Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SUNDAY, April 2, 1995                   TAG: 9504040024
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: B-6   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: BILL COCHRAN
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

GAME OFFICIALS SEE BOTH VIEWS IN DEBATE OVER SIGHTS

I watched the animal take a couple of strides, then put the gun to my shoulder. Suddenly he was gone. At least I thought he had disappeared. But when I lowered the gun, there he stood.

If you are of bifocal age, this probably has happened to you. Trying to line up iron sights on a distant target in the low light of a gray November day can be tough.

If I'd had a telescopic sight on my rifle, the shot would have been elementary. The target would have been magnified, and instead of having to line up three focal points, it would have been a simple matter of putting the cross hairs on the animal's shoulder and squeezing the trigger.

But isn't the purpose of the muzzleloading season to offer a special challenge? Wouldn't a scope erode that?

I think it would, but many hunters disagree.

Sportsmen aren't the only ones divided over a Department of Game and Inland Fisheries proposal that would let hunters use scopes on their black-powder guns. State game officials also have mixed feelings.

``Part of my guys want to believe that the muzzleloading season is supposed to be a primitive weapon's season,'' said Bob Duncan, chief of the department's game division.

``Another faction is saying, `There is nothing primitive about these guns.' They feel scopes will help with accuracy. There is a feeling if you are going to let people do something, let them do it the best they can.''

The scope issue is one of several proposals that will be discussed this week during 11 public meetings across the state, including one at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Cave Spring High School in Roanoke County.

At this point, there appears to be considerable support for adding scopes to muzzleloading rifles, but that won't be a recommendation coming from game biologists, Duncan said. They will keep quiet, at least in public.

``I just couldn't generate a consensus of support from my people,'' Duncan said. ``My staff was divided, like I think the public is. There are pros and cons on both sides.''

It was the 11-member board of the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries that decided to open the issue to public debate.

The proposal has strong support from the Virginia Deer Hunters Association. A survey conducted by the organization showed 56 percent of its members who responded favored scopes.

The proposal doesn't designate what type or what power scopes could be used. Even many advocates of scopes say the magnification should be kept low, just enough to offer a clearer target. Some want nothing more than a 1X. Others believe that kind of restriction would create enforcement problems.

The game board has the option of adjusting the magnification when a final vote is taken on the issue May 5.

``I don't think putting a scope on a rifle will allow you to shoot any farther,'' Duncan said. ``But the thing we don't know, we don't know how popular the muzzleloading season would become.''

Interest already is soaring. License sales went from 42,000 to 78,000 following a change two years ago that lessened restrictions on the type of rifles that could be used.

``There is some thinking that by allowing scopes, it will even accelerate growth,'' Duncan said. ``On the other hand, people are saying, `So what!'''

If scopes are legalized, it doesn't mean you have to mount one on your rifle unless you want to, said Denny Quaiff, executive director of the Virginia Deer Hunters Association.

``It would have no effect on the hunter who wants to be totally traditional,'' he said.

Wouldn't it?