Traditional Only Archery Season
Michigan
There is rumblings that a bill is going to be introduce to have a "traditional archery only" season.
This would be bad news IMHO. The hunting seasons are fractured enough without tossing in this type of season.
I am as hard core traditional/primitive as you can get but I am dead set against this action. I don't know who is pushing it and if anyone finds out would you let us know.
I do know it is NOT the Michigan Traditional Bowhunters. We have been asked about it and if we knew anything about it. I am on the MTB board and we know nothing about it.
Any idea on the dates they are thinking about ?.
No, I understand it is in the infancy stages. But is is being mentioned.
I'm with you Jon. I love my recurves, but we don't need more specialized seasons.
I curious, why would you guys be against it ? .
Burly, as I wrote in my original post, too many fractured seasons or special seasons. Trad only leads to compound only, leads to crossbow only, leads to gun only leads, to black powder only.
Where would you put it? Mid September is tied up with a few special hunts already and Oct to Jan is tied up with the rest of the seasons.
It only takes one season to be specialized and that may get the ball rolling.
If it ain't broke, don't fix it.
I agree with your post, I was just wondering if everyone was on the same page so to speak. The last thing we need is more "special" seasons.
I like the "lesser weapon" system we have. It limits the long (longer?) range tools to a specific season yet allows the "up close and personal" to hunt also.
It gives the hunter freedom to choose his weapon and season without breaking tradition or fracturing the hunting community.
I wouldn't want to see this happen, however if it did, I think it would be a bad idea to "add week(s)" as in having in Sept, I think we would should take time from existing seasons. Again I don't like the idea at all, but it would be a bigger mistake to extend the season longer
"Burly, as I wrote in my original post, too many fractured seasons or special seasons. Trad only leads to compound only, leads to crossbow only, leads to gun only leads, to black powder only. Where would you put it? Mid September is tied up with a few special hunts already and Oct to Jan is tied up with the rest of the seasons.
It only takes one season to be specialized and that may get the ball rolling.
If it ain't broke, don't fix it. "
Well stated. This would just cause more division amongst hunters who are some of the most divided of all hobbiests out there.
"I curious, why would you guys be against it?"
Just another potential wedge to be driven between hunters in a state where we have too many wedges as it is.
By the way, I bow hunt with traditional equipment only.
KPC
Wow a triple, I don't know what happened . LOL
The few trad hunters that we have why would someone even think about a trad only season?
Michigan tried a primitive muzzleloading season then that got peed away. No sense trying with bowhunting. Bad idea.
"Just another potential wedge to be driven between hunters in a state where we have too many wedges as it is. "
I agree.
I can hear it now, "All those traditional bow hunters are killin' all the bucks!"
Already have a 3 month long "trad" only season if that's the route you chose.
I wouldnt like the idea of a traditional only season, but what about setting areas aside for traditional only equipment? The game area I hunt has over 50k acres. If you set aside 2-3k acres and made it traditional only that could be interesting and get more guys to try it.
Farther north there are larger blocks of public ground and you could do the same up there.
I am a recurve shooter, I do not need any special season,,,,,,, in fact, they should cut back on what they already have,,,,,,,,
The only thing, the DNR should concentrate on, is bringing back more young forest growth in the UP,,,,,
healthy people shooting crossbows, is a joke,,,, there is a reason they are not allowed in the UP during the late season
Right there with ya razor.
Razor they can cut back in Wisconsin if you want but not in Michigan. The seasons we have are just fine. We just don't need to make up some new special seasons.
Jon I love the western UP, that is why I bought there,,,, I could live anywhere, had lived out west earlier,,,, no thanks, too many people,,,,,,,
I fish so many no name waters, shoot grouse, and wander, and get an occasional buck....
I also surf and kite surf on Lake Superior in the early fall,,,,,,,
I love the UP, and I love MI, at least this area of it,,,,,,,,,,,,
I also love my Wis place, I am truly blessed, unless you have lived in other states, you have no idea, what is offered in this region,,,,,,,
I have met bowyers, other fly tyers, and my wife has met other artisans,,,,,,,,
stay well
My dad lived in Crystal Falls for 28 years. My son and I should draw a 1st season bear permit for Amasa this year. Myself, I am not much of a U.P.er. I like the lower too much especially at my hunting camp.
Wife and I bicycled across the U.P one summer. I will say it was a peaceful ride.
The lower is nice, I have kite surfed off of Empire and Charlevoix. You will do well in Amasa, lots and lots of big bears...... good luck
"I wouldnt like the idea of a traditional only season, but what about setting areas aside for traditional only equipment? The game area I hunt has over 50k acres. If you set aside 2-3k acres and made it traditional only that could be interesting and get more guys to try it."
Careful what you wish for. Before you know it, every traditional archer that was scattered over 50k (in addition to others) acres would be concentrated on 2-3k acres just because they feel it's exclusive to them.
I look at it this way. Every place I bow hunt is "traditional only," because that's all I use and I'm the only one in my stand with me.
:)
KPC
Michigan had a traditional archery season. In about 1970 it became replaced with an "anything goes" compound inclusion season, which progressed in let off into an eventual crossbow inclusion season.
You gave up your traditional only season!!!
Jodie: We didn't give up anything, the state made the changes not the hunters. I guess the way you are looking at it we had a primitive only archery season and then the dreaded recurve came on the scene.
A trad only hunting area (trad also means no electronics, i.e. gps, cell phone, trail cams, etc.) with a draw and limited number of hunters would be fun. But then every group would want theirs too. I agree to keep it the way it is, and hunt how you wish.
You can argue a lot when it comes to "traditional" equiptment. I know when I started there were recurves, semi-recurves and longbows.(Sticks n strings) For some people that started later their traditional equiptment may be the original compounds that looked more like a recurve with wheels and cables. For those that just recently got started where do you begin. It's all in the way you would look at it some would say.....your tradition is not my tradition. Food for thought!!!!!
