ORIGINAL: dmen
the response that rifle season is a slaughter is laughable. I enjoy bowhunting much more than rifle season but if you call rifle season a slaughter I invite you to try in Maine. Rut or no rut, the success rate is 20% of licensed hunters tag a deerand our rifle seasons runs for 4 weeks from the very end of October thru thanksgiving.The reason I bowhunt is like one person mentioned to expand my time in the field,and I happen to have fell head over heels for bowhunting, but I have no problem sharing the woods for the 4 week rifle season, I have 4 weeks prior to rifle season to own the woods.
In (ec)MN it IS slaughter. Rifle season 2 weeks in my area during heavy rut. Most people who rifle hunt around where I do are weekend warriors and will shoot anything and everything.