Meat Hunting

[Ray Hammond]

Stick String.

The fact you laid before us was ...

 we want to live of of venison; and I have only been bowhunting for about 2 years and have never shot anything with my recurve.

If you want to live off of venison then don't depend on a weapon that you haven't yet even taken an animal with.

Subsistence hunting - which is what you are talking about- is different than hunting for pleasure or recreation or the myriad other reasons we can choose to hunt for.

Your specific question was should you do it with a stick and string- my response was "use a gun".

I'm not one to blow smoke up someone's rear end and call it a fresh breeze. If you want to live off of venison then you and your family are going to get mighty hungry before you get full using a stick bow.

Can it be done- of course it can. You asked if we thought YOU could do it. Based on the premise you provided, and the backup information that you have yet to take anything with a recurve- my response is still - USE A GUN.

[Orion]

I believe that pretty much hits the nail on the head.

[stick_string]

Ray:
Point taken.  I guess I worded it wrong.  I will rewrite the question.

Does anyone find it exceptionally harder to kill a deer or many deer with a stick bow rather than a compound?    :confused:  

I think maybe my statements have been contorted a little.  I did not mean that if I dont limit out, my family wont eat.  On the other hand, I WANT to live off of deer and would like to use a stick bow.  I guess I am wondering how many are sucessful at this and what does it take to get there?  (I hope my meaning is getting out there)
     

[Jason R. Wesbrock]

I suppose I'm fortunate in that our family eats venison year round. Occasionally my wife get's a taste for cube steaks, but other than that there hasn't been beef in our freezer for longer than I can remember. And yes, I hunt exclusively with traditional archery tackle when it comes to big game.

I'm a meat hunter first and foremost, but sometimes that meat is attached to a nice set of dragging handles. I don't ever go into the woods with the intention of shooting something that'll end up at the taxidermist. Sometimes things work out that way though.

[John Scifres]

"Does anyone find it exceptionally harder to kill a deer or many deer with a stick bow rather than a compound?"

Not really.  You really should not have a problem getting similar results with a proficient non-compound bow as you do with a compound bow.  Most bow-killed deer are inside of 20 yards.  I'd say you should be fine.

"I WANT to live off of deer and would like to use a stick bow. I guess I am wondering how many are sucessful at this and what does it take to get there?"

Plenty of deer are killed with a trad bow.  Your success rate will vary based on your deer herd, your allowable hunting time, and your skill.  Get proficient at hitting a pie pan inside of 20 on your first shot every time in different conditions and you will be fine.  The biggest difference past that is the let-off of a compound.  Just draw when they can't see you so well  

[stick_string]

I have a four inch group at 18 yards so I think that I fit within that requirement.

[Dave Lay]

stick and string, dont take this wrong, because no ill intent is meant, but is that 4 inch group gonna hold up when its 30 degrees and you are having to crouch down on stand to get the shot or shoot to your "off side"?? I dont see a lot of merit in quoting group size.. will that ONE arrow go where ya want it to?? get out and shoot some judos and enjoy some real time practice, use that practice time to scout.. if ya set up properly there shouldnt be any diffrence in shootin a stick or a compound.. just stay within your range... good luck!!

[stick_string]

Not takin wrong at all.  Living in FOrt Worth I do not have mush time to drive the two hours to practice odd ranges (stump shoot).  But I do put plants, chairs, and other things that are in my backyard in front of me to try my best to simulate a hunt situation (drives my wife crazy).  I practice crouching, on my knees and standing bent over (in the cold, Heat, and wind too).  I agree that it dosent matter what you can do on the range but in crunch time.

[stick_string]

Problem is I do not know what I can do in crunch time....  :confused:      

[JC]

Originally posted by stick_string:
Does anyone find it exceptionally harder to kill a deer or many deer with a stick bow rather than a compound?

No, it's not exceptionally harder than a compound. If I had lots of time during hunting season, I'm sure I would run out of freezer space before I ran out of shot ops.

I would think some of that depends on where you live/hunt. In some places up North, you may only get a tag or two but may only get a few shot ops...here in GA you can kill at least 14 legally and may not be able to recall the shot ops they'll be so many...Alabama is one of either sex each day. So it could be a lot easier to subsistance hunt with a stickbow in some locales than others.

Either way, takes a dedicated woodsman to consistently get close to and kill deer with a stickbow.

[AZStickman]

I have a four inch group at 18 yards so I think that I fit within that requirement.

[/b]

The real question is are your woodsmanship skills honed enough to consistently get you a shot in your effective range....... If so you are set...... Terry

[AZStickman]

Sorry JC I just saw you made the same point..... Terry

[stick_string]

Working on that but I think this season will really be the tale

[Ray Hammond]

now that's a horse of a different shade...in Georgia I know lots of folks who limit out all 12 tags each year- or could if they could eat that much deer meat..plus we have hogs and turkeys and bears and gators too...so YES, it's feasible to do it.

My family regularly donates 2-6 deer a year to the Food Bank for grinding up into hamburger because we just cannot eat it all..plus I kill about 12 hogs a year. turkeys- that's another subject!!!!

[Stone Knife]

I'm a meat hunter for sure when it comes to deer. I prefer to shoot all i need with a bow last year it was three, two for me and one for my 79 year old friend who has been eating venison his whole life but can't get out as much. If i fall short of my goal with a bow then i will resort to shotgunning or muzzle loader. Last year thankfully i never had to shoot one with a gun.

[Stone Knife]

I was so busy rattling on that i forgot to include that i shoot at least four to five days a week, and shoot every day before i head out to the woods at least a couple arrows.

[the Ferret]

I'm strictly a trophy hunter

last year I got 4 bowling trophies, 2 stock car trophies... Just kidding

Move to the midewest from Texas and you only have to kill about 1/3 the deer to have enough to live on..and they aren't as skittish as Texas deer either.(just kidding again..well not really)

To answer your questions I have no trouble killing deer with primitive equipment but I live where there are a lot of deer and I hunt a lot, I understand deer behavior and how to use natural lighting and the wind and topography to my advantage. I don't kill more than we need to eat. I prefer the chase to the kill. However there are 3 of us hunting in the family so we always have some venison in the freezer. We make a lot of jerky to go with the steaks, roasts and burger.

[Bonebuster]

The first adult deer that offers a ten to fifteen yard broadside shot, usually goes home with me.
I`m not at all ashamed to kill a doe. My family puts to good use any that comes home. A kill is truly a celebration at our house. Two per year is average.

As far as how much practice? I shoot quite a bit. It is all geared toward hunting.  As summer fades into fall, I shoot at least one or two arrows a day.
Good ones, with no warm up. I have a couple targets set in front of my house, that I shoot at from my deck, before work, and after work.
Good groups are important, but for hunting, you must be able to pick a spot and hit it, without
being comfortable and warmed up. It is a great confidence builder to be able to step out with your bow and shoot one good arrow into the 3-D
deer at will.

[Whip]

I hunted a lot of years with a compound, and got pretty proficient with it.  But I got to thinking about how many of those deer were killed at over 20 yards.  Want to take a guess?  I couldn't remember even one!  

I decided to try traditional gear to add a little more challenge and because it is just so much more fun to shoot.  With a compound I had grown bored with practicing and shooting for fun and had slipped into the mode of not even shooting a bow until shortly before season opened each year.  That sure isn't the case with a stick bow!  

I shoot year round now, and love every chance I get to fling some arrows.  

My deer hunting and killing hasn't suffered in the least.  Still have just as many shot opportunities and kill just as many deer.  Have lots more fun doing it too!

[2Blade]

Im pretty much a hard-core meat hunter but ive also been wanting to pratice QDM to see what I get out of it. In a few seasons ive passed some small bucks waiting for something a little bigger but at the same time it doesn't feel right because IMO a hunter is one who hunts for meat and not horn.

I did fairly good this year I took 5 deer which filled my freezer quite well 4 were gun kills one was my bow with my first buck. I love to shoot does a big old 4-5 year old doe is my favorite animal in the world simply because she is so beautiful and smart at the same time id much rather doe hunt then buck hunt.