Archery Fishing Season 2011?

[GottaBite]

I have brought this up before and it seems to be a "touchy" subject... but...Why do archers have to go after carp when snorkel/scuba people use spearguns and get game fish. I did some snorkeling this summer and it is tough. But so is archery fishing. I am 51 yrs old and grew up bow fishing in Nebraska during the "season"(just like the season for underwater spearfishing in Utah- almost) and was able to shoot what was considered TROPHIES. A 3lb crappie and a 4lb walleye. It wasn't like I stayed in one spot and killed all the crappie in the school or filled a limit of walleye (see post earlier this season of the guys at Starvy FILLING a limit of wallys while snorkeling! Hence the time I tried it!) I would like some input from some of our more esteemed colleagues on here and see why the enjoyment of the archery experience is LIMITED to CARP!!>>?? Drew(DOWHATICAN), I know you look on here from time to time on these issues and would LOVE some input from you, and also to know if you were the one I talked to years ago at Willard Bay while ice fishing, about getting a second pole stamp started in Utah, cuz if it was, you SURE got on THAT one fast!! GOOD JOB! And you outdid Colorado's by making them good statewide! EXCELLENT!
I was thinking of doing some kind of poll or something to see just how interested everyone would be. It would be NICE if I had the "option" to hunt above water as well as below. My dad taught me one thing early on...never complain about the way something is until you've tried it every way possible and if it still seems broke... then it IS! Well....If I have to ONLY swim underwater to take a fish (let it be known I said "take" cuz there is NO catch and release) then so it will be, but it would be nice to have that option.
One point I would like brought to my attention from ANYONE would be the downfall of being able to shoot game fish with archery, during a "season". I personally cannot think of one bad scenario where archery, as opposed to, or including the already in place underwater spearfishing, would be more detrimental to the overall health and survival rates of fish. Not that many people are that GOOD!! At either sport.
Just some food for thought...
Let's see a new archery fishing season on the books for 2011 !! That would make the year before 2012 a VERY GOOD YEAR!!
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[GottaBite]

NO ONE HAS AN OPINION??!! Hmmm....
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]Set your watch back about 50 years. You are in Utah.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Many other states have greater leniency in what species you can take with a bow. Surprised that Utah doesn't allow us to shoot all species besides hatchery pets (trout). But with the new warm water program there is still a lot of study going on as to how to manage the warm water fisheries. Probably a bit premature to expect any waters to open up to bow hunting soon. But the comparison to spearfishing is a good one.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]On the practical side, there really aren't many good potential archery fishing opportunities in Utah, besides carp. Many of the waters holding worthy bowfishing targets are either too murky to see the fish well and/or they tend to stay too deep for effective sighting and shooting. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Spearfishermen typically hunt in lakes with good visibility and they can dive to the depths at which fish...like walleyes...typically hang out. About the only time you could shoot walleyes with a bow would be at night, during the spawn. Otherwise they are not shallow enough to see and shoot.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]But getting a wider spread on species opportunities for bow fishing is a worthy pursuit...in principle...even if it is unlikely to be practical on most species and most waters.[/#0000ff]
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[FNA]

Let's start by having the law changed to classify bowfishing for carp fall under the same rules as chasing coyotes, Year 'round, no license![]
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[binlurkin]

hummm, thought it was-
i guess i need to read the rules-
i imagine any restrictions on bow fishing are actually designed to protect other species rather than the carp.

i think T.D.'s right about the bowfishing - the impracticality of it , and likely low participation probably makes a "bowfishing season" one of those "why not" things. the resource probably has nothing to lose, and a few more opportunities for the public open up.....
.wait,.... i forgot for a minute... this state is more about taking away public opportunities than adding more......silly me
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[Capt.Nereus]

Of the few opportunities that someone would have to take game fish with a bow, I would think that most of them would be while the fish, what ever the species, were spawning. So I'm against it, but I wouldn't throw a fit if it were made legal.
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[GottaBite]

The walleye I shot while in Nebraska was during the heat of the SUMMER, not while spawning. I don't even like eating fish all that well, and neither do I like eating deer all that well, for that matter, but BOTH of which I DO like hunting with a bow. And in neither case am I much of a threat to the overall outcome of the daily existance in either biosphere. I did not put the carp in the lakes so why should I have to clean up after OTHERS! Why not make the underwater spearing for only carp then, and see how many "takers" there are...NO WONDER NO ONE WANTS TO BUY ARCHERY FISHING EQUIPMENT!!
As I said...I won't go on here and "SPOUT OFF" something if I haven't already tried it AND thought it THROUGH!! This state NEEDS an archery season JUST LIKE THE UNDERWATER BOYS!!! First off it's NOT FAIR!! If the fish are spawning ...close the dam season!! Or don't open it til AFTER the spawning season (well that's a good idea) At least with archery there would be little to NO PROBLEM about killing LARGE MUSKIE AND LAKERS in FishLake huh??!! Just that you'd be able to bow shoot perch in shallow in the summer...how fun would THAT BE!!?? And who CARES about shooting SLIMERS...they make good fertilizer. Make them open year round like carp!
Get equallity going and open a season for archery...I MAY OR MAY NOT PARTICIPATE in it, but it SHOULD be an option I HAVE!!
More people in this state WOULD try it, if the target was something more than CARP!
My 2 cents worth....anyway, as soon as I get FULLY retired I'm probably gunna move back to Nebraska/Kansas area just to get back to an area that understands fishing other than TROUT management. There ya getta use 2 poles by JUST BUYING A LICENCE...not a second pole licence!! How GRAND IS THAT!!
This state has been bassakcwards for the 30 yrs I've been here...but they have made leaps forward...open fishing season yr round, second pole, now archery fishing?? Almost up there with the REST OF THE WORLD.
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