I have been dealing with this for many years and have just accepted it and I have no issue scoring deer, 14 for 14 years, and 5 elk in 8 years.

I learn the areas that are open, and historically they remain the same. Sure, I'd like to hunt some areas in the early season, but know they will be open in the late season.

I had a chance to ride along with a State biologist in March when I participated in an elk dart and collar project. I asked that very question, "Why so stingy on the ML hunts?"

Max answered that there are a number of factors.

1. The rifle hunters deserve a shot at some areas where the deer have had a break between methods. Some area get hunted by bow, then a break during ML, then open for modern.

2. Hunting with a bow in an area with high pressure is VERY difficult. They spread the users over a wider area to reduce the pressure, increasing the harvest opportunity.

3. Many areas open in the late season for bowhunters are also open to ML hunters. To give the bow hunters areas with reduced pressure (no ML hunters) they create "bow only" units.

4. One concession to ML hunters that has been made in a number of units is that very good units with high concentrations of deer are either sex. Lincoln and Deschutes are two that come to mind.

The only time I have ever felt at a disadvantage with a ML has been on a running deer, (I have dropped at least 3 deer running with a rifle, knowing I have an opportunity for a quick follow-up shot), and animals farther away than 75 yards (my personal limit I set for my ML). Then again, only 3 deer I have taken have been further away than 100 yards, and all elk were within 40 yards or less.

I hunt for meat, not necessariily horns. They are nice to have, but are pretty tough on the teeth.

A few reasons why you see a high success rate for ML hunters are that they tend to have hunted for a number of years prior to switching over to a more challenging method. The seasons are over a month long during the best weather for deer hunting (no leaves obscurring views in the woods, and the forest is wet and quiet). Any deer or elk with 50 yards is in serious danger, as opposed to 25 yards for a bow.

Sorry to read your dissapointment with the seasons, but you know what they are before you choose your method, so you really have nobody to blame but yourself. If you need help on some areas to hunt, send me a PM and I can direct you to a few spots.

This week I have hunted every night after and have seen 5,7,2,10, and 9 deer each evening. All does and fawns. Tonight I also saw a bear for about 1 second before he dove into the brush. No shortage of animals in the area I was hunting, and I only saw 1 other deer hunter all week. There was a serious shortage of hunters.

Good luck on your hunts!

Andy