Recently we received the Archery Trade Association’s newsletter and had the pleasure of reading a study about the growing number of archers their 2016 census revealed and we couldn’t be more excited. Their research showed that the current number of archers has reached an astounding 21.6 million; yep you read that right 21.6 million. Now given, not all of those are bow hunters, but considering that even ten years ago archery in itself was a small niche often overlooked as a means of sport, the fact that we have surpassed the niche market and have climbed into the mainstream sports arena is cause for celebration. Within this large group of archers, the ATA estimates that we have roughly 2.9% of archers shoot targets, as well as bowhunt, and that of that 21.6 million, 11-12 million bowhunt; whether that be in a relaxed or intense fashion. Why is that so significant? Well, let’s look a little deeper.

Archers

With 21.6 million archers, that means that every single year 21.6 million people will be putting money into the archery industry. Not only will that help drive the economy, but that money funds advancements and research in archery equipment. Add in the fact that the more money that is spent, the more the archery world can expand, and the more credibility and focus is given to what is essentially an incredibly difficult and unique sport. The money spent on archery equipment and expos is not the only important addition the increase in archers offers either.

Bowhunters

As of 2015, there were 12.5 million bowhunters in the United States. Therefore 12.5 million people purchased at least one tag causing an estimated $280 million dollars to go into wildlife conservation (Bowhunter magazine 2015). Excluding the rest of the archery world, bowhunters also had a $66 billion impact on the economy; thus providing hundreds of thousands of jobs. Considering that was in 2015 and we’ve seen a steady rise in the number of archers and bowhunters within the US, that number will only grow. We’ve seen increases in female bowhunters and had the pleasure of witnessing more and more make bowhunting a family excursion; and we have to say we are darned glad. We are so excited to have the opportunity to watch as archery and bowhunting get to enjoy their time in the limelight and show the country the dedication and skill all archers’ possess. Here’s to an awesome 2016 season and hats off to all of you talented archers out there!

Want more awesome details about the growth and expansion of the archery world? Then check out some more articles detailing the various ways the community is expanding on the Archery Trade Association website!

As you guys have noticed, we’ve been a little turkey crazy lately what with the season fast approaching us here in Idaho, and if you’ve read our other article you know how much we love to travel when we bow hunt. So, in honor of both the great turkey and our wanderlust, we would like to present to you some of our very favorite places to go hunt turkey. We hope you’ll love these places just as much as we do, and with your Pro-Tracker along we’ll sure you’ll have an amazing hunt. So, without further delay, here is a list of some of our top 5 states to visit:

Colorado

We love Colorado, we aren’t going to lie. Huge mountains, big blue sky, the smell of spruce and pine everywhere. This is by far one of our favorite places to hunt. Not only does the changing terrain make it fun and challenging, the trees provide wonderful cover making turkey hunting a breeze. Add in the variety of amazing non-hunting, family friendly entertainment options and you have a perfect blend of family vacation and amazing hunting; which is why this is at the top of our list.

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Alabama

Now, for those of you who have never visited ‘Bama, you most definitely should. Not only are the people friendly as all get out, the turkey hunting here is amazing. Alabama has one of the most generous bag limits coupled with large amounts of WMA land available for hunting and one of the highest turkey populations in the US; making this state prime for a perfect southern hunting experience. Plus, you can whet you whistle with gallons of sweet tea while waiting for your bird; and trust us when we say you haven’t had sweet tea until you’ve had it in the south

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Missouri

The sheer number of turkeys that can be found in Missouri is baffling. Add in the crazy number of turkeys with huge amounts of public lands and you’ve got yourself a perfect turkey hunting cocktail. Hunting here will get you some great birds, while also giving you time to become one with nature in the southern Ozarks; which are well worth the trip to see all by their lonesome. Plus again, Missouri is in the south, so we have to utter those two beautiful words that are a reason to venture south all by themselves: sweet tea.

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Wisconsin

Wisconsin is a great place for gobblers. The NWTF and Dept. of Natural resources has done a good job of regulation the turkey population. This state also has one of the less expensive turkey tags for out-of-staters, which puts it in as one of our top recommendations for hunters that want to travel on a budget. This state is also great for those newer to bow hunting, as it is one of the safest turkey hunting states. However, we must say, if you visit the cheese state to hunt a turkey and don’t pick up some of their delicious cheese, we aren’t sure we can be friends. After all, it’s called the cheese state for a reason, and that reason is delicious

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Pennsylvania and New York

These two are tied for 5th place for us. If you’re desirous of an East Coast journey, either of these states will be amazing for turkey hunts. Both boast large populations as well as a large amount of potential hunting areas; be they public or private lodges. Add in the gorgeous scenery and you’ve got yourself one heck of a beautiful place to hunt. The cost of an out-of-state tag for either of these places is fairly comparable at around $100; give or take $20. The only downside here is that, depending on where in the state you decide to hunt, the toll roads may kill you. As people from areas where toll roads are few and far between, the tolls made us cry a little on the inside; though the view made it all worthwhile.

Well everyone, spring is in the air. The flowers are in bloom, grass is starting to slowly turn green, the air is heavily scented with lilacs and apple blossoms and all of that means one thing here at Pro-Tracker: it’s time to go hunt us some delicious turkeys. Normally this is an exciting time of the year, but this year will be especially awesome because we get to take a few bowhunting newbies with us. To us, there is nothing more fun that teaching what we know to someone new and watching the excitement of their first hunt, be it turkey or otherwise, bloom across their face. We’ve been going over various trip possibilities, but one we kept coming back to was the idea of hunting out of state. We know many hunters that have licenses and tags in multiple states, and it seems as the years go by the numbers of inter-state hunting are rapidly increasing; as it well should. For those of you who haven’t gone to hunt in a different state, you should most definitely give it a try.

Pros of Hunting Out of State

There are several pros to hunting out of state. One of the largest pros (in our humble opinion) is the ability to take advantage of the different states hunting seasons. By hunting in different states, we’ve been able to elongate our hunting season by at minimum one month and at most three; depending on the type of animal we are looking for. A perfect example of this is turkey season. Here in Idaho, turkey season begins in mid-April, however if we decided to get a permit in say Florida the season would have already been underway in March.

Another reason we love to hunt in different states is we love to see the variations in scenery and also partake in the challenge of hunting in the different terrain. Not only does the ability of tracking and hunting in a variety of terrains and locations make you a overall a more well rounded hunter, the challenges you will face in different areas will make the hunt that much more exciting; and your prize that much more worthwhile when you catch it. In addition to the increased knowledge travel can give you, the different terrains and plants also mean a larger variety in your animals. Since an animal’s taste is largely influenced by its diet, but widening the areas in which you hunt you are opening your palette to some new (sometimes amazing, sometimes gamey) flavors.

Cons of Hunting Out of State

Now, looking at those pros, we’re sure many of you are thinking, “Well heck yeah, that sounds awesome! So, why don’t more people do it?” The answer is as many things, both simple and complicated, all at the same time. The main reason people opt to not travel across state lines to hunt is the inherent cost. While we love hunting in different states, it can get to be a pretty pricey experience. Not only do you need to cover travel costs, you also have to take into account the cost of whatever tag you have a desire to hunt. In some states, the prices for those are very reasonable for out of state hunters, but in many states being a hunter from out of state is going to make your wallet flinch. The second issue is the availability of tags for out of staters in the state you desire to hunt in. With some animals (like turkey) getting an out of state tag is generally pretty easy; however with other animals (like bear) getting a tag for an out of state person is a difficult process.

Looking at both the pros and cons, we are firmly in the camp of traveling to hunt when we can. Not only does the traveling help cure us all of our insatiable wanderlust, but it acts as a mini-vacation as well. There is something about hunting away from home that is instantly soothing and allows us to let all of the stress just ease away that we adore. We don’t always get to hunt out of state, as with all things in life sometimes we can’t afford to go, but when we can we jump at the chance. Fortunately, it seems that many of you bowhunters are agreeing with us. In recent years more and more bowhunters are beginning to cross state lines and taking the opportunity to test their skills across the country. We, for one, couldn’t be more excited. Just don’t forget to bring your Pro-Tracker along with you; sometimes those new environments can throw you for a loop and we want to be with you to help make sure you don’t lose your quarry.

The Pro-Tracker system is the new revolutionary way to find and track big game after you have made your prize winning shot. The Pro-Tracker Transmitter connects to your favorite arrow, and you can use any tip. When you fire your arrow, the specialized Pro-Tracker equipment stays in your game. Using your handheld device, you can then find your trophy. The last thing you want to do is lose that deer or elk for which you have been searching for the past few days. Wounding a deer and never being able to find it is every hunter’s nightmare. With Pro-Tracker, your worries are over.

List of States

‡ Indicates states where we believe based on our reading of the State regulations the use of the Pro-Tracker System are prohibited.  In no way is this considered to be a legal opinion. 

Alabama: Yes

‡ Alaska: No

Arizona: Use at your own discretion (unlawful to use electronic night vision equipment, electronically enhanced light-gathering devices, thermal imaging devices or laser sights; except for devices such as laser range finders, scopes with self illuminating reticles, and fiber optic sights with self-illuminating sights or pins that do not project a visible light onto an animal. I is unlawful to use tracking devices to aid in the taking of wild game).

‡ Arkansas: No (It is unlawful to use electronic tracking devices to locate wildlife or computer assisted hunting equipment)

California: Use at own discretion (has several municipalities, most of which have their own additions or addendums in regards to legal hunting equipment)

Colorado: Use at own discretion (Colorado does have specific restrictions in regards to battery operated equipment on bows and arrows. Tracking devices, specifically, are not mentioned in the regulatory manual).

Connecticut: Yes

Delaware: Yes

Florida: Yes

Georgia: Use at own discretion (it is unlawful to kill or cripple game without reasonable efforts to retrieve. Unlawful to use electronic communications equipment to aid in the pursuit of game).

Hawaii: Yes

‡ Idaho: No (cannot take big game with aid of radio telemetry)

Illinois: No (electronic devices, including but not limited to those that use radio telemetry, are not permitted)

Indiana: Yes

Iowa: Use at your own discretion (it is unlawful to use dogs, domestic animals, bait, radios, handguns, rifles and crossbows , automobiles, aircraft, electronic calls or any mechanical conveyance or device to hunt deer. You cannot use a two-way mobile radio transmitter to communicate the location or direction of game or furbearing animals, or to coordinate the movement of other hunters).

Kansas: Yes

‡ Kentucky: No

Louisiana: Yes

Maine: Yes

Maryland: Yes

Massachusetts: Yes

Michigan: Yes

‡ Minnesota: Yes

Missouri: Yes

‡ Montana: No (electronic or battery-powered devices attached to a hunting bow. – A bow sight or arrow which uses artificial light, luminous chemicals such as tritium, or electronics).

Nevada: No (it is unlawful to hunt any wildlife with an arrow that has any chemical, explosive, or electronic devices attached).

Nebraska: Yes

New Hampshire: Yes

New Jersey: Yes

New Mexico: Yes

‡ New York: Yes

‡ North Carolina: Yes

‡ North Dakota: Use at your own discretion (Telescopic sights, range finding devices, battery- powered or electronically lighted sights or other electronic devices attached to the bow, or the arrow, are not permitted (exception: lighted nocks and recording devices which do not aid in range finding, sighting or shooting the bow are permitted). Handheld range finding devices are legal).

Ohio: Yes

Oklahoma: Yes

‡ Oregon: No (electronic devices may not be attached to bow or arrow).

Pennsylvania: Yes

South Carolina: Yes

‡ South Dakota: Yes

Tennessee: Yes

Texas: Yes

Utah: Yes

Vermont: Yes

Virginia: Yes

‡ Washington: No (It is unlawful to have any electrical equipment or electric device(s), except for illuminated nocks, attached to the bow or arrow while hunting).

West Virginia: Yes

Wisconsin: Yes

Wyoming: Yes

*Disclaimer:  This research was obtained by the staff of Pro-Tracker and is not to be considered a legal representation as to law. When using the Pro-Tracker system the user must assume any responsibility as to the State regulations that they are in. This is only a guide.