SHOTGUN ZONES

[OnHoPr]

I have been doing a little browsing in your forum. I noticed multiple opportunities of chasing critters. I also noticed from many post it was draw, draw, and more drawings. I then took a look at your game regulations, whoa talking about micro managed. I then took a look at your state in a topographical perspective. You have the coastal areas, then the Cascades, obviously Seattle, rolling washes and hills, plains, and then to the western side of the Rockies. Quite a diverse landscape along with a number of critters. I then looked a the firearms regulations and noticed even with a 117 pages of small print regulations you still had to contact certain governmental agencies for further regulations. I was wondering how much of your state is zoned only for shotgun/slugs and/or in conjunction with muzzle loaders in a close facsimile  estimate?

[turkeyfeather]

Are you talking residential area restrictions. I'm a little confused what your referring to.

[CP]

Firearm restriction areas - see WAC 232-28-248

A small percentage of the state is FR - nothing like the states in the mid-west.

[bobcat]

So you're in Michigan? Do you plan on moving here or coming here to hunt?

[Scottystyle]

I have been doing a little browsing in your forum. I noticed multiple opportunities of chasing critters. I also noticed from many post it was draw, draw, and more drawings. I then took a look at your game regulations, whoa talking about micro managed. I then took a look at your state in a topographical perspective. You have the coastal areas, then the Cascades, obviously Seattle, rolling washes and hills, plains, and then to the western side of the Rockies. Quite a diverse landscape along with a number of critters. I then looked a the firearms regulations and noticed even with a 117 pages of small print regulations you still had to contact certain governmental agencies for further regulations. I was wondering how much of your state is zoned only for shotgun/slugs and/or in conjunction with muzzle loaders in a close facsimile  estimate?

Its not confusing, the 8 other people in my hunting party is actually my legal team in charge of translating the rules.          If you think the game regs are micro managed, may i suggest a gander at the fishing regs..... this state is jacked and getting worse daily.   but in a nutshell, there are shotgun or firearm restricted areas around the urban areas such as Seattle, Vancouver, Spokane and such... ballpark probably 10 to 15 percent of the state.

[OnHoPr]

Thanx Scottystyle. A couple of years ago I started doing a little market research for an item enhancing the slug gun. Your state and/or Oregon showed up in threads a number of times. I can't recall which forums I seen the threads on because I was just learning to use the computer (still trying to learn it).  It was the first time I have heard of having to use slug guns for elk. Now I am researching the areas that I can recall having restricted firearm areas. In the midst of this I am learning more of what these forums are, I hope anyway. It is just like visiting a different camp now and then in deer season. Just like I found out that Montana has shotgun zones. I never would of thought that would be the case in Montana. It is interesting of the different styles and characteristics of the hunters, game, and land in this search. Again, thanx for the info. Oh, is there a number of hunters that use the shotgun in those areas or do they prefer the muzzle loader and bow?

[bobcat]

I don't believe shotguns get used too often for elk hunting in this state. The areas in which rifles aren't legal generally have fairly liberal archery and muzzleloader seasons. So I would guess that most people who hunt these areas will opt for an archery or a muzzleloader tag, rather than a modern firearm tag. You would then have early AND late seasons to hunt, and usually cows and bulls are legal.

[Bob33]

I have killed two elk with a slug gun in Washington. In firearm restricted areas they are a good alternative to centerfires.

[OnHoPr]

My inquiry was not specific to elk but any or your big game animals. It looks like you have many species of big game in your state. Most notably deer and bear besides the elk that reside in RF or shotgun zones. I am having difficulties searching for slug gun related topics here though there is a number of hunters in your state and an ample amount of RF zones. Is it correct that you have two species of elk, the roosevelt (which I just found out is the biggest) and the rocky mountain?

[bucksandbulls]

yes we have rockies east of the cascades and rosies west of the cascades. I have also killed 2 rosie bulls with a slug gun.  what is the improvement on slug guns your working on. if its available and an improvement count me in.

[huntingfool7]

My inquiry was not specific to elk but any or your big game animals. It looks like you have many species of big game in your state. Most notably deer and bear besides the elk that reside in RF or shotgun zones. I am having difficulties searching for slug gun related topics here though there is a number of hunters in your state and an ample amount of RF zones. Is it correct that you have two species of elk, the roosevelt (which I just found out is the biggest) and the rocky mountain?

Very few topics because there are very few slug gun hunters in this state. 

I'd like more info on your improvement also.  If you're still in development, what's the general area of improvement? (i.e. range, accuracy,trajectory)

[JoeE]

I think all the islands in the state are only open to archery or shotgun. I know Vashon Island is.

[OnHoPr]

I am not sure in what detail I can discuss the matter not being some sort of sponsor. As I said I'm just learning the computer and these forums and I don't want to get banned. I seen that most of your population resides in RF big game areas. To where as like getting off work at 4ish and driving a half an hour you could be sitting in your blind on select days and weather patterns. Or, if you hunted in those areas anyways. I seen here on this forum that there is a number of shooters that has a little bit different armament then the usual critter getters. It's a little more spicy talking about those than the shotgun, though not saying you don't have and use them effectively. I have seen trends in areas of the country where the muzzle loader is preferred over the slug gun for the same reason that they drink Rolling Rock in the east and Coors in the west, if you get my drift. That is why I'm trying to do a cautious inquiry. I'm not sure if I should have post this thread in the campfire, guns & ammo, deer, bear, or elk forums. It looks like you almost have as many bear hunters as you do deer hunters.

[huntingfool7]

On the number of bear/deer hunters.  I am guessing that you got your #'s from license sales.  Since we lost baiting/hound hunting in this state, the WDFW reduced bear tag fees to 5.00 when purchased with deer or elk tags.  The vast majority of these tags are purchased with incidental harvest in mind.

[Jingles]

To the best of my knowledge WA is NOT like MI where pretty much the entire southern half of the lower peninsula is shot gun only.  Which changed since I left Livingston County in 69. There are some firearms restriction areas but not the blanket restriction for entire portions of the state.