Bow hunting in rifle season?

[notsosneaky]

Hey all,
Im as green as it gets to hunting, and pretty new here.
Is it ok to hunt in a muzzleloader or rifle season with a bow?
The regs are confusing and ive heard different answers.


Eta: if you draw a multi season permit can you hunt all three?

[KDume]

You can use a bow but, you can only hunt with one group, archery,muzz,or rifle. Unless you get drawn for a multi season tag you must choose which group when you buy a tag. Correct me if i'm wrong!! I guess that answer's your question.

[bobcat]

You can hunt during modern firearm season with a bow, if you have a modern firearm tag. To hunt during muzzleloader season you must have a muzzleloader tag, and you can only hunt with a muzzleloader.

[bobcat]

Oh, and with the multi-season permit, you CAN hunt archery, muzzleloader, and modern firearm seasons. But again, you can only use a muzzleloader during muzzleloader season.

[HornHoarder]

You may not hunt with archery equiptment during muzzleloader season. the regs state " muzzleloader tag holders can only hunt during muzzleloader seasons and MUST hunt with muzzleloader equiptment. "  You may use archery equiptment during rifle season if you have a rifle tag.

[throttlejocky20]

If your hunting with a bow during the modern season you still have to wear orange.

[GreatWhiteHunter]

If your hunting with a bow during the modern season you still have to wear orange.

Even so, who would want to be out there with all the crazy MF guys dodging shots and fighting over animals?

[jackelope]

If your hunting with a bow during the modern season you still have to wear orange.

Even so, who would want to be out there with all the crazy MF guys dodging shots and fighting over animals?

Firearms restricted area maybe? It's not all like that.

[pianoman9701]

I'm with GreatWhite, why use a bow during rifle season? Get an archery tag and hunt the rut with the rest of us cavemen!

[Special T]

Firearm restricted areas i would think are the main reason that archery gear is allowed... Say every year you go out to deer camp wtih buddies for MF, but if you don't get something you want to hunt some place you have permission in the restricted area... And the land owner doesn't want to advertise what is going on... I know i've gotten permision that only allowed archery gear cause they didn't want to up set the neighbors. 

[NWBREW]

I'm with GreatWhite, why use a bow during rifle season? Get an archery tag and hunt the rut with the rest of us cavemen!

In the unit where my cabin is the late whitetail season is rifle. The last four big bucks I killed were within 30 yards. I have often thought about using my bow during rifle season just because of that.

[GreatWhiteHunter]

I'm with GreatWhite, why use a bow during rifle season? Get an archery tag and hunt the rut with the rest of us cavemen!

In the unit where my cabin is the late whitetail season is rifle. The last four big bucks I killed were within 30 yards. I have often thought about using my bow during rifle season just because of that.

Yeah, might save a little meat at 30 yards!

[BOWHUNTER45]

Yeah I am with gratwhite on this one ....

[bobcat]

I have 200 acres of private land not far from where I live, that I just recently got permission from the landowner to hunt- only thing is they will only allow bow hunting.

This was the reason why I bought a bow a couple months ago, and put in for the multi-season permit, but didn't draw it. 

So now I'm debating whether to get a rifle tag or an archery tag. Probably will go with the rifle tag and just hunt with a bow, because the rifle season is at a better time for blacktail deer. Plus there are a couple of rifle permits I want to apply for, and nothing for archery that I'm interested in.

[halflife65]

I have 200 acres of private land not far from where I live, that I just recently got permission from the landowner to hunt- only thing is they will only allow bow hunting.

This was the reason why I bought a bow a couple months ago, and put in for the multi-season permit, but didn't draw it. 

So now I'm debating whether to get a rifle tag or an archery tag. Probably will go with the rifle tag and just hunt with a bow, because the rifle season is at a better time for blacktail deer. Plus there are a couple of rifle permits I want to apply for, and nothing for archery that I'm interested in.

Good plan - unless you really want to commit to bowhunting buy the rifle tag and if you have exclusive (or the access is limited to a few) for that property just use the bow.  You have to wear orange, which sucks, but it really probably doesn't matter all that much. 

[bobcat]

Good plan - unless you really want to commit to bowhunting buy the rifle tag and if you have exclusive (or the access is limited to a few) for that property just use the bow.  You have to wear orange, which sucks, but it really probably doesn't matter all that much.

I'll be the only one hunting it as far as I know, unless there are trespassers. But being that it's private land all around it, with none of it accessible to the public, there won't be many that's for sure. I hadn't thought about the orange requirement, but you're right. I plan on hunting out of either a tree stand or a ground blind made of natural materials so it shouldn't be an issue. I may just wear on old, really faded, orange vest.   

[NWBREW]

I'm with GreatWhite, why use a bow during rifle season? Get an archery tag and hunt the rut with the rest of us cavemen!

In the unit where my cabin is the late whitetail season is rifle. The last four big bucks I killed were within 30 yards. I have often thought about using my bow during rifle season just because of that.

Yeah, might save a little meat at 30 yards!

If you hit them BEHIND the shoulder you don't lose much meat at all.  One of the biggest bucks I killed with a rifle was with my 7mm rem. at 28 yards. I could hold the wasted meat in one hand. Gods honest truth there.

[GreatWhiteHunter]

I'm with GreatWhite, why use a bow during rifle season? Get an archery tag and hunt the rut with the rest of us cavemen!

Right on! Guess I dont speak from to much experience. Never put down a big game animal with a rifle. Only with a bow.



In the unit where my cabin is the late whitetail season is rifle. The last four big bucks I killed were within 30 yards. I have often thought about using my bow during rifle season just because of that.

Yeah, might save a little meat at 30 yards!

If you hit them BEHIND the shoulder you don't lose much meat at all.  One of the biggest bucks I killed with a rifle was with my 7mm rem. at 28 yards. I could hold the wasted meat in one hand. Gods honest truth there.

[throttlejocky20]

I personally know people who do this they hunt with a rifle untill late buck. During the late season they pick up there bows and slowly work small thick patches of timber. They have been pretty successfull with some dandy blackies.