Carrying a rifle for bear during an archery elk hunt in New Mexico

[AtenJones]

I've applied for a few units in New Mexico for archery elk that have an OTC any-legal-weapon bear season at the same time. If I'm lucky enough to draw (not holding my breath), would I legally be allowed to pick up an OTC bear tag, and carry a rifle with me as well? Obviously would only use it if I happened to stumble upon a bear - but I wasn't sure of the legality of carrying two weapons. I'm not too keen on stalking up to a black bear with my bow, but if I saw one across a canyon, and had a rifle, it would sure be nice to be able to fill the tag. Any thoughts?

Thanks!

 

[TLowell02]

I certainly may be overlooking a hunt but from a quick scan of the regs, all archery elk seasons except the APRE/6 end on Sept. 24 while statewide archery-only bear seasons run concurrently from Sept. 1-24.

 

[MThuntr]

I'm not sure a game warden would listen to a story about why you were carrying a rifle while archery hunting but that's just me.

Good call TLowell02, I'm not sure there is any overlap of rifle bear and archery elk (though I admit I don't know the regs and could easily missed something)

 

[Deleted member 28227]

You would need to dig a bit deeper into the regs if you draw. Generally speaking, throughout the west what you are asking falls into a grey area. In some states/zones it's regs say you can't carry a rifle in the field if you have an archery tag for another species, some state don't specify. Best practice would be to either just use your bow for both, or keep your rifle in your truck until you decide to hunt bears and then leave your elk tag in your truck with your bow. Also note that in any state that requires blaze orange during rifle season you will need to wear blaze orange while in the field with a rifle, even if at that moment you are using your bow and pursuing elk and your rifle is attached to your pack.

Legal possibly, not advised. Also I wouldn't worry about stalking a bear with your bow.

See NM regs for a few specific units:

 

[AggieOutlaw]

I've applied for a few units in New Mexico for archery elk that have an OTC any-legal-weapon bear season at the same time. If I'm lucky enough to draw (not holding my breath), would I legally be allowed to pick up an OTC bear tag, and carry a rifle with me as well? Obviously would only use it if I happened to stumble upon a bear - but I wasn't sure of the legality of carrying two weapons. I'm not too keen on stalking up to a black bear with my bow, but if I saw one across a canyon, and had a rifle, it would sure be nice to be able to fill the tag. Any thoughts?

Thanks!

No. Not legal. As TLowell points out: the draw archery hunts do not overlap with an Any Legal Weapon OTC bear season. It's bow or nothing during archery season. Even the early rifle bear seasons end before 1 Sep.

I cannot think of a reason why you would be legally justified in carrying a centerfire rifle in the field during September. A rimfire could be used for grouse or squirrel. A shotgun for teal. There are no big game rifle seasons in Sep to my knowledge.

 

[AggieOutlaw]

I certainly may be overlooking a hunt but from a quick scan of the regs, all archery elk seasons except the APRE/6 end on Sept. 24 while statewide archery-only bear seasons run concurrently from Sept. 1-24.

This ^^^

This isn't a coincidence. Not NMDGFs first rodeo.

 

[Straight Arrow]

"I'm not too keen on stalking up to a black bear with my bow, but if I saw one across a canyon, and had a rifle, it would sure be nice to be able to fill the tag. Any thoughts?" No disrespect meant, but it seems black bear experience may be lacking. I don't hunt bear, but have had opportunity with my bow (and I'm a short-shot bowhunter). When bowhunting, especially for elk, the last thing I would want to lug on my pack is a rifle ... but maybe that's just me!

 

[AtenJones]

I certainly may be overlooking a hunt but from a quick scan of the regs, all archery elk seasons except the APRE/6 end on Sept. 24 while statewide archery-only bear seasons run concurrently from Sept. 1-24.

GoHunt has an Any Legal Weapon bear hunt listed for Unit 53 from September 1-24, alongside the archery elk hunts.

Could be that their dates are wrong - I’ll check the actual regs later today.

Thanks for all the replies!

 

[AtenJones]

Just checked the regs - GoHunt’s dates are wrong - which sucks, but at least I don’t feel like a complete idiot for reading them wrong! Thanks for the help!

 

[prhunter]

I certainly may be overlooking a hunt but from a quick scan of the regs, all archery elk seasons except the APRE/6 end on Sept. 24 while statewide archery-only bear seasons run concurrently from Sept. 1-24.

^^^This^^^

 

[Deleted member 28227]

No. Not legal. As TLowell points out: the draw archery hunts do not overlap with an Any Legal Weapon OTC bear season. It's bow or nothing during archery season. Even the early rifle bear seasons end before 1 Sep.

I cannot think of a reason why you would be legally justified in carrying a centerfire rifle in the field during September. A rimfire could be used for grouse or squirrel. A shotgun for teal. There are no big game rifle seasons in Sep to my knowledge.

You are incorrect. Unless you know of a specific statutes that states otherwise, I could not find one, it is legal to carry a centerfire rife in the field at any time per NM's open carry law. The only thing that would be illegal would be actively pursuing a big game animal using the incorrect method of take. Carrying an archery elk tag in tandem with a rifle could draw suspension of this activity, hence why I said not advised, although it is not strictly illegal.

You are allowed to target shoot, pursue predators such as coyotes, and bear season does overlap archery, so there are plenty of justifications for carrying a rifle... whether or not a warden has issues with you carrying a rifle has less to do with the rifle but more on your behavior, i.e. does your attitude and/or the circumstance give the warden reason to believe you are violating the law.

Personally, my goal isn't to be "legal enough" so that a lawyer could get me out of a ticket. My goal is follow the rules in such a manner that I give law enforcement no reason to question my behavior, hence the recommendation to pursue each species with the same method of take, bow, or do pursue them with different methods of take separately.

 

[MTGomer]

Is there a black bear in the world that is worth killing with a rifle while on an archery elk hunt?
Not to me.

 

[bobbydean]

Why take a chance to screw up an elk tag to shoot a bear.

In the golden age of New Mexico hunting. the tag was for a deer, bear, and a turkey.

Never shot a bear or a turkey. A hunter almost took my head off shooting at a turkey on top of rise and I was on the other side. A nephew did shoot a turkey during those years.

 

[AtenJones]

Why take a chance to screw up an elk tag to shoot a bear.

Here is my logic - I live in the east, I get one trip per year. I probably won't be able to go on a bear hunt for quite a while, and I would obviously prefer an elk. But, if I'm going to drive 1,500 miles across the country, I'd rather come home with something rather than nothing. If the opportunity existed to take a bear while I was on an elk hunt - and it was legal - I would do it without hesitation.

 

[AggieOutlaw]

Just checked the regs - GoHunt’s dates are wrong - which sucks, but at least I don’t feel like a complete idiot for reading them wrong! Thanks for the help!

Yep...GoHunt is wrong. 1-24 is archery only

 

[AggieOutlaw]

You are incorrect. Unless you know of a specific statutes that states otherwise, I could not find one, it is legal to carry a centerfire rife in the field at any time per NM's open carry law. The only thing that would be illegal would be actively pursuing a big game animal using the incorrect method of take. Carrying an archery elk tag in tandem with a rifle could draw suspension of this activity, hence why I said not advised, although it is not strictly illegal.

You are allowed to target shoot, pursue predators such as coyotes, and bear season does overlap archery, so there are plenty of justifications for carrying a rifle... whether or not a warden has issues with you carrying a rifle has less to do with the rifle but more on your behavior, i.e. does your attitude and/or the circumstance give the warden reason to believe you are violating the law.

Personally, my goal isn't to be "legal enough" so that a lawyer could get me out of a ticket. My goal is follow the rules in such a manner that I give law enforcement no reason to question my behavior, hence the recommendation to pursue each species with the same method of take, bow, or do pursue them with different methods of take separately.

I was answering the OPs question about shooting a bear with a centerfire rifle during archery elk season. That is illegal.

But if you want to carry a high power centerfire for "target shooting and coyotes" while carrying a bow with bear and elk archery tags in your pocket, you can certainly do it. But the warden's aren't stupid and you'll be asking for (and deserving) a little extra scrutiny. And the other hunters will be justifiably suspicious of you.

Bear RIFLE season does NOT overlap archery elk season. So there really are NO justifications for carrying a centerfire rifle. Seriously, who target shoots when and where they elk hunt? The warden isn't gonna believe you. And the "act of pursuit" is loosely defined for a good reason. Harness your inner Posewitz and just don't do it.

I got asked about carrying my bow in the woods the day before my 2nd season archery elk tag...even though I was honestly bow hunting grouse, turkey, and bear while scouting. The warden warned me to "be careful and know your target"...as if I could mistake a 6x6 for a grouse...I knew what he was really saying. I always wondered how the conversation would have gone with a rifle. Think: turkey, bear, and elk are all archery only during September (1-24). It may be legal to open carry a rifle, but G&F is making their position clear: don't carry a centerfire weapon (rifle/muzzleloader/shotgun) while hunting in Sept.