Never done it, never even hunted deer
with a gun. I'm a tad nervous...er do I need
to dig a fox-hole? Wear a helmet? Complete my will?
It's public land, with all of the "ensuing variables".
All I've ever heard are those anecdotal stories....
Thanks
We can't anyway, but hey, just ask Guru about that. :scared:
I will say that if they are driving or pushing deer try and back hunt them if not get up in a tree and wear orange and pay attention cause they(the gun hunters) probable wont be.A few gun hunters I know think that if they through enough led they will get the deer and in my opinion accuracy doesn't appeal to them,they like the challenge of a long uncontrolled shot.BE CAREFUL!
Unless something changed bow closes after today till Nov 30. That being said i would not go near the public land by me even with a full kevlar body suit on opening weekend. After that it is pretty quiet. Maybe the people that live near Madison are not that crazy though. :)
It's my favorite method. I'm lucky to have two state properties bordering each other. One is archery only, so guess where the deer run to when the shooting starts ?
Tim, It's illegal in Wisconsin. Someday it may get changed to any weapon, but not anytime soon.
I'd go early or stay late, be willing to walk in a ways, always wear orange a light and keep you eyes open for other hunters. Craig said it right, you could not drag me in there on opening day!! Jason
Don't do it. Stay home. Orange or no orange. You had your season. Now it's theirs. It's not worth the scare or aggravation mixing bowhunters and rifle hunters in the same woods.
I called up the DNR, they said the archery season runs Sept.12 thru Jan. 3rd, 2010.
This is in a CWD/EAB zone.
Surprised me too, that's why I called them.
I can't offer any advice on hunting public land, unless it is huge like some of the wilderness areas out west or the Everglades, then I would say "find the thick stuff, and don't move around unless necessary"
I hunt a private timber company lease, and I have bowhunted during gun season. It is tough as down here running deer hounds is legal. I go out late morning, and hunt through lunch when a lot of hunters return to camp for lunch. I've seen deer and hogs "sneaking" back to their bedding areas after being spooked by dogs, atv's and hunters.
Hunting early morning or late evening is futile here, the deer go nocturnal pretty quick. I have never taken a shot with a bow during gun season, but I have seen game.
If I do carry a bow, I also carry a .41 or .44 revolver in case I can get a shot out of bow range,........or I just grab a rifle and join the crowd!
John
It's different wearing red plaid instead of ASAT. Here is a buck I took a few years ago opening day in New York...
(http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a281/sf1oak/scan0002-7.jpg)
No offense, but why is there the opponion here that people who hunt public land are somehow more irresponsible and recless than private land hunters? In fact, can anyone here produce any stats on hunters per acre in public vs. private land? I'd be willing to bet that these days the private land is more heavily hunted with all of the QDMA and management hubub, not to mention that private lands usually hold better deer numbers than do public offerings. I hunt ALOT on public land and yes I do see a fair number of hunters, funny thing is they are ususalyy at camps or by the road, I see very few while I am actually hunting. However on the private land I hunt 100 acres has a boundry that you can find fast expecially with any more than 2-3 ppl hunting it. Just my 2 cents, enjoy your hunting and follow the same good advice that applies to any public land hunting. Find a spot that the crowd has overlooked or hike a bit farther back from the parking areas. You will be fine!
lol please forgive all my typos I cant watch the screen and type at the same time, and I dont usually proof read my post for spelling!
When I (bow) hunt during gun weeks, I tend to sit on escape routes and let the gun guys push stuff around.
pharcher - it's not public land hunters that are a problem (imo), it's the guys who literally get out only once a year (or only once ever) *and* have their entire concept of their manhood dependent on whether or not they can kill a deer. In my experience, public land (around here anyway) is crawling with those guys during gun week.
Do not use white feathers! It's a good way to get yourself shot. My buddy was mistaken for a deer but was not fired on. The gun hunter swore he was a deer with white tail but he couldn't tell if he was a buck or doe. It shook both of them up!
I'll carry a bow during gun season but I'm in a small woodlot that rifle hunters don't use. I would not use a bow in the midst of gun hunters. If you shoot a deer it will probably run to someone else and get blasted.
I was told that as long as there is a Season, you can hunt with a Bow. Just be sure to BUY the TAG for whatever Season is in at the time and BE CAREFUL!!
While wearing orange blaze, I was shot at not once, but 5 times. Some 20 something thought I was a deer and shot. He kept on shooting even after I jumped behind the tree. It is a special treat to hear a shotgun slug whiz by your head. There are those that are responsible with guns and those that are not. I don't care to be out there to filter out the good and bad hunters.
Iam lucky we have a bow section right by my house .No guns allowed.this can be a great place to hunt during gun season because the deer know where to hide.an they come here to hide due to lack of pressure.I mostly hunt with my bow but I am also out there with my gun as well.different strokes for different fokes.there are people just as passionat about guns an muzzeloaders as we are our bows.there season is much shorter.an it can be a nice break for a hard core bow hunter.to Regroup take a break.
what difference does it make what you are carrying!?i've done a fair amount of gun hunting in my day--its how i started hunting--and i can't remember hearing about or seeing any gun fights--if a guy was to shoot at you -why would it matter if you have a bow in your hand??
i do believe you have to be careful--orange isn't a mistake!!its a great time to take advantage of -off the beaten path-pathces and excape routes--late mornings hang tough and take advantage of the guys headed out to get lunch
use your head!!
Can someone explain to me the logic behind not allowing bowhunting during general (gun) season?
Maybe I'm dense, but I can't think of a situation where it makes intuitive sense.
I have bowhunted on at least 10 first days of "gun" season here in PA all on public land. And have been out another 20 unarmed.
Never have had a problem, some strange looks and a few telling me its illegal, but no problems.
I wouldn't compete with them on the open strip cut. I like to get back in the thicker stuff where the deer will retreat to. Most often on the ground with a nice rock or tree on my back side. Which is no different than when I carried a gun.
I don't understand the logic that to carry a bow makes you more of a target.
GoodLuck, Jeff
So let me get this right, some of you from Wisconsin are saying that the state does not allow you to hunt with a bow during the gun season? Is that EVEN if you are hunting with a firearms license?
If so, you all need to push for allowing the use of "lesser weapons" in your hunting seasons. i.e. If you want to hunt with a muzzle loader, handgun, crossbow, compound or trad bow, they should all be allowed during the gun season since they are "lesser weapons" and you are voluntarily handicapping yourself.
Old York, sounds like you were told the bow season runs right through gun season in your zone? Here in MO, bow season stops when gun season starts but you can still bowhunt on a gun permit since we have the "lesser weapon" clause.
I bowhunted North Dakota this year, and came home with an unfilled tag for a mulie doe. It was a special tag that can be filled in any season, so I was briefly considering going back in muzzleloader season- that is, until I read the regs that state that you can only use a muzzleloader in that season. I won't go that far to shoot a doe with a gun! I can do that at home.
Didn't fill my either-sex whitetail tag either, but I saw more big bucks in a week than I've seen in my life! I'll be back...
I bowhunt public land on the ground almost exclusively, and share the woods with responsible ( for the most part ) gun hunters and hikers with no problems. Starting today, I will wear an orange camo fleece vest, and as stated above by bamboo, I will use my head. One thing that I hadn't thought of is my arrows white feathers being mistaken for deer. That could be dangerous. I'm taking my bitzenburger out of the closet right now, and fletching a few shafts with orange, or..... pink feathers :scared:
Heh - yesterday was the start of our two day early youth gun season. I was out there in orange, bow in hand. The woods is always more ... jumpy when the gun guys are out but whatever.
Anyway, about 9.30 in the morning I get my bow ready because I hear one coming in from my east. Of course I didn't draw yet but I was ready to do so. Some hiker comes around the bend with deer colored pants and two treking poles that make him sound juuuust like a big quadruped and not a stitch of orange on his body. Did I mention this is public hunting land? Lol - what an idiot.
I'm with LongSticks64... find archery only areas to hunt. Those next to gun areas are perfect. Don't take the deer long to figure out where the pumpkin suits aren't!! Either that or hunt harder and a little farther back in.
For your own safety.. if you're going to hunt gun areas with a bow.. wear the Hunter Orange too!
The LandOwner that I hunt on, doesnt Mind WHAT Weapon You use! As Long As The Weapon IS Legal AND You have the Correct Deer Tag & License for the Season. EVERYONE that Hunts his Land KNOWS that the Archery will be there when the Guns come Out too, so we kinda look after each other.