when does WI bowhunting open?

[bowhunter15]

WHat i understand from reading that is that you can use you bow, you just need to use your gun tag?

Thanks for the help Dewey

You don't have to use your gun tag. You can still use your archery tag if you want. Both seasons are open. My understanding is that, with an unfilled gun tag and an unfilled archery tag, if you shoot a buck... you can use either tag to tag it. If you shoot two bucks with the bow, put the gun tag on one and the archery tag on the other.

[seeds]

First year bowhunting since the '80s. If this is a dumb question,oh well.

But if bowhunting dressed in blaze orange is no big deal then why do we all spend so much money on camo clothes every year?

I don't gun hunt...It seems a little silly sitting in a tree dressed all in camo except for a vest that practically glows. Especially since I'm hunting a few little parcels of public that are 'archery only'.

[Crazinamatese]

In WI, you are allowed to bowhunt through the regular gun season and muzzleloader season. Blaze orange is required during those seasons by all hunters. Camo is kinda overrated IMO. Its about finding set ups that break up you outline and minimizing movement. Deer can't see colors other than shades of yellow and blue.

[dan]

First year bowhunting since the '80s. If this is a dumb question,oh well.

But if bowhunting dressed in blaze orange is no big deal then why do we all spend so much money on camo clothes every year?

I don't gun hunt...It seems a little silly sitting in a tree dressed all in camo except for a vest that practically glows. Especially since I'm hunting a few little parcels of public that are 'archery only'.

Deer don't see orange well... I have arrowed bucks wearing my solid dark blue work clothes... Camo is over rated, but can help in some situations, and at close range.

[bowhunter15]

First year bowhunting since the '80s. If this is a dumb question,oh well.

But if bowhunting dressed in blaze orange is no big deal then why do we all spend so much money on camo clothes every year?

I don't gun hunt...It seems a little silly sitting in a tree dressed all in camo except for a vest that practically glows. Especially since I'm hunting a few little parcels of public that are 'archery only'.

Deer don't see orange well... I have arrowed bucks wearing my solid dark blue work clothes... Camo is over rated, but can help in some situations, and at close range.

I also have had deer close and not pick me off in blaze orange, though I typically try to keep the orange to the minimum (vest and hat) and sit in a treestand. Seems like movement is almost always what gives you away, no matter what you're wearing. I also talked to a DNR officer (in MN) who said that if you're hunting in an "archery only" area during gun season you do not have to wear blaze orange. I'd imagine it would be the same in WI.

[seeds]

I've been out a few times since the start of WI's 9-day gun season....Not all parcels I hunt are 'archery only' but the WI regs make no differentiation between areas regarding orange. No reason to,I guess. Can't argue with the safety factor.

There's another issue I've had in a couple spots: Neighboring property owners. One county-owned tract has the "neighbors" - the former owners who still own several hundred acres - acting as if they still own the public. No ATVs or such allowed but their 20-something kid makes occasional motorcycle runs thru the trails. If he sees someone on a stand (on a trail of field edge) he'll make repeated runs underneath. If on stand near the property line - and someone sees me - then they "target shoot" as close as possible while staying on their land....Someone called the sheriff once on my truck as "abandoned" when I hunted all day,two days in a row...

So I act like I'm trespassing. No hunting near vehicle trails or fields or property lines. Never cross open areas,stay to the edges.. It's canoe-in only,so I park the truck away from the road access and hide the canoe in the grass...I hunted in there yesterday,took my vest off when I got near "my" tree... I won't be back until after the antlerless hunt,maybe not 'til next year.

Very few guys hunt there,not only for the harassment but because it takes 40 minutes to go upriver (20,down). It's a good early season spot but once the rut starts,the neighbors start thinkin' deer hunting. They want everyone out of there,and they've been hunting it for generations.

BTW,I found evidence that someone's been growing weed back there...Mid-summer scouting and trail cam placement?...I might have something to barter in order to be left alone next year....Work called today on account of "wet". I'll hunt another difficult access spot.

[bowhunter15]

Seeds, if you're being harassed by those guys I'd video tape it like Dan suggested in another thread. Even if the law enforcement doesn't legally have anything to go off of, they'll at least be aware that there are issues and may keep a closer eye on them. But if they're riding motorized vehicles on public and you videotape it, they for sure have something to cite them for. It might only take one confrontation with the law to get them to back off. That happened in public I used to hunt. Some guys had a private 40 in the middle, and had an easement to take 4 wheelers to access it. However, they took advantage of it and acted like they owned everything and drove around everywhere. Hunters complained, and the DNR stepped in and blocked off the access to ATVs by placing large boulders around the lot and adding signs. I'm sure they must have gotten in trouble, because I haven't even seen the group hunting the past few years.

As for late season bow by me, hunters aren't really an issue right now, but the warm weather gives them no reason to start moving much in daylight yet. I've been getting a lot of nighttime pics. Once the snow starts falling and temps drop, I'd expect that the bowhunting will get good again.