Anybody using bow during gun season on the ground???Going out with my Hill in the morning ,found a big hemlock that snap off and landed 12yrds from a ravine runway.
I'm dressed as a pumpkin with my longbow right now. But I'm in a tree, not on the ground. I still like to hunt, but something yes just not the same for me as during bow season. Deer on high alert, getting chased from here to there and back again. But I have passed shots at deer i didn't want this weekend, so it certainty can be done.
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Yes, I do all time. I stalked and shot this decent buck a few years back during the gun season on BLM land.
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I shot this doe and spike out of a blind set up by a good trail last weekend. This was on private ground. The guns were going off all around, and the deer were moving.
Shot him last week during the gun time. Admittedly, Wyoming is somewhat different than New York in hunter numbers. But, if we are going to hunt deer in the rut, it will always be when the gun guys are out.
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I just put in 2 days with a patch and ball slinger. The whole time I felt naked without my longbow. The really weird part was not stump shooting on the way back. The rest of the year it is bow on the ground.
The thick little overlooked spots shine right now.
Rob
I always take the bow out a couple of evenings during my week at deer camp for fireams season. Mainly when we don't want to travel the long distance to the swamp and we hunt behing the chicken coops for Sika. Bows don't scare chickens.
I'll be out with the stick bow. Have shot two bucks now in the "gun" season. Both off the ground.
Yep,just got back in the cabin
Every Sunday for sure, they just opened up archery only on Sunday last year, and any then time I hit my little private land honey holeher across from the house. The deal I have with the landowner is archery only....
Unfortunatly they make us bow hunters criminals during gun season here in IL. So its a no go for me. I stood around and kicked rocks listenin to gun shots tonight. But come day light I'm BACK to the woods!
New law in wisconsin is you can use any lesser weapon during gun season, as bow, muzzleloader or crossbow, as long as you have and use a firearms tag.
I was desperate and filled my freezer full of some fine eating with a classic rifle this past weekend.My family does enjoy venison and my hunting has been limited this year. Im not apologizing, I had a great time but now Im getting back to taking it easy and smelling the roses with a Griffin in hand. :jumper:
I wish we could but they close the archery season for a one week shotgun/muzzle loader season here. I HATE it, they get the prime week and the deer take a pounding.
I could in Ontario where I live but I feel safer not going out the week the pumpkin army is out in the bush. Lots of bow season left here, open until Dec. 31/12. :) :thumbsup:
Last week I really think I was suffering from depression. Firearms season opened a week ago last Sat. I have a couple real nice bucks I've been seeing only on camera and felt I was closing in, especially as this is the time to catch them moving in daylight. Then the guns start going off and everything changes. I've seen a five pointer and a total of 7 does since then. Really was getting me down. Only thing I can do is hang in there and figure some of them have made it. General gun season ends this Tues, then we get a week and a half of gun antlerless, then a week after that muzzleloader season opens for 9 more days. I hate it!
Noooooo thanks!
Our gun season comes in tomorrow and I will be in the woods with my bow as always. Haven't hunted with gun in years.
I just got a decent 9 point buck yesterday on our opener here in Oklahoma. I have found gun season to be one of the best times to be out. They are pressured, yes and the giants tend to go nocturnal, but the rut is on.
I hunt with my bow no matter what other weapons are legal to use in a particular season.
Yes, I hunt with my bow all through the rifle season. I do get some funny looks, when I encounter rifle hunters in the field. Lots of fun.
Every year, and throughout the various gun seasons-shotgun, muzzleloader, handgun, antlerless (at least 2 of each per season) each year.
I went out Saturday, the firearms opener here in Okla. to film my son with his bow. I forgot to grab by bow on the way out at dark-thirty and we just happened to have a rifle in the truck as a back up plan.
I carried the rifle he had his bow. We set up in our only two seater stand and see 5 does. Nothing came within bow range but we decided to wait it out and give it another go in a few days with bows and camera.
We are fortunate here in OK that we get to hunt with a bow from Oct. 1 - Jan. 15th. Our neighbors were sure having a grand time shooting at everything in the woods. It sounded like a shooting range next doors!
Good luck - Be safe if your out there with all the gun hunters!
I'll hunt other ares with the bow, but not in my archery area local. I'd like to film the wave of ATV's overloaded with shotgun hunters that do massive push after push here. Very dangerous, guys running through the brush full tilt towards the point guys. 500 inches of orange required here and last year one guy runs by me wearing a tan shirt and pants, trips, his gun goes flying, and hes laying on the ground. Gets up and starts plowing again.
No fun for this bow guy. I need to get outta here.
Yes, on public land here in SC. I only hunt with my bow, and don't own any hunting ground. I gave up on hunting clubs, which I found to be almost worse than public, years ago. Wear the blaze, and flashlight, regardless of how bright it is out. I try and hunt areas where others don't go. I haven had a problem so far. There are a few bow only areas around, I hunt those as well.
Yes. But with lots of orange and from a treestand. And in carefully chosen locations. If I go on state land, its on places that I have acces to across private land an thus harder to reach.
I kill most of my deer during boom season. Seams like they run to my little patch of woods when the war starts. Should see the looks I get when I take them too the butcher and hunters walk up and ask what kinda gun you shooting and I pull out my recurve. Lol. Don
Went out opening day here in MI with the shotgun...just felt strange. Passed up 4 bucks, including one decent 8pt that I would have LOVED to take with my recurve. Picked up the gun, put the crosshairs on his shoulder, whispered "Boom", then watched him chase a doe into the woods.
Sunday, I was back out with the recurve. Enjoyed it more, even though I only saw a raccoon and about a 1/2 billion skwerels.
As long as the rut is on.I bowhunt.Later durring the season and I need meat.I'll pull out my 7x57 98 to feed myself.Haven't killed anything w/ a rifle for over 10 years.
We have a very librial season in this part of Va.The season ends the last saturday in March.Yes I said March!!!
I hunt from September through December all the way through both bow and gun seasons. This is the 16th consecutive year that I have not hunted with a firearm. The guns don't bother me at all, and they don't seem to affect deer movement much either. For safety, as required by law, I do wear the hunter orange without fail during gun season. Fortunately, I hunt my own property and have had little problem with outsiders encroaching on me.
Oh yeah!!!!!!!!!! :cool:
I bought a new H&R 20 last year with a thumb hole stock and all....topped it with a 4x leaupold......and carried it to the truck.
The bow went from the truck to the stand.
I don't even own a rifle larger than a .22
sold my deer rifles over 10 years ago.
Yes. I have not taken a shot yet, however.
Taken my Bear Recurve over the Holidays along with my 20ga slugger. With a little luck the deer will read the script and cross within the 20 yard range! :readit:
SWACK over BOOM any day!
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I have to brag on my Dad a little. This was on Day 2 of the Oklahoma Rifle Season (aka if it's brown it's down extravaganza!).
We actually got to work the blood trail together.
Great day!
My firearms never leave the my guncase anymore, although I have been tempted this season! My Broinlaw thinks I am nuts for not using a firearm! I only got back into hunting because of the Trad bow I just can't seem to put it down and as stated in an above post I feel strange in the woods when I don't have my bow! After the weekend most gun hunters are finished here in NO MI, my son will be here for Thanksgiving can't wait to bow hunt and stump!
Gun season opening day is just another Saturday in the middle of archery season to me! I hunt a lot in ground blinds and always have my stick in my hand.
The gun season has been open for 3 weeks here. I have yet to shoot a deer this year but still have not taken a rifle with me out in the woods.
Bisch
This is the first time I have taken my bow out a couple of times during gun season. Mostly because there are more deer in the expanded zone I hunt than in my usual rifle toting areas. I truly like carrying the bow way more. But I can still not pass up the extended range the rifle gives me to put some venison in the freezer.
Yes I do, but hate wearing orange.
Kris
That Illinois law is crazy. The lesser weapon law makes more sense. You can buy a shotgun tag but cannot use a bow. Must be firearm .
Here in IA we can only use our bow during the late muzzy season. The DNR won't let us take a bow to the field during shotgun. I'm jealous of the guys who can hunt the rifle seasons (could take advantage of areas where deer get pushed into).
Last year i didnt pick up a gun to hunt deer with at all. Didnt take a deer until middle of January, but when i did it was with a bow. I already have my buck this year so i will likely be hunting with bow only the rest of the season this year as well.
I am lucky to have a park near me that is archery only and typically hunt that(with orange still) when firearms season is in.
I use both. It always depends on where I am hunting.