Hunting with a bow during muzzleloader season

[washelkhunter]

Geez must be dark at home because of all the dim bulbs Muzzleloader season is for muzzleloaders, archery season is for archery. Get it? Got it? Good.

[TikkaT3-270Shortmag]

As far as I know u can always use a lesser weapon in season. If u have rifle tag u could hunt with bow ext..

[washelkhunter]

I just sent this out to my State Senator and Representatives in the 17th district. Feel free to copy and paste and send out to your local politicians. Thank You.

I don't think politicians are going to care much about this issue, if at all. My guess is they have more important things to worry about. Especially when this is such a NON-issue.

 

The number one rule in politics is; the squeaky wheel gets the grease.

[bobcat]

As far as I know u can always use a lesser weapon in season. If u have rifle tag u could hunt with bow ext..

Only during modern firearm season. Muzzleloader has always been only muzzleloaders and archery only archery.

The question is, which is "lesser"? A bow or a muzzleloader? I don't think there's a definitive answer for that question.

[hughjorgan]

I just sent this out to my State Senator and Representatives in the 17th district. Feel free to copy and paste and send out to your local politicians. Thank You.

I don't think politicians are going to care much about this issue, if at all. My guess is they have more important things to worry about. Especially when this is such a NON-issue.

 

The number one rule in politics is; the squeaky wheel gets the grease.

Your one of how many muzzleloaders? I doubt they are going to give your opinion much more than a second look.

[bobcat]

The number one rule in politics is; the squeaky wheel gets the grease.

But you weren't sqeaky enough, and you didn't squeak at the right time. They had a public comment period on all the proposed hunting regulations for 2012-2014.

That comment period ended on February 21 so you're over a month past the deadline.

Follow the rules set forth by the rule makers, or you won't be getting any grease.

[BAR C3]

I disagree this won't see any issues with this. If I was still hunting Muzzleloader I would be pist! All the guys that I know that still do, are. 
Although there seasons are shorter, there elk season is by far the best. If you have hunted the first week of October in Eastern Washington, you know what I'm talking about. If I was going to continue to hunt Washington for elk, I would buy a muzzleloader tag every year and hunt with my bow. I will burn my points for a last true archery hunt in this state and remain hunting other Western states that I have much better success in.
As far as deer season, I will be buying a muzzleloader tag. I cannot hunt on my property because it is open for muzzleloader during late hunt. Sorry muzzleloaders, but it's BS I can't hunt my own property. I have asked for years why I couldn't use a lesser weapon. The game department said because there was open bow units. Makes sense.
I see the applicants going up in Muzzleloader quality tags.
If you don't think that this isn't already decided, your mistaken. As several have said, the comment time has expired. I applaud you for putting in the effort. But there minds are made up most of the time anyway and I'm sure there is some big push behind it. Not sure what, but they don't change things because it makes sense.

[Curly]

The big push behind it is undoubtedly the money they will get from the Multi-season permits.  More archery guys will apply for multi-season permit now that they can hunt with their bows.

[washelkhunter]

Well like i said i can always push for an injunction to halt the rule. It may come to that and thats ok, should prove to be interesting either way, but i do not believe that the proposed rule change will stand.
And there are 6000 ML in wash so i think we have some influence.

[hughjorgan]

You must have deep pockets...

[bobcat]

Well like i said i can always push for an injunction to halt the rule. It may come to that and thats ok, should prove to be interesting either way, but i do not believe that the proposed rule change will stand.
And there are 6000 ML in wash so i think we have some influence.

Nope, sorry, you're not going to have any influence. Like I said, there was a deadline for public comment, and you missed that.

I am a muzzleloader hunter, and have been for 28 years. I'm not against this change so what makes you think all muzzleloader hunters will be?

[BAR C3]

The big push behind it is undoubtedly the money they will get from the Multi-season permits.  More archery guys will apply for multi-season permit now that they can hunt with their bows.

Good point! Did not think of that.
Why anyone puts in for the multi season is beyond me. You could spend alittle more money and still get a better hunt in Idaho or Montana. Lets see Montana hunting goes from first week of September through end of November. There is a one week break in mid October. You get all of rut for deer and elk!!

[washelkhunter]

Look if they are going to allow archery into ML then we might as well do away with the 3 seasons right? Im ok with that. lets go back to the way it used to be back in the day. Hunt the last week of oct and the first 2 weeks of nov for both deer and elk; and you hunt with whatever weapon you want. hunt with a friggin spear for all i care. But given the way it is now. Choose your weapon and stay in the designated season! Stop trying to poach the other guys time. Its unnecessary and its down right selfish.   I wont have any influence? I already am and because i care about it i will win on behalf of the ML community. This encroachment is just plain wrong and frankly i would expect a universal rejection of such by the upstanding archers in this state. You are out there am i right?

[fair-chase]

Need some help with this. I followed up the WAC cited in the proposed regs (WAC 232-12-054) and it only leads to rules regarding special use permits (AKA handicap or hunters with disabilities). So is this proposal only for those meeting disability requirements, or is there another section that I am missing???

[bobcat]

Need some help with this. I followed up the WAC cited in the proposed regs (WAC 232-12-054) and it only leads to rules regarding special use permits (AKA handicap or hunters with disabilities). So is this proposal only for those meeting disability requirements, or is there another section that I am missing???

Here's a post from over a month ago (earlier in this same thread) that has the new wording:

It's not just hearsay.  Read the proposed regulations here:  http://wdfw.wa.gov/about/regulations/2012/wsr_12-04-098.pdf

Both deer and elk now specify that archery equipment ("bow and arrow" for elk) are legal.  However, there is conflicting information for deer since it states that hunting method is "muzzleloader only". When the final regulations come out I suspect this will be cleaned up.

MUZZLELOADER DEER SEASONS
Hunting Method: Muzzleloader only.
Special Notes: Muzzleloader tag holders can only hunt during muzzleloader seasons and must hunt with muzzleloader equipment (WAC 232-12-051) or archery equipment (WAC 232-12-054).


Muzzleloader General Elk Seasons
Hunting Method: Muzzleloader as defined under WAC 232-12-051 or bow and arrow as defined under WAC 232-12-054.