When is your gun season? How does it affect your bowhunting?

minnesotadeer · 09-19-2008, 10:37 AM

Disclaimer: Let's not make this a I don't like gun hunting thread. Many HNI member enjoy both. Not me, but many.

So how does it? I used to think the deer went underground afterwardfrom what I observed the first few seasons. But I'm starting to rethink and think maybe I was just echoing a common compliant. I've seen too many crafty bucks and does escape firearms season (10 days in mid-November here) andmoving around afterward. Sure, they're a little more wary but I find them moving even more sometimes. Perhaps they're making sure no one's in the tree with a shot gun above them by constantly changing things up.I actually find them still moving all day for a few weeks until December, when they start settling down and congregating near food sources.

I also bowhunt during gun season and see increases in deer movement since I'll hunt near sanctuary areas gun hunters couldn't legally or safely do so by.

MGH_PA · 09-19-2008, 10:43 AM

Here in PA, it falls around the first two weeks of December. We have special youth days and muzzleloader days during archery, but they are doe only. Rifle hunting in PA, in terms of affecting archery, I believe causes deer activity to really cut down for our late archery season (Jan). The accumulation of 3 months of activity, and two weeks of HEAVY activity makes most deer travel take place at night. My trail cam photos the last two winters have shown just that. There are exceptions to this "rule" especially on blistery cold days, or just before a big front moves in.

TexasBowHunter · 09-19-2008, 10:46 AM

Where I hunt it doesn't have too bad of an effect, yes the deer change patterns but I do the same and it all seems to work out. Most gun hunters that are around me hunt open areas, the deer will skirt those areas and stay in the thickets, which is where I hunt anyway... Our archery season starts Sept. 26th and the general firearm season starts normally the first weekend in November and runs till the end of the year, then the first two weeks of the year there is a doe and spike season open in our county.

killadoe · 09-19-2008, 10:47 AM

i quit bowhunting and join the orange army, most of my gun hunting is primitive though, not too much rifle hunting.

robbcayman · 09-19-2008, 10:47 AM

I love gun season!!!

We have a 16 day gun season and it coincides with the rut. I take both my gun & bow (legal in our state) with me. If I see a deer that is too far out of range I nail him with the rifle, but if he comes inbow range I take him down withthe stick and string.

early in · 09-19-2008, 10:47 AM

It doesn't affect me much at all, it's bowhunting only on the state land that I hunt.

YooperMike · 09-19-2008, 10:52 AM

Here in IL, gun season sounds no different than the Civil War. Lots of shell shock in the weeks following the war, both hunters and deer!

mauser06 · 09-19-2008, 11:31 AM

like MGH said, once our rifle season starts, you might as well pack it in, grab a rifle, or pray for good luck....on most land...some land that truely isnt touched you can still see deer, but i dont know where to find land like that lol....

honestly ive found stand hunting unproductive after 10am or so....unless you can setup so other guys spook them to you...ive done well in funnels on saturdays and the opener...any other day theres usually not enough pressure to move them...ive all about quit stand hunting in rifle season....i'll pick up the rifle and drive with a small group from 10 or 11am till dark...if someone isnt getting the deer moving, chances are VERY great that you wont see them.

same with out late season...its bow and flintlock only....same drill...i get together with the crew and do some flintlock drives....occassionally i'll take stand, still hunt, track in fresh snow etc...but find it pretty unproductive...

so once the rifles come out, i join em...just because bowhunting would be VERY VERY tough where i hunt...running, alert deer are all youd likely see if you were so lucky....

Schultzy · 09-19-2008, 11:54 AM

Well minnesotadeer, my gun season is pretty much the same as yours. 9 straight days of gun hunting during the prime of the rut. I hate it!!! It's the big reason why our state sucks when talking numbers of mature high quality bucks. Minnesota back In the day was one of the best states out there when talking P&Y and B&C bucks. In saying that It effects my bow hunting big time. It's almost to the point where I have to get more lucky then better at hunting mature bucks In order to see a good mature buck around. I know there here, but damn It's nothing like what It use to be. I would love to see them push the season back a few weeks but It will never happen I'm sure.

crenshaw · 09-19-2008, 12:40 PM

In Virginia where i hunt it varies what county your in. The counties I hunt already have a 6 month long over all season. The gun season starts in mid november, before that we have a two week muzzleloader season that starts at the beginning of November. The gun season runs till beginning of january for either sex, and it runs through March for does only. If you want you can hunt with your rifle from mid november to the end of march(hardly anyone every does) The opening day of rifle does sound a lot like Stonewall is taking the field again at Manassas but fairly quiet after that.