Sharp Shooter

Can you carry a back up pistol when archery hunting in Colorado?

charlie brown

Happened to have the app regs sitting right next to my computer. Answer... NO, sorry bud

Howler

Charlie Brown, I don't see where it says you can't! All I see is that if you carry a side arm, it can't be concealed!

charlie brown

Page 7 of the 2004 Big Game regulations. Big Green box. It is titled "LEGAL FIREARMS AND BOWS." Then it has list on the side of the box with all of the species and the three seasons. Archery, ml, and rifle. At the top of the chart are the various weapons:

Centerfire Rifle, Shotgun, Handgun

ML .40 or larger

ML .50 or larger

Hand Held bows

Crossbow

Under the "centerfire rifle, shotgun, and handgun" category, it says "NO" next to every species archery hunt.

Thats how I interpret it anyway.

Howler

Yes I see that, but that is just saying what weapons are legal to be used in the respective seasons on each game species! It doesn't say that a guy can't carry a side arm during archery or black powder! I'm not sure why anyone wants to carry a handgun during archery season, but I don't read the regs. of saying that he can't, but I may be mis-interpetting the regs. Not like that ever happens!! Also, if you look just above that green box, look under "crossbows" they directly say that a crossbow cannot be used in archery season, but yet under the "handgun" segment, they don't say that it can't be used or carried! I guess, would be easiest if a guy would call the CDOW and ask, "can I carry a side arm, for any reason, during archery season?"

charlie brown

True, it would probably be easiest to call the DOW and ask them. I am just thinking that if someone is carrying a handgun as a "backup," during an archery season, then they MAY intend to use it over their archery gear in a questionable situation.

For example, here in Nevada, you are not allowed to have any firearm in your possession while archery hunting, and during a ml hunt, you may carry a ml handgun, but no centerfire handgun. It just seems that they wouldn't make it illegal to hunt with a handgun during an archery season, but allow people to carry a handgun as a backup, which has the potential to be used to hunt that animal.

dbcooper

The jury is still out on this - but the regulation brochure may not be right. The concealed carry STATUTE was changed last year Title 18 and says that someone who is lawfully hunting can carry a sidearm and it shall not deemed to be concealed. The AG is in the process of evaluating whether the old brochure and regulatory language has been superceded by the statute. The AG is trying to determine whether the statute means that if the weapon is used as the legal method of take or ANY firearm being carried by any person hunting, regardless of the legal manner of take. The statute says "anyone lawfully engaged in the act of hunting" so we will have to wait and see what the AG says. I will keep you posted when I get the answer.

88N

If I was sitting in the woods minding my own and somehow a bear sneaks up behind me and i notive there's a cub in front of me. Upon noticing that this bear is acting very irrational I would like a nice .454 raging bull to make sure i can go home to my wife and son.

charlie brown

This seems like one of those regs that could get you bitten in the butt because someone (the hunter) was "ignorant" (according to the prosecution) in not reading and fully understanding the regulations. I don't like regs when you have to ask questions that nobody quite knows the answer to. There is WAY too big of a grey area here.

I can see carrying a backup handgun for defense from not so nice bears while archery hunting, but on the flip side, what would a game warden think if he came across you, with your archery tag, and your bow, along with the 454 hanging off your side. I can see a little problem here. I would just play it safe and hope a bear never finds me sitting next to a tree, at least until the regulations clearly state that it is or isn't ok to carry a handgun while archery hunting, but the way I interpret them now, I wouldn't take a chance.

88N

I wonder how we could go about getting that clarified, or restated in the reg as to be crystal clear. I understand what you're saying by not wanting to go through the trouble of getting caught and going through the procedures. I on the other hand (don't bow hunt) if i was in that situation would carry it and if the warden didn't take my word for it then i would take it as far up our legal system as I could. I know that I might have to pay a fine and there might be repercussions but as I said before; I'm going home to my wife and son weather it's with a fine or with a dead agressor.