Vertical bows (long bows recurves and compounds), Crossbows and Muzzleloaders are often called "Primative weapons". They are to different degres less effective than modern centerfire rifles for hunting big game because they are one shot short range weapons. Therefor many areas have special seasons and areas for their use. Sometimes shotguns are included in ares where safety is a concern and a short danger zone from the weapon is wanted.

Does the state or province you are in have seasons for 1. bow only (vertical bow)? 2. Vert bow and Crossbow together in a special season or area? 3. Muzzleloader only? 4. Muzzleloader and shotgun? 5. Primative weapons allowing all of the above? 6. are there seperate tags issued for these weapons and different tags for a regular rifle seasoon?

One reason I am asking this is because presently in Alberta there is an early Archery (vert bow) only season and a regular rifle season and very little opportunity to use a crossbow or a muzzleloader outside the regular rifle season. Many people want to keep the Archery season the way it is and not allow crossbows to be used in it.

Robin

Duffy

There is currently an area in Alberta that is a "primitive weapons "only area. It is inbetween Grande Praire and Beaverlodge and yes you can hunt all season with a bow. But you still have to have a moose draw in 357 to hunt moose there.

I'm assuming you are asking in general, and not specifically for AB.

Here in Ohio, you buy a license and deer tags. Those tags can be filled with whatever legal weapon you choose, so long as it is used during a designated season.

Archery this season started Sept 30 and goes till Feb 4. You can use a crossbow or long bow of any kind during this entire time. We have youth gun seasons in late Oct. We have a designated gun season late Nov, early Dec. We have a muzzleloader only season in late Dec. We also have an early ML season which is one weekend in early Nov I think.

You can use any legal muzzleloader during gun season. You cannot use a shotgun during late muzzleloader season (we are shotgun only).

But, some states do have tags based on weapons too.

In Louisiana area #2(Composed of many Parishes) we have Bow season for three weeks opening Oct 1st every year. Then we have one week of Muzzleloader which, is the last week of Oct. Then 2.5 mos CF rifle season. Then one more week of MLer(third week of Jan). Then one week of Bow(the last week of Jan.).

Crossbows are prohibited unless you have a DWF permit allowing their use.

The seasons vary in length depending on which area you hunt. I believe there is only 6-7 areas in the whole state.

Reloader

My home state of Colorado has several seasons dedicated strictly to archery. Legal equipment is longbows, recurves and compounds. The seasons vary a little on the species being chased. Archery only seasons are set for deer, elk, antelope, bear and pronghorns. They also allow archery for other game such as sheep, goats, and cougar, but don't seperate the seasons.

They also have a dedicated muzzleloader season for the same game. The legal equipment are flintlock, percussion and in-lines. There are a couple extra restrictions on muzzleloaders during the special season as well. No sabots, pelletized powder or scopes are allowed during the muzzleloading season, but you can use that stuff as well as crossbows during the regular rifle season.

I happen to have the regulations for Mississippi in front of me as well and they have a "Primitive Weapon" season for deer. Legal equipment includes longbows, recurves, compounds, crossbows, muzzleloaders and single shot breechloaders of a type manufactured prior to 1900.

When I was stationed in Virginia, they had a muzzleloader season,an archery season and had just legalized crossbows. I don't have a copy of their regulations so I can't post anything definintive. Pennsylvania has had a late season flintlock hunt for years as well.

Cheers

Mac

here in the SC upstate we have Bow sept 15-ML oct 01-rifle oct 11 -end of season jan 01.
the guys in the lower part of the state start mid August.