ELK- Muzzleloader or Archery?

[elk247]

OK, considering the rut, fire danger, limited access, season lengths, special permit draw apps, eastside/westside, and effective distance of each weapon what's your choice for 2013? Rifle folks are welcome to vote also.

[JPhelps]

Muzzleloader = higher success
Archery = What it is all about for me

[buglebuster]

I normally hunt westside and switch back and forth between archery and muzzy. Have killed witj both weapons. This year i changed it up and went eastside archery trying to draw a tag.

[snowpack]

Archery, it seems, usually gets the GMUs that have higher numbers of animals for the early seasons.  But muzzleloader gets good ones in the late seasons.

[bobcat]

Muzzleloader only has one decent unit for early season and one for late season. Archery gets all the good units for early season, and several good elk units for late. If you're proficient with a bow, you'll be way better off with an archery tag, in my opinion.

[trophyhunt]

Muzzleloader only has one decent unit for early season and one for late season. Archery gets all the good units for early season, and several good elk units for late. If you're proficient with a bow, you'll be way better off with an archery tag, in my opinion.

And I'm applying for muzzy so I want you out of my drawing!!! Archery elk hunting is what it's all about, when you call a bull in at very short yardage and he screams in your face.... nothing like it. As soon as I zero out my points, it's westside archery all the way.

[pianoman9701]

Archery, duh!

[elk247]

Muzzleloader only has one decent unit for early season and one for late season.

Blasphemy! Are you yankin my chain bobcat? Please pm me this exclusive unit number.

[bobcat]

Muzzleloader only has one decent unit for early season and one for late season.

Blasphemy! Are you yankin my chain bobcat? Please pm me this exclusive unit number.

No, it's true. But it's a secret so don't expect any PM's from me.   

[elk247]

Not looking for secrets. i was just making sure you didn't get seriously hurt when you fell and bumped your head. I see at least six decent units. On the westside alone. I agree though, Nothing compares to archery.

[JPhelps]

One unit   I think Bobcat wants the woods to himself

[bobcat]

Actually now that I think about it, there are two decent units for early muzzleloader, and two for late muzzleloader.

But three of the four are as crowded, or maybe even more crowded, than they are during modern firearm season.

This is only western Washington I'm talking about. The eastside is spike only so I'm not considering any of those units.

[bobcat]

One unit   I think Bobcat wants the woods to himself

No, did you forget I have an archery tag this year?

[JPhelps]

I just ran through the regulations and I see a lot more than 2 decent units.

I guess we will have to define "decent".

[elk247]

I did too, when bobcat said that. Im not sure what his defination of decent is. I love elk. As long as they have 4 hooves they are decent to me.

[elk247]

Im kind of suprised by the results of the poll so far.

[BOWHUNTER45]

Archery for me too !! I tried to change it up a couple years ago but once a bowhunter always a bowhunter 

[bobcat]

A cow elk is decent to me. I'm not thinking of trophy quality. A decent unit to me is one in which a high number of elk are harvested each year, and which also has a lot of land open to the public.

[hntrspud]

Archery all the way for me! Saw too many animals during season last year to go otherwise. Now to work on my stalk..

[washelkhunter]

Dave Ware despises ML's and makes sure no good comes to them. A pox upon him and his. I love ML but this year im going AR just to change things up a tad. I've been told lately that i'm too smart for my own good so I thought id run with a slower crowd. 

[splitshot]

  i am going back to modern from muzzy.  the permit choices were terrible.  last year i had ghost points on two categories.  the 65 plus elk did not exist in muzzy.  next year want to go back to muzzy.    mike w

[elk247]

Dave Ware despises ML's and makes sure no good comes to them. A pox upon him and his. I love ML but this year im going AR just to change things up a tad. I've been told lately that i'm too smart for my own good so I thought id run with a slower crowd. 

[elk247]

A cow elk is decent to me. I'm not thinking of trophy quality. A decent unit to me is one in which a high number of elk are harvested each year, and which also has a lot of land open to the public.

Public land and elk population are my biggest factors. Harvest numbers don't figure into things too much for me anymore. I compared the highest success units to the hoof rot units and you guessed it... three legged elk are slower and easier for hunters to kill.

[elk247]

  i am going back to modern from muzzy.  the permit choices were terrible.  last year i had ghost points on two categories.  the 65 plus elk did not exist in muzzy.  next year want to go back to muzzy.    mike w

No kidding! Those damage permits are a joke. The state will take your points and never even call you. So that leaves maybe two choices. Not much to work with there.

[iRem]

Archery, archery, archery..……......

[toe-jam]

Archery, archery, archery..……......

[SemperFidelis97]

It will be archery for me again this year I couldn't imagine missing early archery elk.

[huntnnw]

Archery for me....done muzzy before as they get the best season here in NE WA...may only be a week ,but its a good one. I usually cant hunt it as it conflicts with ID

[Rooster1981]

Muzzy for me, I havent tried archery yet.

[billdo5]

Archery 

[kerrdog]

Warning.  Muzzle loading is addictive.

[D-Rock425]

Archery for me I've never shot a deer or elk with a gun all have been shot with my bow.

[Broken Arrow]

archery

[Fullabull]

I say Muzzy gets the best time frame, which is why they restrict the units to hunt...

[Rainier10]

Muzzy has the better season but I love to archery hunt.  Based on the points made in your OP it would be muzzy but because it is an emotional decision archery wins again.

[bobcat]

I think this has been mentioned already, but if you prefer the muzzleloader season but would rather hunt with a bow, it's now legal to hunt with a bow during muzzleloader season (if you have a muzzleloader tag.)

So archery hunters- hunt whichever season you want. It's entirely up to you. Nobody is forcing you to buy the archery tag.

[Fullabull]

I just don't want to learn a new area. My dad only has a couple years left of hunting and he can't walk more than a mile in on a good trail that is not steep. We have found a few decent spots to hunt that fit him so no changing for us. I also like having more of a choice if I do want to hunt other places. Maybe some day I will try a ML, never shot one before (other than a pistol).

[billdo5]

I just don't want to learn a new area. My dad only has a couple years left of hunting and he can't walk more than a mile in on a good trail that is not steep. We have found a few decent spots to hunt that fit him so no changing for us. I also like having more of a choice if I do want to hunt other places. Maybe some day I will try a ML, never shot one before (other than a pistol).

thats not what hes saying... U can buy a muzzy tag and use a bow... 

[JPhelps]

I just don't want to learn a new area. My dad only has a couple years left of hunting and he can't walk more than a mile in on a good trail that is not steep. We have found a few decent spots to hunt that fit him so no changing for us. I also like having more of a choice if I do want to hunt other places. Maybe some day I will try a ML, never shot one before (other than a pistol).

thats not what hes saying... U can buy a muzzy tag and use a bow... 

He evidently hunts in a unit with a bow season and no muzzleloader season.  Still have to follow the muzzleloader units and seasons.

[billdo5]

ahh got ya

[Rainier10]

Same here the area I normally hunt doesn't have a general muzzleloader season.  If they did the timing of the rut would be better in my area during that season and I would hunt it with my bow.

Two years ago I put in as a group with my wife to get her drawn with my points for a muzzy cow tag in the toutle.  At that time you couldn't hunt with a bow during muzzy season and on two seperate opportunities at 40 and 42 yards my cap didn't go off... had I been able to bow hunt at that time maybe it would have been elk down.

[elk247]

That stinks, better luck this year!

[Maybee-R]

Archery for me. I got "billions" of dollars in it so changing would be silly.
But the time to hunt gets shorter every year and units get changed every other year. makes it hard to keep up.
 We miss out on a week in late season this year. and miss out on the Rut for deer. Elk might be early in the rut but its always 90 degrees and too stinking hot. I like the later in September days when the weather cools down. Muzzle loader season in my neck of the woods is the best time frame. But they are shorted on days to hunt also.

[Fullabull]

J's correct, we hunt the Lewis River unit where there is no ML seasons.

[billdo5]

Then all i got for u is a  and good luck 

[bobcat]

That's the problem- all of the best elk units are not open for muzzleloader, but ARE open for archery.

The other issue is most units are either sex for archery, whereas most muzzleloader units are bull only.

[billdo5]

That's the problem- all of the best elk units are not open for muzzleloader, but ARE open for archery.

How would u word this.. They considered archery to be harder and less productive as a muzzy or rifle

[bobcat]

That's the problem- all of the best elk units are not open for muzzleloader, but ARE open for archery.

How would u word this.. They considered archery to be harder and less productive as a muzzy or rifle

Right. But at least during archery season you have a good chance of at least seeing a legal elk. Just my opinion but that's what this thread is about.

I've been hunting off and on with a muzzleloader since about 1985. This year I'm hunting elk with a bow. I feel the chance of filling the freezer with elk meat is much better. Archery seasons are longer and there is a lot more opportunity to take a cow.

[billdo5]

That's the problem- all of the best elk units are not open for muzzleloader, but ARE open for archery.

How would u word this.. They considered archery to be harder and less productive as a muzzy or rifle

Right. But at least during archery season you have a good chance of at least seeing a legal elk. Just my opinion but that's what this thread is about.

I've been hunting off and on with a muzzleloader since about 1985. This year I'm hunting elk with a bow. I feel the chance of filling the freezer with elk meat is much better. Archery seasons are longer and there is a lot more opportunity to take a cow.

Yes but i think thats why they give muzzy better permits than archery?
The key is... To find a place where its open during both... where i hunt it is...