Do You "Non-Bow" Bow Hunt?

[Mike Vines]

I prefer the swoosh of the arrow compared to the bang of a gun.  I guess you could say I'm a trad hunter thru and thru.

[BobW]

no - flintlocks and caplocks are cool too!

[Kevin Winkler]

My friend thought I was crazy last year when I hunted with my longbow during the gun season.  

I just can't get excited about gun hunting anymore....unless it's chasing pheasants with my dog.

[Chris Shelton]

seems like whenever I take out a gun I get really nice bow shots, and vise versa, lol.  But the only guns I actually own are a 12 gauge for doves and a 22lr for play.  I only hunt big game with a bow, and I only shot some small game with my 22lr because I was out checking traps and I wasn't gonna pass because I had a gun . . . and I was hungry, lol

[stevemfwills]

i have killed 3 deer with a gun and they were all last year.they were all chip shots for my recurve so i kinda feel like i cheated myself on what i feel would have been an awesome deer hunt.now that being said i just got 150 acres of prime property and wont get to scout it much so ill carry a gun for filling the freezer

[yukon chuck]

About ten years ago I pretty much stopped using a gun during firearm season and just purchase a gun license, but carry my bow. This way, I can still hunt the way I enjoy it most. I don't typically hunt heavily utilized public land during the gun season. I seek out fringe public areas without much pressure, or some smaller private places I can hunt that have public land around them. The pressure from the increased foot traffic in the woods tends to move the deer around throughout the day. Not my favorite time to hunt, but it beats the alternative.

[gregk]

I stopped gun hunting when my kids left home for the service, i went along with my dad, who is 81 last shotgun season, although i did not carry a gun i had a good time. He was glad i was along to field dress and drag his deer out for him. Kinda like when i was young and he did those same things for me, i will go along with him again this year too if his health permits, not carrying a shotgun.

My dog gets upset if I bring a bow along on a bird hunt--she will get little action if I do so I use a 20 gauge. I also enjoy black powder at times, and often use a BP shotgun for turkeys..

[centaur]

My guns have collected dust for years. I wonder why I don't sell a bunch of them and buy some more nice bows. Hmmm....

[Big Ed]

Mikey, I hunt strickly with a stick and string in every season!!!!

[dpowers311]

Yes, I find myself sitting in trees that would be good bow spots.

Dave

[TooManyHobbies]

We can hunt with bow throughout most of the gun season in CT, but if we fill our archery tags, we can't fill our gun tags with the bow. I think it's stupid to force us to quit hunting or use the gun. We should be able to handicap ourselves if we want to.
Even with the gun, I usually wait for the deer to be within bow range before shooting it, and yes, it feels like cheating. Even the wheelie bow felt like cheating. I guess that's why I'm here...with like minded people.

[Rick Butler]

Some of my buddies and I take an annual trip to the Dakotas for Pheasants and Sharptails.  There's usually about 7 of us that go and we all have some top-notch gun dogs.  Although this is a shotgun hunt, this year my son and I will probably take our bows to add a little more excitement to the hunt. Surely we won't limit out every day like we did last year.

[Brian Krebs]

I hunt chuckars and huns with a shotgun- I have killed both with a bow; but these birds form flocks of 50 - 100 birds : and my bird dogs work their butts off to get them flying- and they would bite me if I used my bow while hunting for them.
 I do consider bird hunting more the work of the dogs; and not so much hunting as shooting.

 So - other than birds - I hunt with my bow; and have for some 30 years.

 If I am in a situation where I have to choose a gun or a bow- I hunt with a bow or don't hunt.
 Case in point: last fall my elk tag was good for bow season and cow elk with a muzzleloader. I had 4 hunters come up and try to get a cow elk with a muzzleloader- the elk were in eyesight of my cabin.
 My son shot an elk; but I declined to hunt without my bow.

 To me - compounds; or whatever they are called now- are not bows. I heard on a hunting show that "all the elite bowhunters use Matthews bows".

 Well - that leaves us out of that club; and so be it.

 Even Jim Shockey - who is promoting a compound bow - said that 'bows are so easy to shoot now- I don't see the challenge unless they (the animals) are out there a long ways'.

 I have no objection to gun hunting; it is the best place for kids to learn about gun safety and responsibilities associated with the use of firearms; to include taking orders. So I feel it is integral to the meaning of the second amendment.

 But I am a bowhunter. If I am hunting; its with a bow; a traditional bow; and I will not compromise: that relationship with nature.

[COMPOUNDLESS IN CONCRETE]

I just have never been interested in gun season.  Around my neck of the woods, gun season is only like 9 days and 5 of them fall during the week when it is unlikely that I am able to hunt then.  

Besides, the people that I know that archery hunt have more success than the gun hunters I know.  One of my friends has not killed a deer in gun season since 1998 and that was in eastern WA.  

Hunting with the simple bow and arrow really trips my trigger.  I think the experience and the journey is what I yearn for, not so much the kill, especially if the animal is 250 yds or more away.

[mcgroundstalker]

It's very cool to see we are all on the "same page". Some of you got my point/meaning spot on while others opened my eyes to an un-seen angle.

I Love This Place! Always Learn Something Good.

... mike ...

[koger]

I am a long time gunsmith, built over 200 custom bolt guns, several trad. muzzleloaders. I have shot for years on a local, state and national level in muzzle loader competition and have a deep love for black walnut, curly maple and browned steel. I usually fill 3 out of 4 of my deer tags with a recurve, but usually save one for late ML season. It has been a tradition around here for about 16 years, 6 or 7 of us get together, including my wife who hunts and have a great time hunting and enjoying each others fellowship. I also am a serious varmint hunter, chasing woodchucks and coyotes year round here in KY, and since cutting down on these populations is paramount, I use one of my own custom long range rigs I have built. Very seldom do I ever gun hunt deer, unless on a drawn specific hunt, or the landowner has crop tags and is specific about his weapon choices for hunters.I am a die hard bowhunter, sold my compounds long ago. I have had seasons where I only bow hunted, trad bow hunted, or trad ML hunted, and have been successful as well. After loosing my 20 year old son 8 years ago, I realized we shouldnt box ourselves in, or leave other people out of any situation which affords quality time with true friends, in any given outdoor activity. Seize the opportunity to enjoy any time afield, take a youngster hunting and see the new spark in their eye, with whatever means, and maybe, just maybe, someday they will feel the longing to bend a trad bow, see the magic in a simple arrows arch to the target and understand what we all feel. If you give a newbie to hunting a ultimatum, no matter what the age we stand a 50/50 chance of alienating them from the sport. Its all good, enjoy it all, and trad. bowhunting and archery is my favorite. let others have theirs as well. Just MHO. Sam

[dave19113]

I do both..... I love bowhunting but I still hunt with a handgun.... I love em all... I just love bowhunting the most

[Zradix]

I'd always rather harvest with my bow.
I use my rifle to fill my freezer quicker.
...need to work on my hunting skills..lol
I use my muzzle loader often during regular rifle season just for the fun of it.
My bow is the MOST fun...just not always as productive..lol

[TRAD101]

guns have been collecting dust for over 20 years.