I can't say why the laws are the laws in some states. Until maybe 5-6yrs ago, even in Kansas - arguably a more level headed and hunter friendly state - we were ONLY allowed one option during any given antlered deer season. The weapon specific seasons did not overlap in date, so you only could use that specific class of weapon during that specific date range. I suppose even then a person could have carried an ML and a CF during firearms season, and of course, our extended doe season allows any legal weapon after the 1st of the year. I suppose another "loop hole" was that you could carry a handgun and a rifle during firearms season also, or a shotgun and a rifle... Or you could carry 7 bows during archery season if you really wanted to...

But then around 5-6yrs ago, they changed the wording such that the archery season dates were the entirety of the season, overlapping all others, except for the special youth hunt season - the weekend before anything else opens up. We also recently approved crossbows as ARCHERY equipment, whereas they were not allowed at all until a few years ago, when they were only allowed during firearms season. In chatting with the guys in the law dept at our parks and wildlife dept, they said it was a very simple change to make archery overlap everything else, just that nobody had thought about it before - and that the only complication was that now archery hunters had to buy blaze orange if they wanted to hunt during the firearms season.

So I suppose I'm not really surprised to see that NJ has segregated weapons seasons.

In SoCal at ONE TIME OF THE YEAR all "seasons" are open !

...............with NO blaze orange requirements ?!?!


I thought things were bad in NJ when I lived there - LOL

Funny thing, Archery season denotes a season where we hunt with archery equipment, not firearms. In most states archers get an early start on deer season and have first crack at the large bucks. Using a firearm to kill a deer in archery season is a serious violation and results in a heavy fine and loss of hunting privileges, as it should. The OP is either a total tool or a troll. Perhaps one of the NJ WCOs looks at this site and it working on identifying the OP as we speak.

All you guys need to learn to read, he did not say he used his slug gun to put the deer down. He simply stated that if he would have had his slug gun he would have used it to end her suffering.

No, he probably left because he didnt want to deal with ignorant people who misread his post and accused him of being a poacher and a troll.

Lucky,

Hang around long enough and you'll see "we" get our fair share !

They can read just fine. He edited his post. His original post stated he dispatched the doe with a shotgun after she was shot three times with the bow. After the backlash he received he decided he would change his story. To the OP, find a new hobby.

Doesn't look trollish at all. He watched the deer suffer, and didn't like it. My 1st deer fell over immediately, and his legs were twitching for a minute. My hands were shaking. My heart was pounding. When I walked over, he was already dead.

Luckily another hunters walked over, and dressed the deer. I don't know if I could have done the 1st one alone.

Ah ha, good thing you're more observant than us. You missed this, though.

Well Luckycharms, you should probably go back to your cereal, first post and you step on your yourself. We can read just fine, when you step into the middle of a conversation without hearing the entire thing, you would be better off saying nothing.