WI is one of the states that doesn't allow bow hunting during the nine day regular deer gun season, I know there are others. If I want to deer hunt during that time I need to use a firearm, so I use my muzzle loader, but would use a trad bow if I could. In addition to this, I emailed the DNR a few years ago asking if it would be legal to small game hunt with archery equipment during that time. The small game regulations states that archery equipment is legal for hunting small game but doesn't specifically state that you can't use it during the regular 9 day gun season. The response from the DNR was in both cases archery equipment could not be used. Thay also stated that if it isn't specifally stated in the regulations that you CAN, assume that you CAN'T. I replied at that time and asked what the reasons were and did not get a response so I dropped it.
I was just curious if anyone out there knew or had opinions as to what the reason(s) might be? Could it just be an old law that never came off the books? Is there a safety issue I'm not considering?
Thoughts anyone?
That stinks, here in tn I bow hunt from sept to january. I don't understand why it should be illegal for anyone who chooses to bow only.
That doesn't make much sense to me either.
Here in PA you can as long as you wear the required amount of flourescent orange that the gun hunters do.
Yes - because bureaucrats write rules about things they don't understand. There's no point looking for logic here - you won't find any. Best you can do is work to get the rules changed.
I'd be happy to wear the blaze orange if that's all it took.
Funny, I was just contemplating this matter this evening. I live in Illinois where we cannot bowhunt during the two earlier firearm seasons.
Actually, I have thought long and hard about starting a petition to allow bowhunters to handicap themselves during the firearm season.
In fact, I spoke to Nathan Andersohn (attorney for the P&Y club) about this matter at the 2009 Rocky Mountain Bighorn Society banquet in Denver. He expressed a willingness to draw up an official-type petition. However, I never pursued the matter any further.
Any other Illinois bowhunters on here who would be willing to join me? If so, shoot me a PM.
Dusty
This needs to be on the Hunting Legislation/Polocy forum, not PowWow.
That doesn't make much sense to me either.
Here in MT you can, as long as you wear the required amount of 400 Sq inches of blaze orange above the waist that the gun hunters do.
I don't see why it needs to be moved.
He was just asking a question, not ranting about anything or asking how to change a law or rule.
Ken, I'm sure there is a reason for the way the rules are, it may just not be one we think is a good one. Get a hold of your local Conservation Officer and pose the question. It could be a safety thing. May have been easier at one time to re-write a small portion of the law code to exclude bowhunting for 9 days than write a lot to ensure that bow hunters wear orange for the same amount of time. I don't really know.
Could be an effort to limit the number of hunters in the field as well or cut down on gun hunter/bow hunter tiffs.
Like I said, there is always a reason even if it's not a good one.
OkKeith
I have been using bow only during gun season here in GA for many years. I certainly think you guys ought to start petitions, contact your political representative, etc. to get it changed. There is absolutely no valid reason to disallow the bow during the regular season. Good luck.
My apologies, I never even thought about posting to the Hunting/Legislation forum. Before that reply I can't even say I've even been on that forum. I rarely post, mostly just read and occaisionally respond. If I would have realized I would posted it there.
It is a good post. Here in Michigan we can hunt with a bow during gun season but we have to follow the gun rules and wear orange. Problem is the boys in orange run the deer off of the state land that I hunt. I do not do much hunting during the gun season. Also the black powder season starts 3 days after gun season and runs till Dec 19th. Then the special doe season starts on private land. During the special doe season the boys in orange push the deer back on state land, that is when I am back in the woods.
I called about that last week for Jersey and got the same reply.The lady said she didn't know either.I even asked if I bought the gun tags for those seasons could I hunt and they stated no!.I think it's about safety in Jersey,So many Jack holes fresh out of the LL Bean catalog ripping off rounds at anything that moves is enough for me to want to have a gun (for my safety)instead of a bow.You never know when you may have to shoot the dry cleaning tag off the yuppies camo jacket to get his attention. :goldtooth:
how does holding a gun in your hands make you ANY safer than holding bow?do you plan on returning fire?
You are a citizen. I am sure your state has a formal process to change laws you don't like if it makes sense to do so. It might be cumbersome and might not be effective but you always have that option. In Indiana, citizens can petition our Natural Resources Commission for changes in game laws. Do some research and see if a similar process exists in your state. Good luck.
In WI gun tags are statewide, unlimited, and sold over the counter. That's not the case in IL, where they are sold county by county on a limited draw system.
I already get 3-months-plus to bowhunt here in IL, and I wouldn't feel right about taking a gun tag away from someone else (who may only hunt with a gun) just so I can hunt two more weekends with my bow.
Get in contact with some of your state Bowhunting and archery organizations. Most of them have something in their by-laws about Promoting/protecting bowhunting rights and privilages. Many got involved with the "crossgun" or "Sunday" hunting issues. One letter from one person may not get noticed but a few letters from different organizations with a few thousand members representing the 100,000 archery permits sold every year may really get their attention.
I am guessing it is less about safety and mostly about the possibility you will fill your archery tag by first rifle shooting the animal.
Of course, since WI is in a "shoot em all mode" lately, that doesn't make much sense either.
ChuckC
Missouri is kind of backwards too. You can bowhunt during gun, but you have to buy a gun tag. I've been hoping they would change it and let you use an unfilled bow tag. Yes and you have to wear the orange.
I'm guessing they pass silly laws only because they can. Give someone authority to pass laws then by golly... they're gonna pass some laws!....Phil
I would worry that the legislators in my goofy state would ultimately decide that there was no need for separate seasons. If bow hunters had no problem being out with gun hunters, why have them seperate.
On the Dahomey NWR where I hunt in the Mississippi Delta bows are not legal weapons during the gun season. I asked why since it seems to be the only NWR in Mississippi that doesn't allow bows during the gun season. The answer I recieved was simply that "gun hunters cannot hunt during the bow season, therefore bows cannot be used during the gun season." They say it is a fairness issue. This year is the first year that we are allowed to hunt small game with bow and arrow with the restriction that broad heads cannot be used, only points. Since it is legal to hunt hogs during any season with a weapon legal for that season it is impossible to hunt hogs during the small game season since broadheads cannot be used. Can you imagine shooting a hog with a judo point?
I am from Illinois and would also like to use my bow instead of a firearm. I bought the tag but bows are not listed as legal for firearm season.
Ken
I may be wrong but I believe you can use a bow during gun season in the CWD zones as long as you are wearing blaze orange. We can also bow hunt during the youth gun hunt or any of the doe only weekends as long as the orange is worn. Seems like a double standard but that wouldn't be that unusual for our DNR.
Could it be that they made concessions to allow a bowhunting only season, which keeps the gun hunters out of the woods at that time, so they feel obligated to keep bowhunters out during the 9 day gun season? Just a thought.
QuoteOriginally posted by Missouri Bowman:
Missouri is kind of backwards too. You can bowhunt during gun, but you have to buy a gun tag. I've been hoping they would change it and let you use an unfilled bow tag. Yes and you have to wear the orange.
The reason they do not want people filling bow tags during Rifle season is due to the fact that many people will claim rifle killed deer as bow killed deer. If you have formal registration stations, most workers dont look close enough to tell, nor do they usually care.
I think you should use the tag corresponding to the season. regardless of Hunting apparatus.
As far as rifle hunting during archery season? well the law should be as such; to allow hunting with a lesser weapon therefore muzzle loading would be allowed during rifle but not bow. Bow hunting would be allowed during Rifle and muzzle loading. Rifle hunting will only be allowed during rifle season and therefor as long as the appropriate licenses is obtained for the season with greater firearm power.
I think (this is only a guess) often Rules are old and follow traditions hence the ban on archery during Rifle. Sometimes states do not examine the reasoning behind the laws, so they stand based on traditions and are enforced.
Having retired from a career in state wildlife agencies (IN, KS, MO, and KY) I can tell you Bill Turner is pretty close to the common reason for not allowing bowhunters in the gun season. More and more states are changing this regulation to allow the bowhunter in the gun season but as this thread notes, some still don't.
In states that don't allow it the gun hunters object to sharing the field with bowhunters who, in the gun hunters' opinion already have plenty of days. They wrongly think the bowhunter will simply stay home .... wrong, many of us just pick up the long range equipment and go to the field with 2-3 months of scouting behind us. As a rule, we do very well.
Of course the failure of this logic (and part of the way this was overturned in IN many years ago) is if a bowhunter isn't allowed in the gun season with his bow, many of these bowhunters will use fireamrs instead. Ask a gun hunter, which is more "competitive" a bowhunter with a firearm or a bowhunter with a bow? Most would admit they'd rather be sharing the deer woods with a 20-yard shooting bowhunter than a 100+ yard firearms hunter if they thought about it.
These separatist types of regulations are, to be frank, relics of an old-school era which the agency doesn't want to address for fear of upsetting the status quo.
I don't mean this to sound harsh but some bowhunters like (but won't admit it) these regulations becaue they aren't forced to "choose" to bowhunt or rifle hunt...the state makes them do it.
I am a bowhunter in IL...in the state with no consealed carry law and paranoia regarding firearms at the state level. The state with that kind of nutty logic WANTS me to have a firearm in my hands 10 days out of the year instead of my bow.
I would gladly use my traditional bows during gun season if I could. I buy a firearm deer tag every year and wear hunter orange when I hunt, but I sometimes forget my fiream...on purpose.
Most of it has to do with resource allocation. Some states allocate a given part of the annual harvest to each of the user groups. In states with seperate tags and seasons this is huge. In others it is very clouded.
I'd say that if you attend wildlife commission meetings and listen you will find this type of logic.
Mike
Ohio is no bowhunting durning gun season and for good reason. Too many people hunting with a gun and shooting anything that likes like a deer and moves. You must wear hunter orange and a lot of it to be legal. Still people get shot every year. A lot of hunters but not too many people want you on their land anymore so most are forced to go to public hunting area or State Parks. Both are over run with hunters.
Old saying don't bring a bow to a gun fight!!!
"I already get 3-months-plus to bowhunt here in IL, and I wouldn't feel right about taking a gun tag away from someone else (who may only hunt with a gun) just so I can hunt two more weekends with my bow."
This is an issue I have thought about also. However, in my county I know of nobody who is denied a firearm tag. In years past, I applied as late as the third lottery, and still received the tags for which I applied.
Also, although the season is open for 3+ months I work M-F so the weekends are all I have to hunt, aside from my two weeks of vacation I save for hunting every year. So, because I choose to hunt with a bow, I am losing 4 days every year because of the firearm season, two of which are during the rut!
What would be wrong if the bow tags were valid throughout the firearm season? They allow it for the muzzleloader and two late-winter seasons. Deer numbers are extremely high, so why not allow a large number of people, who typically sit-out the firearm season, to attempt to take another deer or two?
Dusty
Dusty,
I'm in the same boat as you regarding my work schedule. Unless I take vacation time, weekends are the only time I can hunt. While on the surface I understand your point about using bowhunting during gun season with archery tags, there's another side to it.
Bowhunters here freak out on an annual basis over the possibility of more gun hunting days, yet they want to bowhunt during existing gun seasons. For some, there's no give and take: it's all take and take. And one of these days the DNR is going to get tired of bowhunters crying that they ONLY get 100+ hunting days to themselves.
QuoteOriginally posted by bamboo:
how does holding a gun in your hands make you ANY safer than holding bow?do you plan on returning fire?
Great point.
After reading some of the posts we have a good deal here in Michigan. We can buy a combination license. Which has 2 kill tags. It can be used during bow, gun and black powder seasons.During bow season you can shoot two bucks but the second or restricted tag has to be used for a buck with 4 antler points on 1 side. You also use both tags for does during the archery season. Gun season you have to follow the gun rules. Both tags are for antlered deer only. Hunter orange is required.The hunter can only harvest two deer with the combo license.
QuoteOriginally posted by traditionalman:
Ohio is no bowhunting durning gun season and for good reason. Too many people hunting with a gun and shooting anything that likes like a deer and moves. You must wear hunter orange and a lot of it to be legal. Still people get shot every year. A lot of hunters but not too many people want you on their land anymore so most are forced to go to public hunting area or State Parks. Both are over run with hunters.
Old saying don't bring a bow to a gun fight!!!
1. That's not accurate. You can hunt with your bow during gun season ( http://ohiodnr.com/wildlife/dow/regulations/hunting_deer.aspx#equipment - read the middle bit) and
2. That logic is silly anyway - we are out there to hunt deer, not gun hunters.
Dusty, I don't understand how my willingness to use a longbow instead of my muzzleloader to fill my firearm tag would hurt anyone either. The only thing I've ever been able to think of is that they are afraid that bowhunters would be more likely to not wear their orange. Although stupid as it sounds I've seen gun hunters do it on a lot of occasions.
In Missouri, you can hunt with a bow during the muzzleloader season with your archery license, and you don't have to wear orange, although the muzzleloader hunters do. But like Missouri Bowman said, to hunt with a bow in the regular rifle season, you have to buy the rifle season license and wear orange. The logic is obscure.
I've bowhunted during "gun season" for close 40 years here in PA. I wear the required fl. orange and have had no problems.
Well except for the strange looks and have been told to hide that thing a couple of times "the warden is around the corner", "Or was that you I heard shooting?"
Good luck in getting the regulation changed.
Jeff
Thanks everyone for offering the your opinions. For the most part these are all things that have floated through my head at times and I was just interested to find out what everyone thought potential reasons may be. I knew on this site that just about everyone would use their bow if they could. I was also interested to see if any former DNR types would respond, which they did, and their responses were more related to what I personally suspected.
Jim Ricole, I also believe you are correct regarding the CWD zones and legal weapons. I know I didn't specify but my question was referring more in general to the other areas.
I'd be happy to share the woods with guns, compounds, wear the legal clothing, etc. and use whatever tag I needed to use if I could carry my bow... I have no problem with any of that. I also can't complain, we do have a much longer continuous bow season in WI than many other areas in the country so I have to be greatful for that.
Thanks everyone.
We don't have a rifle season here in Iowa (only in the southern two tiers of counties you can rifle hunt antlerless deer in late jan.). They shut down bow season however for a couple weekends in December for the shotgunners to take the woods.
Even if they allowed bow hunting during the gun season, I wouldn't. Reason is that I hunt public land and there are way too many bullets flying for me to want be in there alone up in a tree.
But- I can see a lot of guys having good success since you'd let the other hunters push the deer towards you.
Most game and fish departments regulate their respective deer herds for what they call "maximum sustained yeild" which translates into.....we're gonna set the limits so that hunters can kill whatever they want..
That policy is pure BS but that's what they do. I've always thought that the best policy is to make all deer hunters kill a doe before they're allowed to kill ANY buck. Then, after the doe is down, permit them to kill a buck with more than 2 points on each side and encourage all hunters to kill bucks with bad antlers. All bucks with less than 4 points...regardless...are babies and should be totally off limits.
I've hunted for years and only killed 1-2 "decent" bucks with a trad bow. I've shot a butt load of them with a rifle or a compound though and each time I do it, I get less and less interested in gun hunting or with compounds. In any event, the deer on my lease will suffer the loss of a doe and then a buck and if I tag out with my bow, the gun season is totally mute. Ain't gonna happen for me.
Call me crazy girls, but I simply hate killing anything that I don't plan to eat. I will not kill for the pure hell of it.
Having lived in Il all my life and been privy to the examples that our state law makers have always exibited. I am confident in saying it all boils down to money. They will-not let bowhunters hunt during gun season because they want us to buy gun tags. This of coarse adds to the revenue which as far as I can tell is never reinvested in our deer herd. And if they don't stop issueing so many gun tags each year,there is not going to be any deer to hunt in a few more years anyway. I spend probably more time in a tree stand than most since I'm semi retired and each year now for the past several,I have been seeing less and less deer.JMO.
I wouldn't have an issue with buying the tags either, in fact I already do and still would. I just want to use my weapon of choice. Even though I don't use all it has to offer, I buy the WI conservation patrons license (includes almost everything related to fishing, hunting, trapping, state parks, etc.) because it goes to helping our outdoor activities.
Yes, in Ohio we can bow hunt during any of the firearms seasons. Finding a bowhunter here during gun season is about as likely as picking up a shed antler in August. It's uncommon.
Reasons why I seldom bow hunt during gun season:
It hurts my ears.
I can't draw my bow and wear a bullet-proof vest.
I always miss shots at running & leaping deer.
I feel like a novelty target up in a treestand.
I have target panic when a ricochet buzzes past.
I don't like bloodtrailing in a crossfire.
I worry that blaze orange makes my butt look big.
:thumbsup:
Folks,
It does none of us any good to exaggerate the danger involved in being out-of-doors with gun hunters or during gun season. I've hunted in areas where I've counted more than 200 rounds in a single morning but I know it is not unsafe in the woods during firearms season. Sure, some folks shoot themselves and even other people. However, more die or are hurt from tree stand falls, driving to their hunting area, or from heart attacks dragging deer (or themselves) out of the woods. We should not perpetuate the myth that any hunter groups create an unsafe environment for one another or others.
I've been in danger of being shot (that I know of) only once in a lifetime of hunting and it was from irresponsible plinkers shooting bottles in a river across from me in my tree stand. These weren't hunters, they were litter bugs and vandals.
QuoteOriginally posted by Kevin Dill:
Yes, in Ohio we can bow hunt during any of the firearms seasons. Finding a bowhunter here during gun season is about as likely as picking up a shed antler in August. It's uncommon.
Reasons why I seldom bow hunt during gun season:
It hurts my ears.
I can't draw my bow and wear a bullet-proof vest.
I always miss shots at running & leaping deer.
I feel like a novelty target up in a treestand.
I have target panic when a ricochet buzzes past.
I don't like bloodtrailing in a crossfire.
I worry that blaze orange makes my butt look big.
:thumbsup:
Lol - great list! :thumbsup:
Some public land is certainly worse than others and I admit that I've had to duck behind trees as slugs went whizzing by. I rarely go out of my way to take time off during gun season (though the deer are certainly moving that week) but my Hill and I will be out there when we can be.
QuoteOriginally posted by bamboo:
how does holding a gun in your hands make you ANY safer than holding bow?do you plan on returning fire?
I personally have been in situations while hunting during gun week and have had buckshot fly through the trees very,very close.if not for the ability to be able to fire a warning shot in the air I may not be typing this.Have you ever experienced gun drives for deer? Guys line up around an area and a line of guys go through the woods yelling to scare the deer.During these drives people are so amped up to kill a deer that they dont look to see whats really moving.And for the record if I was fired upon in an act of aggression I would return fire. :D
Why not disallow-they can't hunt our season either. I don't bowhunt during rifle season-allowed or not.
QuoteOriginally posted by Bowwild:
Folks,
It does none of us any good to exaggerate the danger involved in being out-of-doors with gun hunters or during gun season. I've hunted in areas where I've counted more than 200 rounds in a single morning but I know it is not unsafe in the woods during firearms season. Sure, some folks shoot themselves and even other people. However, more die or are hurt from tree stand falls, driving to their hunting area, or from heart attacks dragging deer (or themselves) out of the woods. We should not perpetuate the myth that any hunter groups create an unsafe environment for one another or others.
I've been in danger of being shot (that I know of) only once in a lifetime of hunting and it was from irresponsible plinkers shooting bottles in a river across from me in my tree stand. These weren't hunters, they were litter bugs and vandals.
I wish taht were the case everywhere, but it's not. A hunting buddy of mine was stuck clinging flat to his tree and yelling like a maniac trying to get the attention of the two yahoos shooting along a nearby ridge and landing shots into trees surrounding his. Every year I hear a story that involves the words "sound shot" or "a shot into the bushes". I'm amazed more people aren't killed each year.
Our neighbor has lost two cows in the last five or six years to hunters who couldn't be bothered to be sure of their target. Every year he threatens to paint "COW" in white letter on his livestock to keep them safe.
I stay at home during gun season. I wish that weren't the case, but them folks just scare the crap outta me.
My point fellows is the rarity of it in terms of the numbers of us out there. If lots of mothers read this stuff there would be some sons and daughters(or nasty arguments)whose hunting careers would be severly delayed or curtailed completely. In fact, that's the primary reason youth-only hunting days are set -- so Johnny and Suzie will have the woods relatively alone so the parents will be more comfortable letting them go.
Like many of you, I hunt a lot. I have set up hunts, regulated hunting, all types, and in four states. I may be shot out of my tree next week but the odds are better than terrific that I won't.
Sure, I've heard (and read the reports) of the stories, the slobs, careless, and just plain terribly unlucky. However, we go some years in my current state (KY) with ZERO hunters killed and that's with more than 200,000 out there many days. However, I can't remember the last time we concluded a season without some poor soul failing to bounce up when he hit the ground. I've read accounts of opening weekend in Michigan where a half-dozen folks died of heart-attacks doing things beyond their ability.
I've had a grouse hunter flush a bird in an opening as he walked towards me. He swung right through my tree before shooting. A tresspasser shot at (and missed) a doe with a Muzzle-loader in the early 80's under my tree at 90 yards. I wear orange to help the other man see me during firearms seasons and I make sure I have a light on when moving in the dark. The best thing most of us can do to protect ourselves is to practice personal safety and control the crowd we hunt with. The records show most shooting accidents/incidents involve self-inflicted or friend/relative-inflicted activity.
I've been on the defending end of hunting in very unfriendly crowds on too many occassions during my professional life. It is no fun having some of these anti-hunting radicals read accounts written by hunters about the alleged unsafe nature of hunting.
Jeff you have to learn how to play the game here in MO. We have the unique privilege here, to be able to hunt some of the bow only Federal and State areas during gun season, with a gun tag. If you ever have hunted some of our areas down here in the south east during gun season, you would look forward to gun season.
I've hunted Reform wildlife area during gun season, but it's easier just to hunt before and after rather than mess around with additional permits and orange gear.
No doubt more folks are injured falling out of stands than being shot. The last figures I saw from Missouri were around 70% of injuries being tree stand falls (which is beyond idiotic, btw). Of the remaining 30%, a little over half were self-inflicted.
REgardless, tree stand and self-inflicted injuries are something I have control over. Who is pointing a rifle my direction is NOT. Life is about taking intelligent risks. This is one I choose not to take.
If we had a short bow season, I would probably feel differently.
This is a little off topic Roy, more of a quality deer management topic, but something that has always puzzled me. PM me if you want. Several years ago I asked John Phillips (former KDFW Deer Biologist, for those who don't know)the following question: "Can you explain why Kentucky schedules it's firearms season each year during the peak of the rut?" Now, back to the topic at hand:^)
QuoteOriginally posted by lpcjon2:
I called about that last week for Jersey and got the same reply.The lady said she didn't know either.I even asked if I bought the gun tags for those seasons could I hunt and they stated no!.I think it's about safety in Jersey,So many Jack holes fresh out of the LL Bean catalog ripping off rounds at anything that moves is enough for me to want to have a gun (for my safety)instead of a bow.You never know when you may have to shoot the dry cleaning tag off the yuppies camo jacket to get his attention. :goldtooth:
When I lived and Hunted in Jersey I did it with BOW in hand when others where out with their shotguns/smokepoles..
A correction to my earlier post. Alot of those 40 years I already had my buck tag used. But I still would go to camp and went out on the first day to check up on my Dad and uncles. With out a weapon at all, as by law.
Almost all of my hunting is done on public land. And Pennsylvania ranks right near the top in hunters in the field on the first day of Buck season.
Gary,
I know where you are headed. Let me answer that this way. As you know we in KY, including the Department are feeling pretty good about our decision to implement the 1-buck rule in 1992. It has worked exactly as it was supposed to do producing more than 800 BC bucks (only the ones we know about) since. Before the rule 1-2 Booners a year was about it.
Before I retired, my boss, the Commissioner asked me how we could further improve the quality of Kentucky's deer herd. I advised Tom, "I'll tell you but you won't want to do it." I advised we'd need to move the firearms season to the end of November or first of December to extend the lives of mature bucks a bit more. This would keep the firearms hunters out of the woods when the big bucks are most vulnerable. I quickly also advised that the firearms hunters would "rip us to shreds" if we suggested such a thing. The tradition of KY's firearms season coinciding with peak rut activity is very strong. To be honest, although it hurt me to do so, I recommended he not even consider such a move for the sake of hunter relations.
I also pointed out moving the firearms season would be great for the bowhunter, giving us even better access to great KY bucks!
So, the decision was more public relations than scientific. However, without good relations with the hunting public science doesn't have much of a chance of working anyway (and I'm proud to say that the vast majority of KY agency personnel are also hunters -- some the most avid there are). An interesting side note, during my career, I've found hunter relations with the wildlife agency to be much better east of Kansas City than west of it.
I thank God that Virginia allows Bowhunters to hunt with the Gun hunters as long as I wear the required Blaze Orange because other wise I'd go nuts not being in the woods.
Here in VT we're allowed to use a bow during any season that allows a gun.
It probably comes down to deer jacking.Alot easier to say you got that 190" buck amidst gunshots when some dude jacked it at night with a bow.
We are soooooooooooo fortunate in KY to have a Commission set up the way we do. Yes some of the decisions will curl your hair...like crossbows, and spike bull elk tags....but all in all they have pushed an agenda of MORE and MORE hunter opportunity. We have an extra long bow season and can hunt straight thru all the pesky firearms and modern musket seasons. I'll be out in the morning wearing my orange hoping to fill a couple doe tags. I'm thankful for that.
You CAN hunt NJ with a bow during gun season, page 29 of the digest, and if you have a fall bow permit and are in a zone that allows it you can shoot does. No orange required, but I would advise it to at least have an orange knit hat that you can leave in your pocket until needed. And we can now hunt within the gunners safety zone, I think I might give it a try.
Owlgrowler ,
I called the southern office and they said not during shotgun, only the fall bow or muzzle.And the orange would be a smart choice.
I haven't read all five pages of this but here's NC's law and a link to the regs. You can refer to it if trying to get your laws changed.
During the muzzleloading firearm season, only muzzleloading
rifles, muzzleloading shotguns and permitted archery equipment
may be used. This applies to private lands and game lands.
● During the gun deer season, bow and arrows, pistols (as
defined under manner of taking) and muzzleloading
firearms are legal weapons.
http://www.ncwildlife.org/Regs/2010_11/2010-11_Hunting.pdf
One MUST wear hunter orange while bow hunting during gun season.
If you have a gun license you can hunt with a bow during the 6 day firearms season for bucks only, statewide.(bag limit 2) In zones 8 and 10 where I have fall bow permits I can hunt every day in December, except Christmas. And, since I haven't punched my permit bow buck tag, I could legally shoot a third buck during the 6 day firearms season.
Read it for yourself, don't trust a state employee,(not always the sharpest tacks...) :)
I will check the book again,And I am a state employee...LOL. :D Yup the fish and game people really don't have a clue about what they print in the game books and what they say.No hard feelings
Actually you need both a gun and bow license to hunt the 6 day firearm season.
Sorry bro, some of em, like you, are smart as all get out!
No worries, I did ask them if I bought the gun license could I and they said no.It figures I will check more into it.Thanks for the info.Maybe SJ zones are different.I hunt zones 34 and 42
I think safety is the number one reason for not bow hunting durning gun season. Here in Ohio there are many hunter and less land every year to hunt on. I think what is need is an designated area that is bow hunting only then all thoes who want to bow hunt may do so without getting shot. Not some gar hole peice of land with no deer on it either and a large track of land also.
I personally can't see any reason why a person can't hunt with a lesser weapon. Having one weapon in your hand or another does not make one more safe than the other because you're all hunting a game animal not people.
Every state has license system so be it. Make the hunter buy what ever they have to buy, wear the hunters orange but let them use a lesser weapon if they choose.
In my oppinion if you worked with your state bowhunting org you should be able to get this option in place. Its just a matter of getting in the hands of the right goverment official.
If I wanted to hunt land without other hunters, whatever they are packing, I'd buy, borrow, or lease such lands. I definitely would not want or expect the state to set aside such lands for a few when the many paid/pay for those acres. Alternatively, I wouldln't hunt in certain seasons if my fear outweighed my desire to hunt.
Personally, I don't want to be in the woods during gun season with a bow or a gun! Those guys are nuts! I'm sure safety is the reason in Iowa. With the new rifled barrels and sabot slugs, the range with shotguns has been extended. I don't want to be there when those things are whistling threw the air. Just my opinion. If gun hunters hunted the way we do, it wouldn't be a problem, but they don't.
For the record my earlier post on why I don't bow hunt in gun season was mostly in jest. I really believe the chances of taking an accidental bullet are about the same as being gored by a bull fox squirrel...about zero. For some reason, that logic just doesn't comfort me much when I hear a 3" 12 gauge detonate at a couple hundred yards. I wince and duck instinctively!
My main reasons for not wanting to hunt the gun seasons are aesthetic. I get zero joy from killing an animal as it tries to escape a barrage of gunfire. I cannot tolerate the background noise of multiple gunshots while I'm being a quiet and observant bowhunter. It doesn't fit me right.
I do think most of the arguments for excluding bows during gun season are bogus, except for one: guns can't hunt during bow season, so maybe it's (tit for tat) fair to keep bows out during gun season.
You make a lot of sense Kevin.
Although I have to admit, when I was a teenager hunting squirrels and things were going slow, I used to daydream during slow times about "herds" of squirrels attacking me so I could kill a limit!
As an outsider this has been most interesting and obviously there are some well thought suggestions from experience, Bowilds thoughts on gun season for instance, seems this would resolve many issues for the long term, most interesting from this end is that the commission would even consider to placate the varying interests. I was recently writing a fellow trad ganger to gauge some on how the system works with bows then muzzle loaders, rutting and seasonal migration etc. Here rules are bought in and one must comply! Regardless of more sound methodology or reasoning. More often it would seem bureaucrats will have their way resulting in imperious often pompous manner in some further down the food chain within the system on the ground. That no duty is apparent in this disservice to the people and country is evident. Still one is reminded that even those who no longer perceptively serve at all are being paid by fees and taxes.
Ask for a copy of the regs. Have a hunting association guide u in their understanding of the rule. The reality of grey areas where any official or body is enforcing their opinion or preference rather than the regs of law as stated is incongruous especially when u have requested clarification in writing. Unless things have changed dramatically from experience, govt. departments in the US are obligated by law to respond to u the citizen in whose service they hold office. Be mindful tho Govt departments wheels can turn ever so slowly at times but have unlimited resources, yes, u'r fees and taxes, in the pursuit of those whom they perceive are non compliant. It may be a matter of perceived safety or some such. I think conventional wisdom would keep u away harm from those toting weapons that can spit a projectile further than 100yds or beyond their sight.
We all know the law is impartial and so too officials must maintain a unbiased in these matters and u'r name will not go on a to do list. GingivitasKan u should wear stripes on these occasions as they reduce the perception of a big but. Jeff if this number of accidents were happening they'd have to be a state committee inquiry,which until completed would place a caveat on the property. Eventually all those dam trees should come down to improve safety and if they were on u'r land u'd have to pay for them to come in remove them as u would not be qualified unless some costly course and fee for the activity were undertaken n paid. And no u could not burn the rubble or stumps that's illegal on u'r own land too. Also u would not be able to sell any timber or utilize it in building unless it had been inspected and approved, for a fee of course. As for those rogue bull squirls the appropriate department would have to come and capture them and put in a microchip, they could be relocated to a better habitat at an appropriate fee to u.
Be careful what u wish for and never allow the constitution to be taken out of the education system as was the case here in the 70's. Now people's rights are what the govt an judicial dictate and there is none but personal costly and time consuming recourse, this with general complacency is untenable in the long run. One should learn to live with double negatives e.g. It's raining, wet and muddy but at least its cold.
My question is....and hate to change the subject, but it kind of goes along w/ the orig converstation....
Do the states that DO NOT allow archery hunting during the firearms season allow small game, turkey, or waterfowl hunting during this same block of time????
That is a point of conversation I've had w/ friends and a few KDFWR employees in the past about hunter orange laws as waterfowl and small game hunters are not required to wear hunter orange, but can occupy the same land/water edge as rifle hunters and we seem to have no safety issues....
QuoteOriginally posted by divecon10:
GingivitasKan u should wear stripes on these occasions as they reduce the perception of a big but.
Lol - what's that about? Either that's some Australian thing I'm just not getting or I'm being dense or something.
Are you saying I have a big butt (too true - not sure stripes would help much) or that I am being a big butt (I've been called worse) or what?
My mistake M8. I was reading through the post and had a good laugh at Kevin Dill's comment, thought it was u'rs, shoulda seen the bold print. I had this image of the whimsical trendy an thought the fashion police would have a field day with this, as apparently stripes r more flattering to large posterior. Maybe something the makers of camo gear should come on line with for us. There's always someone out there tryin to reinvent the wheel.
If I could not hunt with my Black Widow during gun (simple stick) season I would not hunt. Then I'd have more time to enjoy the great walleye fishing at this time of year!
QuoteOriginally posted by divecon10:
My mistake M8. I was reading through the post and had a good laugh at Kevin Dill's comment, thought it was u'rs, shoulda seen the bold print. I had this image of the whimsical trendy an thought the fashion police would have a field day with this, as apparently stripes r more flattering to large posterior. Maybe something the makers of camo gear should come on line with for us. There's always someone out there tryin to reinvent the wheel.
No problems at all.
Back to the topic tho - I have to say I do like the way Ohio does this. The shotgun guys have time in the field as do the muzzle-loader guys *and* you can always hunt with the "inferior" weapon (muzzle-loader guys can hunt during shotgun season and archery guys can hunt both).
It's all about being out there with pointy sticks. :D
Guys, my fashion cop (wife) tells me its the direction the stripes are going.
Up and down stripes make this 5'6" archer look like he's 5'6.5". The horizontal stripes will get you an extension strap for your seat belt on Delta without even asking!
Sorry, I can't help this kind of thing when the read'n starts to get tense.
"The horizontal stripes will get you an extension strap for your seat belt on Delta without even asking!"
AND a 2 person pat-down by the rubber glove guys...
The state of Missouri allows any legal method, including archery to be used during the firearms seasons. As long as the hunter orange requirement is adhered to and the proper firearm deer tag is used. You cannot bow hunt on an archery tag during rifle season, it must be a regular firearm tag, and then you can use anything from rifle to crossbow, and even an atlatl if that's your thing.
This is the way it should be in my opinion. As long as you purchase the proper tag, then why not let the person chose their weapon?
I'm all for it, and I personally know a few who do use archery tackle during firearm season, mainly because that's the peak of the rut and they don't want to miss out, or put their bow down to wait until the 11 day rifle season is over.....especially if you have that monster buck patterned down to a specific area and only need a bit more time to nail him.
After the initial 11 day firearm season, archery season picks right up immediately afterwards. Then continues right on through till Jan. 15th.
QuoteOriginally posted by LoweBow:
My question is....and hate to change the subject, but it kind of goes along w/ the orig converstation....
Do the states that DO NOT allow archery hunting during the firearms season allow small game, turkey, or waterfowl hunting during this same block of time????
That is a point of conversation I've had w/ friends and a few KDFWR employees in the past about hunter orange laws as waterfowl and small game hunters are not required to wear hunter orange, but can occupy the same land/water edge as rifle hunters and we seem to have no safety issues....
During the shot gun seasons in IL all the other seasons are put on hold. I always found that a strange law as well.