Post by: elk247 on May 19, 2013, 04:49:45 PM
Post by: JPhelps on May 19, 2013, 04:54:54 PM
Archery = What it is all about for me
Post by: buglebuster on May 19, 2013, 04:59:58 PM
Post by: snowpack on May 19, 2013, 05:05:03 PM
Post by: bobcat on May 19, 2013, 05:07:47 PM
Post by: trophyhunt on May 19, 2013, 05:28:57 PM
Muzzleloader only has one decent unit for early season and one for late season. Archery gets all the good units for early season, and several good elk units for late. If you're proficient with a bow, you'll be way better off with an archery tag, in my opinion.:yeah: And I'm applying for muzzy so I want you out of my drawing!!! :chuckle: Archery elk hunting is what it's all about, when you call a bull in at very short yardage and he screams in your face.... nothing like it. As soon as I zero out my points, it's westside archery all the way.
Post by: pianoman9701 on May 19, 2013, 05:30:10 PM
Post by: elk247 on May 19, 2013, 05:32:49 PM
Muzzleloader only has one decent unit for early season and one for late season.:yike: Blasphemy! Are you yankin my chain bobcat? Please pm me this exclusive unit number.
Post by: bobcat on May 19, 2013, 05:41:02 PM
Muzzleloader only has one decent unit for early season and one for late season.:yike: Blasphemy! Are you yankin my chain bobcat? Please pm me this exclusive unit number.
No, it's true. But it's a secret so don't expect any PM's from me. :chuckle:
Post by: elk247 on May 19, 2013, 06:05:19 PM
Post by: JPhelps on May 19, 2013, 06:12:40 PM
Post by: bobcat on May 19, 2013, 06:13:25 PM
But three of the four are as crowded, or maybe even more crowded, than they are during modern firearm season.
This is only western Washington I'm talking about. The eastside is spike only so I'm not considering any of those units.
Post by: bobcat on May 19, 2013, 06:15:28 PM
One unit :dunno: I think Bobcat wants the woods to himself :chuckle:
No, did you forget I have an archery tag this year?
Post by: JPhelps on May 19, 2013, 06:17:38 PM
I guess we will have to define "decent".
Post by: elk247 on May 19, 2013, 06:20:50 PM
Post by: elk247 on May 19, 2013, 06:51:53 PM
Post by: BOWHUNTER45 on May 19, 2013, 06:59:00 PM
Post by: bobcat on May 19, 2013, 07:06:02 PM
Post by: hntrspud on May 19, 2013, 07:12:34 PM
Post by: washelkhunter on May 19, 2013, 07:18:55 PM
Post by: splitshot on May 19, 2013, 07:28:56 PM
Post by: elk247 on May 19, 2013, 07:39:56 PM
Dave Ware despises ML's and makes sure no good comes to them. A pox upon him and his. I love ML but this year im going AR just to change things up a tad. I've been told lately that i'm too smart for my own good so I thought id run with a slower crowd. :rolleyes::chuckle:
Post by: elk247 on May 19, 2013, 07:50:44 PM
A cow elk is decent to me. I'm not thinking of trophy quality. A decent unit to me is one in which a high number of elk are harvested each year, and which also has a lot of land open to the public.Public land and elk population are my biggest factors. Harvest numbers don't figure into things too much for me anymore. I compared the highest success units to the hoof rot units and you guessed it... three legged elk are slower and easier for hunters to kill.
Post by: elk247 on May 19, 2013, 07:54:59 PM
i am going back to modern from muzzy. the permit choices were terrible. last year i had ghost points on two categories. the 65 plus elk did not exist in muzzy. next year want to go back to muzzy. mike wNo kidding! Those damage permits are a joke. The state will take your points and never even call you. So that leaves maybe two choices. Not much to work with there.
Post by: iRem on May 19, 2013, 08:16:39 PM
Post by: toe-jam on May 19, 2013, 08:22:44 PM
Archery, archery, archery..……......:yeah: :yeah: :yeah:
Post by: SemperFidelis97 on May 19, 2013, 08:45:27 PM
Post by: huntnnw on May 20, 2013, 02:28:58 AM
Post by: Rooster1981 on May 20, 2013, 06:43:10 AM
Muzzy for me, I havent tried archery yet.
Post by: billdo5 on May 20, 2013, 07:01:36 AM
Post by: kerrdog on May 20, 2013, 07:26:36 AM
Post by: D-Rock425 on May 20, 2013, 08:05:49 AM
Post by: Broken Arrow on May 20, 2013, 08:08:02 AM
Post by: Fullabull on May 21, 2013, 01:41:15 PM
Post by: Rainier10 on May 21, 2013, 02:02:34 PM
Post by: bobcat on May 21, 2013, 02:06:16 PM
So archery hunters- hunt whichever season you want. It's entirely up to you. Nobody is forcing you to buy the archery tag.
Post by: Fullabull on May 21, 2013, 02:45:04 PM
Post by: billdo5 on May 21, 2013, 02:49:10 PM
I just don't want to learn a new area. My dad only has a couple years left of hunting and he can't walk more than a mile in on a good trail that is not steep. We have found a few decent spots to hunt that fit him so no changing for us. I also like having more of a choice if I do want to hunt other places. Maybe some day I will try a ML, never shot one before (other than a pistol).thats not what hes saying... U can buy a muzzy tag and use a bow... :dunno:
Post by: JPhelps on May 21, 2013, 02:59:30 PM
I just don't want to learn a new area. My dad only has a couple years left of hunting and he can't walk more than a mile in on a good trail that is not steep. We have found a few decent spots to hunt that fit him so no changing for us. I also like having more of a choice if I do want to hunt other places. Maybe some day I will try a ML, never shot one before (other than a pistol).thats not what hes saying... U can buy a muzzy tag and use a bow... :dunno:
He evidently hunts in a unit with a bow season and no muzzleloader season. Still have to follow the muzzleloader units and seasons.
Post by: billdo5 on May 21, 2013, 03:00:22 PM
Post by: Rainier10 on May 21, 2013, 05:36:49 PM
Two years ago I put in as a group with my wife to get her drawn with my points for a muzzy cow tag in the toutle. At that time you couldn't hunt with a bow during muzzy season and on two seperate opportunities at 40 and 42 yards my cap didn't go off... had I been able to bow hunt at that time maybe it would have been elk down.
Post by: elk247 on May 21, 2013, 06:05:09 PM
Post by: Maybee-R on May 22, 2013, 07:03:34 AM
But the time to hunt gets shorter every year and units get changed every other year. makes it hard to keep up.
We miss out on a week in late season this year. and miss out on the Rut for deer. Elk might be early in the rut but its always 90 degrees and too stinking hot. I like the later in September days when the weather cools down. Muzzle loader season in my neck of the woods is the best time frame. But they are shorted on days to hunt also.
Post by: Fullabull on May 22, 2013, 08:53:02 AM
Post by: billdo5 on May 22, 2013, 08:54:13 AM
Post by: bobcat on May 22, 2013, 08:55:47 AM
The other issue is most units are either sex for archery, whereas most muzzleloader units are bull only.
Post by: billdo5 on May 22, 2013, 08:57:19 AM
That's the problem- all of the best elk units are not open for muzzleloader, but ARE open for archery.How would u word this.. They considered archery to be harder and less productive as a muzzy or rifle
Post by: bobcat on May 22, 2013, 09:03:29 AM
That's the problem- all of the best elk units are not open for muzzleloader, but ARE open for archery.How would u word this.. They considered archery to be harder and less productive as a muzzy or rifle
Right. But at least during archery season you have a good chance of at least seeing a legal elk. Just my opinion but that's what this thread is about.
I've been hunting off and on with a muzzleloader since about 1985. This year I'm hunting elk with a bow. I feel the chance of filling the freezer with elk meat is much better. Archery seasons are longer and there is a lot more opportunity to take a cow.
Post by: billdo5 on May 22, 2013, 09:04:45 AM
Yes but i think thats why they give muzzy better permits than archery? :dunno:That's the problem- all of the best elk units are not open for muzzleloader, but ARE open for archery.How would u word this.. They considered archery to be harder and less productive as a muzzy or rifle
Right. But at least during archery season you have a good chance of at least seeing a legal elk. Just my opinion but that's what this thread is about.
I've been hunting off and on with a muzzleloader since about 1985. This year I'm hunting elk with a bow. I feel the chance of filling the freezer with elk meat is much better. Archery seasons are longer and there is a lot more opportunity to take a cow.
The key is... To find a place where its open during both... where i hunt it is...