Should it be a close-range sport? THE POLL

[Curtiss Cardinal]

Close, yes BUT close is relative to both the skill of the archer hunting AND the size/nature of the animal being hunted. It is common to have sub 20 yard shots at whitetail, blacktail, pronghorn etc. When hunting from a stand where a good ambush point has been chosen. I have been told that getting closer than 30 yards to a caribou is very difficult and that practice at 40 yards is a good idea for the year prior to hunting them. Also I have heard that stalking highly pressured mule deer in the West 35 yards is your likely closest shot. Other game in the mountains is likely to be longer than spitting distance. So close is relative. Is Bowhunting a sport? Yes by an earlier times definition of sport. As hunting does involve an adversarial relationship it means a techinical definition of sports.

[-Achilles-]

WOW..I cant believe that killing an animal...taking an animals life for food would be considered a SPORT by some...I just cant fathom this...it really is no wonder some would want to ban hunting when some would veiw it as a sport...sad to me

[slow walker]

I have to say that the "thrill" of trad. hunting is getting close.  I've hunted big game with scoped, high powered rifles, etc.  Nothing matches being close enough to see their eye lashes! I "love" the game we hunt...sorry, I just do.  I also love the skills involved in gettin' close....We've lost so much of that in our "civilization".  So, for me, the real pay off of trad. hunting is getting close.  Having said that, 20  yards is a long shot for me.  

[slow walker]

Some of you guys sort of shake my faith in the "spirit/ethics" of trad. hunting.  As far as I'm concerned; when you drop the string, there should be no doubt in your mind that the shot will go where you intend. PERIOD! Having said that, I understand that things  can go wrong.  But;  It is your responsibility to do all that you can to make it right.  Guessing/hoping about a shot at 40-50 yards is irresponsible in my not so humble opinion.  If you can hit a pie plate near the center at that range; then go for it...you're a better shot than I am.  If you can't, put your ego and all the stories you've read about in  your pocket and get real.

[SteveB]

I have seen no one promote the idea of shooting at game any farther then what their recovery rate would verify as being a high % shot. Am I missing something?

Steve

[slow walker]

Yes, Steve you're missing something.  No disrespect meant.  We're not talking about percentages here...we're talking about killing something (that most of us respect and treasure).  Therefore I think that we should be thinking in terms of certainties, at least as far as we can manage.  Not percentages...because, at the end of the day if an animal dies slowly and painfully due to our negligence we've been disrespectful.

[rg176bnc]

I dont believe a sport can stir the soul like bow hunting.  I dont know much about the popular names of trad hunting Bear,Pope,Young etc...  I would bet you would be hard pressed to find their lost game stats or wounding rates.  Not downing these guys at all.  Those were diffrent times and diffrent ways.  I believe I can find any paunch shot deer I hit and have done so.  That doesnt mean Im gonna let one fly if thats the only shot I have either.  The only thing we can do is police ourselves, were the ones that have to live with our actions.

[slow walker]

Yup, rg176nc, I'd go along with most of that.  :D

[Harpman]

A Sport is an athletic contest, between 2 or more WILLING individuals, or teams, with Rules to play by, and penalties for not playing by the rules, and a score is kept, and one side Wins, the other Loses..Hunting is not a Sport, it is either a Hobby, or a means to collect something to eat..How many animals are a WILLING participant in hunting?...Target Archery is a Sport, Bowhunting is not..I do agree that for most folks, Bowhunting is also a Lifestyle, and a mindset..As it should be, in My opinion..Substanance "Hunting" isnt the norm today, and so, the term "Sport Hunting" is used...As for whats close range, or not, thats up to the individual...I find it odd that todays Trad bowhunters look up to the pioneers of bowhunting, and the way that they did things, and yet today someone that shoots a deer at 40 yards is chastised for taking that long of a shot..Hill, ben pearson, Fred Bear, Pope, Young, and a host of others killed game at 40+ yards, and they are "OUR" Hero's in this hobby/lifestyle..I have heard of archers shooting at groundhogs at over 50 yards, and nobody says anything, but shoot a deer at 50 yards, and your a slob hunter, or worse..Why??..is a deer more special than a groundhog, or a rabbit?..To each His/Her own to make Their own decisions, and shoot within Their own individual limitations..Mine is around 20 yards, becuase I'm not a good shot..I know Trad archers that could easily make clean kills past 35 yards..Take Care...Harperman

[slow walker]

Oh man!...I'm outta here.  Best Wishes to all.

[Sixby]

Having been a trad hunter for over 50 years I am in agreement with Harpman. I do not appreciate anyone imposing their self imposed limitations on what others can do. I have to live with the decisions I make and how I percieve nature may not be how you percieve nature. One thing I know is that when it comes to bowhunting there is no such thing as a sure thing and if you wish to insist on the sure thing then just get a gun. I mean that. The greatest thing about bowhunting is the difficulty factor. I have shot a cow elk from 6 feet and She dropped and the arrow hit her 12 inches from where I was aiming.; I have shot a buck at 45 yards and hit him center of lungs just where I was aiming. This stuff about being close being the entire key to total success is garbage to any one that has real hunting experience. They know better. I had a bull elk buck like a horse spin and go over an arrow from 10 yards. He did it so fast I thought I double lunged him. I have had many animals beyond 20 yards take no notice of the string at all. I'm not posting what I am saying to be contentious . Its my experience. I have killed deer in the hundreds and over thirty elk plus bear cats and about every thing in N America but sheep and goats with a bow. Again not bragging but I do have many experiences over many years of hunting to draw from. When I read these threads sometimes I laugh and sometimes it just downright upsets me a little. Not much but a little. Especially when someone with an opposing opinion has to do the little I'm out of here thing just because someone else does not entirely agree with their imposition. Keep them sharp, heavy, and hit what you are aiming at if you can. Sometimes trees interfere. Branches grow instantly, I have arrowheads I go visit that are buried so deep I cannot pull them. I have a 6 blade wasp that is at least 10 inches in a tree after 30 years of growth. Almost every year I go back and remember the day that Bull elk jumped that and wonder , Howwwwwwwwwwwwww

Happy New Year , Steve

[NorthShoreLB]

Nice post Sixby

[SteveB]

Like Sixby said - there are no certainties ever!

It is about percentages because there are few that recover 100% of the animals they shoot AT.
And I would bet of the number that have a 100% rate, many have taken but a few shots. The best hunters are the ones that recover the game they shoot at - and they are not always the ones that shoot the closet distances.

Good post Sixby.

Steve


 

Originally posted by slow walker:
Yes, Steve you're missing something.  No disrespect meant.  We're not talking about percentages here...we're talking about killing something (that most of us respect and treasure).  Therefore I think that we should be thinking in terms of certainties, at least as far as we can manage.  Not percentages...because, at the end of the day if an animal dies slowly and painfully due to our negligence we've been disrespectful.

[sidebuster]

My slogan on my bows is GET CLOSE. If you are not mano a mano with the game you are hunting then IMO that is wrong. Hence the challenge. If the animal you are hunting does not the have the opportunity to hear you, see you or smell you than you are not close enough. You just out smart him to make sure he doesn't but you must do it while being close. I kind like to think I am like a cougar who has to be very smart in order to pounce on his game to make the kill and he can't do that unless he is close. I know a friend that can hit a deer at 50 yds with his compound. As great as that may sound I told my friend that IMO tha is not what the archery sport is all about. It about getting close and given the game the opportunity to detect you however, you just got to be smarter. That what it is all about.  The question in the poll, "Is Bowhunting A Sport"  of course it is.  The only other option would be that you bowhunting to survive like the native americans did.  We do not hunt for survival.  We only do it as a sport.

[horatio1226]

If you are eating it, is that not survival? No matter if you have to or not?

[sidebuster]

Horatio IMO it is only survival if that is the only choice you have and there is no other option and if you don't do it you or your family would perish.   Other wise you go buy some food at your grocery store.

[La. bowhunter]

My opinion is that bowhunting is a sport that is so much fun that it really doesnt matter if you actually get to kill something. I picked 15 yards only because 20 wasnt an option, back when I shot a bow with training wheels I didnt have a problem with shooting a little farther but I still didnt like to shoot past 30 yards but so far my stickbow expertise only allows me to shoot to 15 to 20 yards but that is what makes it so much fun.

[southpawshooter]

Great post Sixby....I agree completely.  As you, I've had deer completely foul a shot at close range - like turn inside out at 8 feet.  That is far less than the typically stated 20yds.  I've shot animals further than 20 yds. and seen them not even blink.  Close range does not guarantee a good shot.  Nothing is a sure thing in bowhunting.  Take the shots that you feel are high percentage based on your experience, the animal's body language, and in your range of expertise.  No one else can or should dictate the situation to you - there are not there, do not see the circumstances, and do not have to live with the consequences.

[Larry247]

IMO bowhunting is not a sport, it is a way of life.

[**DONOTDELETE**]

Originally posted by -Achilles-:
WOW..I cant believe that killing an animal...taking an animals life for food would be considered a SPORT by some...I just cant fathom this...it really is no wonder some would want to ban hunting when some would veiw it as a sport...sad to me

You know something? Its just these kind of statements that attract anti-hunters, and EXACTLY what they use for ammunition to support their cause......

HELLO!!!!! OUT THERE!!!!! It's 2008....Hunting became a sport many, many, many years ago when the necessity of hunting to feed your family was replaced by the meat markets and grocery stores..... Wake up there and smell the coffee here....PLEASE.....            

There is a lot of really good stuff on this thread about personal limitations, being conscientious, and of course that big mysterious word, laced with ambiguous over tones; "Ethics".....

It IS a sport....that is a given in this day and age....How this sport of ours is viewed in the public eye will determine the future rules,regulations, and laws governing this sport.


We all have a responsibility to everyone one else who loves this sport, to be conscientious about our actions in the field, as well as what we say on line in the public eye.

This isn't "Sad" my friend....It's "Reality"....

Happy New Year!   Kirk