Just looking back and wondering

[Shadow Hunter]

I have been thinking back on my last several hunting seasons, and realized that I have hunted one type of game or another with just about every weapon possible that is legal in the state I live in. Trad bow, Wheelie,  muzzleloader, Rifle, Shotgun, and Pistol. And was curious if any other trad gangers also hunt with such a wide varity, or if they stay with one or two. I have been seriously thinking of trying to stick with only one (trad Bow) or two next season. I am looking forward to finding out just how diverse a group of hunters we really are.

Shadow Hunter

Mods, If this is too far of topic please feel free to remove.

[ishiwannabe]

I focus on bow(trad from now on I think). I do go out with the rifle, and usually harvest a deer each way. I also use the smoke pole for the late season here in NY...but lately you can only shoot two bucks, one with bow and one with gun. All other tags are antlerless, and the landowner strongly dislikes anyone killing does...so far, only one triple two years ago. Whether it is big game or small game, I dont usually get enough time out there...

[Gabe]

2006 was my first year with trad gear but I still hunted with my rifle and muzzle loader. I did however sell my wheelie bow before deer season and still managed to kill four deer with trad gear.

[kennym]

Hunted every season,but only with my longbow! Not very diverse,huh?  

[rockfisherman]

Good question.  Got me thinking.  I hunt mostly with my trad bows and muzzleloader.  I did not hunt with a muzzleloader this year, but probably will next.  My .30-06 has not been hunted since 1984.  I last hunted whitetails with my shotgun in 1997.

[Shadow Hunter]

From the looks of the pic in your profile you're doing just fine Kenny.

Shadow hunter        

[Jerry Jeffer]

This was the first year I hunted only trad archery. For many years I have hunted with a variety of weapons. For the past 10 years I have only hunted bow and rifle seasons, and as I mentioned, only bow this past year. I can use my bow during the rifle, and muzzle laoder seasons here, so I think I will move in that direction. Hunting all seasons  I can with my bow. I just love it.

[Jerry Jeffer]

This was the first year I hunted only trad archery. For many years I have hunted with a variety of weapons. For the past 10 years I have only hunted bow and rifle seasons, and as I mentioned, only bow this past year. I can use my bow during the rifle, and muzzle laoder seasons here, so I think I will move in that direction. Hunting all seasons  I can with my bow. I just love it.  

[John D]

My recurve only, no matter what season or game I've been doing this for the past 10 years or so.

[Billy]

out there by myself..recurve
with others..shot gun- but if they are carryin' sharp sticks, recurve
wish i had more time to just be out there...

[mcgroundstalker]

Yes...Good Question...    ...

I just dig getting close to game...(Must point out that I've yet to take a deer with trad gear)...Lost count of whitetails taken with a scoped rifle...Love my T/C Hawkin, Winchester 1892, and BW recurve...Tell ya something...Past ten years all deer killed within 25 yards anyway...Stalking heavy cover in any weather.

>>-----> mike <-----<<

PS...Guess I "bow hunt" with a firearm sometimes.

[Plumbob]

Past 15 years been 99% recurve, some waterfowl and upland with a shotgun. I have hunted with my cap and ball rifle some. If it wasn't for my stick and string addiction I would be a trad muzzleloader.

[juneaulongbow]

I've been sticking to Trad Archery for 5 years now with one exception.  My father gave me a stainless Thompson/Center Encore in .44 mag for Christmas in 2003 and in Nov 2005 I killed a nice fork Sitka Blacktail with it.  I was 30 then and it's the only gun he's ever given me.  I hand loaded the ammo with 240 gr Nosler with 24 gr H110.  I called the buck in to about 50 yards.  I'd post a pic but...(it's not a bow kill)  

But here's a link...hope it's appropriate.

   Sitka Buck  

I too like getting close and enjoy shooting bows more than guns, silence is golden.

[Keystone]

All the big game I have hunted since 1972 has been with either a longbow or re-curve.

I have, over the years, hunted small game with a shot gun, when invited for an outting with friends. The last time was about 5 years ago I think.

[Osagetree]

Funny you ask,,, I've been keeping track. This tally is for whitetails and does not count small game or upland game.

My 14 Methods of Whitetail Harvest's

1) Rifle - 7.62 x .39 SKS folding stock (WV harvest)


2) Pump shotgun – Remington Wing Master, 12 gauge

3) Bolt action shotgun – Marlin 412, 12 gauge

4) Semi-automatic pistol – Desert Eagle, 14" barrel, .44 magnum

5) Revolver pistol – Dan/Wesson, w/6" barrel, .357 magnum

6) Revolver pistol - Smith/Wesson model 29, w/12" barrel, .44 magnum

7) Muzzleloader rifle – TC Hawken, .45 caliber

8) Crossbow – PSE, Starflight

9) Compound bows – with sights, aluminum arrows, Bear, PSE, Montaineer, modern broadheads

10) Compound bow – with out sights, Bear, Whitetail II, POC wooden arrows, Screw on 3 blade broadheads

11) Fiberglass Recurve bow – Bear, glass powered Kodiak Magnum, POC wooden arrows, screw in insert 3 blade braodhead

12) Osage Orange Self bow "Yellow Belly Black Snake"– By J. Weed, a.k.a. "Osagetree", POC wooden arrows, Traditional 2 Blade broadhead

13) Osage Orange Self bow "Two Snakes"– By J. Weed, a.k.a. "Osagetree", All home made  gear - rivercane arrows w/wild turkey fletching, flint tip broadhead, cattail arrow quiver, arm guard & three finger shooting glove

14) Chevy S-10 pick up truck  

[NDTerminator]

I thoroughly enjoy hunting in all it's forms.  Because of my seniority, I take around 7-8 weeks off between Sept-Dec, solely to hunt.

ND is not just a fantastic deer state, it's one of the top waterfowl and pheasant hunting states as well. I spend more hours per year training my gundogs and hunting birds than anything else.  I normally take at least 20 days off in Sept/Oct, plus hunt regular days off and mornings before work.

To give you an idea, in the last three seasons my oldest and primary lab Josie (Jacie's Dakota Gold) has made over 600 retrieves on 21 species of waterfowl & upland birds.  Needless to say, I didn't bump off all those birds by myself!

I also look forward to firearms deer season every year.  I normally take upwards of 10 days off during the 16.5 day season and hunt hard every day of it.  Because we live out in the country where we hunt, scouting for deer is a year round past time.

I hunt alone or with my wife, never with a group. I glass for and/or pattern a previously located buck, then set up for one careful shot.
I'm a Sniper School graduate and have a safe full of high end highly accurate rifles (I favor Remington 700's).  This type of precision rifle hunting appeals to me as much as close range bowhunting.

My average shot is around 350 yards. This years buck was a 6X7 with double split 7" brow tines that grosses in the mid-high 140's, taken at 280 yards with a 7MM Remington Ultra Magnum.  I took this buck 4 miles from my farmstead.

This last season I experienced a windfall that allowed my wife and I to go on a one time hunt of a lifetime.  I elected to hunt elk, something I've never done, on an indian reservation in the Badlands of western ND.  The Badlands are my favorite wild place.

This was one of most enjoyable hunting experiences I've ever had, a real Doctor & Lawyer Hunt.  I took a very old 340 class 6 point with unreal mass, at 240 yards with a 338 Magnum...