bear season

[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

Early reports: 22 down, biggest is 340.

Final Talley: 31 down, biggest is over 600.

Makes sense. It takes a "lil whaaaal" to drag a 600 pounder out of the woods (probably in pieces). "Hey Cletus, I don't think your lil Po-laris 250 is gonna git 'er dun here."

 

[Muleman]

I wonder if the muzzleloader hunters will get their money back?

 

[oneshotonekill]

I wonder if the muzzleloader hunters will get their money back?

Anyone that bought a muzzleloader ticket this early would be crazy. You have until the day before the season started to buy the ticket. I would be suprised if they would even sale them this early.

 

[SMS]

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.

Key point there...the Crossbow versus Compound debate is hard to discuss unless one knows what distance the X-bow taken Bears were taken.

Could just be more/different hunters, or it could be longer range....hard to say without data.

 

[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

I seriously seriously doubt that the difference, if any, is about *range*. It's about not having to draw / not spooking the game during the draw, and/or not having to hold the draw (starting to shake after awhile, etc.).

 

[SMS]

I seriously seriously doubt that the difference, if any, is about *range*. It's about not having to draw / not spooking the game during the draw, and/or not having to hold the draw (starting to shake after awhile, etc.).

I completely overlooked that..thanks. Never messed with a crossbow before.

 

[Buzzgun]

I completely overlooked that..thanks. Never messed with a crossbow before.

Not much, if any, difference in the effective range of crossbows and modern compounds.

 

[brian89]

Did anyone on this forum get a bear???

 

[ElkStalkR]

Ok guys, you can blame x-bows all you want, but that AIN'T the problem. Take a VERY common sense approach to this.

Last year was the first year. The first year about 99% of those hunters had EVER hunted bears. Just like everything thier is a learning curve, and hunters get efficient fast! Futhermore, education and promotion. (a huge pic of the Oklahoma's "first" bear on the ODWC regs cover) This gets other people interested. People that might have not been so interested during the first year.

To top it all off you have a quota hunt, and over the years thier is one thing I have learned about quota hunts. THEY SUCK!! Obviously quota hunts are there because of a limited resource and if it is a popular limited resource you better get yours FAST! I mean double time, cuz the season will close tommorow!

X-bows or not, unless the ODWC changes something one day (or extremely short) seasons will become the norm. Popular limited resource, very low quota, lots of hunters.......................you do the math!

IMO, a draw or at the very least a split quota between archery and muzzleloaders or we may never see a muzzie hunt for bears again. Even if you take away the x-bows for archery. I believe the word is out and I know from experience bears at 20 yards on bait generally could careless that you are around. Makes easy shootin for any compound bow.

 

[dennishoddy]

Ok guys, you can blame x-bows all you want, but that AIN'T the problem. Take a VERY common sense approach to this.

Last year was the first year. The first year about 99% of those hunters had EVER hunted bears. Just like everything thier is a learning curve, and hunters get efficient fast! Futhermore, education and promotion. (a huge pic of the Oklahoma's "first" bear on the ODWC regs cover) This gets other people interested. People that might have not been so interested during the first year.

I believe the word is out and I know from experience bears at 20 yards on bait generally could care less that you are around. Makes easy shootin for any compound bow.

Same thing I said on the previous page.

SMS, crossbows have less effective range than a compound as the bolts weigh less than an arrow from a verticle bow and have less kenetic energy.