To: Colorado Wildlife Commission

Subject: Electronic ignition in muzzle loading rifles.

From: Jerald Farringer, Wildlife Director, for the Colorado State Muzzle Loading
Association.

The CSMLA is opposed to the use of any electronic ignition system in muzzle loaders.
Our concerns are safety and the philosophy of a primitive hunting weapon.

Safety is always of primary concern in the loading and shooting of a muzzle loader.
With electronic ignition, it is impossible to tell if an electric discharge may
occur. If such a discharge occurred during loading, while the user is near or over
the muzzle, the results could be deadly. With an open ignitions system (percussion
or flint) you can tell at a glance whether it is safe to load. The additional
hazards of removing load that will not fire and the transporting of the muzzle
loader in a vehicle are items the Commission needs to address.

The DOW preferred alternative is disallow the electronic ignition during the muzzle
loader season. The CSMLA, based on safety alone, recommend the electronic ignition
not be allowed in any season.

The CSMLA has stated many times over the years that we support the original comcept
of a primitive muzzle loader season. The proliferation of "modern" products such as
pellet powder, sabots, plastic tipped bullets and range finding scopes have gone
beyond what anyone could consider a primitive weapon.

We encourage the commission to disallow the electronic ignition and continue to
disallow scope, sabots and pellet powders during the muzzle loader season.