Bear and deer are working together, against me.

[7mmfan]

So I've been into this spot a few times now in the last week and a half. Its a long bike ride in behind a closed gate, clearly posted NO MOTORIZED VEHICLES. Theres a long uphill grade that I have to push my bike up and its a pain to get in there, but thats why I like it.

The first time I went in last week, brought my rifle. I knew there were bears in the area, the berries were ripe, and I was going to knock one down. As I'm riding into the area, the first thing I run into is a toyota pickup driving out of it. I pull up and tell the guys, you're not supposed to be driving in here, and they say something about luxury of private access and drive off. bas..... couldn't remember the license plate# and honestly don't know how they could access it from anywhere. Needless to say I was frustrated now.

I get into the clear cut and start glassing and creeping down the edge. Bear sign everywhere! Hear a twig snap in the woods, I squat down get ready. Here it comes... one of the biggest blacktail does I've ever seen comes out and stands broadside at 20 yards looking at me. No baby with her, this is my dream come true. She continues to stand there, while I stand there with a RIFLE in my hand, not my BOW. After 2 minutes of shinanegans she walks off and starts feeding, never spooks, just hangs out.

I finally move on, never find a bear that night.

Fast forward. Head into the area just the other day. This time theres a guy on a dirt bike riding around up there with a rifle. He won't stop to talk to me, suprise suprise. I b-line to that clear cut and my plan is to post up along the edge where I saw the doe. There was a ton of deer sign in there along with the bear sign and very well used trails. I get in there, post up and had been there about an hour when I hear an animal heading my way out of the brush. I'm ready but now it sounds like its going to be a little out of range so I start creeping up the edge. Suddenly, Yogi pops out at 50 yards, and keeps on walking straight into the clear cut, no shot opportunity. I creep on this bear all over that clear cut for the next hour and a half, but can never quite close the distance, or get the clear shot I need with the BOW. Rifle would have been a no brainer, dead bear.

If I had just switched days/weapons, I would have both tags filled, but here I sit this morning, no tags filled. Very frustrating.

[lokidog]

Anyone know if it is illegal to have a revolver with you while archery hunting and use it on a bear?  Don't see why it would be since you are not using it on the deer and it is not illegal to posess.     For that matter, you should be able to have your rifle with you as well.   

[headshot5]

Should be perfectly legal... 

[Smossy]

Anyone know if it is illegal to have a revolver with you while archery hunting and use it on a bear?  Don't see why it would be since you are not using it on the deer and it is not illegal to posess.     For that matter, you should be able to have your rifle with you as well.   

Pretty sure you can kill a bear with any weapon of reasonable caliber. I imagine a .357 revolver would be perfect.

[6haase6]

You would think the rifle would be ok but it's not. The pistol you can have for protection but not sure about killing the bear with just that. Don't see why not.

[jeffro]

Anyone know if it is illegal to have a revolver with you while archery hunting and use it on a bear?  Don't see why it would be since you are not using it on the deer and it is not illegal to posess.     For that matter, you should be able to have your rifle with you as well.   

Sounds like a .357 or .44 mag pistol would have come in real handy.
Keep after it. Sounds like a good spot

[longrangekiller]

Sounds like u got the same luck as me hahaha

[7mmfan]

I believe it is perfectly legal to have and use a revolver on a bear while archery hunting deer, but I do not own one.. yet. Been saving for one for a while now. Even if it was legal to carry my rifle, and my bow at the same time, thats just to much junk to be trucking around in the brush at one time, and I will not set my gun down and leave it anywhere while I stalk something with a bow, to many crazies out there who could happen upon it.

Just have to keep after them I guess and one of these days it will come together.

[Skyvalhunter]

Thats the way of hunting!! Keep being persistant

[Simon]

I wasn't sure about using a pistol if I had been hunting with a method other than modern firearms.  I also wasn't sure how the language of the archery and muzzleloader regulations in the 2013 "Equipment and Hunting Methods" part of the game regulations applied (page 76, archery paragraph 1.a and muzzleloader paragraph 3).  I called the WDFW Enforcement Office in Olympia to ask.  I was transferred to an officer who would be out in the field deciding whether to issue a citation.  He said if you carry a pistol while archery hunting, it is a personal protection weapon, not a hunting weapon.  He said you can't use the pistol except as actually necessary for self-defense.  (I expect having a bear approach at 8 feet would qualify, but I didn't ask).  I asked if I could stop my archery hunting and convert to a handgun hunter for bear.  He agreed if I returned my bow to the truck and then started handgun hunting it would be allowed, but he didn't agree that a person could set a bow down in the field and then start handgun hunting.  It appears you can't even use the handgun on the bear whenever you were hunting with a bow or a muzzleloader, even if you were not hunting deer or elk (like if you only had a bear tag).  I will not be taking a bear with a handgun if I have been hunting with a bow or a muzzleloader-- not real comfortable with leaving my bow back at the truck, and I don't want to have to argue this one to keep my license.  Not trying to tell anybody else here what to do, just letting you know what I was told.   It would help if the regulation pamphlet had a clearer explanation, and be even more helpful if the regulation allowed different hunting methods to be combined when ALL are legal for that species (bear).   

[deaner]

yeah seems like a bunch of bs to me.  bear is said to be open for any legal weapon, says so right in the regs. 

[headshot5]

Yep bear hunting with a bow, decidied to harvest (said bear) with my pistol instead...  I don't see any problem with it.   

[lokidog]

If not bow hunting for deer, and I still wonder if that would actually be restricted for the handgun, there is no reason you cannot carry your bow, a ML, a revolver, a 9mm, and a 30-06!

[Goldeneye]

Just searched using the WDFW help feature.  Here's your answer to the question about whether or not while archery hunting you can use your side arm to kill a bear.  Not legal per WDFW's definition... 


Can I carry a modern handgun while archery or muzzleloader hunting?

Yes. A modern handgun can be carried while archery or muzzleloader hunting, but only for personal protection. Modern handguns cannot be used to hunt big game or to dispatch wounded big game during the big game hunting season for archery or muzzleloaders.


http://wdfw.wa.gov/help/questions/105/Can+I+carry+a+modern+handgun+while+archery+or+muzzleloader+hunting%3F

[lokidog]

This states "during the big game season for archery or ML" which sounds to me like it refers to the season that you are carrying the bow or ML for, since there is no specified weapon season for bear, this statement is not applicable for shooting a bear.   

[jackmaster]

i think in your case its legal to carry a rifle and a bow as long as you aint shootn deer with your rifle whats the big deal, bear season is open, you should be able to carry both, or buy one of those thomspson pistol rifle guns, then you got all bases covered, of course it wont ever work out like that again but i am sure you already knew that   

[biggfish]

I was under the impression that you can't have firearms except a pistol as long as an archery tag is in your possession.  Yet I was told it is legal to shoot other game with the pistol if legal to do so. Don't know for sure, but I don't see any harm in taking another animal with a legal method if you've got the proper tags.

[Simon]

The Enforcement officer said it wasn't a question of the animal you are hunting, but that the regulation doesn't let you possess any firearm while in the field archery hunting, and it doesn't let you possess a modern firearm in the field while muzzleloader hunting.  That's their take on page 76 of the 2013 regulations.  The exception for carrying a modern handgun for personal protection doesn't allow use of the handgun for anything else.  Does this rule make sense?  I don't think so, for the reasons others have said.  I think I should be allowed to carry all three types of weapons when I am only hunting bear -- like in August, or if I only had a bear tag, or if I just wasn't going to shoot a deer with anything except an arrow.  As long as I only use the correct weapon for the season and animal harvested, that should be enough.  But, the issue isn't what makes sense, but what the regulation says.  The regulation talks about possession of the weapon, not use, and WDFW applies the regulation to mean I can't harvest any animal with a handgun if I am archery hunting -- even if I was just hunting at a time and place where the animal could be harvested with any weapon.  That's the basic message I got from the phone call with the Enforcement Officer.  It's kind of like buying a tag where you have to specify the kind of weapon you are going to hunt with, except you make that decision when you go out that day.    If there is a friendly Wildlife Enforcement officer out there that could explain this a little better than I have it would be helpful.  Also, I would like this regulation changed, at the least as to bears and cougars.
 

[hunterrcc]

So you just say your bear hunting and you can choose which weapon you want to use if you see a bear bow or handgun.  If you decided to deer hunt then if you shot a deer you would not want to shot a bear with your handgun is how I see the regs.  It is legal for you to be caring a pistol for personal protection so it is not illegal to have it will you just depends on what you shot.  Chances of shooting both at the same time is not real likely.  Now if you carried your rifle and bow then you can only bear hunt.

[deaner]

This states "during the big game season for archery or ML" which sounds to me like it refers to the season that you are carrying the bow or ML for, since there is no specified weapon season for bear, this statement is not applicable for shooting a bear.   

i think we are both reading it the same way.  it means that the handgun cant be used on the deer during the arch deer season, but it IS a legal weapon for bear.  i see no violation of the law as described in the regs pamphlet if you were to shoot a bear or coug with a handgun while arch deer or elk hunting.

[idahohuntr]

I really don't like this rule.  If you shoot a deer or an elk with a rifle, pistol whatever during archery season then I hope they throw the book at you...but don't limit or takeaway from an otherwise legal activity (e.g., using any legal weapon during an open black bear season) to help enforce a very clear law

This law is obviously intended to minimize poaching a deer/elk during archery or muzzleloader seasons with a modern firearm...do you think this law helps reduce such poaching significantly?? 

[Eli346]

 Take a friend who can pack a rifle (with tag for bear) and you take your bow. That's what we've been doing while scouting for elk for modern firearm. We both have the multi-season deer tags.

[lokidog]

The Enforcement officer said it wasn't a question of the animal you are hunting, but that the regulation doesn't let you possess any firearm while in the field archery hunting, and it doesn't let you possess a modern firearm in the field while muzzleloader hunting.  That's their take on page 76 of the 2013 regulations.  The exception for carrying a modern handgun for personal protection doesn't allow use of the handgun for anything else.  Does this rule make sense?  I don't think so, for the reasons others have said.  I think I should be allowed to carry all three types of weapons when I am only hunting bear -- like in August, or if I only had a bear tag, or if I just wasn't going to shoot a deer with anything except an arrow.  As long as I only use the correct weapon for the season and animal harvested, that should be enough.  But, the issue isn't what makes sense, but what the regulation says.  The regulation talks about possession of the weapon, not use, and WDFW applies the regulation to mean I can't harvest any animal with a handgun if I am archery hunting -- even if I was just hunting at a time and place where the animal could be harvested with any weapon.  That's the basic message I got from the phone call with the Enforcement Officer.  It's kind of like buying a tag where you have to specify the kind of weapon you are going to hunt with, except you make that decision when you go out that day.    If there is a friendly Wildlife Enforcement officer out there that could explain this a little better than I have it would be helpful.  Also, I would like this regulation changed, at the least as to bears and cougars.
 

See the bold.  If you are only bear hunting or deer hunting during the Modern Rifle season, YOU MAY USE ANY WEAPON ALLOWED IN THAT AREA AND YOU MAY POSESS ANY AND ALL WEAPONS ALLOWED IN THAT AREA.  This rule only applies during archery or muzzleloader seasons.

It is stupid to not allow it during archery or ML, as usual, our illustrious state assumes guilt without proof.   

[Simon]

OK, I think that makes more sense than my attempt at summarizing what the officer was trying to explain.  I see that the regulation for archery on p.76 talks about limitations "Pertaining to all archery hunting seasons."  So if you aren't in an archery season (or a muzzleloader season) that limit shouldn't apply.  This sure seems like an area that could be spelled out a little better in the regulations, so that people who are trying to comply with the rules would be able to know what the rules are.  Plain language would help.