Hunting with your bow in gun season.

[Biggie Hoffman]

Weak excuses guys.....

Hey all you guys who keep saying it's illegal in the state you live, get in those hunting rigs you posted pictures of on the other therad and go somewhere else!

[Kevin Bahr]

We aren't allowed to hunt with a bow in the gun season here in Illinois.  If we could, I would.  In fact have lobbied for it in the past but it is not going to happen.  Got tired of hearing all the lame excuses as to why it isn't allowed, and even more tired of almost all the other bowhunters I know not wanting it to happen either.  If it were legal, I would be out there.  We do sometimes get together for a rabbit hunt (with bows of course) during the gun deer seasons, which is legal.  We are able to bowhunt during our muzzleloader only season, so naturally, literally NATURALLY, I am out there.  
Of course we do have a short gun season here but still it makes no sense not to allow bowhunting especially when the DNR and the insurance companies are always crying about wanting more deer killed.  
I usually go duck hunting a couple days a year and our two gun season weekends are a good time to do that so I don't need to take time away from bowhunting the sit in a duck blind and eat donuts.

[deadpool]

wow i always thought u can get in big trouble if you hunt a bow in gun season...nice!!

[LV2HUNT]

I do because I like to hunt in the bow only public areas. If I could hunt an uncrowded public or private piece of land I would not mind doing a little gun hunting for variety.

No question that I prefer to hunt with the bow though. Have not gun hunted for big game for many years.

 

[adeeden]

AS Kevin mentioned it is Illegal in IL (we need to get that changed), but the Indiana state line is just 10 minutes away and it is perfectly legal there! Actually most of the time I can jump the line and avoid any gun season but for maybe a day or two where they overlap! Weekends during the In season is a great time to be in the woods with a bow, I just find the nastiest thicket I can and hole up in there! The deer usually join me!

[Frank V]

Wow, Thanks for your responses everyone. Guess I won't get excomunicated for using a rifle now & then huh?
 Mike good to see you here. You didn't have any close experiences with Bears in your blind this year did you? Frank

[T-Mac]

I hunt with bow only for the second year in a row. In Ark we have to abide by gun rules during gun season and same for muzzleloader season. But I will pull out my orange and go climb a tree with my bushwacker just the same. I love the looks i get from other hunters when we meet.              

[Voodoofire1]

southernarcher, I spend 95% of my time with a bow still/spot and stalk hunting, every time I've been shot at with a gun I have had my bow in hand with hunter orange on,never happened with a gun except once, when I was with my son sitting on private land,(where we had sole permission), by a drug dealer( Who's 4 DD sons are now all in prison).. when I hunt with my smokepole, I park my buns and wait for the deer to come to me, I'm not sneaking through the woods like I do with my bow... like someone earlier said I hunt with my bow ,I harvest with my gun.. and I love to hunt.. just don't want to die doing it.

[Jason R. Wesbrock]

Like Kevin said, it's illegal here in IL except during the ML season, at which time I'm usually in the woods, bow in hand.

In WI it's illegal to bowhunt during their firearms seasons, with two exceptions: the special herd reduction hunts (formerly T-Zones) and any and all gun seasons in the CWD zone. During those times, when it's legal, I'm also in the woods, bow in hand.

Although, I have to admit I have a difficult time putting myself in a bowhunter's frame of mine -- trying to disappear into my surroundings -- when I'm wearing blaze orange. It sure beats sitting around doing nothing though.

[MikeC]

Once the gun seasons rolls around I grab one of my flintlocks.  Love the bow but there is just something about a hand made historically correct flintlock and the smell of sulpher that just floats my boat like nothing else.

If I had to choose one weapon to hunt with for the remainder of my days it would be a smoothbore flintlock preferably an early type "G" trade gun.  Just so happens I have one being built and should be done in the spring of 2008.  To each their own...enjoy.

[Tom Leemans]

I stay away from the woods during gun season.

[SteveB]

Its all good - out with one of my White inlines during all gun here - big freezer to fill and does that need thinning. But shoot at least one at bow ranges.

[Bowsey Wails]

Bow only. I'm fortunate to live on a huge dairy farm. Firearms are prohibited in the immediate vicinity of the homestead. This region has increased deer activity once gun season starts; it doesn't take the deer long to figure out where the hunting pressure is heaviest.

Tim

[cajunbowhntr]

Weak excuses guys.....

I guess we all can't all be bowhunting Icons....a persons choice to hunt with a particular weapon is their choice..I would'nt think less of them for it.


CB

[SteveMcD]

This is odd for me. Although I am and have been a Basic Gun Hunter Safety Instructor for the past 15 years and an NRA Rifle/Pistol Instructor and coach for 10 years before that. My love is still the longbow. I have taken out the Hawkin smokepoles once or twice in the past 5 years, but beyond that, the past few years for me I've been longbow only. It just provides magic for me that a gun can't. And when gun season comes around, I either head for private property or head bow only hunting areas.  
 
Having said all that. I think in most states, everyone is required to get a basic hunter ed certificate in order to hunt in the first place, gun or bow. So this usually means... most of us all started out as "gun" hunters. Personal choice is just that. Got to look at the individual not the equipment. And as the old saying goes.. "Remember to dance with the one who took you to the party!".

[Biggie Hoffman]

I don't know what a bowhunting icon is but you're right Cajun, you'll never be one if you succumb to a gun to do what you couldn't do with a bow.

I've never had a bad word for anyone who uses a gun. Far be it from me to tell you what you like to hunt with.
I DO however, have a problem with supposed bowhuunting experts, and there seems to be plenty of em here, who talk the talk but don't walk the walk. But again, that's MY problem.

[Deadsmple]

My understanding is that the original question asked if we hunt the gun season with our bows. Here in Jersey we are not allowed to, so my answer is no. I stay home during our gun season.  

As far as getting a NR license and heading to a state that would let me hunt their gun season with a bow? Well I just can't afford to hunt out of state.

If we were allowed I would definitely hunt with my bow during the gun seasons. I personally don't like pointing a firearm at critters. My guns are for creatures that stand upright and try to deprive me of something.

[MikeC]

Deadsmple...Not sure where you hunt in NJ but zone 12 where I hunt the bow season or should I say the second bow season runs right into February, right along side MZ and permit shotgun.

Biggie as mentioned earlier.  It's not the equipment but the individual.  Words to live by.  Not everyone chooses to hunt with a gun just to extend their range.  To me that is shallow minded.

[Tdog]

I bow hunt only. It's the only way I feel good about taking a deer..

[rxhntr]

This year I will bow hunt only even during rifle season. I get a kick out of the people looking at me funny carrying a bow. I will pick up a gun tomarrow (opening of duck season) --but that I hope doesnt count!