I was wondering if anyone has ever tried bow hunting during gun season and if so how successful they were. I love my bow and I shoot much better with it, so I'm very tempted to take it instead of my gun.
It should be legal as long as you are in orange, but once opening morning is over it's hard to even see them much it seems much less close enough for a bow, but more power to ya.
Permalink Reply by Mike on December 9, 2008 at 5:06pm
You can use a bow during gun season in Michigan but, you have to buy a license for Gun Season, you can't use an unfilled archery tag until Dec 1 when the season opens back up.
It's hard enough to hunt the deer w/ a gun during gun season, and on public land I'd have to say darn near an impossibility.
I know that this year was my sons first year with a bow,after the bow season was over and the guns were brought out,he decided to continue to hunt with his bow.He is wanting his first bloody arrow REAL bad.I had put up a 18' treestand on the tree line for him,but has yet to get his bloody arrow.I personally think there is a time when you should put the bow up and start tossing lead,but I just couldnt tell him this.He is hard headed and I also want him to be sucessful in his bow harvest.I say if you want to hunt with a bow during rifle season,go for it!!!
If the law allows you to do such.
Permalink Reply by Krea on December 13, 2008 at 12:53pm
Alright thanks! Good luck to your son...I know I enjoy my bow much more. It seems I can kill deer more quickly with it than with my gun. I'm not sure what I'm going to do come next weekend but thanks for all the tips!
In illinois you can't use your bow during shotgun season, but you can during muzzleloader season. You just have to wear orange. Only bowhunted once during muzzleloader and didn't see anything. but i wasn't in the most reliable spot.
Krea, I know it's legal in Minnesota. I've been bowhunting during rifle season for years. Personally I enjoy the challenge presented by archery. I figure if I can't get close enough to the animal I don't deserve to harvest it. To me, it's not very fun to shoot a deer at 100-200 yards.To be within archery distance to a whitetail(any whitetail) is, to me, the ultimate rush. I'm sure you know that feeling! I have many close friends that rifle hunt and I have no problem with that, it's the challenge and the entire experience that I live for in archery that I need.
Anyone can shoot an animal with a gun Erik, but it takes pure stealth to get one with a bow. I dont even hunt with a bow and I say this. My hat goes off to the bow hunters!!!