Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Bowhunting Firearm hunting during Archery season. Yes / No?

I'm getting ready to head out to my home state of AZ for the 3 day weekend to do some predator calling. It is also archery deer season. While the location I'm going to is not "prime" deer habitat, I know there to be some good deer if you know where to look. As such, I expect there will be an archery hunter or two about.

As I've never archery hunted before, how do archery hunters look on this, firearms hunters being out in the woods during archery big game season? Is there any unwritten rule regarding firearm hunters pursuing other game, not being out and about during archery season?

I won't be in possession of a deer tag, just taking advantage of the 3 day weekend to call in some predators with a brother I haven't seen in a while.

In Michigan it is legal to bowhunt during gun season so there are archers and riflemen(women) in the woods at the same time. Those that I know do don't seem to have a problem, as it is legal to be predator hunting at this time there isn't anything they can say but a little courtesy will go a long way, as rifle shooters we need bowhunters too as they also pay the $ for tags which help take care of game.

Andrew

don't know where you will be but I'd be willing to bet that there is a law against having long guns above a certain caliber in the "woods" during the other than gun season. Here in NC you can't have ANY firearn in the woods during bow season and only the approved type of BP firearm during that season. So here in NC you don't do what you want to do unless it is with a bow and arrow.

Dave R,
In NY if I couldn't go afield with a gun during archery deer season I'd be screwed out of my bird and duck hunting. I like it just the way it is.

Qtip
Soli Deo Gloria!
To God Alone Be The Glory!

In CO the muzzle loader season runs during archery season. Haven't had a problem. If there is a rifle seaosn going on, you a have to have a tag if you carry a rifle legal for deer.

In Virginia I almost tripped over a late-season bowhunter while bird hunting one year.

Check the rules and make sure you don't have any grunt tubes in your pockets.

John

Thanks for the responses. Obviously I would not interfere with an Archery Hunter while he is on a hunt or stalk. It also looks like the Dove opener is this weekend anyway, and there are tons of doves where I'm going, so there'll be plenty of gun hunters afield.

The best I can recall or find out in Arizona, is it is illegal to carry a firearm while actively archery hunting. It is not illegal to carry a firearm during archery season.

It used to be that you couldn't carry a firearm during elk season in AZ without a tag, but that law was challenged under the second ammendment, and the state lost, if I recall correctly. No mention of that law anymore in the AZ game regulations.

It amazes me how some states believe they have the right to deny your second ammendment rights simply because it is hunting season for whatever animal. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" />

"The best I can recall or find out in Arizona, is it is illegal to carry a firearm while actively archery hunting. It is not illegal to carry a firearm during archery season. " Same in KY. But during Firearms season (modern & blackpowder), if you hunt with Bow, you must wear hunter Orange. Personally I don't mind, but if I see a gun hunter during archery season and he sees me, I like for him to acknowledge that he knows he sees me. usually a wave will do.

Ditto on the wave! Michigan is deer season crazy! In the high-schools if you have a tag you get openig day off no hassles!

Andrew

Dave, I just heard that Oregon lost the same battle, and now it is NOT ILLEGAL to carry a firearm during archery season. A friend of mine has mounted several cougars that have been shot at very close range by elk hunters after the lions stalked them as they were cow calling. Tim

Here in PA, archery season overlaps squirrel & grouse. Also there is one week of doe only where muzzle loaders (even the damn inlines <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />) can be used.

Archery also comes back in after Christmas, along with all small game, and ML season for us REAL muzzleloaders.

I try not to interefear with them while I'm out for squirrel or ML, but I'm a stalk hunter, and generaly don't look 25 ft up in the trees! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> (no orange required) Now and hen I do blunder into one.

Heck Andy, around here the scools are closed altogether the first day. Used to get a day off for doe season too, but since it went "brown and down", it's the only day off. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />
7mm

Tim in Navada,
Funny you should mention the cats stalking hunters using cow calls. In 1993 I visited my brother who lived, at that time, in Oak Ridge, OR. I was there to hunt blacktails. I brought my calls and rattling horns to show my brother how effective they were. Was using a fawn bleet caall and had a REAL BIG kitty make a run on me from a road washout above and behind. My brother saw and it first (cat and bear dog guy) and I was so dumbfounded by it being so close I just stood there with that trout look <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" /> on my face. Didn't have chance to be frightened until after it had made tracks away. Then I nearly crapped my shorts. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" /> Brother said that every time I let out a squall on the fawn call the cat would make a run on me . He was less than ten feet away when I turned around. Very exciting <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> but something I don't NEED to do again. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Crawfish,
It keeps a guy looking over his shoulder, that's for sure. One of the guys that brought one to his shop shot it at four yards as it was sneaking up on him (broadhead in the mouth). He said he could hear it in the brush crunching on the arrow. Went back and had a guy authorized to use dogs (they passed a referendum to ban dogs on bears and lions) round it up for him. Way too many lions and bears up there, hopefully they'll get the law changed.

There recently was a bill here to bring back the hound hunting but our governor vetoed it as it would"supercede the will of the people'.He doesn't seem to want to carry that over into tax issues,but thats 'nuther story. The restrictions on centerfire arms during bow and muzzle loader seasons were found to be surpassing the Fish and Wildlife Commissions authority, as the state legislature reserves the right to decide when citizens can bear arms. Its been a sore point for years with CHL holders that legally had the right to carry their sidearms...unless they were hunting. Its going to affect some other ODFW regulations,hopefully the one that precludes you from bear hunting in certain areas if you'v already filled your deer and/or elk tags.
Jeff