Archery Black Bear Hunting - If not from stand do you have rifle/pistol backup?

[Machias]

If I go bear hunting today or next month or Oct, I can carry a rifle, a muzzleloader, a handgun, and a bow.  I can use one or all four...legally since all four weapons are legal to harvest a bear.  

[Kain]

I would imagine that it is a firearms restricted area, like shotgun only......

Those are the rules for firearms restricted areas.  Some areas says specifically no pistols but if it is just a regular firearm restricted area you can use a revolver, shotgun, or muzzleloader.  I dont really see why a revolver is Ok but a semi auto or single shot pistol is not.     But Im not going to question it.

[KillBilly]

If I go bear hunting today or next month or Oct, I can carry a rifle, a muzzleloader, a handgun, and a bow.  I can use one or all four...legally since all four weapons are legal to harvest a bear.  

That would not be the case unless you are hunting Deer or Elk in an Archery season with an Archery tag. It is against the law to shoot any big game with your handgun unless it is expressly for protection. Shooting a bear with your bow would be legal but not with the pistol unless you are definatley protecting yourself.

Feel free to call enforcement at 360-902-2936, hit zero for enforcement.

We have these discussions to save someone the misery of being cited....

I cannot find any instances of an archery being attacked and eaten by a bear or cougar while archery hunting. Neither has the WDFW enforcement. Believe me they will investigate if you use your handgun for big game during an archery hunt.

[Machias]

Wrong my friend.  It is 100% legal to harvest a black bear with a pistol:  Page 62 of the Hunting Pamplet:

Modern Firearm Regulations
Rifles:
Big game, except cougar, must be hunted with
a minimum of 24 caliber (6mm) centerfire rifle.
Cougar may be hunted with 22 caliber centerfire
rifle. Rimfire rifles are not legal for big game.
Handguns:
Big game, except cougar, may be hunted with
handguns with a minimum barrel length of 4 inches
per manufacturers specification, and fire a minimum
24 caliber centerfire cartridge. Cougar may be
hunted with 22 caliber centerfire handgun. Rimfire
handguns are not legal for big game.

[BULLBLASTER]

I would imagine that it is a firearms restricted area, like shotgun only......

Those are the rules for firearms restricted areas.  Some areas says specifically no pistols but if it is just a regular firearm restricted area you can use a revolver, shotgun, or muzzleloader.  I dont really see why a revolver is Ok but a semi auto or single shot pistol is not.     But Im not going to question it.

the single shot pistol rule i think is because of guns like teh tc contender pistol that shoots rifle cartridges, but then again tehre are 45-70 revolvers and sw460 and 500 too. i dunno

[Machias]

Killbilly, You can legally hunt and harvest black bear with your pistol.  Whoever was telling you otherwise doesn't know the regulations...probably someone from the WDFW I imagine.

[KillBilly]

Killbilly, You can legally hunt and harvest black bear with your pistol.  Whoever was telling you otherwise doesn't know the regulations...probably someone from the WDFW I imagine.

Not if you are in an Archery season hunting deer or elk and carrying a bow.  Your handgun them becomes legal for protection only and would not be legal to shoot any big game.

No argument, if you go hunting bear with a handgun it is legal. In fact you can carry 4 weapons if you want.

If the topic was only about hunting Bear then I misunderstood.

[boneaddict]

I do believe they were referring to bear only. 

[Machias]

May I ask you a question?  If you are in pursuit of deer or elk with a bow and then you see a bear and decide to pursue it, are you still elk or deer hunting?  No you are now bear hunting.  They cannot enforce the law the way it was written.  It is perfectly legal to hunt bear during the archery season with a bow or a handgun.  In fact this arugument is bolstered by the fact the seperated the lion season into an archery, muzzleloader, modern firearm seasons.  They have done no such thing for bear.  In every instance in the game laws when you must stop pursuing a species, it is outlined in the book.  Another example, coon season with dogs is 1 Sep though Mar 15th, however you cannot use dogs during any modern firearm season for deer or elk.  There are NO such restrictions for bear.  The season opens 1 Sep and runs through Nov 15th and any legal weapon is allowed for the pursuit and harvest of bear.

[billythekidrock]

May I ask you a question?  If you are in pursuit of deer or elk with a bow and then you see a bear and decide to pursue it, are you still elk or deer hunting?

I don't know how to answer your question, but I can tell you that we have been told by state and federal enforcement that you can NOT carry pistol to bear hunt while archery hunting deer or elk.

They might not be able to prosecute, but I can guarantee you will be tied up in red tape.

[westsideoutdoorsman]

Get a CWP and you're good imo.