Choose your weapon

[Frontier]

I'm curious as to the thinking out there on choose your weapon. Personally I'm for it. I believe it would create a better hunting experience on the general hunts by cutting down the number of hunters in those general units. However I believe that until age 18 or 19, the youth should be able to hunt any weapon.

 

[Idahoron]

I am with you on this BIG time. The only thing I would add is if there is a choose your weapon, each region needs hunts that cover each weapon. For a long time the only place a guy could go to get a Muzzleloader hunt was either Northern Id or Eastern ID. Ron

 

[springbear]

Are you guys talking about Deer?

I assume so, since the Elk A and B tags are roughly set up as choose you weapon.

I guess I would support it for Mule Deer more, because north of the Salmon River the Whitetails are doing fine, though hunter congestion is becoming more noticable.

Would you envision an A & B deer tag of some sort? Say SE, SW, South Central deer tags A and B.

I suppose Ron's concern would be addressed under an A and B tag just by the nature of the system.

I am a tad biased since I usually support anything that increases short range weapon hunting and restricts my ability to turn my 300 ultra mag loose...

 

[destroyer350]

A tags in Eastern Idaho still allows you too hunt with 2 and in some zones 3 weapons with an OTC for elk for 2 or 3 months. I'd prefer a true pick your weapon season with no over lap. But different regions my take different management tools.

Sign me up deer & elk in the areas I hunt most!!!!

 

[Idahoron]

destroyer350, You are 100% correct. A and B tags still allow archery, muzzleloader, and rifle hunts all with one tag. Back in the good old days (pre K9 invader) this kind of system was fine. Now that we need to reduce harvest due to the increased predation of a Non-native species I don't see any other way. Well except 100% draw. This would also be a choose your weapon of sorts. Ron

 

[orion23]

100% agree.

Travis
www.RidgelineOutdoors.com
Blacks-Creek Packs Dealer

 

[YMIINIDAHO]

I would love to see something like this, especially for muleys. I wouldn't mind seeing more primitive opportunities, I wouldn't even pick up a rifle any more.

 

[Huntnfever]

I agree i said this in the preference points post..it would be like colorado and their seasons...one the best seasons in colorado is the muzzy hunt its prior to everything and you can see some good bucks...all the trophy hunters would be looking for a late hunt it generally works pretty well

has anyone seen my kittie

 

[destroyer350]

Be careful Ron, some on here might figure out your code(K9)talk and attack your good name and hunting ability, they're tired of it don't ya know!!!


On second thought, if they do, maybe we could get HunterHarry on here to put them back in line!!!!!

 

[Frontier]

It's music to my ears to hear such positive respones on this. I don't understand why the IDFG is not talking about it at all. I do see it helping the mule deer recover in some areas and still giving people time in the field hunting. As Ron indicated, in some areas where the K9 plague exists it may not help much.

 

[huntfishall1]

I'm all for pick your weapon in deer season!

 

[OLDHORNHUNTER]

choosing your weapon is only going to throw more people into the general rifle season I believe!!!!! only the hard core bow hunters or muzzy guys are going to stick with them...everyone knows the % of animals killed with a bow is very slim.. so if given a choice of enjoying some vension on the table or just going out for a low percentage chance hunt I think we will see an over abundance of rifle hunters....I would really like to see Idaho do a draw like colorado or nevada {we dont need a Bull ##### point system} colorado has 3 seasons & nevada gives you 5 hunt choices..Idaho you basically get the one choice !! yeah you can waste your time putting down your 2nd choice but unless your 2nd choice is in an unit that doesnt sell out you will Rarely ever draw a 2nd choice tag...Here is my idea..choose whether you want to put in for Elk-Deer or lopes !!! if u draw elk this year you cant apply next year but you can apply for deer or lope ???

 

[YMIINIDAHO]

I would say there is already an over abundance of rifle hunters!

 

[Deerlove]

I would prefer to muzzy hunt if I could hunt BEFORE the gen rifle. I wish there were muzzy hunts in all units.

 

[Frontier]

I don't believe it will throw more people into the rifle season, in fact just the opposite. Think about it, right now those who bow hunt and muzzy hunt the general seasons and don't harvest, guess what they do, they go on the rifle hunts.

 

[OLDHORNHUNTER]

the majority of them like over 85 % rifle hunt because they havent filled their tags with bow !!!! that is what I was saying !!! so if they have too choose a weapon its really a no brainer that they are going to go with a Rifle...

 

[Frontier]

OK, let's say you're right that 85% will choose rifle. You now have 15% fewer hunters in the rifle season, because they are hunting primitive. Now let's give better and longer seasons to the primitive to lure more hunters to use those weapons, causing fewer hunters to go with rifle. More enjoyable seasons for everybody and probably fewer animals harvested because of the lower success rate of primitive arms. Looks like a win, win for the hunters and game.

 

[Deerlove]

Thanks Frontier for making sense, it SHOULD be a no brainer for the state of ID.

 

[OLDHORNHUNTER]

???? the general bow season is already 30 days long not counting some of the late rut hunts??? how much more time does a person need ?? I dont hunt muzzy so I am not aware of the seasons..but extending the bow season is not going to draw anymore people away from rifle I dont believe...

 

[Frontier]

That's why, to begin with, the IDFG should make it a primitive weapons choice. So that those who bow hunt can also muzzy hunt. I do believe that by increasing the seasons for the primitive, especially if the bowhunters got a season like they do in Montana from September 1 to the middle of October it would keep alot of people hunting with primitive weapons. I'll have to admit with today's modern bows I have a hard time calling them primitive, but the success is still low compared to rifle.

 

[Idahoron]

I am going to have to disagree. If bow hunters want to hunt with a bow use a bow. Choose your weapon is just that. Hunt with a bow, OR ml, OR rifle. Not a combo of the above. Like what was already said Bow hunters already have a good deal. Muzzleloader hunters have DRAW ONLY here in region 4 and in most areas.
Like you said before give the ML some better tags, and make the whole thing into choose your one and only weapon. Ron

 

[htnfool]

Choosing your weapon is a great idea. No doubt it would improve your hunting experience.