Although I've done some hunting I am relatively inexperienced especially when it comes to archery and muzzleloading. So my question is.....if you were going to take up hunting today, knowing what you know about Washington State regs, opportunities, success ratios, personal satisfaction etc what type of hunting would you choose and why. I am interested in hearing anyone who has an opinion.

ML all the way. Longer seasons, less people.

If you don't have a lot of time on your hands stay away from archery. You need to spend a lot of time shooting your bow.

So if not archery I would ML elk and rifle hunt deer.

Well I am with Globall... If you can't shoot at least 30yds for archery practice in you yard so that you can practice pretty much every day or at least as much as you can I would suggest the same as Globall...

Archery is a great way to go and then if not archery go muzzleloader... Both the season's are good and about 110,000 less hunters...

I really have come to an appreciation for MF... The camping camaraderie is pretty cool.

However, I do want to actually want to bag a deer, and so as of next year (hopefully), I should be a bow hunter only for the most part... I may be bow hunting for elk this year as well if I can improve my accuracy a bit more on m compound.

Don't bow hunt unless you are hitting CONSISTENTLY. My "game warden friend" hates seeing elk walking around with old arrows in them.

Curtis

You can be successful with any method. Success comes from scouting and doing your homework.

Thanks everyone for the replies. Your thoughts are similar to the conclusions I'm coming to on my own. Although I like modern firearm its just too crowded out there....kinda the "Blue Creek" of hunting.

I did the "high buck" hunt last month and that was fun. I didn't see anyone in the woods although I saw signs that people had been through the area I hunted earlier. As usual my partner and I didn't get very much scouting in prior to the season and this worked against us.

Unless I do the high buck again next year, I may try muzzle loading. It looks like a good way to get out in the woods without the company of so many others. Archery would be fun, but I don't have the time or the space to practice.

Muzzleloader 100%.........relative solitude, late season (W. Wash) blacktail hunt is, for me, perfectly timed to avoid missing prime fishing. Salmon is winding down and winter steelhead is just gearing up at end of the hunting period. The weather is, generally, nice and snotty for creeping around in the woods and you don't have to wear that damn hunter orange.