bear season

[r00s7a]

I wouldn't be so quick to blame the short season on crossbows!

Last year, only 19 bears were killed, the quota wasn't even filled even though the season ran through muzzleloader season!

How can you NOT blame the short season on crossbows? When over 20 bears (the TOTAL quota) were killed on the first day by crossbow alone??? Versus last year when they never even got the total quota when crossbows were not allowed? Although I believe this year the quota would have been filled without crossbows, they sure didn't help to stretch out the season and give more people a chance.

RidgeHunter, I did not get out-opportunitied, as I didn't even get a tag. But I know a 12 year old little boy that worked for weeks on setting up his place, that did not get to fill his bear tag. I wouldn't say he was out opportunitied either, he did pass on a sow and two smaller bears. I would just rather see a 12 yr old boy get to fill his tag with a bow than a 40 yr old man with a crossbow.

 

[RidgeHunter]

I was being a bit sarcastic. Hence the and the explanation of Hunter B's opportunity being borrowed from Hunter A. Only so much opportunity to go around.

 

[bigcountryok]

Of course there is no way that the current availability their natural food, increase in numbers, increase in people hunting (A GOOD THING), increase in baiting for bears, and an overall increased interest in bear hunting could have ANYTHING to do with it. It's all because of the x-bow.

Yes the x-bow may account for more hunters (A GOOD THING), but I seriously doubt that it has much to do with the success rate. I would be willing to bet that most of the bears taken with the x-bow could have been taken with a compound just as easily.

I got an education about how inconvenient x-bows really are this weekend. In some instances yes they do help, but a compound is more versatile IMO.

Either way, that's awesome that so many got out and tagged a bear. I'm happy to see it.

As for the people who are upset because they bought tags and never got to hunt, they new the risk and took the gamble. There was never a guarantee in the first place.

 

[Buzzgun]

How can you NOT blame the short season on crossbows? When over 20 bears (the TOTAL quota) were killed on the first day by crossbow alone??? Versus last year when they never even got the total quota when crossbows were not allowed? Although I believe this year the quota would have been filled without crossbows, they sure didn't help to stretch out the season and give more people a chance.

If the quota wasn't filled last year, even through muzzleloader season, then I can't say that the use of crossbows is the reason it was filled so quickly this year!

As bigcountry suggests, there are probably LOTS of reasons the quote was filled quickly, but, go ahead and blame crossbows since they are an easy target.

 

[r00s7a]

If the quota wasn't filled last year, even through muzzleloader season, then I can't say that the use of crossbows is the reason it was filled so quickly this year!

As bigcountry suggests, there are probably LOTS of reasons the quote was filled quickly, but, go ahead and blame crossbows since they are an easy target.

I'm sure there are many reasons it was filled easy, not disputing that. But you can't deny xbows had a major impact when over 60 were harvested with xbows. I'm not against xbows, I own one, not against drawing more people in to hunt. Just hope that they change things up next year, and apparently that is already being felt elsewhere...

At least 20 of the 31 bears checked in Friday to state wildlife officials were killed by hunters using crossbows, Hemphill said.

quote in Oklahoman by Joe Hemphill of OWDC...

“I think crossbows made a major difference, just my opinion,” he said.

The fact that the black bear season lasted just one day left some hunters disgruntled and Hemphill said state wildlife officials would be re-examining the regulations for next year.

One possibility is to impose separate bag limits on bears for the archery and muzzleloader seasons to give hunters more opportunities, he said.

“We are definitely going to do something different,” Hemphill said.

 

[bigcountryok]

So why wouldn't they make this a draw hunt and put a season limit of one bear.

 

[liliysdad]

Because the biologists have determined that the bear herd (gaggle?) needs this number culled to maintain a healthy presence. If you have a draw, there is no guarantee this many will be harvested.

 

[Oklahomabassin]

I predict they will have a quota for archery season and a quota for muzzle loader season next year. Sell more tags, equals more money.
I do believe the crossbow was part of the reason for so many being harvested on the first day, NOT because of being more lethal. Because more hunters in the woods, since crossbows were legal.

 

[Buzzgun]

I suspect some people, who would have been hunting bears with muzzleloaders later in the month anyway, took advantage of the opportunity to use a crossbow. I don't see that as a problem and I don't "blame" crossbows or want to make them illegal for bear season next year. Everyone had the choice to use a crossbow, so nobody was disadvantaged by them being legal.

One thing is for sure, the Wildlife Dept. won't sell a single bear muzzleloader tag this year! I think the result of this will be a separate quota next year.

 

[2busy]

I bet some of them had powder residue.