Hunting with a bow during muzzleloader season

[Holg3107]

My question in all of this is...

1. do the bow hunters have a separate season that allows them more days in the woods hunting than does the ML season?

2. Can you use a ML during their bow season?

3. If they are allowed to hunt during the ML season and the bow season how many hunting days do they get versus the person that hunts ML only?

I do not know the regulations for Washington, but it seems to me they (bow hunters) would get many more days in the wood than does a ML hunter, unless a ML hunter can with a ML in the bow season...

Just asking

Please read the regs. Here are the answers to your questions.

1: Bowhunters have a completely separate season as of right now. As far as days in the woods I believe that the current archery season is a bit longer.

2: No

3: The only way a hunter can hunt multiple seasons is with a multi season permit that is draw only. In that case the person could hunt an OTC season with the allowed weapons during said season. This would allow archers to hunt the muzzle loader season with a bow just like you can use a muzzle loader or bow during the "any weapon" season (rifle season). You cannot use a muzzle loader during archery because it is not considered a lesser weapon (this is where the argument occurs).

I hope this helps, this is really going to only apply to those with a multi season permit and a select few who decide to apply for muzzle loader permits and chose to hunt it with a bow (which I believe will be minimal).

[bobcat]

My question in all of this is...

1. do the bow hunters have a separate season that allows them more days in the woods hunting than does the ML season?

2. Can you use a ML during their bow season?

3. If they are allowed to hunt during the ML season and the bow season how many hunting days do they get versus the person that hunts ML only?

I do not know the regulations for Washington, but it seems to me they (bow hunters) would get many more days in the wood than does a ML hunter, unless a ML hunter can with a ML in the bow season...

Just asking

In Washington we have archery tags, muzzleloder tags, and modern firearm tags. A hunter must choose only one for deer, and one for elk. So if a person has a muzzleloader tag, they can only hunt during the muzzleloader season. Some with an archery, those with an archery tag only hunt the archery season. The only thing that is changing here is that the person with the muzzleloader tag can now use his muzzleloader, OR his bow, during that muzzleloader season.

[Bean Counter]

So the proposal was indeed finalized and adopted?

[Snapshot]

Nothing has been finalized yet. Decisions will be announced April 13-14.

[Bean Counter]

Thanks. I missed that amidst all the

 

[Sabotloader]

My question in all of this is...

1. do the bow hunters have a separate season that allows them more days in the woods hunting than does the ML season?

2. Can you use a ML during their bow season?

3. If they are allowed to hunt during the ML season and the bow season how many hunting days do they get versus the person that hunts ML only?

I do not know the regulations for Washington, but it seems to me they (bow hunters) would get many more days in the wood than does a ML hunter, unless a ML hunter can with a ML in the bow season...

Just asking

In Washington we have archery tags, muzzleloder tags, and modern firearm tags. A hunter must choose only one for deer, and one for elk. So if a person has a muzzleloader tag, they can only hunt during the muzzleloader season. Some with an archery, those with an archery tag only hunt the archery season. The only thing that is changing here is that the person with the muzzleloader tag can now use his muzzleloader, OR his bow, during that muzzleloader season.

Sorry guys I am an Idaho hunter and not trying cause any problems, but if the highlighted sentence is correct, you are not really increasing the opportunity for any one hunter over the other or the number hunters that might be in the woods at one given time.  So if I read it correctly and it is correct, a person that opts for the archery tag can not then hunt the ML season, but a person that opts for a ML tag can hut with the weapon of choice, either ML or Archery? 

Is that correct?

[pianoman9701]

If this is adopted, yes. The one addition is that if someone has a multi-season tag but doesn't own a ML, they'd be able to use their bow for the ML part of the multi-season.

[JimmyHoffa]

you are not really increasing the opportunity for any one hunter over the other or the number hunters that might be in the woods at one given time. 

Time will tell on this.  The current method to hunting in washington is mostly 'pick a weapon' (unless you have multi-season).  This proposal would allow archers to 'pick a season', as archery gear is already allowed in archery ( ) and in modern.  Muzzleloader hunters can hunt in muzzleloader or modern with their equipment, so they get two seasons to choose from like archers.  Under this proposal, archers could choose from three seasons.  Modern still gets one choice.
It MIGHT entice more archers into the season because of timing or GMU.  If enough move over, MIGHT even get a few more GMUs opened up.  Right now, muzzleloader (westside) tends to have a short (but nicely timed with the rut) season in the smallest number of GMUs.  The last few years from my experience in early muzzy westside is it was the most crowded I've seen of all the seasons/weapons.  I hear all kinds of stories about how horrible modern is, but just from my observation, early muzzy was probably 20 times (SWAG) more crowded....camps, trucks, bicycles, people...everywhere.  So, if it is already crowded..then how many additional people make it really feel too crowded.

[bobcat]

If I were going to hunt elk with a bow, and only with a bow, then there is no doubt in my mind, I would buy an archery tag. The early archery season is 13 days, muzzleloader is 7. The timing of the archery season is better (in my opinion). This year it's Sept 4-16, while muzzleloader is Oct 6-12. I'd rather hunt before the rut, than after the rut.

Then there is the fact that almost all of the very best elk units are open for archery, while the muzzleloader season only includes the mediocre to poor elk units.

And one last point, with an archery tag you get a late elk season, with muzzleloader, there are only a couple decent units on the westside for late season, and they are crowded, and there are virtually none open on the eastside of the state. The archery seasons include several of the best elk units on both sides of the state.

[Sabotloader]

you are not really increasing the opportunity for any one hunter over the other or the number hunters that might be in the woods at one given time. 

Time will tell on this.  The current method to hunting in washington is mostly 'pick a weapon' (unless you have multi-season).  This proposal would allow archers to 'pick a season', as archery gear is already allowed in archery ( ) and in modern.  Muzzleloader hunters can hunt in muzzleloader or modern with their equipment, so they get two seasons to choose from like archers.  Under this proposal, archers could choose from three seasons.  Modern still gets one choice.
It MIGHT entice more archers into the season because of timing or GMU.  If enough move over, MIGHT even get a few more GMUs opened up.  Right now, muzzleloader (westside) tends to have a short (but nicely timed with the rut) season in the smallest number of GMUs.  The last few years from my experience in early muzzy westside is it was the most crowded I've seen of all the seasons/weapons.  I hear all kinds of stories about how horrible modern is, but just from my observation, early muzzy was probably 20 times (SWAG) more crowded....camps, trucks, bicycles, people...everywhere.  So, if it is already crowded..then how many additional people make it really feel too crowded.

Thank you for the explanation - I think I now understand....

[pianoman9701]

And one last point, with an archery tag you get a late elk season, with muzzleloader, there are only a couple decent units on the westside for late season, and they are crowded, and there are virtually none open on the eastside of the state.

They close most of the archery units for late season, too. There's very little to hunt, at least down here in the SW corner anyway. Late season for archery isn't very good. I don't want to give it away, but it's quite limited.

[bobcat]

Late archery units:

Fall River, Bear River, Willapa Hills, Winston, Ryderwood.

If you can't find an elk in one of those units you're not looking hard enough.

[pianoman9701]

OK, thanks BC.

[dreamingbig]

Then there is the fact that almost all of the very best elk units are open for archery, while the muzzleloader season only includes the mediocre to poor elk units.

I can think of a couple pretty good elk units (above mediocre) that are open to muzzleloader.

[bobcat]

Then there is the fact that almost all of the very best elk units are open for archery, while the muzzleloader season only includes the mediocre to poor elk units.

I can think of a couple pretty good elk units (above mediocre) that are open to muzzleloader.

Yes there are a couple, and of course that's where most people go to hunt, so you get to hunt with a primitive weapon in more crowded conditions than you would have during modern firearm season. In my experience anyway.