Bow Hunting Evolution

[Ron Vought]

Been thinking about this a lot lately and also see this on Outdoor television. Why is it that bowhunting has become a long range shooting pursuit for the tech crowd? I see people on television shooting out to 60 yards at animals and manufactures pushing speeds to 400 FPS which in my mind is to support the longer shot opportunity. I don't know about you but I take a lot of thought in setting up my stand placement to get as close as possible to the animals in which I pursue.

Whatever happened to getting close to the game we hunt versus having to extend the the shot opportunity? Also I wonder how all of this impacts our seasons in the future with the extended capability of these weapons....Are we all still hunters united if there becomes a negative impact to our seasons? It's getting close to hunting season and I see a lot of people here that think along the same lines of setting up close on game animals. If you really think about it not much has changed over the years when it comes to bow hunting with traditional equipment. What are your thoughts?

[ChuckC]

I think the answer lies with merchandising.  

The same thing happens with cars and clothing and everything else in our lives.  If I am to sell you a new bow (or car, or clothing), and you already have a perfectly good bow, I must make one different enough to get you to "need it".  One way is to come up with other uses or slightly different routines so that you ,  need it.  Traditional archery has not changed all that much over the years, so it is a niche market, compared to the bigger archery scheme.

Crossbows are a very in-your-face example of this merchandising.

We are convinced that we need a faster, shinier, newer, lighter, stronger, easier etc anything so that we can jump right in there and be notable, and the market absolutely needs and feeds on that.  We, as a species, are extremely gullible and find extreme need in fitting in.

ChuckC

[nineworlds9]

ChuckC I love your posts.  You really brought some down to earth and thoughtful insights into the recent Colorado thread, really I think you kept it from degenerating into a lot of chest thumping.  You've got something good going on between those ears.  

You've nailed it on this one as well.  I have a coworker who shoots wheels with fervor, yet is a closet trad shooter (when I remind him to keep it real), and he is not immune to the hype and fps and gizmo wars.  The wheelbow he has could easily last him his whole life but I see the glazed over eyes and fervor in his voice when he gets the latest catalog in hand and points out the latest 'next best thing'.  I chide him and tell him its much more satisfying to spend ones money on beautiful functional art tradbows!    

[ChuckC]

aw shucks,   :rolleyes:  

Chuck, where, or in what reference is your Voluspa phrase from.  interesting.

ChuckC

[nineworlds9]

I'll post a link here to help explain but since the quote is not directly bowhunting related PM if you wish to discuss any further.

  http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Völuspá

[ChuckC]

thank you.  I really enjoy learning more about other cultures and thought.  Kinda opens your eyes a bit more.  Lots of folks see the same thing at the same time, yet, there are many versions of what just happened.  A lot of what you perceive  depends on your background.
CHuckC

[bigbadjon]

If you think not much has changed in traditional bowhunting you are mistaken. The heroes we worship as traditional archers like Art Young, Jack Howard, Fred Bear, etc all capitalized on shots further than 60 yrds and did so regularly. I don't know when the get in close thing started but it is recently in the grand scheme. People are going to do what their equipment and skills allow.

[D.J. Carr]

Recently I seen "highlights" from a show, and on 2 back to back episodes the guy shot a deer at 87 yards and 50 somthing yards.  He was bragging how they came in down wind... and how his camo concealed him....he was in a treestand.
1. Nice shot.
2. If I can't get deer any closer then 87 yards, I did something wrong.
3. If I can't get the deer within 25 yards (or a reasonable effective range), the deer win that day, I lost and I need to figure out how to do it better next time...

I don't doubt with today's equipment wheelbows are effective at 87 yards, I also believe this TV personality is capable of the shot, its what he does for a living, he probably shoots 100 arrows 365 days a year.  My biggest issue is the average Joe, this show is encouraging hunters of every ability to take these long shots that most are not capable of making on a regular basis.  End result is an injured animal running around that may die a terrible death or will be harvested by another hunter and found to have various infections... Not to mention more amunnition for the tree huggers.

[Ron Vought]

I guess something that has not been discussed here so far is the impact to our seasons across the US. How do you think the equipment and its increased capability is going to impact the archery seasons and deer management plans?

Ron

[LBR]

We are convinced that we need a faster, shinier, newer, lighter, stronger, easier etc anything so that we can jump right in there and be notable, and the market absolutely needs and feeds on that. We, as a species, are extremely gullible and find extreme need in fitting in.

Yep.  All to often a product doesn't even have to be better, just different, pretty, eye-catching, oddball, etc.

[Wandering Archer]

Originally posted by Ron Vought:
I guess something that has not been discussed here so far is the impact to our seasons across the US. How do you think the equipment and its increased capability is going to impact the archery seasons and deer management plans?

Ron

Good point Ron.
My opinion is that it isn't a concern at the moment, as I think the majority of actually hunters out there, are keeping it under 50, probably under 30 even.
I do think, though, as you alluded to, that if 70+ yard shots become come place, and the powers that be take notice, that the archery season as we know it, may be in jeopardy.

What would make us any different than gun hunters? They on average, don't take a ton of shots beyond 100yards that I know of. Especially in the heavier wooded areas.

I see your concern, and it may be valid in the future, if the trend continues. But, I don't think we are there yet, as it's still something to brag about and not common place.

Just my thoughts anyways.

[4dogs]

Originally posted by bigbadjon:
If you think not much has changed in traditional bowhunting you are mistaken. The heroes we worship as traditional archers like Art Young, Jack Howard, Fred Bear, etc all capitalized on shots further than 60 yrds and did so regularly. I don't know when the get in close thing started but it is recently in the grand scheme. People are going to do what their equipment and skills allow.

X2    I just finished reading a book called Toxicated by Fred Anderson...Fantastic read! the distances they regularly killed game at very different from todays "trad archer".

[Ron Vought]

The reason I brought up the impact is the rumbling I keep hearing in PA about the number of deer being taken by crossgun hunters. Deer harvest increases above the management levels and the season could be in jeopardy. This is an example of very effective weapon that could have an impact to our seasons. Same goes with the compound pushing 400 FPS and its effectiveness at longer distances...not just distance discussion here but true effectiveness of the weapon.

Ron

[Legolas]

I never liked fishing in a bucket

What fun is equiptment that gives the animal little chance?

[kbetts]

The new technology will make up for the decrease in hunters....?

[halfseminole]

People take any advantage they can.  I know that my people would have welcomed the stuff with open arms.  It's a natural move, and we're running counter to general human psychology here.  I'm with you guys, but the reason it's taking over is because we always seek to make tasks easier as a species.  

It's getting more likely that they will legislate that we must use the gadgets than they would remove crossbows from archery season.  I hate to be negative, but I know here I'm considered kinda crazy for not using at least a compound, especially given the wheelchair and atrophied left arm.  Since the lobbyists already have their hooks in our seasons, I seriously wonder if we aren't the ones on borrowed time.

[Marshallrobinson]

I dont think the long range is going to effect anything other then the game. More game being wounded anyway. Animals move and what you can do with a bow doesn't change that.

[Etter]

Want to get really upset?  Hang out for a while on a standard hunting forum.  One that isn't trad archery related.  It's sad stuff.  

My buddy Joe and I regularly joke around about all the guys on there wearing face paint to hunt deer.  Perfect face paint I might add.  I guess nobody told them that people like us regularly hunt in blue jeans and kill deer within 15 yards.

[Terry Lightle]

Have had people tell me if would shoot one of those contraptions instead of my traditional bows I could kill critters at 60 or 70 yards,I just tell them that I am a better hunter than that and kill them a lot closer.

[Don Stokes]

Taking a shot at anything over about 30 yards (IMO)is risky, no matter what you use to propel the arrow. Animals move, and all arrows are relatively slow compared to bullets. I've taken some long shots, and made some long kills, but I'm not that hungry for a kill now. I'm more concerned about a clean, quick kill than I am marking a scoreboard.