Sooo??? Legal or not?

[LongTatLaw]

I love to bow hunt...

I have the multi-season deer tag....

If its gun season for deer...  can I hunt deer with my bow?

is that illegal?

Its currently muzzleloader for deer...I can use my ML but Id rather use my bow for deer....   legal?

Im not talking maybe...or grey area...  clear black and white...is it legal to use a bow during a ML or gun season?

[sirfunkeybut]

I love to bow hunt...

I have the multi-season deer tag....

If its gun season for deer...  can I hunt deer with my bow?

is that illegal?

Its currently muzzleloader for deer...I can use my ML but Id rather use my bow for deer....   legal?

Im not talking maybe...or grey area...  clear black and white...is it legal to use a bow during a ML or gun season?


i'm pretty sure you can only use your bow if it's in a firearm restricted area. look towards the back of the hunting pamphlet

[BLKBEARKLR]

Hunting Method:
Modern firearm deer tag hunters
may use rifle, handgun, shotgun,
archery, or muzzleloader during
modern firearm seasons. Hunting
equipment must meet equipment
regulations on page 62.

[BLKBEARKLR]

PG 11, It is the page that is for modern firearms, if you read down the right hand side there is the blurb that I posted.

Hope it helps you, but I think it is green and black on that page not white and black...


Follow Me
Joe

[andrew_12gauge]

bow during modern firearms season=legal
bow during muzzleloader season=illegal

[BLKBEARKLR]

Hunting Method:
Muzzleloader only. Muzzleloader
tag holders can only hunt during
muzzleloader seasons and must
hunt with muzzleloader equipment.
Muzzleloading equipment must meet
regulations on page 62.

PG 13 on the side where muzzleloader page

[seansfire]

if i understand you right , i can bowhunt during modern season? Does my tag have to say modern firearm?

[270Shooter]

if i understand you right , i can bowhunt during modern season? Does my tag have to say modern firearm?

Yes it does, and you have to wear orange.

[BLKBEARKLR]

if i understand you right , i can bowhunt during modern season? Does my tag have to say modern firearm?

YES you have to have a MODERN TAG, but if you choose you may use archery equipment, you CANNOT have an ARCHERY tag and try to use it during MODERN.

Hope this helps

Joe

[cmiller85]

Yea I just e-mailed the WDFW on this very issue the other day. I have a Muzzleloader deer tag but I would rather use my bow as I hunt the NE corner. According to the official who e-mailed me back, you cannot hunt with a bow during a muzzleloader season while holding a muzzleloader tag....this doesn't make sense to me at all. If people want to put themselves at a disadvantage why shouldn't they be able to? Oh well, thats just one of the many rules that this state has adopted that is completely rediculous in my opinion.

[LongTatLaw]

Thanks bro

I looked several times but seemed to miss it

Im sure a lot of people will ask why use a bow...but I like bow hunting...

same reason I took a bow almost every day I bear hunted in August...

in Georgia I used to hunt exclusively bow all year long (  7 September - 31 Jan without a single closed day...12 deer per year allowed 2/10!!

ahhhhhhhhh  miss those days

but they also had many bow only areas...

thanks

[Jason]

I went through this last year, I had a multi-season deer tag and wanted to hunt muzzy season with my bow and they said it was not legal, I had to use a Muzzy, but it is legal to use my bow to hunt during the modern firearm season.

[Machias]

I have killed some really nice bucks in the modern firearm season with my bow in Missouri.  Throw the orange on, find the thickest, nastiest cover, crawl into your treestand and after the first few shots that is where the big boys head.

[LongTatLaw]

Machias,

I have no idea what ur talking about!

Treestands are a waste of time and have no business in the state of WA!!

[mossback91]

think im gonna use my bow for elk in the NE modern season this year LTL provided I find some elk

figure I up my chances of seeing bulls with my bow in hand and jsut no closing the distance

[shootemup]

Yea I just e-mailed the WDFW on this very issue the other day. I have a Muzzleloader deer tag but I would rather use my bow as I hunt the NE corner. According to the official who e-mailed me back, you cannot hunt with a bow during a muzzleloader season while holding a muzzleloader tag....this doesn't make sense to me at all. If people want to put themselves at a disadvantage why shouldn't they be able to? Oh well, thats just one of the many rules that this state has adopted that is completely rediculous in my opinion.

buy an archery tag then

[bowtech721]

Ya i have the multi season too and it doesnt really make sense to me... i mean i wouldnt use it in modern but i dont have a muzzy so unless i talk a buddy into borrowing one im outta luck i guess. Kinda sucks

[bow4elk]

I have a rifle tag for deer and will be hunting with my bow - yes, it's legal.

I like Alaska because while you can use any weapon you can use a higher value tag on a lesser animal, ie. Moose tag on a caribou, etc.  (disclaimer: be sure to check current regulations first!)

[MtnMuley]

We discussed this issue with a warden this past weekend.  We specifically talked about having a multi season tag and hunting during muzzleloader and rifle season with a bow.  He said absoutely, as long as it's a lesser weapon of the open season.

[Austrian Hunter]

We discussed this issue with a warden this past weekend.  We specifically talked about having a multi season tag and hunting during muzzleloader and rifle season with a bow.  He said absoutely, as long as it's a lesser weapon of the open season.

  that's exactly right! 

[h2ofowlr]

We should also emphasize that you can only kill the one deer, unless you drew the second doe permit.  Hope you weren't planning on killing one with each weapon.   

[NWBREW]

Machias,

I have no idea what ur talking about!

Treestands are a waste of time and have no business in the state of WA!!

That's what I thought untill I killed the biggest buck I ever have in WA. in a treestand.  Big 5x5 whitetail

[NWBREW]

Here's one for you....If you have a modern firearm tag and shoot a big buck with your bow during Modern firearm season ( which is legal from what I've read in the regs. ), if it scores high enough to make the WA. record book would it go under bow for the type of weapon or rifle for the tag? In other words would it have to score 125" to make it or 130" ( whitetail for instance ). Just curious.

[SHANE(WA)]

its different in LE units when u draw, I drew a muzzy elk and was told i could use my bow, by spokane office and the game warden on the unit

[BLKBEARKLR]

I have talked to some of the officiala at the Olympia office, I was told it is ILLEGAL to hunt with bow during Muzzleloader season, but is LEGAL to use bow during modern rifle. It is pretty much black and white in the regs what you can do and what you can't do.

So guess I am just going to have to wait for the grand finally and see how much the tickets are for those that break the rules...

And if you ask one game warden what the rules are they tel lyou one thing, ask the next one and they tell you the complete opposite.

If you don't believe that then Call a couple of different regions and ask the exact same question

[passing-thru]

Machias,

I have no idea what ur talking about!

Treestands are a waste of time and have no business in the state of WA!!

Maybe you just dont know how to use a tree stand. Iv taken both Elk and Deer from a tree stand in WA. Does require some pre planing and thought though

[mossback91]

Here's one for you....If you have a modern firearm tag and shoot a big buck with your bow during Modern firearm season ( which is legal from what I've read in the regs. ), if it scores high enough to make the WA. record book would it go under bow for the type of weapon or rifle for the tag? In other words would it have to score 125" to make it or 130" ( whitetail for instance ). Just curious.

im not sure but i think it goes under bow i think boneaddict would know since he usually hunts the rifle season with his bow

[boneaddict]

Its still Pope and Young.  Its the method used to obtain the animal.

[Bob33]

I would say it is illegal to hunt with a bow in muzzeloader season, but legal in rifle season.

Modern firearm deer: Hunting Method:
Modern firearm deer tag hunters
may use rifle, handgun, shotgun,
archery, or muzzleloader during
modern firearm seasons. Hunting
equipment must meet equipment
regulations on page 62.


Muzzleloader deer: Hunting Method:
Muzzleloader only. Muzzleloader
tag holders can only hunt during
muzzleloader seasons and must
hunt with muzzleloader equipment.
Muzzleloading equipment must meet
regulations on page 62.

I have some contacts in WDFW and will try to confirm.

[jackelope]

Muzzleloader deer: Hunting Method:
Muzzleloader only. Muzzleloader
tag holders can only hunt during
muzzleloader seasons and must
hunt with muzzleloader equipment.
Muzzleloading equipment must meet
regulations on page 62.

I don't know where the mystery lies in this. it clearly states you have to hunt with muzzleloader tackle during muzzleloader season.
 

[bobcat]

Bob33,  I'd have to agree with you. Apparently some of the wardens don't know the laws.

[Curly]

Muzzleloader deer: Hunting Method:
Muzzleloader only. Muzzleloader
tag holders can only hunt during
muzzleloader seasons and must
hunt with muzzleloader equipment.
Muzzleloading equipment must meet
regulations on page 62.

I don't know where the mystery lies in this. it clearly states you have to hunt with muzzleloader tackle during muzzleloader season.
 

yep.....pretty clear.  

BTW, sometimes when I've been hunting w/ Muzzleloader I wish I had a bow instead......like when its raining as hard as it possibly can and I'm getting totally soaked.  Then I'm not sure if the gun will even fire if I was to get a chance.  (Like the time I tried shooting a broadside elk at 10 yards and all that happened was the cap went pop and the powder did not ignite.)

My point being that sometimes a bow might be an advantage over a ML........

[Little Dave]

Bob33,  I'd have to agree with you. Apparently some of the wardens don't know the laws.

This is probably the case.  The rules fluctuate a lot and it is easy to miss a few, even for wardens.

However, the place where your compliance the law will be judged is in the court, not when the ticket is written.  Judge will use the reg book and the law as it is presently written.  Not sure what happens in a "other warden said so" situation, but it probably won't work in court.