wound. And saw two others that the meat was ok on but had also 

 been wounded. I am pleased with the season and rules as they are 

 now but with the increase of bowhunters I think it is just a 

 matter of time before a permit by area will be needed. I hope 

 this is done on a survey by hunting pressure when it comes as 

 some areas are overhunted and some under hunted. It may be 

 needed now. Archery in Montana is at an all time high. If hunting 

 pressure is left at this level without a high jump in hunting 

 pressure it will remain good for years to come. Please submit a 

 similar questionaire to all rifle hunters, as their impact on elk 

 is the major disruption in an elks life. I feel archery hunting 

 has a minimal disturbance and impact on an elks life. 

 #1 priority: Make the 17000 non res. license available by 

 drawing-no outfitter preference. 



I don't think the archers disturbe the game as much as a hunter 

 with a gun. Although I do hunt with a rifle I would rather get my 

 animal with a bow. The success rate with a rifle is far greater 

 that with a bow, you arent as aware of your surounding, rifle 

 hunting as you are with a bow. 



In my hunting district (261) the building of logging roads & the 

 Bitterroot Stock Farm are the largest contributors to the failure 

 of successfully bagging an elk. Archery hunting does not & will 

 never have any significant impact on any game animal 

 * #8 - (d) The price of an archery license does not determine the 

 seriousness of a hunter. There are many good serious hunters who 

 could not afford such an increase. Licenses could reach the point 

 where only the rich could afford them & this we definitely do not 

 want to ever happen. 



I feel the impact of bowhunting is being overemphasized 

 bowhunters take a very small percentage of animals compared to 

 rifle hunters. The only impact results from too much access in 

 areas such as the breaks where you can drive out every ridge. 



I also feel questions such as how many elk did you hit are 

 invalid without asking other questions such as where were they 

 hit, how far where they followed, etc. Also, rifle hunters have 

 never been surveyed as to how many shots they took & how many 

 animals they think they hit I 



I feel archery hunting has little effect on any game animals. 

 Leave it alone 



I DO NOT FEEL BOW HUNTERS PRESSURE ELK BEFORE RIFLE SEASON AS 

 MOST PEOPLE THINK. UNLESS THERE IS AN EXTREME AMOUNT OF HUNTERS IN 

 ONE AREA. I DO NOT BELIEVE THE ARCHERS WILL CHASE OUT ELK FROM 

 THERE AREAS. 



Archers I feel are very responsable people and really care about 

 wildlife and their sport. Please don't shorten the season. 

 Archers, I feel, are the people that least affect elk 



