If rifle season isn't open yet, then NO!!!!!! If it is open, you have the option.

I've taken both weapons with me during gun season. Just last year, I took both my bow and shotgun with me on the gun opener. I took a buck with the gun and a 5 1/2 year old HUGE doe a minute later using my bow. Attracted a lot of attention at the checking station.

Beginning this year, I use the bow exclusively for deer.

I have to second that! Here in Southern Michigan it turns into a "pumpkin patch", then it's "duck, cover and return fire"!We own several tracks of land. All of them around 60 acres in southern Jackson county. We will spend most of the time kicking people off our land and out of our stands. I havecarried two weapons afield in the late doe season. Never had a chance when doing this though.

As long as its within the game laws. No problem, do what you want!!

we can't have a firearm with us while bowhunting in mn.

i'm a little different then some of the die hard archers on this board. i love to hunt deer. if that means slugs, then i'm all for it. i get much more feeling of accomplishment when i get a buck w/ bow. but, i like slug hunting as much if not more then archery. this archery season was really frustrating. it was nice to pick up my shotgun and know that anything that i saw i could shoot (pretty much anyway). worked out too. I shot a doe and 8pt by 8:15 opening morning. then didn't hunt until sunday night and I got another doe. one of the does was about 30 yards, the rest were out of archery range. so, it's nice to be able to shoot just about any deer i see (i typically can't see over 100 yards where i hunt). helps with the pent up frustration from bow hunting.

I am going bow only this year even through gun season. It is something I have been transitioning to for about 2 -3 years now and made a committment to myself to hunt only with a bow this year. I may not fill my buck tag, frustrating but I know it will make me a better hunter.

vashadowhunter