Bowhunters....what's the deal?

Just curious what is the attractiveness of those that strictly bow hunt? Sometimes on a TV hunting show or on youtube there will be a hunter with a massive buck at eighty yards that they can't shoot with their bow ,but could have with a rifle and the gun season is open!! That would frustrate me to no end. So why do some guys bow hunt and nothing else....is it the challenge? ....the "primitive" weapon? .....shot so many with a rifle just want a bigger challenge?....something else?Help me to understand what I am missing.....

Ill carry a gun but I prefer my bow. Its just more rewarding to me to kill something with my bow

It’s the challenge.

What they said.

Also, my closest property to hunt is bow only.

If you have to ask, you wouldn't understand. That's honestly the answer. Just like hunting in general. Sitting in the freezing cold, pitch dark. Why? Same answer.

Cause anybody can kill one with a rifle.

Killing a deer with a bow is more personal than with a gun. In my experience It is more close quarters and raw. Definitely Brings the playing fields loser together. Imho Consistently being in bow range vs gun range is a a different game. I play them similar but more precise with arrows.

I never saw a fat Indian. I'll stick to my guns

If you're not prepared to watch one walk away, then you wouldn't understand. A child can sit in a house and shoot one at 75 yards. I like the cat and mouse chase. I've killed enough 100-110" bucks with a gun.

Simple answer and dead on.

I respect any hunting method and encourage everyone to hunt with any
weapon they choose to use but any bow only guy will ask you where is
the challenge when you can kill every deer you see.

Bow hunting never gets old and it makes your property bigger.

I think Custer said the same thing right before the Little Big Horn fight....

The last thing was, " Look at all the f$-%$- Indians!"

Yea well guns won out over the Indians in the long run

And for a challenge might I suggest only shooting 5+ yo bucks while hunting public land only....with any weapon.

Yep

Yeah it's the challenge, but there's something about hearing the leaves crunch when a deer is so close that you just don't get shooting one 100-200 yards away on a green field.

And THWAPP...!!!

Thanks for the replies fellas....

Bowhunted for 40 years and dont get the challenge of bow only. It is so much easier and more relaxing bowhunting. Crap you are worried about a 30 yard circle with trad gear. But, if I have a rifle Im trying to fit a bullet thru a 3 inch hole at a cruising buck up to hundreds of yards in nasty stuff. MUCH MUCH more challenging at least for me with a rifle.

Sure sure, yep. No doubt.

While I respect that, that is a shooting challenge, not a hunting challenge. Different thing entirely.

I guess...and this coming from a guy who has only killed about five deer total....that killing a deer is challenging enough in itself...regardless of method

I’ve read a lot on this site but never anyone saying rifle hunting was more challenging than bow hunting.

The land makes the hunter. Where I hunt if someone set fields up and hunted hard during bow season the average bow hunter would tag out with mature deer in the first couple weeks of bow season. We all make our challenges or life may dictate your challenge. Everybody is different, for me I find tradgear to be vastly superior and easier to shoot then those space age bows. Now my limitation in hunting method is my health.

I spent over an hour trying to walk back up a 50 foot gentile sloped hill on opening day. Having to lay down 3 -4 times to rest just toting a rifle and camp chair. I was in bed for 2 weeks after that but last week I hiked a couple hundreds yards in the woods and whupped that same hill coming out. Now I have been in bed again for another week and when I can Im toting my rifle with a chair to the nasty stuff soon God Willing.

Definetly the challenge. I dont bowhunt only but still carry my bow depending on the wind and which field i feel like i can get close with.

...then there are other aldeer members that harass you throught the year that will make a little more challenging to make the kill.

I see your point. I tip my hat to you sir. Enjoy your season.

Anyone can sling lead at 100 yards. it's a completely different game getting a live animal within 20 yards and stand and draw without spooking it. If you ever felt the adulation of a clean bow kill you'd understand. I'm not talking about sitting with a cocked crossbow either. That is just like gun hunting.

Do you only put in bullet in the gun?

Yep

I dont really give a rats ass about what anyone shoots I bow hunt until I can get my rifle out. Whatever maximizes my hunting days

I like all the preparation almost as much as the hunt itself when it comes to bow hunting. Once you sight in your rifle that’s almost all the prep you need with it. It doesn’t matter how many times you shoot your bow, once you have an animal within 40 yards and your heart starts pounding out of your chest, anything can happen with your bow. And it is the challenge but hunting usually isn’t too easy in general. It’s just a different challenge that I myself feel is more exciting and rewarding after all the work I put in. It’s one of those things where you don’t know until you try it honestly. Just my thoughts.

I enjoy bowhunting and appreciate it for what it is, but I get just as much enjoyment toting a rifle with me. It's basically a way for me to get in the woods a month before gun season starts.

The rush and adrenaline from a bow kill is what I love.Man,looking thru the peep sight and putting the pin behind the shoulder of a deer and letting it go.There's nothing like it.I have had it cost me some pretty good bucks though that would've been easy rifle kills.

Y'all know bowhunters just feed the coyotes anyway

Challenging

I think bowhunting is more challenging just because of having to be close. But rifle hunting is not easy either. It's not like it's a guaranteed buck. And not every one can sling lead at 100 yards.

And THAT is it on any hunting: A personal challenge or goal you've put on yourself. I have my on personal goal with a rifle. I hunt some property that has been in the family for nearly 100 years. I grew up on it. Killed my first deer on it. But now its become less and less rural. I want to kill the largest antlered deer ever killed on this property before the hunting ends. Won't take a huge buck, probably 125" would do it. As you can tell, if a 125" will do it, this place isn't known for large racks. And THAT is my challenge....a sentimental goal.

The challenge of it.

Bows open way more hunting opportunities,they are way less invasive than a rifle, wayyyyy more attractive to a landowner with cattle, the kind of hunter it forces you to be will eventually mold you into a killing machine, and last but not least there is a since of accomplishment, triumph, and victory associated with the old stick an string that i never got out of pullin a trigger. Dont get me wrong tho i still like to crack one with a high powered rifle when i have the opportunity,but ive had few places to rifle hunt for awhile now so all i had was bow only land. When you become a consistent killer with a bow, the rifle is just another tool.

Yeah. That's a new one!

I “get” bowhunting only but don’t do it.
I do usually bow hunt a time or 2 during gun season.

I was bow only for about 8 years. I normally drag my rifle out about mid December. It isn’t as satisfying as getting one with a bow, but it’s still fun. Just like this morning.....

Congrats Shaw!

Shaw with the mic -drop from the corner. CONGRATS!

Lol thats pretty good. Nice deer Shaw.

I took my savage 220 this morning and had a big doe, two fawns and a yearling doe come by. I haven't shot a doe on the club in over 10 years but weyerhaueser sold this 580 acre section of the club and we can't hunt it anymore after the 26th so it seemed like a good time to shoot one. All I could think of as they were getting close was, I wish I had my bow. I head shot the yearling doe at 25 yards. She'll eat good but I just didn't get the thrill that I would have if I'd had my bow.

I've hunted more with a bow than a gun. Actually just started back gun hunting 2 years ago. Before that it was back in 1990 and before.

Guess what I've killed more deer with, not that I've killed that many?

As someone stated, any one can kill a deer that can't see you or smell you while you sit in a warm toasty shooting house 100+ yds away.....
Get one < 40 yds from you and then you'll know what bow hunting is all about!

You ever killed a 120 inch deer sitting on the ground at 20 yards with a rifle?

Nope..how did one get that close to you with a gun should be the question? Unless you were asleep lol

Lord Mercy, anyone who thinks killing a deer with a gun is anywhere near as hard as doing it with a bow is not thinking straight...and I don't care how close the deer is. A gun is easier. Period.

some of ya'll need to adjust yer medications.....

Spot on.....

Burn!

There's a time and place for both in my opinion

For me, it is the entire process of finding an area that will bring the deer within bow range. The scouting, locating the perfect tree for the wind and then being able to come to full draw on a deer when they are typically close enough that you can see them blink. So many factors come into play when bow hunting that really don't apply to hunting with a rifle. It is just a lot more personal for me.

It also is a pretty good way to make sure you develop mature bucks too, a lot of bucks are going to survive a season of being chased by a group of bowhunters as opposed to a bunch of guys setting up over massive areas with rifles.

Thicker than all hell where I hunt

Absolutely easier comparing situation to same situation. But IF anyone says there is no challenge in gun hunting has not set their goals at only shooting bucks 5+ years of age.

set yer goals to 5+ year old bucks with a trad bow and get back to me....

Real challenge take a spear.

But my point is if someone talks about the ease of gun hunting, I question how many have mastered consistently killing 5+ yo deer. If they just like bow hunting better, good for them. If they like the deer close, that's great. Whatever makes them happy. If they like the challenge of having a deer so close and waiting for the right time to draw, ok. Bowhunters don't have to explain anything over "its my choice." Gun hunting is definitely easier in the moment of truth but through the years I've heard way too many bowhunters say gun hunting is easy or no challenge. For those its an excuse for their inability and try to make themselves look good. And I've killed many deer with a bow.

I don't care, shoot what you want, just eat the damn thing when you kill it. I enjoy the challenge of the bow. Killing ain't the priority. Enjoying the challenge/hunt is.

I agree

I guess it’s whatever excites you, and gets you out of bed in the morning

sadly, bowhunting is the majority of what I think about, but I would rather sleep in than rifle hunt.

Not saying it isn’t great for those who do. I have buddies who get fired up about it and that’s great, I just don’t any more

I personally really like and agree fully with your post.

I have hunted with a spear...challenge level is out the roof. Prolly 50X harder than bowhunting with a longbow.

A LOT of hunters don't see 5 year old bucks as THE BAR, gun or bow. I think you are way off the point....

Troy, I will take that one. I said an easier hunt ( inference more relaxing with bow ) not easier as far as ease. Its semantics but what I was saying is when I bow hunt I only control the 30 yards around me. Where I hunt it is nasty. I'm desperately trying to identify an ethical 2 inch path maybe a couple hundred yards out with rifle. I have to hunt HARDER with rifle to stay sharp...

Not off point at all since one of the original questions was about bow hunters killing so many with a gun its no longer a challenge. Hunters usually progress through stages as has been discussed on here. Kill any buck, then become selective, then even more selective. Then some quit, some go to bow hunting, some just concentrate on others hunting. But for someone to go to bow hunting and say gun hunting is no challenge has not progressed to the point of only hunting older aged bucks. And to the original question, the challenge of gun hunting is still there if the hunter chooses that route. If not, the hunter just chose a way he enjoys more...which is just fine.

my point was that some folks NEVER go to the point of only hunting older aged bucks.

I bow hunted before I ever gun hunted, started in 1964? at Oak Mountain Park hunt. Bowhunted only till 1967. Gun and bow from then on. I've always hunted with both, sometimes depending on the terrain hunted, but I have bow hunted way more than gun hunted over the years. My goal with a bow is the same as with a gun..mature bucks or a doe.

I just started bow hunting in 2015, I did so just for the challenge. Trying to position yourself and draw a bow back without getting busted by a deer at 10yds is a challenge to say the least. I have faced the situation that canvasback mentioned twice on the same deer at 73yds and it is very frustrating, but there has been a huge benefit from only bow hunting our property that many people disregard. I hunt 15-20 acres and every year that one of killed a deer early in the season with a rifle we saw few to no deer the rest of the year. After going bow only, we are seeing deer the entire season regardless of when we kill a deer. The neighbors on both sides use rifles which helps no doubt, but based on my observation over the years the deer are less skittish now.

when gun hunting, as soon as I see a deer I think, "you poor bastard." at that point, they dont have much of a chance... as soon as you lay eyes on em, their life is in your hands.

with bowhunting, everything has to line up perfectly

We didn't have a lot of money when I was young and I couldn't afford a hunting club. Alabama WMA's will allow you to hunt any day of the season with a bow but only scheduled days with a gun. I used Barbour County WMA like a private hunting club my whole life. If I saw a nice buck bowhunting that I didn't get a shot at. I would take a rifle back in on a gun day and hunt him. The times that suck are when someone weighs a deer that you have been hunting hard.

Some people can’t! Nothing annoys me more than people who can’t shoot and make clean kills, rediculous. Have ya noticed all the track jobs done every year with dogs? Amazing! I try to stress to people that the animal is deserving of a quick, clean kill and we all owe that to the game we hunt. Make ethical decisions and when in doubt don’t shoot because tomorrow is another day!