17. CHOOSE WEAPONS. EITHER/OR ISSUE WITH REGARDS TO BOW ONLY, 

 RIFLE ONLY TAGS. 



I would like to see some restrictions put on so that non archers 

 such as loggers and other forest users could not just carry a bow 

 with them in case they get a chance to plunk something. My 

 suggestion to help solve this problem would be to have them have 

 to give up something in order to get an archery stamp. For 

 example if a person purchases an archery stamp, then their rifle 

 tags are only valid for the last half of the rifle season. They 

 would be giving up the first half of rifle season for the 

 privilege of bow hunting but would still have the opportunity to 

 get their winter meat if they were unsuccessful during archery 

 season. I feel that a rule such as I just described would be a 

 good compromise between having to totally choose one method or 

 the other and having not to choose. 



I understand some of the people on the commission think it would 

 be alright to make hunters choose between rifle or bow season. 

 That is one of the most discriminating things I've heard lately. 

 If anyone wants to spend the time and money to hunt both ways, 

 that should be a hunter privilege. We will oppose such a change 

 very much. 



By making hunters choose between hunting with a rifle or gun, I 

 feel that only the serious dedicated archers would opt to hunt 

 with a bow. These are the hunters that will pass up questionable 

 shots and go to all lengths to retrieve a hit animal. 



I would also like to see the "spikes only, permit for branch 

 bulls" philosophy extended to other hunting districts that have 

 lots of open country. 



You should be allowed to hunt during archery season or rifle 

 season, not both. This would reduce the pressure substantially. 



I don't strongly oppose an increase in license fee for archers, 

 but remember archers already pay more than the rifle hunter. 



I am alarmed by the direction the fish and game dept . is taking 

 in regard to archery. I spend over 200 hours a summer practicing 

 but if forced to choose between hunting with a bow or a rifle I 

 would very likely never hunt with a bow again. I am sure I would 

 not be alone. 



I think that a "single weapon concept" should be started but not 

 for all areas just high pressure areas. Archers put a lot of 

 pressure on bull elk in the Gallatin canyon, it can't continue. 



Have had the opportunity to hunt and bugle several large bulls in 

 last 5 yrs. of elk hunting. In general I hunted on national 



