Just looked it up in DEC's 5 year plan. 1973 you could use a muzzleloader in the regular season. 1982 was the first late muzzleloader season in the southern zone.
Having a slow start in 4P. Been hunting an apple orchard that is loaded with apples and I haven't been seeing many deer. The difference between a bad season and a good season is about 5 seconds! I'll keep pluggin away.