Sidearms in the Archery Season

[bankwalker]

Down in Oregon we are allowed to carry a side arm. And I do just for the fact that the damn cougars in a lot of areas down there are thick. Once they got rid of hunting them with dogs the population just exploded.....

the population has exploded everywhere here in washington...

[KillBilly]

Carl Klein, the enforcement officer who replaced Isabell in this region says that all of the enforcement officers assume that Archery Hunters are carrying some sort of side arm during these days. They will cite any offender no matter what excuse they have. Don't be surprised if they ask to search.

[Machias]

I could be wrong but I don't think being an archery hunter is PC enough for a warrentless search, unless of course you give consent.  I'll politely decline the offer to ransack my bag....even though I won't be carrying.

[Blacktail killer]

EVERYbody that is out hunting should carry a side arm remember crack kills not guns

[300rum]

Man you guys are kind of freaking me out on this.

1.  I am not scarred of a cougar or bear jumping from behind a bush.  I guess I kind of think of it as the fun part of bowhunting.  It was weird the first time I went into the woods without a gun though.

2.  The part that kind of freaks me out though is the early season stuff and the accounts of the Mexican national drug cartels setting up shop in the forest.  I probably would carry in the early season for this reason only. 

In the late hunt it is hand to claw, Hugh Glass style, unless I can grab an arrow out of the quiver.   

[blessed]

I'm glad you brought back this post! We have been going to the commission meetings each year trying to get them to understand that we need a side arm for protection for all the reasons you all have been bringing up. This year a cougar followed my wife up the road to her tree stand in the evening and she had it screaming on the hill about 25 yards away. She knew she would have to go out that way to get back to camp and didn't want to have the cat jump on her. ( how do you pull your bow with a cougar on you?) She lip squeaked like calling a coyote to bring it out into the open. It walked right down the trail to the stand and she was able to shoot it at 5 yards. The cat was 6'2".  This was the 2nd cougar that stalked her in 5 years. How many cougars stalk us that we never see??? When we are hunting on the trails the cougars are in the brush. Also over the years we have come accrost three pot grow operations. The first one the varmet protecting his crop was carring a sub machine gun. Lucky we were in camo and he didn't see us. He did see the feds when they got him!
It's stupid to think an archer is going to poach an animal with a pistol. That's a poacher not an archer!

[bow4elk]

It's stupid to think an archer is going to poach an animal with a pistol. That's a poacher not an archer!

Ditto!!  I remember talking to Annette about that cat at a NBEF class years ago.  Personally, I'm more concerned about Meth addicts and pot growers than cats, but I know the feeling of a screaming cat nearby.  I had this happen on an elk hunt in New Mexico and the only way down this rocky terrain was through a chute that was VERY close to a cat that was growing over a deer kill (I'm guessing) for several hours.  I was coming out at low light in the evening and was pretty much on edge all the way down to the truck.  I'll never forget that sound.

[blessed]

At one of the meetings a member of the commission asked if the pepper spray worked on the cougar and the biologist for the dept. said it does NOT work effectively on cougars. 

[bowsandhose]

 

[blessed]

  :boxin:gota fight for whats right!

[300rum]

( how do you pull your bow with a cougar on you?) It's stupid to think an archer is going to poach an animal with a pistol. That's a poacher not an archer!

I never said I was going to draw with a cougar headed my way.  I just said I hope I can get an arrow out of the quiver.  

I agree with your second sentence but I think that there are a few people who, when wounding an animal, would consider and maybe use a sidearm to finish an animal and justify it to themselves by thinking that it is better than loosing an animal.  Myself, I wouldn't consider these people poachers, law breakers but not poachers.  I don't think that too many guys are going to go out in archery tackle with the intent of popping one with their pistol.  I think that the wounding/finishing thing is more likely.

I myself won't carry bowhunting even if legal, I think that it is kind of fun not having a gun.  But, like I said, this drug thing is getting pretty big, I have found a grow operation in the woods myself.  You just might be able to sway me into carrying a sidearm in September, especially when I take my daughter.

As far as anyone else carrying, do what you want, I don't have a problem with it.

[burnhamrandr]

In the back country I think it is a good idea for protection. with the limited use of hounds in this state the bears and cats are always out there and in the back of my mind. it's nice to have the added protection.

[12Gauge]

So who do we write to express our concerns and to request to change the current law to allow concealed carry while bow hunting?  WDFW, senator, governor?  We should focus our efforts to one representative so that the volume of letters will get attention. 


I carry my 1911 in .38 super when bow hunting, for protection from any one who wants to harm me and partners.  In the past I have ran across anti-hunters out in the filed around Mt St. Helen's area (Mosquito meadow) while bow hunting, the whole situation was defused when they realized that I was packing heat.

[mlgunkel]

I've never felt a need to pack while bowhunting.  Kind of defeats the purpose doesn't it?

[SCRUBS]

I've never felt a need to pack while bowhunting.  Kind of defeats the purpose doesn't it?

If used in defense only, then no, it doesn`t defeat the purpose.JMHO