Bow hunting seems to have become pretty popular the past few 

 years. Its a nice time of year and it's a good excuse to get 

 into the hills. But every year I hear the same horror stories of 

 losses & usually by the more inexperienced hunters. I realize 

 crippling also exists during rifle season, but it seem like more 

 mature bulls are lost during bow season because they become 

 highly available, when I do bow hunt elk it's because I love to 

 listen to elk bugle & you can always see lots of animals. I 

 prefer however to hunt with a rifle, and that would be my choice 

 if I had to make one. My suggestion would be to manage for 

 serious educated bow hunters and discourage the less serious from 

 getting involved in the sport. 



Bowhunter education is a good idea. 



Do not increase fees. The Mt. Dept. of F.W.&P. is already a fat 



organization that needs its budget trimmed. 



Do anything to increase Elk numbers. 



Please continue to save Bowhunting for the SAFE Hunter through 

 Bowhunting Mandatory Safety Instruction classes for All Hunters. 



I have hunted elk & Deer as long as I have had a tag. Elk 

 Hunting with a Bow is a challenge. But A Man has to pratice alot 

 Before He gos out. This is where alot of people nurt Bow Hunting 

 Becase of no pratice 



I think that the mandatory Bowhunter ed classes are about 10 



years to late in comming and that all should have to take the 



course. 



Have you asked a Gun Hunter how many animals they shot at or hit, 



in any of the Gun Survey ' s 



Theres to many lousy archers who buy a bow a week or shorter 

 before season and go out with little or no practice. I think 

 that a mandatory shooting test is in order. If you fail once you 

 have to wait a week try again if you fail twice, no License! 



Archery doesn't seem to spook the game as much as rifle hunting 



does . 



I would like to see better Bow hunters - (accuracy that is) 



I feel an archery stamp should not be sold to anyone that is not 

 reasonably proficient. With the equipment. If they cannot hit a 

 target the side of a dinner plate 4 times out of 5 with two 

 attemps they should not hunt with a bow. 



I feel the bow hunters that take poor or low success shots at big 

 game thus wounding & not capturing animals). Should be re- 

 educated about the range & Killing power of Bows. 

 Reduce the number of "Lost" Animals. 

 (Good Luck on your thesis ) 

 As you can see my Success Ratio isn't very good. But by the same 



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