Do you bow hunt during gun season?

[Loper]

Whitetail bow hunters, do you continue hunting with your bow even as gun season starts? Or do put your bow down and and pick up your rifle? I’m curious as to what most do.

 

[Donjuan]

I do both. Some spots because I can't gun hunt and other times I really just want to shoot one with my bow

 

[rogerthat]

Keep on bow hunting. Where I hunt it’s often thick enough a gun doesn’t give you much of an advantage and bow hunting is that much more fun for me anyway.

 

[Blockcaver]

Locally in BC we have a 9 day archery deer (mule and whitetail, separate tags) season Sept 1-9. Then it is bowhunt in the gun season for the next 3 MONTHS. Ya, we don’t have hardly any decent bucks unless you have access to some exclusive private land.

 

[ther3v]

I prefer to bowhunt even through gun season, although there have been many times I wished I had a gun instead of bow ha. Just out of range.

 

[LostArra]

Yes
Bow hunt during gun season. Actually seasons. Youth, muzzleloader, rifle, bonus antlerless. That is why I keep an orange hat in my pack

 

[Loper]

Locally in BC we have a 9 day archery deer (mule and whitetail, separate tags) season Sept 1-9. Then it is bowhunt in the gun season for the next 3 MONTHS. Ya, we don’t have hardly any decent bucks unless you have access to some exclusive private land.

Why is archery season only 9 days where you are at?

 

[Point Man]

I ain't proud. I hunt with both. If I don't get one before gun season,I go out with my rifle for gun season because I want fresh meat in my freezer and a bow won't give me those long shots that happen more often then not.

 

[Blockcaver]

Why is archery season only 9 days where you are at?

Season structure way pre-dates my 14 years in BC so I do not have a definitive answer. But there is not an active bowhunters organization to lobby for bow seasons....way different than where I moved from in CO. And our 9 day Sept bow season also includes the youth rifle season. Crossbows are legal as well.

 

[mod-it]

I do as well.
The area I live in has archery only hunts for whitetail in September, but September is elk archery season too. While hunting mature whitetails when they're still in their summer feeding patterns is a great opportunity to get on a good mature buck, there is no comparison to hunting elk in the rut. Elk hunting consumes the month of September for me.

The unit I have property in opens for any weapons whitetail on Oct. 10th and runs until Dec. 1st. I archery hunt for them through most of it, but also enjoy taking my sidelock muzzleloader on occasion too.
We get one deer tag a year and I usually hold out for a mature buck. If it gets down to the wire and I really want a deer for the freezer, then I often will switch to a CF rifle. But I very much prefer to have a bow or old muzzleloader in my hands.

 

[SloppyJ]

I start dropping all of those pesky old does that like to bust you once gun season rolls around with my rifle. I switch to spots that aren't as thick and I can see more area for bucks on the move so a rifle is helpful. I'm not a hardcore bow hunter though. It's just a tool to use at the beginning of the season to get out in front of about 90% of the hunters around me.

 

[NYSKIER]

I almost exclusively bowhunt. I'll only pick up the rifle when I get an invite to a buddy's camp or a drive on public but I only put does in my sights because I don't want to burn a buck tag.

 

[signing off]

I prefer bowhunting. But walking around the woods with a rifle is enjoyable also. Our gun season starts basically right after leaf drop is complete. Open hardwood hunting is much better with a long range weapon.

 

[Beendare]

I’ve bowhunted during the muzzy elk season in Co and didn’t like it one bit

 

[Blockcaver]

I’ve bowhunted during the muzzy elk season in Co and didn’t like it one bit

Yes, I bowhunted CO elk for 35 seasons, sometimes with the muzzleloaders for 9 days in mid-September if I hadn't already filled a tag. As a resident, I knew how to avoid them mostly and it wasn't an issue for me. But it was for many bowhunters.

 

[Bigborealaska]

Hell no because there are rifle hunters that will shoot at anything that moves here in Idaho. I rifle hunt during rifle season if I don't harvest with my bow. Its hard to bow hunt when you have gunshots echoing through the canyon chasing everything off as well.

 

[roosterdown]

Yes, but only on private land.

 

[Werty]

I shot a doe a few years ago last light with my bow, she ran out to 60 yards, so I finished her with my inline muzzleloader.

 

[RCL]

Quit gun hunting whitetail years ago.
Bow hunt during rifle and muzzle loading seasons, but I only hunt private land.

 

[MallardSX2]

Not unless it’s an archery only area.