Holy Smokepole. Hey Billy, pass the popcorn!
Just wanted to let you's all know that I've enjoyed reading this thread, some food for thought from all angles. In this regard I lean towards a muzzleloader meaning all from the muzzle and not making a distinction between flint, cap, or in-line. Why? I think you's have defined that answer already. Same with bows, though I don't know what the answer is for classifying a crossbow.
I think the answer to these questions is exactly how do you want to hunt? If you are a traditionalist, then stick to your guns and use a flintlock, even if all types MZ are allowed. If you use a stick bow, then hunt that way, even if compounds are allowed, or crossbows for that matter.
You's are actually lucky, in Germany, all bow hunting is against the law.
In this sense, I think it better to stick together rather than tear apart the different types of hunting. You just can't make special seasons for each and every different type of weapons. Pretty soon we'd have a spearing season, hey Rattus, I think you already got one of those in Hawaii??
In life, you win some and lose some. Enjoy it, because it'll end one day, and sooner than some of us think or want it to. There's bigger fish in the sea to worry about, let's be thankful for what we got, Waidmannsheil, Dom.