Archery during rifle season??

[27hand]

How many of you will opt for an arrow/bolt as opposed to a bullet for this upcoming rifle season?

A few factors I considered before making this choice.

1) There are many more deer close to me than where I used to hunt.
2) There are larger racked bucks in my back yard than where I usually hunt.
3) There are a couple pretty well worn trails close by. Somewhat of a funnel through there.
4) There are few, if any, hunters in my back yard besides me.
5) I hit a fair sized buck in archery season and did not recover him. I've seen him since and would like to finish the job if he presents himself again.

Since I cannot shoot a doe in 2A for the first week and have 2 2A tags, I might as well try for a buck where I know a few are. If a doe presents a decent shot, I still have 1 2B tag to fill.

Anyone else doing something similar?

27

[PAwhitetailbowhunter]

I will be doing both. Two of the places I hunt are bow only so I will be out there with the bow wrapped in orange. I will also use the inline Muzzleloader at the other place. They don't allow center fire rifle. Would love to get the 270out and slam a buck with some of my hand loads, but I would have to go to State Game lands for that, which is also a possibility.

[God's Country]

Your reasoning works for me.

I like hunting with a rifle because it changes things up after 6 weeks of trying for 30yds shots. After rifle I'm ready for more close and peaceful hunting, ie flintlock.

[Qtrborecrazy]

How many of you will opt for an arrow/bolt as opposed to a bullet for this upcoming rifle season?

A few factors I considered before making this choice.

1) There are many more deer close to me than where I used to hunt.
2) There are larger racked bucks in my back yard than where I usually hunt.
3) There are a couple pretty well worn trails close by. Somewhat of a funnel through there.
4) There are few, if any, hunters in my back yard besides me.
5) I hit a fair sized buck in archery season and did not recover him. I've seen him since and would like to finish the job if he presents himself again.

Since I cannot shoot a doe in 2A for the first week and have 2 2A tags, I might as well try for a buck where I know a few are. If a doe presents a decent shot, I still have 1 2B tag to fill.

Anyone else doing something similar?

27

If you got all of this going on, try handgun hunting.

[mosseater]

I like this idea. I might adopt it after the first week.

My reasoning is more dependant upon safety zone considerations with nearby houses. The other consideration for me is because of my hearing situation, I wouldn't have to wear the hearing muffs all day with the bow. They aren't uncomfortable (and yes, they DO help keep my ears warm) but it's just one more thing to have, carry, wear, all day. The only drawback outside of range is if you hunt an area with high hunter saturation, that buck will be under someone elses knife by the time he drops. I'm not a fan of purposely spining a buck to anchor him, but it this case it works in your favor. I did it once by accident and he didn't take one more step. But then I had to play "pin cushion" while he thrashed around. Decidedly un-pretty.

[Pector55]

I have not used a rifle for deer since starting archery. I hunt some areas where it may be technically legal to hunt but I feel the houses are just too close for my taste. Basically, I don't want to be able to see a house if using a rifle. Anyway, I find that some smaller strips of wooded areas and small cedar patches are great bedding areas for deer when Hunters are making a bunch of noise in the local game lands. Judging my my anecdotal trail cam evidence, traffic peaks in my archery spots once rifle season begins.

[aubie515]

No thanks, I would not want to give myself a disadvantage by reducing the distance I'm able to harvest an animal.

I like hunting at a distance to allow me the ability to make kills further away.

Not only that, but there are tons of hunters in the woods. I'm not going out in the woods with a bow when others will be carrying centerfire and magnum calibers into the same woods.

[BenFoo]

Hunt in a tree stand if youre worried about bullet travel. That way youre shooting at a downward angle. I like to hunt with a heavy round that drops outside of 100y. 200g 35Rem drops 12" per 100y.....=]

[arjohnson]

I've done it but it depended where I was. Heading to Tionesta tomorrow for the first day so the 270 gets the call.

[27hand]

I will be in a tree stand about 20+ although even this is a bit below my driveway grade.
Centerfire (rifle, pistol or SG) is out of the question due to proximity of residences on either side of my place.

I will probably go out for rifle on Sat in 2A when doe are legal as well.

Not sure if you can make out my tree stand and ladder in the center of this pic from my back window. They run along the bench below the stand.



AR, I hunted north of Tionesta just off 666 heading back on Queen road. Not sure if there has been a comeback of deer since I was there last about 7 or 8 years back. Good luck to you.