ML in Colorado Archery seasons
- Thread starter Coveyleader
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timekiller13
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While I know whitetail hunting in the east is different than elk hunting in the west, I will say that I have shared the woods with muzzleloader/rifle hunters for nearly 20 years without incident. In the area of NC where I mostly hunt, bear season (which is any legal weapon) overlaps with a large portion of archery season. I have never had an issue with the bear hunters, other than their dogs occasionally running through my hunting area. I've never once felt unsafe knowing that I am sitting in the woods with a bow in my hand while others are carrying high powered rifles. Secondly, I've archery hunted many times during muzzleloader and regular firearms seasons. When I was in college and living in the dorms, I could not have a firearm and I had nowhere to store one. So, I kept my bow in my dorm room and archery hunted throughout the firearms seasons. Again, never felt unsafe or had any bad incidents. I spent much of my time hunting on heavily used public land, where it wasn't uncommon to have 20-30 vehicles parked at popular access points during rifle season. I wore hunter orange, killed plenty of deer with a bow while wearing an orange vest and hat.
My experience with Colorado muzzleloader hunters has been very limited. I shared the woods with them for 3 days of my hunt last season. Never saw a single person while I was hunting, talked to a few guys at the trailhead and that was it. Never even heard a shot during that time. With Colorado muzzleloader regs not allowing optics, the effective range of your weapon is pretty limited. I'd be surprised if there are many people who are comfortable at shooting much past 100 yds with iron sights. The incident in question here was very unfortunate, but it doesn't matter how many regulations you pass, you can't fix stupid, or force people to abide by the laws.
The only time I have ever had a bad incident in the woods was during archery season. I was sitting on the edge of a field (private land) watching some deer about 80 yds away. A truck pulled up to the edge of the field from the road, guy pulled a rifle out and shot at one of the deer. Bullet ricocheted off a rock and it hit the tree right beside me! He broke numerous laws that were in place to "protect" me and others, yet he still broke the laws and came within a few feet of seriously injuring or killing me. My point is that it doesn't matter what laws you pass, people are going to break those laws and stupid people are going to do stupid things, regardless of how hard you try to regulate it.
My experience with Colorado muzzleloader hunters has been very limited. I shared the woods with them for 3 days of my hunt last season. Never saw a single person while I was hunting, talked to a few guys at the trailhead and that was it. Never even heard a shot during that time. With Colorado muzzleloader regs not allowing optics, the effective range of your weapon is pretty limited. I'd be surprised if there are many people who are comfortable at shooting much past 100 yds with iron sights. The incident in question here was very unfortunate, but it doesn't matter how many regulations you pass, you can't fix stupid, or force people to abide by the laws.
The only time I have ever had a bad incident in the woods was during archery season. I was sitting on the edge of a field (private land) watching some deer about 80 yds away. A truck pulled up to the edge of the field from the road, guy pulled a rifle out and shot at one of the deer. Bullet ricocheted off a rock and it hit the tree right beside me! He broke numerous laws that were in place to "protect" me and others, yet he still broke the laws and came within a few feet of seriously injuring or killing me. My point is that it doesn't matter what laws you pass, people are going to break those laws and stupid people are going to do stupid things, regardless of how hard you try to regulate it.
elkduds
WKR
Back in the day a smokepole was a primitive weapon. Goex, patched round ball, exposed flint or percussion cap, iron sights. 100 yds max on a good day. Hence a primitive season. Tech has provided "nonprimitive" options, CPW seasons remain unevolved.
Coveyleader
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This whole issue is being driven by a family member of the deceased. If the CWC doesn't act, it will most likely go to the legislation which all parties want to avoid. The CBA has provided a pretty reasonable offer although it could have been pitched a lot better, it seemed like several commissioners were on-board with it.
I agree. If you want to muzzle load hunt then get out there with your cap and ball...That's what I did growing up. I still have a Hawkins sitting in the safe. I'm all for technology but lets be real here...the new muzzleloaders are far from primitive. Why not have a singe shot rifle season...
Archery season should be the whole month of September. If someone want's to use a muzzy then pull it out during rifle season. I have zero issue being in the woods with hunters who have a rifle. I spend many seasons in the Midwest using my bow during gun season. I just enjoy it more. If I was down on my luck I'd go and grab the meat stick. Easy day.
elkduds
WKR
I can't blame a grieving family for wanting to make some "official" change. But changing everyone's seasons because of one death is unbalanced, and I oppose it. I'd rather see CPW say, "take it through the legislature," where they can't even pass a license fee increase that is below the increase in cost of living over the years.
Coveyleader
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Shitty as it is, if it goes through, the dates are good, and nobody loses a thing. The last thing you want is this going to the polls. We lose everything that goes through those pearly gates.
Archery has become way more sophisticated, but for most, it's still a short range game that takes time and blown setups.
Archery has become way more sophisticated, but for most, it's still a short range game that takes time and blown setups.
elkduds
WKR
These politically active and well-informed CO archery hunters hate the CPW's proposal: CBA Muzzleloader Survey
Coveyleader
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Tough crowd, but a few of those guys are real blowhards. A couple would also be great assets to the CBA or any hunting org, "Grasshopper" being top shelf.
Are they blowhards because they don't agree with you or why would you say that? I'm not a bowsite member so know nothing about any of them.
Some could argue that newer bows are far from primitive too
I agree that modern compounds are far from primitive. I have a trad bow and a compound and if I want to up the odds everyone knows which one I'm picking up. I just don't see why a muzzleloader season even exists. If you want to use one then use it during rifle season....it's a rifle.
LongWayAround
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The seasons are fine as they are.
There will always be a moron somewhere in the mix.
There will always be a moron somewhere in the mix.
Wow, that kind of thinking is what will do the most damage to an archery season. But you probably think we should only be allowed to use a bow of your standards to hunt period and that rifles should be outlawed.
ML hunting while not restricted to cap and ball does not all of a sudden extend your range to 200+ yards, many won't shoot past 100 yards, seems to me shooting a compound bow past 100 yards is becoming more common.
Oh and no it isn't a rifle or a firearm by law, only in your opinion. You can't order a rifle online and have it mailed directly to your door without an FFL transfer, buying a ML is no different then buying a bow.
But like our society seems to be today, keep injecting feelings over science and facts into your views.
5MilesBack
"DADDY"
I can understand their "grief", but the only motivation here is "emotional", not logical. Let's not fall into the liberal trap, because that is their modus operandi in it's entirety. A lot of us are fed up with that crap. If we regulate everything off of emotion........then we're done as a nation. ONE individual has no right to expect change based on them, and there should be no change based on one individual unless it made sense before said individual. Should we ban cars now since they are being used as weapons around the world? That actually makes more sense because it's happened several times, not just a single instance. Is this person from this family a hunter too? They can always choose to wear orange if THEY choose to do that on an individual basis. Problem solved. NOBODY should be caving to this incident or family. If one family can dictate change, then two families should be able to dictate not changing a thing. NOBODY should have a say in this matter except those that are out there participating.
I doubt the ML's want to get rid of all the archers during the ML season. I have yet to meet or see one out there that actually uses calls while hunting. But I've bugled in bulls 5 times now in the last 6 years for ML hunters without me even knowing they were there.
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How does "that kind of thinking" do damage to an archery season? You need to calm down. I hunt with a rifle too...all the time. If I want to increase my odds and it's a legal method of take then I'll use my rifle. What makes you think I want to ban the use of firearms?
Why should muzzleloaders get a special season? If you want to use inferior technology during rifle season do it. I own one and use it but if I want to get serious I'll obviously pick up a centerfire. Fact is you can purchase a muzzleloader that fires smokeless powder and has a rifled barrel. Apparently by law it isn't a firearm....who cares.
Haha, I'm calm but you start putting archery over others and saying there isnt place for ML outside of firearms you'll see a pushback. I truely believe that archery is going to lose out in any change in CO, I think ML and possibly 1st rifle will get the biggest wins. I can easily see 1st rifle getting 2 more days and ML getting 2 full weeks and archery dropping to 3 weeks with the last week of Aug being the first week or archery being split into two seasons where you can only pick one.
Why does archery deserve a month long season? Yes you can get a smokeless ML but it cannot be used in the ML season, same as you can get a crossbow but can't use it in archery season.
Thus the reasons why Colorado Elk seasons suck. Buy a tag for an extremely limited amount of time. Biggest scam in the west.
I wish it was more like MT, general elk tag that can be used during all weapon seasons with special permits for draw areas for specific weapon types.
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