Bowhunting with a gun now in Wyoming!
 

Our G&F and legislators have passed a law that wil allow a bowhunter to carry a gun with them while bow hunting.
No limit on caliber. ANY GUN! Primary reason: "To protect the hunter from Grizz and/or Wolves while bow hunting."
You can also carry a shotgun if you want for upland game birds like Grouse.
I don't like this at all . . . and nobody that can do anything cares.
What do y'all think? If you don't like it, p.m. me and I'll get you the G&F's numbers or even the Governor!

RE: Bowhunting with a gun now in Wyoming!
 

Hunt elkwith a bow and get stuckin your tent with nothing but an arrow while wolves circle it and then tell me if you don't like it, or if you'vetrackeda250 B&C elk you shot and find a Grizz standing over it, tell me what you think then.

I really don't see the whole fuss you're making here, if a Grizz is charging you, better to have a .22LR than nothing, so that even if you die,youcan bring it some suffering, and, if you're very lucky, to have it die three months later of lead poisoning.

REVENGE!!!!!!

RE: Bowhunting with a gun now in Wyoming!
 

You'd be better off using the 22 LR on yourself!

G4L PM sent, It's BS it call primitive hunting.

RE: Bowhunting with a gun now in Wyoming!
 

Here in Montana,you are allowed to carry a firearm while bowhunting.As long as it is not used in the aid of harvesting the animal or finishing it.

I myself have carried a sidearm for years,while bowhunting.I see nothing wrong with the peace of mind a gun brings.
I have hunted grizz country,and I have been around wolves.It's nice to fall a sleep in your tent with a gun next to ya.

Game,
If you are worried about the temtation the gun will bring,then don't pack one.I feel each person should have the right to protect them selfs from bodily harm be it man or beast.
BBJ

RE: Bowhunting with a gun now in Wyoming!
 

I'm not a bow hunter, but I like it as I like insurance.
Things are not now as they once were, new realities with the wolves and a healthy grizzly population.
I plan on staying at the top of the food chain.

RE: Bowhunting with a gun now in Wyoming!
 

I am all in favor of it. If you want to make your kill with a bow, there is nothing stopping you. If you want just a bow for protection, leave the gun home.

I have a concielrd pistol pernit that says I can carry it at all times on or about my person so I have always done so. It has a few limitations but in the hunting fields is not one of them.

In fairness< I am not a bow hunter either.

RE: Bowhunting with a gun now in Wyoming!
 

I haven't seen a lot of reports of bow hunters being injurd by bear, wolves or Mt lion lately here. but it can tell ya of at least 17x7 that was taken in archery season by a slob hunter with a rifle and call it a bow kill. now if they add to the law that the entire carcus must be brought to a game check stationfor inspection then they can carry anything they want!
If you want to hunt with a primitive weapon that should be you protection too.

RE: Bowhunting with a gun now in Wyoming!
 

The last time I checked the 2nd amendment guaranteed me the right to keep and bear arms.

I don't recall it saying anything to the effect of having the right to keep and bearexcept whenyou are hunting with a bow and arrow.

I don't give a rats butt if there has never been a hunter killed by a bear, lion or what ever while hunting with a bow. It is every law abiding citizens right to keep and bear arms 24/7.

So zip it andquit tearing down the 2nd amendment.

RE: Bowhunting with a gun now in Wyoming!
 

Amen Bigbulls,people who poach will poach no matter what the law is, I carried my .44 in my backpack while bowhunting and never thought about shooting at an elk !

RE: Bowhunting with a gun now in Wyoming!
 

Bigbulls, if you happen to have a carry permit, you may want to read the back of the card or the paper work that comes with it. pay attention to the area that states where you can not carry a firearm!
Schools , government meetings, courtrooms ect.

this is not about the 2nd amendment.

RE: Bowhunting with a gun now in Wyoming!
 

Whenever me and my family go on vacation to Bear Country USA in the Black Hillsin South Dakota, my dad will always pack a gun in a hidden place, in case one of those stampeding bears gets out of control, and the park ranger has got some PETA blood in him.

I don't trust the park rangers you see only once a day in the Shenandoah National Park to protect me from bears, when I'm cooking bacon, and hot dogs in the dark at9:30 PM!!!!!!

Or when you accidentally come across a female bear with her cubs, you think the piece of paper that says you can't carry a gun, so the bear shouldn't feel threatened is going to save you?

NEWSFLASH!!!!! Mother Bear can't read!

RE: Bowhunting with a gun now in Wyoming!
 

I think it is a good move. I bowhunt in an area where we are seeing increased wolves and grizzlies. Plenty of lions as well. If someone wants to shoot an elk with a rifle and pretend they shot it with a bow, the regulations/laws aren't going to stop them. Better a hunter have the option to carry a weapon to protect himself from dangerous game.

RE: Bowhunting with a gun now in Wyoming!
 

If they had passed the law stateing shot guns only, with up to 00 buck, no slug's. I wouldn't haveany problems with it.

RE: Bowhunting with a gun now in Wyoming!
 

Why are you against this? With all of the rights they keep trying to take away from hunters, it is nice to hear of hunters getting additional rights. Worrying about poachers is an incredibly dumb reason to not allow law abiding citizens to carry guns in the woods. I hear of people that shoot deer out of their house after hours. Do you think that is a justification for banning guns in our homes? If not, then your point is mute. Even if people are not likely to be attacked by a bear or a wolf, there is still a chance. Even if there were no chance of being attacked, If a guy feels safer with a gun so be it. If he just likes carrying a gun, then good for him. Poachers are going to poach with or without this law. What is it they always say? "If you outlaw guns, then only the outlaws will haveguns."

RE: Bowhunting with a gun now in Wyoming!
 

I haven't said anything about outlawing guns, I don't like the Idea of archer's changing laws that will help to increase the chances of Poaching.

RE: Bowhunting with a gun now in Wyoming!
 

I hate to break it to you, but the guy that is going to use this new law to poach is already poaching. It doesn't make sense to regulate the rest of us because of a few poachers. Would it be fair to makea law that says everyone that enters a store must walk around with their pockets inside out in order to prevent shoplifting?

RE: Bowhunting with a gun now in Wyoming!
 

So what your saying is we should make it EZer for the poacher?

RE: Bowhunting with a gun now in Wyoming!
 

I'd been a lot less upset if they had limited the caliber to a sidearm.Or limiting the reg to the areas that have brizz and wolves. But they didn't. You can carry anything you want statewide while bowhunting. You Alaska guys probably need protection with all the grizz you got. Around here all you needed to do was go hunting with an old fat guy that runs slower than you. I know, because I am an old fat guy and friends are always asking me to go hunting with them!
One of the attractions of starting to hunt with a bow, no bullets whistleing over my head. That is gone now.

Nothing to do with 2nd ammendment, like the guy said, there are already a lot of places you can't carry a gun.

Just doesn't seem right.

RE: Bowhunting with a gun now in Wyoming!
 

No, what I am saying is that you shouldn't regulate honest citizens in order to control criminals. You may find it hard to believe, but I understand what you are saying, I just strongly disagree with it. You can't just keep making laws or base the making of lawsbecause ofwhat criminals will do. They don't follow the law anyways, that's why we call them criminals. I do understand that it will give poachers a justification for carrying a gun if they get stopped by Johny law, but I don't think that is a good enough reason for you to tell me or anyone else that I can't carry a gun during archery season or at what ever time you or someone else deems it wrong. I do not think that I should be punished for someone else's crimes. I really get upset when it is a fellow hunter that tries to impose their will or take away the rights of other hunters. No one is telling you that you have to carry a gun. If you don't think it's necessary to carry a gun then don't, but don't tell me or every othernon-poaching hunter that we can't because your afraid of a couple of bad seeds shooting deer by the wrong means. Where does it end? People shoot deer from their trucks, should it now be illegal for anyone to transport a gun? People have used flashlights to shoot deer after hours, does that mean that from now on I have to walk in and out of my stand with only the aid of the moon? I could go on and on, but I still don't think I could change your mind. You are too concerned about the very small amount of deer that might get shot illegally to be concerned about the rights of your fellow hunters. Oh yeah....I don't carry a gun when I go bow hunting, but that that doesn't matter. Some day, I may decide to and it's nice to know that as long as you don't get your way, I'll be able to.

RE: Bowhunting with a gun now in Wyoming!
 

Fetzeriiif, you have good points but!
we currently have an energy boom going on here that is taking a tole on critcal winter range and poaching has gone thur the roof.
people are building houseson winter range all across the western side of the state. take one look at Jackson and the whole Snake drainage.
we've had 8 years of drought
WE Will NEVER see the big game populations we had in the 70's. The energy boom will be over in 5 or ten years, but the winter range is getting smaller everyday and the game can only come back so far.
We don't have near the Number of Game Warden we need to cover the state.
So now we give poachers a better chance. thier not just taking from me thier taking game from everyone who ever wants to hunt in this state.

RE: Bowhunting with a gun now in Wyoming!
 

I don't think that a true poacher is going to burden himself carrying a multitude of weapons and be hiking through the back country. Most will probably hit and run from the road or keep things as to make a fast getaway.

Will there be a temptation for some, probably so. But these are the guys that are probably bending the rules already.

If there is problems that are leading to population problems caused by humans, there is a better chance of doing something other than limiting law abiding citizens right to protect themselves,

Many states have organizations that lobby for and against laws that effect our resources. I am not pointing fingers at anyone with this next statement, but I hear so many people in my area complain about what has happened to the environment, yet they sit around and do little to speak their opinion when the laws are being lobbied, that is when the real difference can be made.

Obviosly some voices must have been heard in Wyoming to force a change in the laws. Our state organizations here in Idaho have developed a close relationship with Fish and game and have bent their ear to listen to the concerns of the sportsmen. I know for a fact that we have changed the way things are done in the past, and I will continue to support the groups that fight for what I believe in, even if it means dressing in camo and standing on the steps of the capital building to get my point across.

We have been handed down awesome opportunities, and I believe that it is our right to keep it that way for our kids and their kids. If you believe that something wrong has been done, then speak out and try to change it.

RE: Bowhunting with a gun now in Wyoming!
 

gotlost, I think you are putting too much thought into this, you're confusing bowhunters with poachers, I've bowhunted for over 50 yrs and as a group archers are the most ethical and dedicated of all the hunters generally in my opinion. As far as lead flying while you are bowhunting it shouldn't happen unless someone is in troubleor the occasional idiot decides he's bored. I've carried my .44 hidden in my backpak for years never once having to take it out, I was more than willing tocarry itillegally to reassure me if I were lost for a couple of days or give me a morale boost when hunting in grizzley country after the rangers came to our camp and told us there was an aggressive bear on our mountain and six more working the river in sunshine canyon. Have a little more faith in your fellow bowhunters, from everything I've seen and read most of the poaching is most likely your neighbors or drillers in the oil field, relax it won't have hardly any impact on the deer herd, good hunting

RE: Bowhunting with a gun now in Wyoming!
 

actually, our Bowhunters of Wyoming club tried to fight this, limit it to areas that have grizz and wolves, but we were quickly shot down. they were gonna pass it no matter what.
i dont know what in the hell youd needa rifle for in at least half or our state.

if bowhunting means something to ya here, and ya want to be heard on things like this, i recommend ya join Bowhunters of Wyoming. its a great club. this year we got 15 more days of archery antelope hunting in a good number of new areas, and are pushing for that to be statewide next year. we havea good repoire with the game and fish. i think many of you wyoming hunters would do well to join, hell its only $15, a small price to pay to be heard.

RE: Bowhunting with a gun now in Wyoming!
 

Hmm, my bow weighs enough to carry a rifle and a shotgun with me as well! I don't think you need to worry about this to much.

RE: Bowhunting with a gun now in Wyoming!
 

usa what I do see is the good bow hunters will start to get a bad name, by the way I have killed deer and antelope with a bow. I gave up bow hunting about 15 years ago. to many irons in the fire and something had to go.
As you said most bow hunters are top noch hunters,
The last I checked I think the success rate for Archers was around 16% for elk in wyo. I'll bet that is about to go up.

RE: Bowhunting with a gun now in Wyoming!
 

I know where I can and can not carry.

My point is that any laws that restrict law abiding citizens of this country ability to have firearms at their disposalis an infringement of our 2nd amendment right. From air planes and courthouses to the back country woods if you can't carry in these places then it is an unconstitutional law... PERIOD!

Which makes it all about the 2nd amendment.

RE: Bowhunting with a gun now in Wyoming!
 

Gotlost,
Montana has had the right to carry a gun while bow hunting for years and the % of elk killed is still about 20%.

I see where you guys are comming from,I have hunted all over this state.You generaly see guys carring guns in bear country.The farther east ya go the less you see some pack'in.
The other thing if they are bowhunting elk why in the heck would they be toting a shotgun for grouse,kinda defetes the purpose right.
The other is as Archer 18 pointed out,who want's to pack a 8 pound rifle AND a bow,the ones that poach generaly don't get off the road.
Montana has a 1-800 Tip # to turn in poachers,can't you guys do the same?
Also the ones that are pack'in were probaly were anyways,you just never notice.
The ones that are poaching will do it no matter what,archery,rifle,spring,summer,fall,night or day.

I feel it's a good thing to have the right.
BBJ

RE: Bowhunting with a gun now in Wyoming!
 

Well, looks like you can turn from Game4lunch to Lunch4game, but not me, and most people on HNI.

RE: Bowhunting with a gun now in Wyoming!
 

Clever...but not very funny.

I think if there were some limitations then it would make sense, but being able to carry ANYcaliber isn't the best way to go in my opinion. It should be limited to "self defense, close quarters" type firearms. To me any pistol or shotgun would be fine but no rifles should be toted.

I've heard the "those that are going to poach are already doing it theory" but most crimes are a crime of opportunity. The more opportunity a guy has the more he's gonna do it.

RE: Bowhunting with a gun now in Wyoming!
 

So you are fine with a S&W performance center 460 or 500 with a 10 inch barrel? These guns are easily 200 yard elk medicine. Or how about my shotgun with a rifled barrel firing Winchester supreme 385 grain 45 caliber nosler partition golds at about 2000 fps?


I think if there were limitation on the kinds of guns we could all own to begin with then we, as law abiding citizens of a free country,wouldn't be able to commit any kind of gun related crimes at all.......... Sound familiar????????? Lets beat the anti's to the punch and go ahead and limit ourselves from owning and using our own firearms. I am sure they would love that. [:'(][:@]

I have all the oportunity in the worldto walk right out in to the shop and shoot the next person that walks through the door with a number of different firearms. Does that mean I am going to do it???? Of course not. This is a very lame argument you have tried to make here and holds about as much water asa pasta strainer. Same for everyone else here that opposes this law change.

RE: Bowhunting with a gun now in Wyoming!
 

i like the idea. the reason i do is a area i hunt deer with a bow in sept. i could hunt grouse, we would go deer hunting then go back to camp to get shot guns for grouse, then drive 4 miles back to bird hunt. now we can just keep the 12 gauge in the truck.
just my thoughts
p.s. huntmuleys before you reply, not evryone can shoot a nat off a cows a$$ like you, were not all that good!

RE: Bowhunting with a gun now in Wyoming!
 

"Even if people are not likely to be attacked by a bear or a wolf, there is still a chance."

Not all predators are four legged. I don't worry about it in my neck of the woods, but have heard of unfriendly confrontations over game. Their are more drug related activities in the woods than most give credit to...


"So what your saying is we should make it EZer for the poacher?"

Poaching is already easy enough. As stated above, it made no change in annual harvest in MT.

"Montana has a 1-800 Tip # to turn in poachers,can't you guys do the same?"

1-800-442-4331 or1-307-777-4330 for out-of-state calls, or report it online: http://gf.state.wy.us/wildlife/enforcement/stoppoaching/submittip.aspx

RE: Bowhunting with a gun now in Wyoming!
 

I've talked with 9 diffrent bow hunters the last few day, only one likes the law and thats only because he can now carry his 22 bearcat for grouse. Most feel the same as I do.

RE: Bowhunting with a gun now in Wyoming!
 

I carry my weapon because I have every right ! I'm legal in at least 26 states. I should be legal in every state!!!!The FBI and the CBI checked me out from top to bottom. If I would have ever even farted in the wrong place, I would not have my concealed permit. If your worried about people that carry legal, than you are just a moron. Everytime one of us post something stupid like this, it helps the anti's chip away at ourgunrights. This is not, just my humble opinion, IT'S A FACT!Game4lunch, lets notwake the governor, unless you want to get the guns from the bad guys, not legal hunters!

RE: Bowhunting with a gun now in Wyoming!
 

I support the law, in Idaho we can carry a pistol while bowhunting. Also black bear seaons starts August 30 its any weapon. So as long as a hunter has a black bear tag on him he couldbe packing a bow and a rifle, during the September elk and deer archery seasons. It's been this way for many years now and I don't think we have much of a poaching problem.

RE: Bowhunting with a gun now in Wyoming!
 

Then most may as well be siding with the anti gun liberals that are already trying to restrict our guns and legal right to own them, posess them, and use them. You and your "most" bow hunters are simply making their job that much easier by trying to keep what should be perfectly legal gun usage limited.

If you and these other hunters can't see this then you really need to wake up and take off the blinders.

RE: Bowhunting with a gun now in Wyoming!
 

I love how some of you Keep trying to put the 2nd amendment spin on a hunting regulation, When an archer decides to hunt with a bow they have regulations to follow. Just like the lbs restictions on thier bows and bore diameter and catridge length hunters who use firearms must follow.
It's a regulation!
I'm all for the 2nd amendment but when you decide to hunt you have rules you must follow.

RE: Bowhunting with a gun now in Wyoming!
 

And now the rules have changed!!!
So let who ever want's to carry and and those that don't,well don't.It's that simple,if you feel that carring a gun takes away the mystical challange of bow hunting then don't pack one.

I myself have had no problem with packing my .44,.41 or .480 with me,as for the ocasinal grouse I shoot them with my bow.
BBJ

RE: Bowhunting with a gun now in Wyoming!
 

cant say i really like this, but i can see it both ways.

i live in wyoming, and to me a MUCH bigger issue is our ridiculously short bow seasons. shorter than our neighboring states by a couple months!!!
i think that is where we should be trying to make things happen.

RE: Bowhunting with a gun now in Wyoming!
 

That's because having the right to carry a firearm is not a hunting regulation.

Hunting is a privelage and as such is subject to regulations like draw weight, bore diameter. minimum energy levels, bag limits,etc.... Carrying afirearm for protection, regardless if you are in the big city or the deep woods, is a right that is guaranteed to every citizen of this country. It's not a privelage like hunting.

I am having a real hard timefiguring outwhy this is so dang hard for you to understand.

You are exactly right. Regulations like not shooting an animal with a gun if you are hunting with a bow. Restricting my right to carry that firearm is unconstitutional.