Pros & Cons of pick your weapon seasons (any state)

[destroyer350]

I have read some treads on how hunters think their states should manage their herds (deer & elk). I ask what your opinions are on "pick your" weapon seasons to alleivate the full time pressure wildlife get during over the counter hunts. Personally, with the state of deer herds in alot of regions and units, not being able,( for one person) too hunt for 4 months only makes sense. Or is that to much opportunity lost?

 

[swbuckmaster]

"I have read some treads on how hunters think their states should manage their herds (deer & elk). I ask what your opinions are on "pick your" weapon seasons to alleivate the full time pressure wildlife get during over the counter hunts."

"Personally, with the state of deer herds in alot of regions and units, not being able,( for one person) too hunt for 4 months only makes sense. Or is that to much opportunity lost?"


I have read your question over and over and it isn't making sense to me. could you re word it or ask it in a different way!

Archery is a year round commitment!!

 

[destroyer350]

You are either a bow hunter, rifle hunter, or muzz hunter, pick your weapon. That is the only season you hunt, to take the pressure of one person hunting for 4 months! Where I live one tag can mean you get all 3 hunts!

 

[JakeH]

What state do you live in 350




Jake H. SHED OR DEAD IT DONT MATTER TO ME!!!

 

[swbuckmaster]

that is a hard question to answer for me.

I dont like pick your weapon, when utah went to pick your weapon i quit hunting for almost 10 years. I enjoyed hunting with friends and family. with a long season it always worked out with my schedule. It allowed me to schedule my hunting around my work schedule.

making you pick a weapon also creates a mess with labeling you as a bow hunter or rifle hunter. when in fact you are a hunter. It creates contention between hunters and makes it easier for peta type groups to attack you!

I dont think hunting pressure is all that bad in a prey species they are constantly being hunted. I have personally seen how long seasons dosent affect the deer/elk like you would think! They still make it through the winter just fine. Long seasons however affect success or "kill/wound rates" which effects the quality or antler size of game you peruse. this effects to political feelings of hunters.

If I could hunt every year with a rifle for a long season I would! If I could hunt every year with all weapons I would!
If I am forced to hunt with a bow every year I will use that weapon. I just want to hunt!

Archery is a year round commitment!!

 

[Idahoron]

LAST EDITED ON Dec-27-09 AT 08:05PM (MST)[p]With the game numbers so low opportunity HAS to be reduced. Either through draw only tags or choose your weapon. We have to cut back on some two legged predation the four legged predation is not slowing down at all. Even if you don't personally like it we are going to thave to do it. Why does a guy think he should get 2 to 6 months to shoot a deer or an elk? One month is enough time. Ron

 

[destroyer350]

It doesn't particularly make me a gun or an archery hunter, just that year. You could still put in for any LE hunts and as a guaranteed 2nd choice in an OTC type hunting unit make your choice for that particular year. It doesn't mean you have to give up all your weapons! I don't see the same things you do with the extended seasons on wildlife that we hunt. What I see is, especially with mule deer not nearly enough numbers on winter ranges that easily could support more deer. I agree with Ron, we are by far the easiest predetor to manage.
Peta does not differentiate between a rifle hunter, a bow hunter or a muzz hunter. To them we are all being cruel to animals.
I also believe it makes a better hunter out of you. I see far to many half hearted archery hunters out hunting that don't put in the time or effort required to be successful or ethical, knowing full well they can go rifle hunting the next hunt dates.
Most LE entry units are popular for one reason, when you draw a tag it doesn't guarentee a kill or a huge buck or bull, but it does mean in most cases you will see game! Quality of the hunt isn't nessesarily getting a huge animal, seeing numbers of game is. Trying to hunt another state with another weapon is always an option.

 

[swbuckmaster]

350 you proved one of my points with your post.

"I see far to many half hearted archery hunters out hunting that don't put in the time or effort required to be successful or ethical, knowing full well they can go rifle hunting the next hunt dates."

when rifle hunters and archery hunters continue to bash each other who needs enemies.

I am still confused with your questions on this thread. Are you talking about Utah? If you are talking about Utah then "call me slow" but I am not sure I know for sure where you were going with your posts. Utah is a pick your weapon state!

Archery is a year round commitment!!

 

[jims]

Pick your weapon usually means more tags available to be drawn and spreads out hunting pressure. I hunt w/bow, muzzy, and/or rifle depending upon the tag I draw.

In a state like Colo where there are so many hunters (and tags) it is almost a necessity to pick your weapon. Once in a lifetime tags like sheep, mtn goat, or moose with few hunters/tags it may be possible to have extended pick your weaponseasons; however, there are so many conflicting hunting seasons in Colo that this may pose a problem?

Wyo tends to limit tags/hunters so it is possible to hunt archery plus rifle in most units. Unfortunately Wyo is growing in human population and there have been a few hunters complaining about increased hunting pressure in "general" units. I've been on a couple Wyo archery hunts where it was pretty obvious that some of the archery hunters weren't too terribly serious about bowhunting and likely weren't too proficient at shooting w/a bow..possibly wounding animals?

There are many pros and cons to both systems.

 

[Salmonfg]

A potential con is that states that have attempted to enact choose your weapon strategies in the past have been sued by various "sportsman defense" organizations. So your license and tag fees may end up paying for legal fees. Perhaps this form of legal challenge is not as prominent as in the past, but it has been a significant issue in some places.

Tom Keegan
IDFG Salmon Region Wildlife Manager

 

[destroyer350]

Hey Jake you can buy an otc here in Idaho and hunt for 3 months if you like, get the regs and study them a little, its not that hard to find, you can do the same in Mont. only with a draw. Hell there's plenty of non-resident tags, IDFG can't even get them sold to the residents after Aug 15 any more, our mule deer hunting is that good! I don't beleive you can manage mule deer the same way you do whitetails, more isn't better.
I do spend 4 to 5 weeks hunting in Utah just not on public land, so if Utah is already pick your weapon more power to them' I'd say thats a start.
So we have sportsmen suing sportsmen over opportunity even when a better management plan is better for the over all health of a herd, WHATEVER that plan may be! I don't understand hunters that have to go shoot something even after a winter die off. I've heard only one con so far that makes any sense at all, picking your weapon still offers plenty of opportunity, and I don't hate on anyone that does it ethically. If we don't start something constructive pretty soon there my not be any otc hunts for mule deer!