Traditional-only archery seasons?

[madtinker]

I doubt there is anywhere that has an archery season that is traditional-only. Is any person/organization lobbying for this? If there was such a season, would you hunt it?

Or would this just get people out in the woods who have no business being there?

 

[A/1-61]

There is already people out in the woods that have no business being there. When I started bowhunting, recurves in longbows were the only thing you could use. It took a while for compound bows to be accepted. Now a lot of states will allow crossbows. I think it's going backwards.

 

[oldgoat]

There's at least one hunt in Oklahoma that's traditional only, think you even have to have wood arrows, can't think of the name of it now, think it's on a military base. In order for them to make an area traditional only, some people are going to lose out on their normal hunting area, are you willing to do that? The only way I'd probably support it, is if it was say a newly created State Wildlife Area and have it be a special hunt code for that particular area but not the whole unit!

 

[hibernation]

Oregon has started adding traditional-only hunts for deer and elk in a few areas. I agree there's plenty of people in modern archery seasons that have no business slinging arrows at live animals, so I'm not sure how much impact it'll have in that regard.

I think the main goal is to increase hunter opportunity, archery seasons take way more animals now than when they first got created.

 

[GLB]

Personally I would like to see more Bow only areas, and it’s probably time to start talking about equipment restrictions with some of these modern archery bows. Cross bows, air bow, and the advancements in compounds and the success rates go with it will reduce Archery seasons.

 

[LostArra]

There's at least one hunt in Oklahoma that's traditional only, think you even have to have wood arrows, can't think of the name of it now, think it's on a military base. In order for them to make an area traditional only, some people are going to lose out on their normal hunting area, are you willing to do that? The only way I'd probably support it, is if it was say a newly created State Wildlife Area and have it be a special hunt code for that particular area but not the whole unit!

McAlester Army Ammunition Plant

Unique hunt
Huge Trad 3-D shoot there in August.

Log into Facebook

Log into Facebook to start sharing and connecting with your friends, family, and people you know.

www.facebook.com

 

[oldgoat]

McAlester Army Ammunition Plant

Unique hunt
Huge Trad 3-D shoot there in August.

Log into Facebook

Log into Facebook to start sharing and connecting with your friends, family, and people you know.

www.facebook.com

That's probably the only hunt that could get me to shoot wood arrows!

 

[LostArra]

That's probably the only hunt that could get me to shoot wood arrows!

If I remember correctly I think carbons are ok.

Some compound-only shooters will draw the hunt and since they shoot 70# compounds they will go buy a 70# recurve. You can imagine the results.

 

[Mighty Mouse]

If I remember correctly I think carbons are ok.

Correct. There are no restrictions on arrows at MCAAP, just on the bows...recurve or longbow only with no sights.

 

[arwhntr]

It would be cool it see it. Would give game and fish agencies the ability to increase opportunity while maintaining or maybe even reduce harvest. Although more guys on the mountain at the same time doesn't sound ideal.

 

[Felix40]

I got a compound about 6 years ago because a friend was having a lot of success and fun with one. Compounds are killing machines. I enjoy hunting with one sometimes but it’s almost not even archery anymore. I killed a cow elk at 75 yards in December and there was zero doubt or nervousness about it. I knew it was a done deal if she stopped in an opening.

Traditional bows are way more fun. If I was good enough to fill all my tags with a traditional bow, that’s all I would hunt with. I would love to see some units go to traditional only or even add some traditional archery tags during normal archery season in trophy units. It would be a super fun hunt and probably a lot less points to draw.

 

[madtinker]

Yeah, I was kinda thinking the increased opportunity would be fun, and some of the WMAs near me already have special muzzleloader rules, so why not special archery rules for increased opportunities.

 

[wildwilderness]

Here are the Oregon Trad only info

ODFW Hunting News | taoregon

ODFW Hunting news that affects traditional archery hunters.

www.tradarcheryoregon.com

 

[Hackleback]

Trout creeks in Oregon had been trad for a long time.

 

[Bob b]

The TAO website needs to be updated. Yes we now have several traditional opportunities in oregon. As said on here the trout creeks has been trad only since the late 90’s. The only other trad only area will be the blacktail hunt in the powers unit that starts this fall. The other 3 elk opportunities were used to help save some tags that were being cut. So they are traditional tags given in the same area as compound tags, in 2 of those areas you get an extra week to hunt with the trad bow!! Hopefully after we get the data from last year we can make the 3rd one an extra week also. And yes Compton Traditional Bowhunters has a hunt committee that is working on using this in other areas to save some opportunities.

 

[BAKPAKR]

West Virginia has a four day Mountaineer Heritage season in January for bear, deer, and turkey that allows hunting with only sidelock percussion rifles and pistols, flintlock rifles and pistols, recurves, or longbows. There is an exception for the four bowhunting only counties where only recurves or longbows can be used during that season.

If you are hunting with a recurve or longbow in one of the counties that also allows hunting with sidelock percussion or flintlock guns, you have to wear 400 sq inches of blaze orange, like the gun hunters.

 

[nevadabugle]

Gents, looks like you guys are getting the trad hunts listed so I will not add to that. However to answer the other question, YES! there are several groups lobbying for more traditional archery only seasons as we speak. I'll cover some of those details.

First and foremost, please consider supporting your state traditional archery clubs. There are several around the US right now that are petitioning their game commissions for traditional seasons.

Secondly, please join Compton Traditional Bowhunters. Our organization is the National Traditional Bowhunting organization and we have a committee (legislative hunt comitee) dedicated to developing traditional only archery opportunities.

Just to help you understand what we do, I have spent countless hours in the last six months working with Utah to develop a traditional only archery tag system for deer and elk. We are making good progress in Utah, but these types of efforts take years not months. We have been in contact with local Utah hunters, Utah NGOs and the Utah game board during this process. We are hopeful that if we can get Utah on board, other states will follow suit.

Lastly, I encourage all of you to get involved with your states Game Board or Wildlife Comission. Nothing is more frustrating that committees like Comptons putting in the leg work and then not having the public show up to meetings and support the ideas that get presented. Nothing kills a new season petition faster than no members of the public showing up in support.

I'm open to questions if you guys have any, and again please join your state organization and Comptons if you want to see these opportunities grow.

Cheers,

Chris

 

[nevadabugle]

The TAO website needs to be updated. Yes we now have several traditional opportunities in oregon. As said on here the trout creeks has been trad only since the late 90’s. The only other trad only area will be the blacktail hunt in the powers unit that starts this fall. The other 3 elk opportunities were used to help save some tags that were being cut. So they are traditional tags given in the same area as compound tags, in 2 of those areas you get an extra week to hunt with the trad bow!! Hopefully after we get the data from last year we can make the 3rd one an extra week also. And yes Compton Traditional Bowhunters has a hunt committee that is working on using this in other areas to save some opportunities.

I apparently didn't read all the comments before I posted above and missed yours Bob!

 

[Beendare]

Trout creeks in Oregon had been trad for a long time.

Huge area, low numbers…the success rate is abysmal. They offer rifle tags in that unit.

The only way to make it truly an area where Trad guys can be successful is to cut off the other hunts. I’m a recurve guy…and no way I am in favor of that.

 

[444Marlin]

There are a few updates to the Trad Only hunts in 2023 in Oregon. I'm not sure I have my head wrapped around it yet. The tag/seasons overlap with some of the general draw archery tags and don't seem as exclusive. But maybe that's to allow a longer season even if it overlaps.