View Full Version : Gun hunting during bow season
Does anyone else deal with this or is this localized to my area? If so what, if anything, can be done about it?
Today was the opening day of bow season for me and I heard no less that 20 gun shots. One was for sure on the property I was on. I tried to get down off the hill in time, but they got out of there before I could go confront them about it. This stuff really pisses me off.
Contact your local DNR office. I report all poaching that I suspect. I bow hunt to get a better chance at improving my woodsman skills. It's awful hard to get a deer to be under 50 yards and relaxed!
Poaching with a rifle during bow season screws it up for us. It's unlawfull and IMHO, unethical.
Could be other seasons open at the same time, check local laws and property owner on who has permission to do what. Yep, I've had folks "target practice" close by while bow hunting, just a bit irritating...O.L.
Proceed with caution and at your own risk if confronting armed individuals. If they are poaching, they won't likely take your intervention kindly.
Indeed.. Good advice right there..
Proceed with caution and at your own risk if confronting armed individuals. If they are poaching, they won't likely take your intervention kindly.
All poaching should be handled the same way... report it and leave it to those with the time and resources to investigate. Confronting them might give you some satisfaction, but that's all it's achieving (and it probably won't actually give you any satisfaction, when they tell you to buzz off and throw a half empty can of Coors Lite at you).
Good advice indeed.
I am however, rather stubborn and armed myself when bow hunting. Not that I would want to shoot it out with a handgun against a rifle anything but, I won't let it go either - if it's on our land
Contact your local DNR office. I report all poaching that I suspect. I bow hunt to get a better chance at improving my woodsman skills. It's awful hard to get a deer to be under 50 yards and relaxed!
Poaching with a rifle during bow season screws it up for us. It's unlawfull and IMHO, unethical.
All poaching should be handled the same way... report it and leave it to those with the time and resources to investigate. Confronting them might give you some satisfaction, but that's all it's achieving (and it probably won't actually give you any satisfaction, when they tell you to buzz off and throw a half empty can of Coors Lite at you).
I wish the DNR did something about it. The only time they even think about showing up, regardless of how many calls you make, is gun season. Then they pool all their resources and show up in my neck of the woods then and only then. By that time what's the point
But have you also considered the possibility it's not poaching? Gunfire is not necessarily directed at game. It's pretty common (and frustrating for bow hunters) to hear the sounds of new scope sight-in or zero confirmation toward the last two or three days of bow season, in my neck of the woods.
But have you also considered the possibility it's not poaching? Gunfire is not necessarily directed at game. It's pretty common (and frustrating for bow hunters) to hear the sounds of new scope sight-in or zero confirmation toward the last two or three days of bow season, in my neck of the woods.
No, it for sure was, I saw the tire marks on the road where they brought in a vehicle to get it out. Also, we have a very specific way that we leave gates when one of us is hunting, and they weren't the way they were supposed to be as I was leaving. I'm almost positive who did it this particular time, but have no proof.
Set up a game camera at the gate??
Are you sure they weren't small game hunters?
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Quick Draw
09-29-13, 08:55
Are you sure they weren't small game hunters?
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This is very possible where I live.
Even so, it is aggravating to archery hunters.
Hope it is resolved peacefully.
Set up a game camera at the gate??
good idea. I'll be using this one for sure
Choose conflict wisely, especially conflict with knowingly armed people. While LE response varies in timeliness and effectiveness, give the cops a try. Natural resources/wildlife management folks are almost universally understaffed, overtasked, and spread thin. Especially during hunting seasons.
The use of certain tells and cameras is an excellent one. If poaching and trespassing is a continuing problem on your land, you may even find that your local game folks might have additional resources to help.
If you're a landowner, having a well maintained relationship with your fish and fur cops can be chock full of benefits.
Proceed with caution and at your own risk if confronting armed individuals. If they are poaching, they won't likely take your intervention kindly.
And you know what they say about bringing a bow to a gun fight. ;)
Raven Armament
10-07-13, 01:02
This is very possible where I live.
Even so, it is aggravating to archery hunters.
Hope it is resolved peacefully.
That was my initial thought. Small game seasons usually overlap bow season for deer. They've got the same right to be there as you do (public land).
Quick Draw
10-07-13, 16:09
[QUOTE=Raven Armament;1765223]That was my initial thought. Small game seasons usually overlap bow season for deer. They've got the same right to be there as you do (public land).[/QUOT
You are absolutely correct. This and safety concerns are why I seldom hunt public land.
It is easy to forget that other hunters including small game hunters are just as passionate about their hobby as big game hunters whether archery equipment or firearms are used.
Typically small game hunters are not inclined to invest large amounts of money to buy or lease land and plant crops exclusively for game.
Some of the hunting clubs/leases where I live are quite expensive and only allow small game hunting after the big game season is over. If they have turkey hunters then they do not want small game hunters at all.
our squirrel season is during our bow season. my neighbor takes his son out and hunts the ridge right next to me. I hate it but not much I can do about it
I feel your pain.
Last day of Archery I hear the first rifle shots about 0645, which end up with over 30 for the entire day.
I've heard them from all over the valley. Rifle season legally starts on the 2nd of December, except when it's the rut, and bubba lawbraker want's to shoot real deer because in rifle season "if it's brown it's down".
Needless to say my selective hunting on private land has gone to waste.
Here in Colorado there are at least two possibilities for this. Archery deer and elk are overlapped by grouse season which can legally be done with shotguns and dogs. Also, muzzleloader season is 9 days long in the middle of our 30 day archery season. To say nothing of some yahoo deciding he needs to do a speed test on his Glock in the middle of the wilderness. Fortunately it's rarely a problem where I hunt but always a possibility.
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