which weapon would you choose?

[wapiti99]

As someone who hasn't drawn this year, nothing to do but look ahead to next year. My question is, given the choice, would you hunt elk in the archery or muzzleloader season? Is the muzzleloader dates worth the short season or does the long archery season overcome the early dates?
I primarily bow hunt but wouldn't turn down a muzzleloader hunt.

 

[BIGJOHNT]

Is it in most archery units that you can shoot a cow ? Or only in spike units ? It always seems those cows are always getting in the way.
You can take up fishing Its always in season.

 

[ElkManDan]

From the regs

If you obtain a general-season archery elk
permit, you may use archery equipment to take
only one of the following animals:
?One elk of either sex on a general-season
any bull elk unit
?An antlerless elk or a spike bull elk on a
general-season spike bull elk unit
?Only a spike bull on the Book Cliffs unit

 

[hangfire]

From your question I suspect your talking utah and LE elk? I think a lot goes into play deciding on which weapon, from moon phases to tag numbers to which unit you plan on applying for. One thing to remember is the archery hunt is first in line, the muzzy hunt last. So if your applying for a tag with lots of permits wasatch for example archery might be a better option. Another thing to look at is cow permits issued for a unit, some cow tags allow a hunter to hunt cows the same time they muzzy hunt deer, or rifle or bow hunt deer so that could increase the amount of hunters pressuring the elk.

 

[lang]

LAST EDITED ON Jun-26-13 AT 02:17PM (MST)[p]Might depend on your likes, do you mind sitting water? If sitting isn't your cup of tea muzzy will be more vocal start to finish: shorter, but more vocal. Archery can be light out too, but only at the tail end. I know as an archer I keep praying they'll change dates before I draw.

 

[wapiti99]

yeah hangfire, forgot to include that piece of info. It is for LE elk. i am leaning towards the archery hunts for the very reasons you listed, less people in the woods at the same time. hows the rutting activity in general during the archery season? i know here in oregon it seems like the rut is kicking in later each year. they are probably rutting the same time but between a lot of hunters in the woods and wolves, i think they do most rutting nocturnally and quietly.

 

[littlebighorn]

My son had a Wasatch Archery tag a few years ago. It was a blast scouting, but come hunt time the elk disappeared. They really didn't fire up rutting until the last week and so we sat wallows for weeks. He finally killed a nice bull out of a tree stand, about the time they started bugling, but it was a flat out tough hunt. There were also plenty of spike/cow hunters to contend with.

 

[hangfire]

As littlebighorn stated the rut for archery hunts pic up the last 5-7 days of the archery hunt. But you may not have less hunters out with you, as stated the general archery deer is going also the general archery elk fires up a week later. With the new units for general deer you can look at tag numbers for each unit both for archery and muzzy, then look at the tag numbers for the elk unit you plan on applying for, also look at cow tags issued for the unit. That will give you a general idea of company you may encounter. The rifle hunt for most LE units run with very few hunters as no other hunts are usually going during this time, and they usually give the fewest tags the hunts are also in the peak of the rut, you can also use any weapon during these hunts so you could use your muzzy, or archery equipment.

 

[pookiebar]

A Freaking 12 gauge shotgun!! What else would you use to kill Wolverines??

 

[wapiti99]

Good stuff! Thanks for the replies

 

[Silentstalker]

The archery hunt is my hunt of choice. But, you need to know going in to it that the odds are stacked against you. Look at the success rates and you will see what I mean.
If your goals are a quality hunt in beautiful country with the chance to kill a great bull, go archery. If you will be unsatisfied with tag soup, go muzzy all the way. A longer range weapon with much more active elk due to lower temps and more of a rut will give you much higher odds of success.
Go with your gut and enjoy your hunt!

 

[wapiti99]

thanks stalker

 

[Silentstalker]

Anytime. Good luck in the draws next year!