let's get wfg to extend our archery season

[big wood]

 another week would sure be nice. we might even get into the rut!

[archery288]

Thats funny you just posted that!  Was talking about that with my ol' man all weekend... The season ends about a week to early..

[BlackRidge]

petiton? 

[archery288]

Next year we are going to get another day whacked off the season as it is... 6th - 18th...  8th-20th was better.. But extending it until the 25th or so would be perfect!

[bobcat]

They can't. Muzzleloader deer season starts the 25th and they don't want those seasons overlapping.

[BlackRidge]

They can't. Muzzleloader deer season starts the 25th and they don't want those seasons overlapping.

But dont they already overlap in some GMU's for deer? I could be wrong

[PolarBear]

Why?  Damn, how much more do you need? 

[big wood]

 well I don't know if I need more time but when you are packed in 12 miles in the wilderness for 7 days and dont even here a bugle? I felt like I was in rifle season with a bow. next year I will be in there the last 7 days so maybe I will have na chance.

[bearpaw]

We all want the most opportunity we can get, but remember, WDFW has to be careful to not let hunters overhunt our herds. There is a pretty good balance struck on opportunity so that each user group has a reasonable opportunity. I honestly do not think our herds can take much more hunting pressure.

[Nilehunter]

well I don't know if I need more time but when you are packed in 12 miles in the wilderness for 7 days and dont even here a bugle? I felt like I was in rifle season with a bow. next year I will be in there the last 7 days so maybe I will have na chance.

I had them bugling like crazy today...Guess it wasn't where you were.

[big wood]

idaho and montana is the whole month of the september they dont seem to have any problems. and montana you dont have to declare what weapon as long as it is open you can hunt. maybe we should back off on antlerless and/or some cow tags. no offense but i have never shot any cows or does. and at 40 years old I am at 16 bulls. i love hunting so much i want my kids to have better opprtunities

[Basket Rack]

I do not know, the first few days of season were good, bulls bugling pretty good (on westside) they just managed to keep brush between them and me or were saved by unsteady winds.  It just seems that after a few days they all have some contact with hunters and they wise up quick.  There are just lots of bowhunters these days, even back in the wilderness areas where I spend alot of time.  Another week would be great, but I doubt the bulls are just all of a sudden going to start bugling like crazy.  I know lots of us have been out in the areas we hunt in late september and blown our bugles and had bulls just open up bugling.  The only thing missing is a bowhunter on every ridge and trail blowing their bugles and chirping like cows all day long.  I was just talking about this same thing today about how much it has changed from the mid eighties when we first got our early september archery hunt until now.  Back then there were fewer hunters and more elk and the bulls would bugle all season and the season was the first part of september, I can't remember exact dates but I think the first two weeks.  Then it got moved to the first part of october and it was still good, but still more elk and fewer hunters than now. I do not think it matters when the season is now the elk just wise up to things after a few days and do not make much noise.

[norsepeak]

I agree with bearpaw, Washington has the smallest land area and the highest human population of all the western states, have to be careful about over harvest.  We had lots of bulls bugling the whole season, called in probably 25 bulls over the season and harvested three...just gotta go where the elk are.

[archery288]

It's not so much needing "more" time..  Part of the fun to me and the reason I choose to archery hunt for elk is hearing them bugle and being able to hunt them in the rut and call them in.. In the eastern part of the state, they bugle prior too, during the existing season dates, and after the season ends.. In the west side of the state there might be a stray bull who bugles during the actual season dates, but the majority of the bulls start bugling and ruting around the last week of Sept.  At least in the area I hunt.. I am not saying I haven't had bulls bugling during the regular season and that I haven't called them in because I have, and have killed 4 bulls in the last 6 years, all of which came in silent however... From past experience and returning to my area after the season has ended to just bugle elk and call them in on camera, the action increases by unmeasurable amounts the last week in Sept... One thing to note as well, the hunting pressure is pretty much non-existant in the area's I hunt, so it's not from to many people and the elk getting smart.. know everyone wants the premier hunting dates / weeks and we wont always get what we want... However, after the last 2 years in a row of hardly hearing any bugling and listening to numerous people say the same thing, it creates some curiosity of pushing the season back a week.  If they maybe pushed the season back a week but cut it shorter to say 10 days or something instead of 13 days that may be appealing?? The elk just start rutting earlier on the eastside than the westside IMO.  Idaho and Montana you can hunt the whole month of September for archery elk.. Those states seem to react similar to the eastern side of our state though with bulls starting to bugle earlier.. But they have a whole month to hunt them so you will catch the rut at some point.

[big wood]

I DONT KNOW WHAT I'M GOING TO DO NEXT YEAR MAYBE MUZZLELOAD IN WASH. AND HUNT IDAHO SEPT 20TH.WITH BOW. I AM GOING RIDE MY HORSE BACK IN THE WILDERNESS NEXT WEEKEND AND SEE IF IT IS ANY DIFFERENT.I HAVE 11 WALLOWS SAVED ON MY GPS AND THEY WERE HARDLY USED.I WILL CHECK THEM ALSO. MAYBE PACK IN ANOTHER TREE STAND AND SET IT UP AS WELL.