Bow during gun season

[Stone Knife]

Is anyone else going to hunt trad during the gun season. I have decided to hunt an obscure spot that the deer will retreat to when pressured by gun hunters. I'm going to stick with it, I would like to take a buck in this manner.

[bear1336]

I share land with some gun hunters while I bowhunt and never had a problem yet, they know where my ground blinds are located and so far have respected those spaces.

[Covey]

I stick with the bow, have for years! I killed my first with a gun, didn't care for it! still trying to get my first trad kill. stay with it brother, somtimes them gun hunters will push them right to you!! Jason

[Dave Lay]

I do it every gun season. in fact I dont think I have gun hunted in over 20 years or so.. just put the orange on (required here) and join them. we have some areas where the gun season is limited or closed but the majority of the state is open to rifles or muzzloaders from mid october till about the end of the year..  Here the modern gun season opens right at rut, so in alot of the state we would be missing out not to hunt... just hunt the same as if it wasnt gun season but alot of times you can use the pressure to your advantage.. Funny but it seems almost every year some one thinks I either cant afford a gun or I dont know the gun season is open... they just dont understand why I would bow hunt with a longbow or recurve when I could be blastin them..... good luck and stick with it..

[adeeden]

I sure wish we could bowhunt here in IL during the gun season! Maybe one of these days they will change that goofy rule but until then I just slip accross the state line to Indiana to hunt for those 7 days!

[Gatekeeper]

Always  

[Fletcher]

Not in IL, unless you go to one of the few spots where guns aren't allowed and they still let bows in.  Also legal in a few of the NE counties.

[Stiks-n-Strings]

I'l have to admit I go gunnin during gun season, I got a 14 year old girl that don't show much desire to bow hunt but loves gun season. gives me a chance to spend some quality time with my kids.
 
  I let her have first crack at a buck if one shows up and I pack a gun along as well, to me it's just like going to the grocery store. Not as fulfilling as stick-n-string dut it put's meat on the table. If she doesn't go to the woods some during gun season I go to my bow spots with the ol'faithful stick and string.
 Just me trying to keep some younguns interested, Maybe some day she'll decide to take uo the trad gear (I hope) and we can begin a new journey together.
Kris

[Jerry Jeffer]

I hunt with my longbow during gun season. Every year I show up at my Dad's camp and all the guys shake their heads and say, "you're gonna use that thing again"? I always have more fun then they do.

[Izzy]

Not everytime, my freezer is looking poor.But Ill still be doing most of my hunting close to home in bow only area.

[Bowspirit]

I do it every year. I've got faith in ya', bud...

[RonD]

According to the manager of the NWR where I usually hunt, the seasons and the specified weapons for that season are fixed. Archery season begins October 1st and ends Nov 13th. During primitive weapon season either muzzleloader or archery equipment can be used. During gun season only guns may be used. During the special hog hunt days on the schedule you can hunt with any weapon approved for the other seasons based on your choice. It is illegal on this NWR to hunt squirrel or rabbit with archery equipment. During spring turkey season either shotgun or archery can be used. I'm not sure what the reasoning is for these rules other than the manager stated that the seasons are strictly what they are and the weapon approved for each season is clearly established. With the state operated WMA system they are more liberal in allowing archery during gun season. However, when using the WMA system be sure and have the regulations for that WMA straight or you might receive a citation and court date.  On the local NWR I have heard, hearsay only, that the gun hunters were complaining about bowhunters in the woods during gun season. Their logic is simple, if I can't hunt with my gun during archery season, then why should you be allowed to hunt with bow and arrow during gun season?

[A.S.]

Yep, I just filled my final buck tag on the 1st day of rifle season....with my bow.

[acadian archer]

So far I'm sticking to my recurve. Had I used a gun my doe tag would be filled. here  in Nova Scotia you can use bow during gun season. will likely finish the season using only the recurve, just more enjoyable for me

[centaur]

In Wyoming, most all of our bow seasons are the month of September. If you want to hunt later, you pretty much share with the rifles. I'm lucky that I have a bowhunting only area close for deer and antelope, but on almost all public land, the rifle is king. I'm fortunate that I can hunt mid week, so I avoid the crowds, but everything I killed this year and last year was taken with a bow during gun season.

[frank bullitt]

Yes, since they started allowing it in Indiana.
Adeeden, don't feel sorry for you folks in Illinois, your gun seasons are short and not during the heat of the rut!
2 weeks solid gunning in Indiana and then 2 weeks of muzzleloader, too much gunning in my opinion.

Get out there, you never know what might happen! Good shootin, Steve

[mscampbell75]

bow only for me!! way too much fun to stop  

[James Wrenn]

I bowhunt though gun season when hunting private land.On the public land in this area I had just rather end my season when archery goes out.Way too crowded with too many fools for me to waste my time.I can usually have enough deer in the freezer that I don't need to get out there with them.

[2Blade]

I will probably bowhunt longbow & recurve but will deffently be muzzleloading I think it just goes hand in hand with trad bowhunting. Although my muzzleloader isnt "trad" its still a challenge and I love it.

[Ia Hawkeye]

In Iowa it's illegal to bow hunt during the gun seaasons .