Bow only season... why?

[Ouch]

This is only partially on-topic, but I'll just throw it out there:

Last season, I put one doe in the freezer (gun). Never had an opportunity to draw with the bow, but could have filled my tags with a gun.

To me, that makes the question a bit counter-intuitive (no offense to you, Todd).

[BoneDigger]

Good replies. I get asked this question quite a lot by hunters I meet in my job and was wondering what to tell them when they ask. I have never been asked about closing bow season in December, that was more of a "what if" scenario. Some good points being made about small properties.

Mike, I know LSBA put quite a lot of hard work into securing a hunting season for archery only in Texas. I'm not condemning that act by any means and I enjoy it as much as the next person. I'd just like to understand why it's an "us or them" mentality against gun hunters. As noted above, some issues have been raised in this thread that I might not have thought of, particularly the small parcels/leases issue. I'd like to hear the original arguments for why allowing an archery only season is the best system for the state and for the deer herds, not just because it makes archers happy.

I have a feeling that in years to come there will be pressure to reduce or remove the archery only season and I'd like to know, from a personal standpoint, how that argument will be addressed. What is the underlying motive: Kill ratios? Herd management? Money for the state (stamp)? It makes the bowhunters happy?

Fill me in.

Todd

[BoneDigger]

This is only partially on-topic, but I'll just throw it out there:

Last season, I put one doe in the freezer (gun). Never had an opportunity to draw with the bow, but could have filled my tags with a gun.

To me, that makes the question a bit counter-intuitive (no offense to you, Todd).

Howdy Ouch!

Actually, it makes perfect sense. TPWD seems to take the stand that archery hunters have very little impact on deer herds. This may seem like a blessing, but in reality it's not. They (TPWD) want to see certain numbers of whitetails taken out of the population and I hear some WMA managers complain that archery hunting just does not serve that purpose. Archers kill a few deer during the archery season, but they don't get any real thinning until guns come out during the general season.

Part of having a healthy deer herd is taking out deer.

Todd

[donpablo]

Tool

I can't believe that we've somehow forgotten to mention the fact that the bow only season has been a great tool to grow the sport of archery. There are many hunters who picked up a bow to get extra time in the woods. Now some of those hunters are die hard bow hunters and right there with us in defending our right to bowhunt.

T8, you see why people say defend our rights from gun hunters. Gun hunters aren't bad people, but even on a bowhunting forum you can find some who'd advocate eliminating the bow season or excluding us from the gun season. Can you imagine how many more you'd find on a gun focused forum?

Pablo

[Shane]

Bonedigger, don't forget that wildlife management and the TPWD need $$$$ to be effective in properly managing a deer herd and the hunters that help in that process. If there were no archery-only season, many people would never hunt with a bow. Consequently, there would be fewer dollars coming in through archery stamps, Pittman-Robertson tax revenues on archery gear, etc.......

All those people that would decide not to hunt with a bow would hunt with a rifle instead, so maybe some of the tax revenue would still get there. But if people were rifle hunting from October through January, a lot more deer would be killed. TPWD would likely just shorten the season or reduce bag limits to make sure that too many deer weren't killed. The current 2 month rifle season with generous bag limits has proven to be very effective in most areas that over-population is a possibility. The game biologists at TPWD have plenty of tools at their disposal if they find that hunters need to kill more deer. They can allow higher bag limits and/or extend rifle season beyond the first weekend in January.

[Ouch]

Part of having a healthy deer herd is taking out deer.

I concur. However, I think it goes without saying that the majority of folks (maybe not here, but overall) are more concerned with the ME than they are with the HERD. ME is a much bigger influence on the lobby coffers than the overall herd condition.

On the other hand, it's TPWD's responsibility to ensure herd quality. That takes a ton of dough. Archery stamps probably add significant dollars to the funding, as do muzzle-loader stamps.

I enjoy the opportunity to have a month out there alone before the neighbors start shooting every legal deer they see.

[biggen]

Here's another question, just to stir the pot a little...

So, since it gets harder to hunt the longer the guns are in the field, would you be okay with banning archery during the month of December and making it gun only so that gun hunters and archery hunters have the same length season?

Todd

stir the pot more.
What if it was reversed and let gun hunters have Oct. and only bowhunters in Dec. what do you think the reaction would be!

[Landrover]

This has been kicked around before on TBH and the same points are coming up again.
For me personally...........the entire season should be BOW ONLY!!!
Well, definitely the EASTERN side of Texas could easily be "bow only" or "shotgun & bow only"!

[Cameron]

T8, you see why people say defend our rights from gun hunters. Gun hunters aren't bad people, but even on a bowhunting forum you can find some who'd advocate eliminating the bow season or excluding us from the gun season. Can you imagine how many more you'd find on a gun focused forum?

Exactly...this is why I am so defensive.

[bowhuntntxn]

Since you mention another state, I will throw my hat into this ring. Other states such as Missouri and Iowa, and Ohio have a compressed gun season that encompasses the rut for that area. What would you do if the only time you could gun hunt was from Nov 1 to Nov 15th? And hunt with a different weapon for the rest of the season? As a gun hunter would you start screaming about how the archers are getting everything, and you get nothing? The would you start trying to expand your opportunities with your weapon of choice? Of course you would.

Also, with the amount of "management" large properties are doing, there would be no way to meet quotas set out for them if you restricted legal weapon use to a small time frame. They have already granted exceptions to this for MLD properties. And you say herd management means you have to kill some animals. I agree, BUT a nubbin buck shot in October doesn't pay nearly as well as a 180" 12 pointer. One male deer is dead, but who in their right mind would pay what they do to shoot an bump head?? That is reality there, or there would not be so many entries into these "hunting" contests in October.

A group of people with a like interest decided to dedicate their time to begin a new hunting regulation, including a self imposed tax to ensure that they would have the opportunity to pursue game in the method they chose to. And on another thread about college football, there is all this talk of tradition and maintaining that and what not. How does the Special Archery Only Season not deserve the same respect as far as tradition goes? And why should it not be fought for and kept in tact? Seems mighty disrespectful to the ones who had it established in the beginning. Just sayin.....

[axisbuck24]

Howdy Ouch!

Actually, it makes perfect sense. TPWD seems to take the stand that archery hunters have very little impact on deer herds. This may seem like a blessing, but in reality it's not. They (TPWD) want to see certain numbers of whitetails taken out of the population and I hear some WMA managers complain that archery hunting just does not serve that purpose. Archers kill a few deer during the archery season, but they don't get any real thinning until guns come out during the general season.

Part of having a healthy deer herd is taking out deer.

Todd

Todd,
You are asking all these specific questions of how bowhunters are going to defend our stance for the archery only season if our season is threaten, my question is why are you asking for such specific information and which position will you take?

You have brought up a good question and I think many have posted some very valid responses to your question.

All hunters are welcome even on a this Texas Bowhunting forum.

[BoneDigger]

Oh, I have and would defend it. To me, the issue isn't as clear as some make it out to be though. I think it's important to understand the full reasoning for the season and the purposes for keeping it. As I said in the original thread, coming from another state, we did not have such a season and people were generally happy. So, I have seen both sides of this coin. I mean no disrespect for anyone that went to bat for getting an archery only season, I'm just trying to figure out what the original arguments were? I love bowhunting (and gun hunting) and it's nice to be able to do both.

And for the record, I am no sheep. I ask questions because I honestly want to know. I have not advocated taking the archery season away. I just want to know the reasons for it.

Todd

[bigtuna]

A lot of midwestern states like Michigan have long archery seasons and very short shotgun/muzzleloader/shotgun seasons. I think this is the way to go. Give rifle hunters a couple weeks mid to late season and the rest should be archery only. Having more emphasis on archery also reduces how many animals are taken which can be a good and bad thing

[Shane]

A lot of midwestern states like Michigan have long archery seasons and very short shotgun/muzzleloader/shotgun seasons. I think this is the way to go. Give rifle hunters a couple weeks mid to late season and the rest should be archery only. Having more emphasis on archery also reduces how many animals are taken which can be a good and bad thing

These kinds of decisions are based on HUNTER management as much or more than game management. If the supply of hunters exceeds the demand for deer that need to be harvested, then you reduce the opportunity for easier kills (gun hunting) and increase the opportunity to hunt without killing a lot (archery). If you need to kill a LOT of deer, then you allow more gun hunting.

[Death from Above]

Its easier to fill a tag early in the season..........if unmanaged property allowed rifles in october what would be around in the rut?

Bowhunter PAY to have a bow only season.......rifle hunters do not.

I bow hunt and gun hunt. I am a member of the LSBA, NRA, NWTF, DU, QU and SCI.......to say bow hunters are against guns is a blanket statement that does no even come close to representing the majority.