What Can Be Used for Primitive Weapons Deer Season Starting Saturday?

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What started with some hearsay from my son launched me into an in-depth search of the truth. He asked if I would be participating in the Primitive Weapons Deer Season that begins this Saturday, October 24, here in Area 2 of Northwest Louisiana.

I told him that I didn't believe I had a weapon that would qualify.  That's when he made the mistake of saying "I heard" that ANY single shot rifle qualifies. Well, not so quick there big boy.

According to what I found from the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, that is just not the case.

According to the stipulations, to participate in the weeklong Primitive Weapons Season, you first must purchase the special Primitive Weapons Permit.

Then, according to their regulations, these are the permitted weapons:

Rifles or pistols, .44 caliber minimum, or shotguns 10 gauge or smaller, all of which must load exclusively from the muzzle, use black powder or approved substitute only, take ball, shot, or bullet projectile only, including saboted bullets.

All of the above may be fitted with magnified scopes.

Single shot, breech loading rifles or single shot, breech loading pistols, .35 caliber or larger, having an exposed hammer that use metallic cartridges loaded either with black powder or modern smokeless powder.

All of the above may be fitted with magnified scopes.

Single shot, breech loading shotguns, 10 gauge or smaller, having an exposed hammer, loaded with buckshot or slug.

That was something I never knew before. That old single shot 12 gauge shotgun your parents gave you for Christmas when you were a kid, qualifies as a primitive weapon. But, that single shot .243 you bought for your kids years ago, isn't a large enough caliber and does NOT qualify.

Oh, and speaking of exceptions, there is one more:

Exceptions
Youths 17 or younger may hunt deer with any legal weapon during the Primitive Firearms Season in each deer hunting area. Either-sex deer may be taken in all areas open for deer hunting EXCEPT when a Bucks Only season is in progress. In such cases, hunters must conform to the bucks only regulations.