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Switch Hitters

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Switch Hitters

Postby WapitiTalk1 » 10 14, 2017 •  [Post 1]

How many of you cats are able to hunt elk with multiple weapons during various calendar year seasons (this year and/or previous years)? Here's a handful of questions to spark some discussion.

+ Are you able to hunt with multiple weapons/more than just one, most elk seasons (archery, smoke pole, rifle)? Name them (i.e., I hunt archery and rifle season most years).

+ If you do hunt multiple seasons/weapons choices, which would you say you normally have greater success.

+ Do you generally hunt the same area(s) in subsequent weapon seasons that you hunted earlier in the year with the previous weapon choice?

+ If you could not hunt multiple calendar seasons with various weapons, which would you choose if you had to select only one calendar season/weapon?

And yes please, add anything else into the discussion you feel may enhance the thread ;).
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Re: Switch Hitters

Postby Swede » 10 14, 2017 •  [Post 2]

For years I have hunted deer and elk archery only. In 2005 I had a rifle caribou hunt in the Northwest Territories. I would have preferred to have gone on a archery caribou hunt, but the rifle hunt was fun too. Oregon requires hunters to choose your weapon except for some very select hunts.
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Re: Switch Hitters

Postby Elkhntr08 » 10 14, 2017 •  [Post 3]

Usually hunt archery, once in a while gun. Seeing how I didn't make it anywhere this year, I'm looking at multiple states next year. Archery in 1 state, gun in another. Even drug out the old 700ML the other day. Think I've got the bases covered, unless someone knows of a slingshot season.
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Re: Switch Hitters

Postby Lefty » 10 14, 2017 •  [Post 4]

I could hunt moose Sept Oct and NOV that would be archery , however that is once in a lifetime. In reality I would chose the whole month of September archery elk.
I barely look at deer during archery season, but my daughter is continually sidetracked by deer.
Then rifle October deer Then shotgun goose. sometimes look for big cats and toss in a few coyotes April may June rifle bear. But thats more of a hiking packing ATV trail cam season.
A friend who lives in central Wisconsin is all about crossbow deer, long season, lots of deer.
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Re: Switch Hitters

Postby Elkhntr08 » 10 15, 2017 •  [Post 5]

Illinois just decided to allow crossbows in archery season for everyone. We'll see how that turns out. Those things are expensive, so I think I'll be buying tags, not a crossbow.
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Re: Switch Hitters

Postby ishy » 10 15, 2017 •  [Post 6]

I put all my effort in archery, but Idaho is all about opportunity with lots of long seasons. I still go out with a rifle and late archery but it is usually short day trips. Probably a result of time spent, but way more successful during archery season. Between elk, deer and bear we can just about hunt from August 30th till Dec 16 nonstop.
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Re: Switch Hitters

Postby saddlesore » 10 15, 2017 •  [Post 7]

+ Are you able to hunt with multiple weapons/more than just one, most elk seasons (archery, smoke pole, rifle)? Name them (i.e., I hunt archery and rifle season most years).
I hunt muzzle loader an d rifle for lkl. Also hunt deer and antelope, ML and rifle

+ If you do hunt multiple seasons/weapons choices, which would you say you normally have greater success.
It's about equal. Some years I tag and elk with a ML, some with a rifle.Some years both

+ Do you generally hunt the same area(s) in subsequent weapon seasons that you hunted earlier in the year with the previous weapon choice?
No, I hunt different areas for ML than I do with rifle

+ If you could not hunt multiple calendar seasons with various weapons, which would you choose if you had to select only one calendar season/weapon?
Muzzle loader. Les shunting pressure and nicer weather
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Re: Switch Hitters

Postby Wyo67 » 10 18, 2017 •  [Post 8]

WapitiTalk1 wrote:+ Are you able to hunt with multiple weapons/more than just one, most elk seasons (archery, smoke pole, rifle)? Name them (i.e., I hunt archery and rifle season most years).
I hunt archery on the Wyoming General tag and cow hunt with a rifle during the late season (Nov/Dec) every year. If I am not able to fill the General tag with archery equipment, I will try to use it to hunt cows near the end of the rifle season (usually late November depending on the area). Due to hunting pressure, I avoid elk opening day/week/even month for rifle. Hunted deer opening day this year (also on a General tag) and there were plenty of booms throughout the day. Not many deer seen after opening day. Wyoming does not have separate muzzleloader season. I haven't looked closely at the Colorado regs and how the dates line-up, but as a bowhunter, I don't think I'd be a fan of muzzleloaders hunting the same time as archery.

+ If you do hunt multiple seasons/weapons choices, which would you say you normally have greater success.
Percentage-wise, pretty equal over the last 10 years. Archery I have taken 4 elk with a bow - 3 bulls and 1 cow. With a rifle 4 cows. Note - I typically spend a 7-9 days archery hunting vice only 1 or 2 days per year rifle hunting.

+ Do you generally hunt the same area(s) in subsequent weapon seasons that you hunted earlier in the year with the previous weapon choice?
Unless we draw a limited quota tag, we always hunt the same areas each year.

+ If you could not hunt multiple calendar seasons with various weapons, which would you choose if you had to select only one calendar season/weapon?
Archery elk during September. Everytime.


And yes please, add anything else into the discussion you feel may enhance the thread ;).
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