rather_be_huntin

You're lucky. My Mother re-married when I was young and my stepfather and his brothers poached all the time. Seen it with my own eyes, that's why I'm so aware of the different types of people on the mountain. They don't think like you and I. All they care about is not getting caught. They don't carry a firearm on the bowhunt because they don't want to get turned in. But if it was legal to carry and they thought no one was looking they wouldn't hesitate to poach.

Colorado Luckydog

It sounds like there is a bigger problem here than we started with. Maybe you guys should consider turning in all of these poachers you know. You want to complain about the laws when you say you personally know poachers and won't do a damn thing about it!!!!!

And where in the constitution does it say I have the right to bear arms, UNLESS I'M BOW HUNTING!

Get a grip and start turning in thepoacher's, YOU SAY, you know.

hillbillyhunter1

good point lucky

RandyA

I have lived here my entire life, 49 years, I havealways carried a handgun while bowhunting any way. All I can say is, it is about time!

usa

RandyA, Amen brother, thanks Wyo for finally making me legal, I can't think of a single time that I ever thought about using my .44 instead of my bow.

rather_be_huntin

Colorado....you should get your facts straight before you accuse somebody of something. I was 14 when I witnessed actual poaching. The guy that shot something on private property I actually didcall in an anonymous tip about.

rather_be_huntin

That's the only thing that is so frustrating about these internet boards. It's next to impossible to have an intellegent debate about anything anymore. You say one thing and then you have 20 people accusing you of something. You make an argument and people don't read your side of things.

I have said probably a dozen times in this thread that I agree with carrying a pistol but that there should be a limit and not one person has responded to that, even disagreeing. I don't care if people disagree or call me out. I just wish someone could argue something intelligently. It's the only way progress is made an we understand each others point of view.

You're right USA MOST people obey the law including guys like you, not everyone does though and they ruin it for everyone else.

I agree with that like I've said 100 times already I think we should be able to carry self defense firearms, but I think there should be limitations.There is no good reason in the world a guy should be going out on a bow hunt carrying a bow over one shoulder and a rifle over the other.

BareBack Jack

Well it would in Montanas back country,Backcountry hunting season you can have either one bow or Gun.
Just a side note.
BBJ

usa

Rather-be-hunting,You're absolutely right, it's almost impossible to have an intelligent discussion on the internet. In the past I've involved myself in discussions that lasted week's and got so convoluted that I had to go back to figure out what the original topic was ! Now I use the forum to glean info and make usually to the point short comment's. Regarding your opinion that you could see no reason for an archer to carry a long gun with him I offer the following , limiting what you can carry to defend yourself open's up another can of worm's. How about the guy who doesn't own a sidearm and doesn't mind the extra weight of a long gun, why should he have to find an appropriate regulated weapon to feel secure in the wood's. I've seen hunter's in the woods with knives a foot long that to me seemed foolish but to each his own, most archers seem to feel secure in the woods almost to the point of for lack ofa better term (becoming one with the forest) but there's plenty of the nervous kind also, so I say let them carry whatever they're comfortable with and hope that it works out for them. I imagine that this law was created to lessen the states liability regarding bear and wolf attacks because of their inability to regulate either specie's. Besides after todays massacre in Va carrying a handgun anywhere might be in jeopardy !

rather_be_huntin

In Montana do you guys have a gun season and bow season running at the same time in the same areas?

In Utah we have an archery season. No firearms are allowed. You can't have one in camp, you can't even haveone in your vehicle. I personally don't mind it but if we had Grizzly's and Wolves I think my opinion would be different. I'd feel comfortable with a pistol on my side in that case.