Bow and Gun Season Together???

[Real Buckmaster]

I was on stand yesterday and a group of shotgun hunters game through on a deer drive. There was some shots being fired. It is Iowas special doe season. Something seems so wrong about this. Dangerous for #1. Do any other states allow for bow and gun hunter to be in the field at the same time?
I am totally against this and will be writing the DNR.

[rastaman]

We can hunt with a bow in Georgia all the way thru gun season.  We do have to wear orange once the gun season comes in.

[Mike Bolin]

We share the gun season in IN as well. We too wear orange. My favorite time of the season is opening weekend of shotgun! I usually see more deer moving and bucks that I've never seen before. Movement is up due to pressure from the gun hunters on the surrounding properties. This is private land and I am sure on public land it could be pretty spooky!
Hunt safe! Mike

[doug77]

Sorry Randy but I'm going to disagree with you on this one. I think we should be able to hunt all through deer season but we can't. I have some private land to hunt so I guess hunting during gun season doesen't bother me as much but we still need to be carefull out their.


doug77

[YORNOC]

Yup, we can hunt here with a bow in gun season but follow shotgun rules. The amount of hunters in the woods quadruples to say the least, and it is when most thefts of equipment occur. Since the deer totally change their habits now, I either remove natural ambush stands or back out the steps till the season is over. I then hunt more of an escape trail area and just hope something gets pushed into my area. I've seen deer in the past, but have never taken one with my recurve during shotgun season.
It can be dangerous, you really have to THINK safety before setting up.

[JAG]

In Alabama you can hunt the whole season with a bow.  During gun season you have to abide by the gun rules. (i.e., hunter orange. etc. )Only a few times have I had any problem.  Mostly it was people being were they had no permission.

[ksbowman]

Kansas allows bow hunting thru all open seasons. I shot my buck last year in rifle season with my bow. I don't really like being in the field at the same time as rifle hunters, but I'm glad we can as it gives alot of extra time to hunt.

[FlyinCedar]

Same deal here in Ohio. You can bowhunt all the way through gun season, but you have to wear orange like the gun hunter. I prefer to just stay out of the woods that week!!!

[Huntrdfk]

NH's bow season runs from mid Sept through mid December.......both muzzleloader and rifle fall in late Oct through the first week of Dec, so bowhunters share a significant amount of time in the woods with firearms hunters.


David

[Bowwild]

It is very common to allow bow hunters to continue without pause throughout all the firearms seasons.  Some states have deer permits that allow any equipment in the appropriate seasons (KY). Other states have equipment-specific permits and allow bows to be used during the firearms season (IN).  Most such states require the bowhunter to wear orange when sharing the firearms season with gunners.

I don't have a problem with it. It is my choice whether or not to hunt during the firearms season with my bow or a rifle (KY). I'd rather have the choice than be told to keep my bow at home.

If I see another hunter, especially with a gun, approaching my stand I make sure that hunter knows I'm there -- flashlight if dark or wave my orange hat if daylight.

Hunting is safe.

[Earl E. Nov...mber]

I have long been a proponent of letting bow season continue through gun season.. It looks like it is finally going to happen here in Nebraska but at a cost of allowing the "X" into archery season.
We have shared late bow season with ML season for years, and other that a little aggravation from time to time, it really hasn't been an issue.
When we do share these seasons, there are some things to consider... First you are at no greater danger while hunting regardless if you have a bow, shotgun or rifle in hand. Second we must be aware other hunters may be in the field and plan our own hunt accordingly. Always wear orange if other hunters are in the field whether required by law or not. Third, it may be prudent to avoid first weekends, but around here after the first couple of days the pressure drops drastically and a great hunt can be had. Fourth, A little pressure in the woods can be a good thing as it will move deer that are normally not moving.
Remember, almost all hunting takes place within 200 yards of a vehicle.  Go early, go deep and stay late. Deer will often move in behind a walking person in the woods. You have other hunters walking through, make sure they know you are there, set back relax and let them go through, with a little luck they will move something you way.

[greyghost]

Here in VA we can hunt through the muzzelloader and gun season with bow. But in the gun season all must wear orange.

Carefull what you ask for. They took away 2 weeks of bow season and gave it to the muzzelloaders. And now the gun hunters want to take away some more bow only time saying that the deer are all spooked by the time muzzel and gun season rolls around.

I know WV has I believe 4 counties that are bow only year round. And I believe a couple other States have bow only areas.

Here on MCB Quantico where I do a lot of hunting we have 16 areas that are bow only but all areas can be hunted during the archery only time frame. So when gun season starts the die hard bow hunters head for the archery only.

I think with the urbanization of areas in many States today the DNR may listen carefully to ideas on bow hunting only areas or even counties.

Earl

[Earl Jeff]

I'll be headin out tomorrow bow in hand. Tomorrow is our rifle season opener.

[gobblegrunter]

What are you writing the DNR about? I assume its in favor of doing away with shotgun season? I'd be careful what I wish for. I would think that if they eliminated one of the two, it would be bow...at least thats how it might work here in PA. I'll be taking the bow out throughout the rifle season here. Just happy to be able to do so.

[SEMO_HUNTER]

I'm going to have to stick up for the shotgunners on this one. They wait for their season to open just like bowhunters do, and they enjoy what they do just as much as we do. I happen to like both, bow hunting and gun hunting. Nobody should think ill of the other just because of the way they chose to hunt.......bottom line is we are all hunters regardless of the method used. For that reason alone we need to stick together and not seperate ourselves......the antis do a fine job of that without our help.
You don't have to approve of how another person choses to hunt, but respect his right to do so as long as it's legal.

Gobblegrunter said it already, "Be careful what you wish for" because they may decide to push your bowseason completely out of the rut if there's too much conflict, and that would not be a good thing.
As far as someone coming past your stand......if it's public ground then get used to it, or move somewhere else......really not much else you can do about that part.
If your on private property, then get a deputy sheriff involved and file charges against the tresspassers. But bashing some guys for persuing their sport isn't the answer.

[BCWV]

I agree, careful what you wish for. Here in WV our bow season runs from Oct. to Dec. 31st. We can bowhunt through gun, doe and muzzleloading seasons but must wear orange.
 I feel we are fortunate to do so, although I personally won't hunt much of our public land untill the gun seasons are over. I do hunt private land at this time. I still get to enjoy my chosen season longer than the gun only hunters.
 I feel for some of you guys that have to hang your bows up while the other seasons are in.

[Bowwild]

I've worked at progressively higher levels in four state wildlife agencies; IN, KS, MO, and KY.  I've been involved in the public input gathering and regulatory setting process from the ground level, through Commissions, and to the legislature.  I've been at the regulatory table when a bowhunter or two has stood up and made comments that were anti-firearms hunter.  Bowhunters who feel like that are in the minority and I wasn't very proud to be a life-long bowhunter on those days.  I'm sorry to report that just a few incidents like those cause bowhunters to have a bad reputation in the eyes of some regulators as being a selfish group that can't be satisfied.  Occasionally I've had to calm an irate Commission Member by reminding him that bowhunters in general are among the most avid hunters and supporters of science-based wildlife management we have.

I assure you, bowhunters need to be very happy with their mostly very long seasons and choice to hunt in all kinds of weather, three seasons (summer, fall & winter in states like KY that open in early Sept. and don't close until mid-January), special areas, urban areas, etc.  

Most bowhunters also hunt with firearms, in fact, in the eastern U.S. it is above 90%. Most bowhunters were firearms hunters years before they were bowhunters, and many of us have more friends and family that firearms hunt than bowhunt.

As others have written above, we need to be very tolerant of our law-abiding brethren in the hunting fields, whatever their choice of equipment use and hunting styles.   Some of the best days to be on stand are when a few more hunters (firearms hunters) are moving about the woods.  However, if I don't want to hunt pushed deer or share the field with more people than I'm used to or am comfortable with, I will take my break during these few brief days (in most states) when firearms and bow seasons overlap.

[Cottonwood]

Yep, here in Montana they allow bowhunters in the field during our general season.  Everyone has to wear 400 sq in. of blaze orange during rifle hunting, and bowhunters are not excluded from wearing it for safety reasons.

[beetlebailey1977]

Originally posted by SEMO_HUNTER:
I'm going to have to stick up for the shotgunners on this one. They wait for their season to open just like bowhunters do, and they enjoy what they do just as much as we do. I happen to like both, bow hunting and gun hunting. Nobody should think ill of the other just because of the way they chose to hunt.......bottom line is we are all hunters regardless of the method used. For that reason alone we need to stick together and not seperate ourselves......the antis do a fine job of that without our help.
You don't have to approve of how another person choses to hunt, but respect his right to do so as long as it's legal.

Gobblegrunter said it already, "Be careful what you wish for" because they may decide to push your bowseason completely out of the rut if there's too much conflict, and that would not be a good thing.
As far as someone coming past your stand......if it's public ground then get used to it, or move somewhere else......really not much else you can do about that part.
If your on private property, then get a deputy sheriff involved and file charges against the tresspassers. But bashing some guys for persuing their sport isn't the answer.

Well said SEMO....I agree.

[TNstickn]

In TN, you can bow hunt all season, sept-jan. Just gotta wear orange during gun and muzzleloader no matter whos property your on, public or private.