Aldeer.com Forums Alabama Deer Talk Serious Deer Talk Forum Bowhunters....what's the deal?

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.