Hunting Washington Forum

Big Game Hunting => Bow Hunting => Topic started by: MIKEXRAY on May 07, 2009, 12:02:18 AM

Title: Less bowhunters this year ???
Post by: MIKEXRAY on May 07, 2009, 12:02:18 AM: Do you think there will be less bowhunters out this season ? It seems like some archers will try for those rifle bull tags that are a sure Kill. I can't figure out how many will jump ship. On one hand archery has a very loyal following but with the shorter archery seasons & the other weapon choices getting sweetened tags I can't decide. Your thoughts ?? And how many of you are switching for sure ? I'm going archery all again. Good luck this season, it is fast approaching so start getting ready. Mike
Title: Re: Less bowhunters this year ???
Post by: ghgetter on May 07, 2009, 07:32:20 AM: I guess you have two different types of bowhunters...opportunists and purists. I would think that the guys who like killing something might bail...the guys who love everything that goes into archery are in for the long haul...just my :twocents:
Title: Re: Less bowhunters this year ???
Post by: BULLBLASTER on May 07, 2009, 07:41:16 AM: hopefully everyone quits bowhunting... more room for me!!!
Title: Re: Less bowhunters this year ???
Post by: jackelope on May 07, 2009, 07:44:13 AM: you will still have much better odds of drawing big bull tags with archery tackle than you will have drawing one of those new rifle tags IMO...guys are gonna go crazy for those rifle rut hunts.
i'll stick with my bow.
Title: Re: Less bowhunters this year ???
Post by: EastWaViking on May 07, 2009, 07:49:49 AM: I don't think any hard core archery hunters will "jump ship". Elk with a rifle sounds boring.

I am unhappy about them making the early deer bow season shorter, I don't get it.
Title: Re: Less bowhunters this year ???
Post by: shanevg on May 07, 2009, 08:03:40 AM: I had an archery tag last year and I am buying a MF tag this year. I would never get a MF tag to hunt general season for elk. I just will be (hopefully) starting a new job this fall and won't have enough time to take off for an archery hunt. The years that I actually go out hunting, I will definitely still buy an archery tag, but I figure if I'm going to build up points anyways, I might as well try to get drawn for a MF tag.
Title: Re: Less bowhunters this year ???
Post by: Hillbilly270 on May 07, 2009, 08:12:29 AM: say you buy your MF license and dont get drawn for any special permits.......do you dare go out archery hunting with all the rifle hunters out there? or are you going to switch and use a rifle?
Title: Re: Less bowhunters this year ???
Post by: jackelope on May 07, 2009, 08:16:06 AM: not sure why you'd want to do that...you'd have to wear blaze orange, you'd be hunting very crowded woods in most cases and there is no rut.
Title: Re: Less bowhunters this year ???
Post by: WDFW-SUX on May 07, 2009, 08:22:42 AM: I dont think I would ever stop bow hunting elk..I got a modern deer tag this year but only because I have a bunch of points and want to draw a late hunt in a unit that is not available for archery. I can still deer hunt in Idaho with my bow if i want.
Title: Re: Less bowhunters this year ???
Post by: DOUBLELUNG on May 07, 2009, 08:29:59 AM: Went MF for deer for the first time ever this year. No vacation time for WA hunting this year, and my wife wants a bear for a rug, so my September weekends will be bear hunts - and during the high hunt, deer too. Would have gone ML, but that conflicts with my WY deer hunt. I sure will miss the late archery in Swakane though.

I for one am glad they are ending general season mule deer hunting in Chelan and Okanogan Cos. Nov. 30 - regardless of weapon. Three months harassing those deer is plenty. They should not be hunted much when they are on winter ranges. :twocents:
Title: Re: Less bowhunters this year ???
Post by: Machias on May 07, 2009, 08:40:32 AM: One less bowhunter here.

I will tell you something about hunting with a bow in rifle season. VERY effective. I hunted several years in MO and once here in WA with archery gear during rifle season. If you head to the thickest nasty place you can find, places no rifle hunter would go into, set up your treestand in there, put on your blaze orange, you'll have non-stop action after the first day or so. That is where all the big boys head to once the shooting starts.
Title: Re: Less bowhunters this year ???
Post by: bearpaw on May 07, 2009, 09:00:14 AM: I like to hunt with all weapons, but I will get an archery deer tag....I probably don't have time to hold out for a nice buck so I will try to arrow some venison for the freezer....unless a big guy makes a mistake and gets in the way.
Title: Re: Less bowhunters this year ???
Post by: coonhound on May 07, 2009, 06:47:21 PM: I guess I'm a purist, I'll be hunting both deer and elk with the bow...if they only gave me a week for each I'd still stick with the bow. Of course I'd have to add a few more states to quench my appetite. With that said I'm not against other weapons, in fact I spent many a season with the my trusty 270 in my hands but after I picked up the bow 8 or 9 years ago I'm hooked.

Coon
Title: Re: Less bowhunters this year ???
Post by: PolarBear on May 07, 2009, 06:49:43 PM: Quote from: BULLBLASTER on May 07, 2009, 07:41:16 AM
hopefully everyone quits bowhunting... more room for me!!!

:yeah:

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaamen!
Title: Re: Less bowhunters this year ???
Post by: BLKBEARKLR on May 07, 2009, 06:58:57 PM: Well technically if EVERYONE quit bowhunting that would mean you also, because you are part of everyone..

So to say it the right way, I hope everyone EXCEPT me quits bowhunting... :P :P
Title: Re: Less bowhunters this year ???
Post by: rougheye on May 07, 2009, 07:03:22 PM: Sorry , i wont be quiting any time soon ;)
Title: Re: Less bowhunters this year ???
Post by: bobcat on May 07, 2009, 07:08:18 PM: Archery seasons are still the best. I don't think there was enough change to make much difference in the number of bowhunters. Anybody that switches to rifle this year probably would have switched anyway, regardless of the small changes that were made in the length of deer and elk seasons.
Title: Re: Less bowhunters this year ???
Post by: Ironhead on May 07, 2009, 08:12:34 PM: Muzzleloaders have the best rut dates. I see alot of people switching to Muzzy because the rut timing is better. 8)
Title: Re: Less bowhunters this year ???
Post by: bobcat on May 07, 2009, 08:15:13 PM: I wouldn't say that. I hunt muzzleloader elk and from my experience the last couple years, the rut has been over and done with by the time muzzleloader season opens. But maybe it's different in other areas.
Title: Re: Less bowhunters this year ???
Post by: dreamingbig on May 07, 2009, 10:42:05 PM: A purist at heart. I have never had anything but an archery tag. I still can not find any logical reason for reducing the early archery elk season by a day.
Title: Re: Less bowhunters this year ???
Post by: SHANE(WA) on May 07, 2009, 11:26:57 PM: I couldnt imagine not being in the woods in sept chasing rutting elk
Title: Re: Less bowhunters this year ???
Post by: Buckrub on May 08, 2009, 03:47:55 AM: If they outlawed archery hunting I would quit.....but then I would have to take up huntin politicians :guns:
Title: Re: Less bowhunters this year ???
Post by: ICEMAN on May 08, 2009, 08:19:21 AM: I think you will see a dramatic increase in the ammount of Bowhunters this year since the rifle hunters cannot find ammo of any kind.....
Title: Re: Less bowhunters this year ???
Post by: stumprat on May 08, 2009, 08:22:52 AM: Quote from: bobcat on May 07, 2009, 08:15:13 PM
I wouldn't say that. I hunt muzzleloader elk and from my experience the last couple years, the rut has been over and done with by the time muzzleloader season opens. But maybe it's different in other areas.

I totaly agree. Changing weather the last couple years have sure seemed to spur an earlier rut where I hunt.
Title: Re: Less bowhunters this year ???
Post by: Houndhunter on May 08, 2009, 11:26:10 AM: i wish the season ran a bit later but i love being able to hunt elk in the rut, and then get a late season with a good chance at getting a cow
Title: Re: Less bowhunters this year ???
Post by: RUTNBULL1 on May 09, 2009, 11:00:16 PM: Quote from: dreamingbig on May 07, 2009, 10:42:05 PM
A purist at heart. I have never had anything but an archery tag. I still can not find any logical reason for reducing the early archery elk season by a day.

I have to agree, taking one day away from archery elk was just a slap in the face to us archery hunters. I think they are testing the waters to see how much of a negative response they will get from the archery group, if not much, expect more drastic changes in the future. A local biologist spoke to us about ten years ago with the intrest in pursuing moving the archery elk hunting season, out of the rut, in the State of Washington. This would be a total disaster for our season as well as the archery industry. I will continue to archery hunt, and in more states that are more favorable to archery hunters with a greater hunting experience, not just bigger bulls, even though the other states that I have been hunting due hold better opportunities to harvest larger bulls. And come back home to hunt the final days of the rut, hopefully. Most people I have been discussing the issue of the shortened season, still say they are sticking to archery for elk.
Title: Re: Less bowhunters this year ???
Post by: vfilbert on May 10, 2009, 10:11:05 AM: im going archery elk, thiers something nice about not hearing gun shots and seeing orange every 3 minutes, just my 2 cents.
Title: Re: Less bowhunters this year ???
Post by: Antlershed on May 10, 2009, 10:20:19 AM: I'm gonna stick with Archery elk and put in for points only until I can draw a multi-season elk tag. I'm going MF for deer this year though, cause I just found out I should be able to get access to some private land in Eastern WA.
Title: Re: Less bowhunters this year ???
Post by: bowhuntin on May 10, 2009, 03:18:49 PM: I haven't hunted any season but the archery season since I started hunting. Not going to change now. Hopefully I stick something in the early season, so I don't have to put up with the zoo of people during the late season though.
Title: Re: Less bowhunters this year ???
Post by: WDFW-SUX on May 10, 2009, 03:27:33 PM: Ill be hunting elk in september even if its illegal.
Title: Re: Less bowhunters this year ???
Post by: ratherhunt on May 10, 2009, 05:22:05 PM: I will be hunting deer in archery but not sure about Elk thinking about muzzle loader. The shorter deer season sure sucks.
Title: Re: Less bowhunters this year ???
Post by: bullelk1 on May 11, 2009, 08:35:41 PM: It has been either bowhunting or no hunting for me for about 40 years.

Getting really close to elk and deer is a real rush that can't be duplicated by popping an elk at 350 yards.

But, all you guys that just gotta have meat in the freezer choose MF tags and leave us bowhunters with more peace and quiet and maybe, just maybe some of us luck out and get something. But in any case, we will have a most enjoyable hunt!!!!!
Title: Re: Less bowhunters this year ???
Post by: Dipsnort on May 13, 2009, 11:49:27 AM: I still stick with MF for deer since I have a great area, but for elk I'm sticking with archery. The huge crowds in the MF elk woods are just way more than I can take and I happen to love bowhunting. One of these days I'm going to bite the bullet and switch to archery for deer as well.
Title: Re: Less bowhunters this year ???
Post by: dbllunger on May 13, 2009, 12:26:35 PM: I hope to see a lot less of the irresponsible arrow flingers, and only the quality dedicated archers. I guess that goes for all hunters. Not holding my breath on it. The permits may pull a few of the opportunistic killers away, but the dedicated archer numbers will still be there.
Title: Re: Less bowhunters this year ???
Post by: MIKEXRAY on May 13, 2009, 04:37:30 PM: After asking around I agree dblunger that some of the less motivated archers will not archery hunt & put in for some of those rifle tags. The dedicated archers will be there as usual. It does suck ratherhunt that the deer season is shorter. I liked that time to not be so focused on elk & relax and chase deer. We'll see how it plays out. Mike
Title: Re: Less bowhunters this year ???
Post by: Elkstuffer on May 13, 2009, 04:54:36 PM: Quote from: WDFW-SUX on May 10, 2009, 03:27:33 PM
Ill be hunting elk in september even if its illegal.
:yeah:
Title: Re: Less bowhunters this year ???
Post by: Todd_ID on May 14, 2009, 07:37:50 AM: I didn't know there was another option for hunting than with a bow; at least that's been my thinking for many years. I love it for so many reasons that I don't think I could give it up if I tried. When my time's up, then they'll find me on the mountain with a bow in my hand and a smile on my face!
Title: Re: Less bowhunters this year ???
Post by: vanhornhunter on May 14, 2009, 05:14:18 PM: I'll be out from august 29 in oregon till the 9th of september then till the 20th and maybe back to oregon we'll see...
Title: Re: Less bowhunters this year ???
Post by: granola/hippyslayer on May 26, 2009, 09:22:40 AM: I will be bow hunting again this year, but I know of a few that switched.
Title: Re: Less bowhunters this year ???
Post by: TeacherMan on May 27, 2009, 09:37:56 AM: I don't think that it will have much impact at all, there are not that many tags. You can count on seeing me in the woods bow hunting, well that is if you can find me ;)
Title: Re: Less bowhunters this year ???
Post by: Gobble on May 27, 2009, 09:45:30 AM: Quote from: Dipsnort on May 13, 2009, 11:49:27 AM
I still stick with MF for deer since I have a great area, but for elk I'm sticking with archery. The huge crowds in the MF elk woods are just way more than I can take and I happen to love bowhunting. One of these days I'm going to bite the bullet and switch to archery for deer as well.

I've been doing this for 20+ years. I hunted ML for 10 years for elk then switched over to bow when the ML got too popular. I have gone archery for both deer and elk but generally shoot modern for deer only, never for elk
Title: Re: Less bowhunters this year ???
Post by: bowtech721 on May 27, 2009, 09:51:02 AM: Archery elk for sure is the only way to go... deer for me is a little tougher to decide but not this year with the multi season in my pocket :)