

Recently we were contacted by several of our members in Indiana asking what our position is on the newly proposed

hunting regulations. We are sending the following message to the Indiana Natural Resources Commission concerning the

proposed shortening of the muzzleloading-only deer season:

“We support actions and policies that increase the opportunity to hunt with muzzleloaders. Therefore, we cannot

support the current Indiana Natural Resources Commission proposal that will reduce the muzzleloading-only

season from 16 days to 9. We strongly urge the Indiana Natural Resources Commission to reconsider this

reduction.”

In one of the latest issues of the National Shooting Sports Foundation’s Bullet Points it is reported that recently there

has been a “5.4 percent increase in the number of female hunters. More women than men took up hunting last year,

according to new figures from the National Sporting Goods Association (NSGA). A news release from National Hunting

and Fishing Day highlights the new statistics. NSGA’s report shows that the number of female hunters in the United

States increased by 5.4 percent last year, netting 163,000 new participants. Muzzleloading showed an annual increase

among women of an astounding 134.6 percent” [emphasis added]. Shortening the deer season may discourage these

new hunters from participating, and will reduce their chances to go afield.

The Commission is asking for hunter input. The NMLRA encourages our hunting members and their hunting friends

to attend the public meetings to voice their opinions; or you can express your comments on these proposed changes

to the Natural Resources Commission by going to the Natural Resources Commission website and clicking on

“Comment on Proposed Rule” next to the deer (white-tailed) rule amendments. Comments can also be mailed to the

following address: Natural Resources Commission, Indiana Government Center North, 100 North Senate Ave., Room

N501, Indianapolis, IN 46204.

The meetings will allow hunters to be heard in what the DNR calls an informal discussion format. Meeting dates, times

and locations are as follows:

Aug. 16, 2-6 p.m. Pike Township Public Library, 6525 Zionsville Road, Indianapolis.

Aug. 18, 2-7 p.m., Kankakee Fish & Wildlife Area, 4320 W. Toto Road, North Judson.

Aug. 18, 2-7 p.m., Jennings County Public Library, 2375 North Ind. 3, North Vernon.

Aug. 19, 2-7 p.m., DNR Northeast Region Office, 1353 S. Governors Dr., Columbia City.

Aug. 19, 2-7 p.m., Sugar Ridge Fish & Wildlife Area, 2310 East Ind. 364, Winslow.

So this is the time for hunters across the state to be heard.

You can view the proposed changes at http://www.in.gov/dnr/fishwild/2362.htm . An open letter to deer hunters from

Bryan Poynter, Chairman of the Natural Resources Commission, can be found at http://www.in.gov/nrc/2377.htm

Please share this information with all the muzzleloading hunters you know. Let’s present a united front against this

shortened season. Thanks for your input, and best of luck in the field.

Sincerely,

Bob Voegele

NMLRA President