Constitutional Law

Forest fire danger from muzzleloaders?

The Forest Service has a presolicitation, forest-fire related notice out for "Multi-variable analysis on the probability and prediction of fire ignitions from muzzle loaded guns".

During the Civil War, musketry did start fires at the Wilderness and a few other fights. But (1) Civil War muskets were fed via paper cartridge, and some soldiers tended to ram the paper in, too, which meant burning paper fragments were shot off and (2) the battles were mostly fought in the spring and summer, whereas deer hunting takes place in the fall and winter. It's not easy to start a forest fire after a snowfall.

Hat tip to Alan Korwin...

Full post as published by Of Arms and the Law on May 09, 2009 (boomark / email).