greatness of Montana is the opportunity to have a variety of 

 hunting opportunities, and this includes hunting with both rifle 

 and bow. 



The main problem with archery is that anyone can hunt. People 

 that never even touched a bow are allowed to hunt which gives 

 the 600 bowhunter a bad name. All archers should be required to 

 take a coarse that covered use of safety, tracking wounded game, 

 saving meat, proper technics of bowhunting - before being allowed 

 to hunt. 



I would like to see the number of bowhunters less. If we could 

 somehow eliminate the hunter that doesn't practice and really has 

 no idea of what dedication it takes to truly be called a 

 bowhunter out of the woods. We would have less wounded game and 

 a better repore with all people concerned. 



In ten years of hunting, I have only shot three arrows, two 

 complete misses and one score. 



I think an archers hunting safety test is a must not only a 

 classroom test but also a field test. I would also like to see 

 the rifle or archery hunting law go into affect, but I've heard 

 of other states that have gone to that law and later the archery 

 season was closed all together. I don't want that to ever happen 

 in Montana. 



All archers should be required to pass a test. Bows and 

 equipment should not be sold to someone a week before who has no 

 experience. Bird hunters spook elk more than archers. 



I passed up shots at 4 different elk this season. Two bulls and 

 two cows. I felt that the extremely dry conditions coupled with 

 a bad hit could increase the probability of losing the elk. 

 Bowhunters need to do more policing of their own ranks. 



Have taken bow hunters ed. course in Missoula "1987" - very good 

 program. Early Sept. tempature questionable in some areas but 

 beautiful time of year - will hold shot for right time and 

 weather. 



I haven't hunted with a bow yet because I haven't felt that I was 

 good enuff . I need to practice more. 



I feel some type of bow hunting qualification course and hunting 

 methods and code of ethics should be met before an archer is 

 allowed to bow hunt. We need to concentrate on better winter 

 range, more of it, and less bother by men, dogs, and predators. 



I believe that a substantial number of elk are being wounded and 

 not harvested, making elk harvest data unacuret to kill data. I 

 believe that this should be a top priority of the MDFW&P. 



