Should it be a close-range sport? THE POLL

[NorthShoreLB]

Would you stop bowhunting if the "sport" was made illegal ?

...I wouldn't .

[Jason R. Wesbrock]

I couldn't answer the first question because "close" is too subjective a term. I was once told that anything much past 10 yards is gun range, so what one person considers "close" may be another person's "Hail Mary".

With respect to is bowhunting a sport? I know it's a matter of symantics, but to me the word sport implies competition. And I'm certainly not out there to compete -- not with other hunters, nor with the animals I pursue.

[varmint]

But isn't it competition??

Aren't you competing to get within range of an animal??

Aren't you competing to beat that animals senses to be able to take a shot??

Aren't you competing with the great outdoors to read the sign,evaluate the situation,and decide where to place a stand??

Aren't you competing with yourself to overcome the adrenaline rush at that one moment to make that shot??

I think bowhunting is the ultimate competition.....

[Jason R. Wesbrock]

Originally posted by varmint:
But isn't it competition??

Not to me.

 

Aren't you competing to get within range of an animal??

Aren't you competing to beat that animals senses to be able to take a shot??

No. When I shoot competitive archery, I learn the rules and use whatever advantage I can within those rules. That's competition to me.

I don't view hunting the same way. Otherwise, I'd grab my Ruger 10/22 instead of a recurve for squirrels, and my beagle and Remington 1187 for rabbits. For big game I'd borrow my friends 7mm magnum. Afterall, I wouldn't go to a golf tournament with a croquet mallet.

[varmint]

Guess we'll have to differ on that then.To me it's the greatest competition there is..................the competition with MYSELF.Trying to do everything right,get everything right,make all the right moves,outsmart the quarry to get within range,and then make that shot..............to me,that's competition.Just because I'm not keeping score,or on a team,or trying to win a tournament,doesn't mean I'm not competing.I'm competing with myself to be the very best that I can be with the equipment I have chosen to use.

[Van/TX]

Just a small point.  15 yards is < 55       ...Van

[**DONOTDELETE**]

OK guys...if you don't think bow hunting is a sport.....You all have to at least admit that is a God given right we have, that is governed by rules & regulations which we must follow to be allowed to participate in legally.

And if it isn't competitive to a certain extent....What's all this Pope & Young stuff all about? and "MY buck had bigger horns than yours did stuff"? It IS a Sport to many folks....What would Pope & Young themselves call bowhunting, if not a sport?  

I know that their are many hunters out their that this is not a sport at all personally....but actually a wonderful privilege we have being able to harvest our own meat legally.....I tend to lean that way myself.... These same folks honor and respect the laws of the land, as we should.

But even so....you gotta admit we are giving the animals a "Sporting Chance" by using traditional archery equipment and challenging ourselves to see how close we can get in pursuit.....Are we not?

So.....Archery is a Sport....that's a given...

And hunting is a privlige that can be taken away if the rules of engagement are not followed, or the powers that be, decide it's no longer necessary....

So what does that make "Archery Hunting"?

A Sport in the public eye in which our public immage will determine the future of continued lawfull participation, or granted privlage.

I rest my case.....

But don't get me wrong here....the day they outlaw guns & archery equipment, is the day i'll become an outlaw.....I'm sorry....But that's one constitutional, & God given right i wont give up....Period

Nuff Said

[-Achilles-]

Kirk...I stand by my post...I guess im different...I dont hang animals heads on my walls and call them trophies and I wouldnt enter a animals in the pope and young no matter how big it was..."that is a God given right we have, that is governed by rules & regulations which we must follow to be allowed to participate in legally"...I agree its a God given right...I do not agree that it is a privlige...I believe that if we think it is a privlige and not a right then weve already lost...I personaly look at it as a freedom of religion...I believe in God and the bible says to kill and eat and is part of my freedom of relgion...on top of that theres no way I could fault a poor man for hunting for food  

[slow walker]

Whew! I didn't intend to post again, but need to.  I see a lot of stuff in almost all of your posts that I totally agree with.  The debate over whether trad. bow hunting is a sport or not is, in my opinion, superfluous.  My comments were aimed at the relationship between the predator (that's us) and the prey.  Most predators kill any way they can and often very cruelly.(because they're killing to live)  We, on the other hand, are the only predator who have "judgement and compassion" hopefully, and the ability to "understand" our relationship to our prey.  Therefore, we have, in my opinion, the responsibility to exercise that judgement. I've had the thrill and priviledge to hunt with some very fine trad. guys.  Most recently at the TX Sweat 05.  When I shot a big boar hog directly between the eyes (only because I thought he was about to come for me and I had no other shot) CK and his dad helped me look for him by flashlight for an hour or more.  I looked the next morning for a couple of hours and never found arrow, blood....nothing.  That's the only animal I've ever shot with a bow and not recovered; and I still hope the old bastard is OK.  So...all I'm saying is that we (humans) need to be respectful of the game we hunt.  I again want to say that I meant no disrespect to anyone in my comments.  You all, collectively, are one of the greatest group of guys & gals I know of.  Best Wishes.

[Recurve50LBS]

Achilles,

When I attended my hunter safety classes here in NJ, we were told that hunting is NOT A RIGHT but a PRIVLIGE because at any time your privlige can be taken away for whatever reason like being caught breaking the rules. I understand this but I don't nessarily agree with it being a privilege. But knowing how flakey the politicians are here in my state I do appreciate my opportunity to choose to hunt and put food on my dinner table that I didn't have to stand in line at store for. I'll keep doing so intill the day the uneducated politicians ban all hunting in NJ.

[NorthShoreLB]

varmint, I compete against myself and see if I can drink more beers tonite than last nite, I guess that's a sport too than.      

[horatio1226]

Its man against animal. In the animal's environment.You study the opponent.You read, You study patterns You get in shape by practicing, alot. You go out and get your equipment,high performance bows, high tech arrows, top of the line boots, clothes, binos, trail cams,4 wheelers,gps, etc..If you take an animal you feel the exhiliration of victory.You have beaten the opponent. If you don't, you stop at Mc Donalds for a burger. Ain't none of us goin' hungry.

[LITTLEBIGMAN]

duuh!

[varmint]

Originally posted by NorthShoreLB:
varmint, I compete against myself and see if I can drink more beers tonite than last nite, I guess that's a sport too than.            

You are competing with yourself as you describe it,so I guess drinking beer is a sport too...........at least for you,I'm a non-drinker.  :D    :D

[8th Dwarf]

I bowhunting ain't a sport, then, for me, there is only one other possible description: It is a way of life!

I consider it a sport, but I acknowledge that I cannot live without it.  When I can no longer bowhunt or fly fish, then it is time for the .45 caliber pill...

Too Short

[TSP]

ttt