Hunting bear with a bow hunter

[huntlakewood]

OK if this has been asked before sorry but need to know.
I tried to email the Game department and have not heard yet ( been over two weeks)
So now I ask you.

If it is bow season and I am with a bow hunter can I carry my riffle or pistol?
I have been told both that I am not supposed to be near a bow hunter when I am carring my rifle.
I have also been told that I can cause it is legal for me to hunt bear during that time.

I do not know why I can't cause it is legal for me to hunt bear during that time period and any one can tell the difference if animal has shot by a bow or a riffle.

[Lowedog]

I believe it is fine as long you are not in possession of an archery deer tag yourself.  You can hunt bear during those seasons and yes they can tell the difference if it has been shot by rifle or arrow. 

[saylean]

Also, your buddy can legally carry a pistol while hunting archery...provided he meets the age requirements.

[Machias]

Also, your buddy can legally carry a pistol while hunting archery...provided he meets the age requirements.

What age requirement would that be? 

[fishermanjoe]

Also, your buddy can legally carry a pistol while hunting archery...provided he meets the age requirements.

What age requirement would that be? 

legal age for pistol possesion without supervision is 21+. and i might be mistaken but i think you also have to have a CWP to carry while bow hunting.

[Machias]

The CWP requirement was dropped.

[fishermanjoe]

The CWP requirement was dropped.

Good to know.

[saylean]

The CWP requirement was dropped.

Good to know.

It was dropped as of this coming season. Last year you had to have it to carry openly while hunting...

i know i know...doesnt make sense.

[dougedoug]

this is good to know.

[7mmfan]

As far as I know, you can hunt bear with a rifle during archery deer season every if you have an archery deer tag. They cannot keep you from hunting a bear with a rifle simply because you bought an archery deer tag. I know i've hunted bears plenty of times in September with a rifle while holding an archery deer tag and have never been hassled for it before. It is definitely a grey area but they can tell if you shot it with a rifle or a bow.

[huntlakewood]

Thanks guys keep it coming.

[bigtex]

As far as I know, you can hunt bear with a rifle during archery deer season every if you have an archery deer tag. They cannot keep you from hunting a bear with a rifle simply because you bought an archery deer tag. I know i've hunted bears plenty of times in September with a rifle while holding an archery deer tag and have never been hassled for it before. It is definitely a grey area but they can tell if you shot it with a rifle or a bow.

 
Just remember you can't shoot a cougar with a rifle till sometime in October (the exact date depends on the area). Until last year you could hunt cougar all season long with any weapon, but they changed that and made specific speasons for each weapons and a lot of people got in trouble for it because they didn't know of the new regulation.

[brew]

page # 70 of the hunting regs state "it is unlawful for any person to carry or have in his possession any firearm while in the field archery hunting, during an archery season specified for that area, except for modern handguns carried for personal protection"....decipher that one    I teach hunter education and part of the class we have Wildlife Officers in to talk to the students and each time they will tell you that Washington's hunting/fishing regulations are so complicated and subject to interpretation that they themselves argue about what is "legal" and what isn't

[bigtex]

page # 70 of the hunting regs state "it is unlawful for any person to carry or have in his possession any firearm while in the field archery hunting, during an archery season specified for that area, except for modern handguns carried for personal protection"....decipher that one    I teach hunter education and part of the class we have Wildlife Officers in to talk to the students and each time they will tell you that Washington's hunting/fishing regulations are so complicated and subject to interpretation that they themselves argue about what is "legal" and what isn't

That is very true however, the person carrying the rifle is not archery hunting. This law would be for a scenario if I am a bow hunter and in one hand I am carrying a bow and the other I got my rifle. Also, remember that bear seasons (which are open for all weapons, except in some areas) overlap with archery and muzzleloader deer/elk seasons.

[brew]

exactly true however I put that in for reference to one of the original questions of

OK if this has been asked before sorry but need to know.
I tried to email the Game department and have not heard yet ( been over two weeks)
So now I ask you.

If it is bow season and I am with a bow hunter can I carry my riffle or pistol?
I have been told both that I am not supposed to be near a bow hunter when I am carring my rifle.
I have also been told that I can cause it is legal for me to hunt bear during that time.

I do not know why I can't cause it is legal for me to hunt bear during that time period and any one can tell the difference if animal has shot by a bow or a riffle.

"if it is bow season and I am a bow hunter can I carry my rifle or pistol"   the author really doesn't make the distinction if they are hunting bear or other big game, just asks if it is legal because they can hunt bear at that time....obviously if you're bear hunting you can carry a bow and rifle but if you are bowhunting other big game during a specified bow area/season you can only carry a handgun for personal protection