Multi season $

[Bob33]

Archery and muzzle loader are considered the same level of primitive....

You cannot use archery equipment in a muzzleloader season.

[guesswho]

And I saw no need to read the GMU restrictions after I bought a deer tag... lol.

I've hunted in other states where declaration of hunting method isn't required and have seen way too many wounded animals b/c of increased opportunity. I like that this decreases incentive for folks that may not be as committed as those that are practiced.

Agreed.

[Jason]

Archery and muzzle loader are considered the same level of primitive....

You cannot use archery equipment in a muzzleloader season.

  I called WDFW last year and asked them the same question.

[fair-chase]

At the rate that archery technology has been improving it wont be long before the muzzle loader is the more primitive of the two weapons. Hey, maybe us muzzle loaders could get a month long deer season and you archery guys could get stuck with only a week. LOL.

[bobcat]

Archery does have advantages over muzzleloaders:

1) in wet weather you're not going to have a misfire which is likely to happen with a muzzleloader, 2) follow up shots are quicker, 3) bows don't make much noise and follow up shots are more likely because the animal may not even be aware of your presence after the first shot, 4) if you take a shot with a bow you don't have to tear it down and clean it the same day like you do with a muzzleloader.

[Alan K]

Regardless of the technology of bows, they'll never be able to shoot 100+ yards with any consistency in hunting situations (though I know there are yahoo's out there who think they can). . . The difference between >70 yards with archery gear and >~150 yards with a muzzy is HUGE. 

[bobcat]

I don't shoot 100 yards with my muzzleloader. 75 yards is about my limit, and it seems many people don't have any problem at all shooting at game that far with archery gear.

[Alan K]

Yeah, guys have to know their limits.  There are tons of guys out there who won't even shoot their bows beyond 30-40 yards.  Just going off the  muzzy and archery guys I know, the archery guys in general are confident and accurate out to 70 and the muzzy guys out to 150 (on elk anyways, deer is a much smaller target).

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

I don't shoot 100 yards with my muzzleloader. 75 yards is about my limit, and it seems many people don't have any problem at all shooting at game that far with archery gear.

Here is a prime example of technological improvements....
once upon a time, (most) Archers considered 20-40 yards effective range (although some still shot further)
Muzzleloaders were (mostly all) either Flintlock or percussion (sidelock) and effective range was 50-100, (again some still shot further)
Now with a 300fps+Compound, sights, release, 80% let off, etc.. (mentioned "improvements") 50-75 yards is almost normal, and accepted, with some shooting even further.
In-line (exposed cap) ML's, with conical (and other) bullets, powder improvements, etc... a ML can have an effective range of up to 200 yards, with 100 being an accepted norm.
Some hunters might have self imposed limitations, but a vast majority of hunters consider whether or not they can hit the target, not whether they should or not, and have little to no hesitation taking marginal shots on game.
 

[sakoshooter]

A good friend of mine called me yesterday saying he'd drawn the multi-season deer but was hesitant to buy it since if he gets drawn for a quality or buck hunt, the $180 was a waste. I had to agree. Since you only have one tag, you've got to think hard about how you're going to use it.

[Alan K]

Yeah, if you've got a bunch of points and feel like you have a good chance at a quality tag, the only perk to the multi-season tag is to be able to put in multiple weapons for the same unit. For example, late entiat rifle hunt first choice and late entiat archery hunt second choice.  Sort of double your odds at the hunt if the weapon used doesn't matter much.  And then if you aren't lucky enough to draw you still get to hunt all the seasons. 

[deerslyr]

I don't shoot 100 yards with my muzzleloader. 75 yards is about my limit, and it seems many people don't have any problem at all shooting at game that far with archery gear.

And it seems to me alot of people dont have a problem shooting 150 yards with a muzzleloader. I have hunted with both Bow and Muzzleloader (harvested animals with both as well) and archery is by far more difficult. I understand that muzzys get jipped when it comes to season length, again ive hunted with muzzleloader before, but to say archery hunting is just as difficult as muzzy hunting is absurd.

[bobcat]

I don't shoot 100 yards with my muzzleloader. 75 yards is about my limit, and it seems many people don't have any problem at all shooting at game that far with archery gear.

And it seems to me alot of people dont have a problem shooting 150 yards with a muzzleloader. I have hunted with both Bow and Muzzleloader (harvested animals with both as well) and archery is by far more difficult. I understand that muzzys get jipped when it comes to season length, again ive hunted with muzzleloader before, but to say archery hunting is just as difficult as muzzy hunting is absurd.

I didn't say archery hunting was as difficult as muzzleloader hunting.   

Maybe you meant to quote someone else? The point is they're both short range weapons. To me, 100 yards is a VERY long shot with a muzzleloader.

All I was pointing out (in a previous post) was that archery does have advantages over muzzleloader, and not just because the archery seasons and units open are much, much better than what the muzzleloaders have.

[Seabeckian]

I don't shoot 100 yards with my muzzleloader. 75 yards is about my limit, and it seems many people don't have any problem at all shooting at game that far with archery gear.

And it seems to me alot of people dont have a problem shooting 150 yards with a muzzleloader. I have hunted with both Bow and Muzzleloader (harvested animals with both as well) and archery is by far more difficult. I understand that muzzys get jipped when it comes to season length, again ive hunted with muzzleloader before, but to say archery hunting is just as difficult as muzzy hunting is absurd.

I would have to agree with ya there. While they both have their limitations; personally I feel that distance limitation by far out ways any of muzzleloaders limitations (fowl weather, follow-up shot, etc.). Seems silly to qualify them in the same level of primitiveness.

[jstone]

I have ran into a lot of archery hunters out in the mountains that are willing to take 80 to 100 yard shots. Personally i don't get it I have a new z7 and my old bow is a mathews LX great bows. I could shoot that far to. Will i NO to many variables. I still keep it no more than 40 to 50 and that's if no wind and things are good. To many deer with arrows in them from people making long shots.