I do not like rifle season, especially the length of it.

Here's a proposal. One of those "if I were king for a day" deals.

Rifle season would consist of 3, 9 day seasons. The Sat before Thanksgiving thru the next Sunday. The Sat before Christmas thru the next Sunday. And one more time in January. That would cover a good percentage of gun hunting that takes place currently.

What say you?

I don't think anything will change, probably ever. Just thinking out loud.

HUMM ANOTHER WHINING HUNTER.. LOL

I think all bows should have a string and a wooden frame. All broadheads should be stone and arras made of wood. Slippery slope. Enjoy the fact that we can hunt with both for 3 months and kill numerous deer.

And this..... Is the beauty of democracy.

I believe it's ok to have the opinion that our rifle season lasts way too long. It's just an opinion.

x2

I think it's too long too

I enjoy archery its a challenge but I cant wait to reach out and touch one with my gun.

I also do not like rifle season but it is what it is.

I like early archery season the best. If I had to choose between only hunting archery or gun, I would go archery. I also enjoy slinging 150 grains at long distances too. I don't like the length of rifle season either, but it's another way the state has provided the maximum opportunity possible for people to enjoy a lengthy season. I'm ok with that.

The op's idea of the 3 nine day splits is intriguing to me. As long as there is 6 full weekends included, and the entire 27 days were doe days, and maybe increase the limit back to 2 does a day during gun season. I could deal with it being archery the rest of the time. I would most likely add a cross bow to my arsenal if that were the case. Also maybe add a shotgun/muzzle loader late season for 10 days. Get about 45'total days of rifle season vs some where around 70 days now.

Yep - the 3 nine day splits give you traditional family hunting days and 6 full weekends.

Just take this year in the south zone. We got to start bowhunting on October 25th. Twenty days later, the youth gun weekend was going, and one more week to the traditional gun opener through Thanksgiving weekend. During the 10 day "off" season for guns, it averaged about 75 degrees for highs down south.

Some states allow months of archery hunting outside of gun seasons.

You have my vote!!!

I agree. Rifle season is way too long.

If you think rifle season is to long just don't hunt that long.

What about all of your older hunters, or people who cant bow hunt? They just dont get to hunt anymore?

27 days of rifle season would still be one of the longest seasons in the U.S.

Some states have zero

I think it should be hunter's weapon(s) of choice from 10/15 (10/25) - 1/31 (2/10). Stop killing bucks at #3 and it shouldn't matter what you kill him with.

I don't think it would matter. I counted a total of 17 rifle shots during the week that rifle season ended around our place. Either folks don't care about the new laws or they didn't read the new regs.

If it were up to me, there wouldn't even be a rifle season.

How would you feel if there wasn't a bow season because all the deer being wounded. I enjoy bow and rifle but it's not right to say people that only rifle hunt can't hunt anymore just because bow hunters don't want it how it is.

Just limit yourself to those dates and you have your own personal season.

I'm a big bowhunter myself. That being said I get maybe 10 days to hunt that includes scouting. 6 of those I bow hunt. I'm glad I can have the choice to just take my bow if I want or just take my gun great choice to have IMO.

Most rifle hunters I know are not that selective in what they shoot especially younger ones. It takes much more skill to harvest a deer with a bow than with a rifle. I have to say that although I am envious of folks who harvest big bucks with rifles, I'm not impressed at all with their hunting skills. I'm in favor of decreasing rifle season to those 65 and younger, but leaving the door open for those who have disabilities and are senior citizens. Sitting in a shooting house is hunting?

I dont know where your hunting but it takes more than 27 days to get it done around here. Not to mention people have jobs so that would really translate to like 6 days of hunting

Im with this guy! Got to let them walk.

This thread highlites a pet peeve of mine. Elitist bow hunters who only want people to hunt with the weapon they prefer. How about this....don't worry about what other people are killing deer with and enjoy hunting them with your weapon of choice.

and if you don't like Alabama's hunting season hunt a different state that suits you.

I just want October 15-24 back!!!! They can keep those 10 days in December.

We are loosing hunters yearly because of aging and cost. I don't like gun season either, but when my son was very young (5-12) I committed to hunting with him and him only. We would have never had those times if it were not for the long gun seasons. When he was 11 he took his first deer with a bow and hasn't rifle hunted since. He has taken 4 does so far this season with his Bowtech Assassin. I would not want to take any gun season away from other fathers and theirs sons especially. It was a big part of him becoming a good hunter.

I've been through that "elitist" stage myself, but I got over it. With all the threats to hunting nowadays the last thing we need to do is fight amongst ourselves. If rifle hunting bothers you that bad, the best thing you can do is start a club with other hunters that feel the same as yourself.

All I would like to see is for bow hunters to have a longer season without rifle hunters in the woods. If that means opening bow season October 1 then so be it. If it means tighting up limits so that doesn't hurt the population I'm all for it. The deer patterns change when the Orange army hits the woods. I love October.

I, for one, LOVE rifle season, because it means all the other guys at our place hunt EVERY green field EVERY weekend and pressure all the deer on our place back into the thick heavy timber....were I have multiple stands set up for bowhunting

As long as bow hunters can hunt the whole season I have nothing against rifle season.I like hunting with muzzleloader and rifle sometimes.

Yep, y'all need to be thankful for that. In some states, archery equipment isn't legal to use during firearm season.

Bowfool, you actually touched on a point I've been thinking about a lot and is at the heart of my idea. I believe some form of a shorter gun season in this state, if possibly enforced, would create a higher quality hunting experience for gun and bow hunters alike. I truly believe that. Some folks will only see it as something being taken away.

Like I stated before. It's just an opinion. Not "elitist" thought or whatever that means.

Everyone should have the same season. No Bow season or muzzle loader, just a deer season hunt with whatever you chose. Cut the season down to around 60 days. Much better than 100+ as for pressure and young bucks getting killed. Just my opinion

Btw, I've read some of your "thoughts" on the sports talk forum. You calling someone an "elitist" is laughable. Agreed?

I prefer the status quo. Best of both worlds.

I've learned just to deer hunt bow season and early gun season if you want to see a lot of deer in daylight

Any Gomer Pyle deer hunter can kill a deer with a rifle. I've done it. It ain't hard. My dad just killed the biggest buck of his life and he never hunts 50 yards from his Ranger. To get a deer within 20 yards of you and be oblivious to you being there is hunting. I've known numerous guys who killed big bucks with a cigarette hanging out of there mouth. That's why I love bowhunting, because it is so hard and takes a lot of skill. I guess I'm an Elitest because bow hunters are elite when it comes to pure skill. I read a statistic somewhere that only 20 percent of bow hunters are successful each year in harvesting a deer. You know why? Because it's not easy. That's why I'd like to see a week or so more for strictly bowhunting. I know most of you will not agree with me or what I said but it's the truth.

I'm not near the bowhunter some of you guys are. But I will say one thing being both a gun hunter and bow hunter...its tuff to kill deer with a bow. A lot of effort put into it typcially with scouting, set-ups, and the list goes on. I get way more excited in bow kills than any of my gun kills combined, literally. Hats off to you guys who stick with it year round. Enjoy reading your posts, and picking up some ideas, etc. Good luck.

I always found bow hunting easier for simply killing deer. Very easy to isolate those specific food sources and hunt them early in the year. For killing a mature buck of course rifle hunting is easier but I have missed more with a rifle than I have with a bow.

Ben2, I've killed 5 with a bow now and none of them were easy. I spend hours
cutting shooting lanes, checking cameras, placing stands, practicing in the yard. I earned every one of them and it was all worth it. I have made it a personal goal to kill a big mature buck with my bow and I will one of these days. Forget deer season dates, let's talk about why I'm on my 67th hour at work this week... Ugh

What you tryin' to say, pal?

"And take that gun out of your mouth" Andy Griffith

Just wondering - how many deer have you killed and how many mature bucks have you killed, regardless of weapon?

Is it possible they were sighting in their guns or hog hunting?

ive killed 9 total in 3 years of hunting and my best buck was a 3 year old 8 point with rifle. I duck hunted for 20 years but have mostly given that up because of my new desire to bowhunt.