Early Season Hunts: From a Bowhunters perspective, how do you feel about early gun hunts for bucks before your bow opener?

[kjflorian]

Early Season Hunts: From a Bowhunters perspective, how do you feel about early gun hunts for bucks before your bow opener?

[kjflorian]

In MI, they offer 2 early season hunts. One for does only, then the following weekend they offer a youth hunt where they can shoot bucks. Being involved with Hunter Ed and Pheasants Forever, I am a big advocate for getting kids involved in the outdoors; however, I have mixed feelings on shooting bucks with a gun to early in the seasons.

We have a healthy herd in MI, especially the area I hunt. The buck to doe ratio is not there, which is why I would like to see them turn the early youth season into a doe only too. Possibly giving the mature bucks a chance to make it to breeding season. I did some checking this fall and was surprised at how many shooter bucks were taken in the early season. My definition of a shooter at this point is a buck over 130", I know everybody has different perspectives on what they call a shooter.

Just my two cents.

[usmcturkey]

I do not think that is a good idea, then you would have the deer spoked already and you have not even began to hunt. Plus all the scouting you have put in, will be for nothing if they are pushing thru the woods.

[MPN]

I would have to agree 100% with what usmcturkey said.

[mdhager115]

I dont like the gun idea before bows. The deer would be spooked too early. Then bowhunters wont have any edge on gun hunters.

[herbie57_57]

Kansas has its muzzleloader season and youth seasons before bow season. It might be that in my area that there weren't a lot of either hunting but it never messed me up. It was rifle season when the bucks got spooked. Bow hunting after that was pretty much pointless.

[Del in KS]

Herbie57_57 is absolutely right. I also live and hunt in Kansas. Rarely do I see another hunter. There's not enough kids to really spook the deer. I had no trouble arrowing the 10 pt in my profile and 2 does last fall. Passed on shots at many other deer.

[mattreney]

bow hunters should always be let in first im a gun hunter but we have a much greater advantage over bow hunters. we can shoot at deer much further so we should be let in when the deer population is less dense

[jobobdogg]

I don't think so it takes more skill to bow hunt than to gun hunt it would be just that much harder with all the deer spooked

[huntcamp]

Hate them, as they are. Would not mind them so much if they had it earlier in the year. They have them here in WI at the end of October. My favorite time to bowhunt. Screws up the deer for weeks and that is the rutting time usually.

[Big C]

I think it depends on the area as to whether or not people like them. If there are not a lot of kids hunting the area then people don't seem to mind, but if the deer are spooked a bunch then people hate it. I am kind of mixed overall. I really like the idea of getting kids involved in hunting, but I also think that it does take away from the rest of us if the deer are spooked. I think changing to a doe-only youth hunt would make sense.

[rudyglove27]

Kansas has its muzzleloader season and youth seasons before bow season!

[rudyglove27]

Kansas has its muzzleloader season and youth seasons before bow season!