Bowhunter's OIL hunt...archery or rifle?

[WAcoueshunter]

The other OIL thread got me thinking.  If/when I draw that OIL dream hunt, will I stick it out with the bow?  I honestly don't know the answer.  Would be killer to take some B&C class sheep, but wouldn't it be that much sweeter if you stuck it with your bow?  Then again, I'd sure hate to eat an OIL tag, so maybe I'd switch part way through?

[archery288]

I am an advid bowhunter and would stick it out with a bow until I came up with some kind of success!! The harder you work, the greater the reward!! "No challenge is too great for the motivated do-it-yourself public land bowhunter. Dream Bigger. Achieve More." Cameron R. Hanes

[bowhuntin]

I would give it a go with my bow until I got short on time. You only get that one tag whether you fill it or not right? So, I would definitely switch to rifle to fill my tag if my efforts with a bow did not work out for me. I have seen some awesome pictures of guys that were successful on their OIL tags, so it can be done.

[jackelope]

being a total newby archery hunter and also drooling over the thought of a moose tag, i'd love to try as long as possible with my bow to call one in, or for bone to call one in for me, but if it came down to it, i'd grab the rifle to fill my tag. it is a once in a lifetime deal...there are no second chances on those tags in washington.
for sheep or goat tag, i think i'd be going directly to the rifle, but after a few years of bowhunting, i may change my mind on that one too.

[shanevg]

Depends on the species.  For goat, at least in Avalanche Gorge this year, the month of September was archery only.  So I would hunt archery for the month of September, then go rifle.  For sheep, I would spend my first 4-7+ days with archery.  If I was seeing a lot of rams in rifle range and I was fairly confident that I could get on one towards the end of season with my rifle, I would stick with archery for a bit longer.  But I would give at least 4 days at the end of season to make sure I fill my tag.  For moose, I don't know what I would do.  I don't know the country at all, and I don't know how many moose you see.  If I was confident I could find a moose with rifle, I would hunt for a weekend or two with archery, then switch over.  But I wouldn't take a monster for me to take an archery shot with moose.  Whereas with goat and sheep I would definitely be hunting for a trophy.

[Ray]

I'll take any scraps (tags) I can get. Have bow and rifle. Maybe if I get one tag I'll figure it out. Maybe one day I would hunt with a bow and the next day with a rifle. Maybe one day I will hunt with a bow and also carry my pistol.

[boneaddict]

Since I have done this, I guess I can say start with a bow and go to the end.  I had a set trophy size that I wanted.  I turned down a couple nice bulls in bow range that would have been a helluva lot easier to get the truck to, but chose to hold out for the big one in the deepest hell hole possible.   As the quote says, you can't shoot a big one if you don't turn down the little ones.  Net result was my first booner animal.   It is a once in a lifetime hunt.

I'll add, I am extreme.  My workplace refused to give me the vacation I had requested for my hunt. There was some computer thing they needed me for.   I said quite frankly this is a once in a lifetime hunt, and this job is not once in a lifetime.  I am going to take my vacation.  Knock on wood, I am still employed here.  I don't make idle threats.  That hunt meant the world to me. 

[bowsandhose]

you can't shoot a big one if you don't turn down the little ones.

you are a stronger man then me bone i go with the quote don't pass up on the first day what you would shoot on the last  I think i would go bow only for the WA OIL and leave the gun home. don't think you can hunt as hard when you have a fall back. out of state on the other hand that tag soup would be a little $$ rich $$ for my blood  i would bring the heat

[WDFW-SUX]

I would hunt with my rifle for any sheep or goat tag that alloud me too.........

Im applying for some hunts that are archery only (Colorado sheep and goat) and the rest of the hunts will be rifle hunts. 

Im most likely only going to draw 3-4 sheep tags in my life and would like the best trophy's I can harvest especially considering the time involved in drawing the tags and the OIL factor.

The other issue with Mt goats is where they run after you shoot them sometimes they run off cliffs or into avalanche shoots and are not recoverable so putting them down on the spot is very important.

I will hunt moose with a bow but for sheep and goats give me that 300Wby because tag soup is not an option.

[Bearhunter]

Archery until the bitter depressing end.  Go big or go home!  Hope to get that avalanche gorge sheep tag some day.

[Todd_ID]

I see that this thread's a month old, but I wanted to put in my 2 cents.  The way I understand it you can only harvest one of the sheep, goat, and moose in a lifetime.  You can draw a tag, eat tag soup, and then be eligible to start applying again.  Since that is the case and considering the tough draw odds, I expect to get 2 or maybe 3 of those premium tags in my lifetime between all of the species.  I'd much rather shoot one sheep, goat, or moose with my bow than 6 of each with a rifle.  I put in for all of them each year, and I have already made up my mind to stick it out with the bow to the end.  With that mindset I know that I won't be able to hold out for a booner, but I'll try darn hard for one.  It would be easy to hold out for a booner of any of the animals with a bow and not kill any of them in a lifetime.  I think I would be able to hold out for a P&Y class animal, though.  I would like to see archery-only tags available in the draw, also, for what it's worth.

[Slow-1]

Todd-ID First off I would like to say I admire your conviction.That being said I just had to point out with the way washington has it's draw system set up even with max points so many other people have points quite a few with max also .Odds are a person will never draw one of those in their life.Dont get me wrong I play ever year after all some one has to win.I even know of one guy that's draw all three!!.The reason I bring this up is if anyone draws they should treat it as A ONCE IN A LIFE TIME.My own self if fate smiles on me it's sharp stick to the end!