are people shooting more then one deer?

[Thorn]

Honestly to get a decent peaceful bowhunt you'd have to do so on private land, miles away from neighboring water and woods.

Heck, I scouted last year on a WMA and found huge rubs. I went there at 4:30 AM on the bow opener and waited for shooting light only to have shots fired all around me from {supposedly} squirrel hunters and not to mention early Goose Hunters. I left at 7Am from being trampled.

Heck, I could only imagine if a few rifles would have went off from being around some bear hunters.

When archery deer season opens, so does most everything else.

[Wanderer]

When archery deer season opens, so does most everything else.

True. And you'll hear complaints about it too. But too bad, every licensed hunter has the right to lawfully pursue their game.

The difference is in the number of the licensed hunters out before firearms deer season. What was it last year - in the area of 600,000 firearms licenses sold?

I'll bet there weren't that many small game hunters out there and all after the same prize, hunting the same cover. Also, the small game pressure varies greatly by the part of the state you're in. Don't expect quiet in zone 4 after pheasant opens!

Bear hunters? Pretty much a non-factor from what I hear.

I tell ya, this thread really got me thinking about the differences in hunting attitudes across the country. Southern parts, anything goes. Western, why do you need boots with laces to drive a truck?. Eastern, well I don't know if they even hunt out there. Up Nort, SSSHHHHH! and be very selective in what you take and how you take it.

[Thorn]

Actually the number of licenses sold did not get to regular stats until the firearm for deer season started. Several media groups were reporting it.

Lots of firearm weilding hunters were pounding the small game, dove, geese,. Heck I know because it was my first season waterfowling. A small game gun usually holds 12-14 rounds, I know because it was getting monotonus. So I left. I was hunting back off on 10.

There's no difference in season openers between TX and MN. Small game and bow opener are the same days on WMA's but TX does go year round on private land for smal game.

One huge difference between TX and MN, is in TX we just went. Here it's party time...bang bang shot 'em up. I knew I was in recreation heaven when I drove across the MN state line and started seeing Welcome Hunters ,those signs were every where.

Didn't have those in TX. As far as SHHH and being selective and how you take it. I personally have seen and herd more people here, claiming it took 3 shots to bag a deer, etc, etc. It's not funny to me.

But like I said those squirrel hunters I encountered were suposedly hunting. In reality no, they were't and the DNR might have some restrictions on just target shooting on WMA's. The problem is, there wasn't and still isn't enough enforcment. I think Anoka County has 1 CO. So, what's a person to do? I say join 'em. I did and had a blast.

With the small game, early goose, and dove being in full throttle why would it hurt to use a crossbow during archery. It litteraly is sensless not to. Heck I know you couldn't hear it being shot.

So, what's the issue against it.

A crossbow is just another tool that's useful in every aspect of hunting. Namely the right to enjoy the pursuit of happiness. Well, what if there's nothing to pursue? LOL

One aspect you'll see in hunter participation decline is when laws are passed to allocate taxpayer money to control wildlife, and sustain habitat. MN has just recently started doing just that.

The crosbow can be a useful tool to promote hunting. The United States including MN is in need of more hunter participation.

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DNR News Release - October 16, 2007

Media contact: Wayne Sames, DNR SCORP coordinator, (651) 259-5559.

Recent Trends Suggest Fewer People Participating in Outdoor Recreation

Being Minnesotan means hunting, fishing, boating, camping, exploring the great outdoors, right? Well, maybe not so much anymore.

Recent surveys conducted by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the National Park Service show troubling declines in what once were the bread and butter activities that defined people who lived in this state.

...........stay tuned