ELK- Muzzleloader or 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