Opening day of archery here is October 1st. I’m going to hunt opening day but then I’ll be back to bird hunting until late October. I “bow hunt” with a crossbow. I don’t consider it bow hunting but I’m a gun guy, our firearm season is two weeks long a cross bow is just a way to extend deer hunting for me. I’ve hunted with a longbow and really like it but don’t have the time to practice enough to get proficient. I’ve killed a lot of deer with compound bows but don’t really get excited about them the way I do rifles or traditional archery.
Archery guys that like to tell their wives or girlfriends that they hunt with a bow for the challenge crack me up. It’s easier to kill a good buck with a bow than a rifle IMO at least here in MI. Bow season is over 10 weeks long compared to two weeks for firearm. Archery includes first shot at them along with the pre rut and rut. The short rifle season condenses the pressure after they’ve already been hunted for 6 weeks of archery when rifle season roles around. I’d guess the average deer shot with a rifle in Michigan is shot at 50-60 yards. A crossbow or good compound bow shooter can shoot pretty near as far. I hunt with a crossbow to be in the woods hunting deer when I otherwise couldn’t but I’m under no illusion that it’s much of a handicap. Given the longer season and rut it’s easier.
Modern archery season is a joke just like “muzzleloading” seasons with modern scoped inline muzzleloaders. I’d like to see archery and muzzleloading seasons either restricted to original intent or shortened and firearm season extended for gun enthusiasts.
Better watch it or you'll be labeled an "elitist", what with the "original intent" comment.
(ps, I have a tendency to agree with you)
The desert is a true treasure for him who seeks refuge from men and the evil of men. In it is contentment In it is death and all you seek (Quoted from "The Bleeding of the Stone" Ibrahim Al-Koni)
