"How about just being honest about not wanting anyone to infringe on your special privilidge that the gov't granted a bunch of whiners who lobbied louder than everyone else."

OK - here it is - truthfully in all honesty.

I had nothing truely against the knight inlines (that's what there was back in the 80's). I thought they were ridiculous and stupid looking - still do. Those were my feelings until a wildlife officer told us, at our Primitive Hunt camp while having a coffee with us, that this was to be the last primitive weapons hunting season due to the bolt actioned, scoped muzzleloading rifles they now saw in most of the road hunters trucks.

He said - "This special weapons hunt was granted as a Primitive Hunt for people using what we considered to be primitive weapons - muzzleloaders or bows and arrows - not bolt actioned, scope sighted rifles that most of our guys can't tell from their Remington 700. Those things are not what we consider to be primitive weapons. Sorry guys, that's the way it is. If everyone was using guns like you guys - they are beautiful, by the way, the season would continue. You guys really know your stuff." - or words to that effect - that was 30 years ago.

On that hunt, I had my 14 bore cap-lock, while Brad was using his SXS Pedersoli Kodiak .58, also a cap-lock, also loaded with round ball while Taylor was using a nice 20 bore flinter of English flavour, again, loaded with round ball. He had built two of the three guns there.

That week, the thermometer did not get above -45F, indeed, it did get down to -50 or a bit lower with quite frosty sparkles in the air(from about -35 on down. That weather is VERY hard on rifle lock springs. Lukily for us, none broke, then then none of us got any shots at moose. It was bloody cold and really noisy crunching through the snow. We saw some nice mule deer bucks and several cow moose with the last spring's calves, but no bulls.
When it's that cold, they are moving and feeding most all day and all night, not laying down much, it seemed.