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Old 10-17-2012, 08:42 PM
Hogie135 Hogie135 is offline
 
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Default Bow hunting vs Rifle hunting

Just curious who prefers what? Do you bow hunt, or do you rifle hunt. Maybe both. What do you like about each method? I am in the process going from a rifle hunting mentality to maybe bow hunting (next year). This is my first year hunting and love my rifle and bringing it out with me but I love the idea of stalking something and getting up close and personal with it too. You can obviously do that with a rifle as well but the bow has recently caught my attention. I'm just afraid of having an empty freezer at the end of a season.
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Old 10-17-2012, 08:45 PM
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Prefer the length of season the bow gives as well as the challenge... and the rush you get when shooting at an animal with the bow is way more intense than shooting with a rifle, IMO.

The rifle is more of a "sure thing" (for lack of better terms), but I find bow hunting much more exciting and enjoyable.
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Old 10-17-2012, 08:48 PM
Kurt505 Kurt505 is offline
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Bow hunting brings it to whole new level of addiction. If you like hunting, the bow will add a couple months to your season, depending on where your hunting. Less hunting pressure, and the animals are a bit less spooky before they get hard horned. Personally I get much more enjoyment out of my bow season than rifle.
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Old 10-17-2012, 08:53 PM
FishHunterPro FishHunterPro is offline
 
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I couldnt put my rifle away till I have a wall hanger. I could see it now me sitting in a tree and a buck of a life time won't come closer than 60yrds lol. I would consider trying it with a supplemental tag only after I harvested a mature buck . You say this is your first year hunting. Have you had much success so far ?
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Old 10-17-2012, 08:56 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Kurt505 View Post
Bow hunting brings it to whole new level of addiction. If you like hunting, the bow will add a couple months to your season, depending on where your hunting. Less hunting pressure, and the animals are a bit less spooky before they get hard horned. Personally I get much more enjoyment out of my bow season than rifle.
X2 and it is harder to get your animal since it is in the pre rut. But what a rush watching the arrow fly and
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Old 10-17-2012, 08:56 PM
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I probably spend more time bow hunting....but I have more success rifle hunting.

No matter what the method is I am not disappointed to use either.

LC
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  #7  
Old 10-17-2012, 09:02 PM
Dan Boone Dan Boone is offline
 
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Rifle for food, bow for fun!
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Old 10-17-2012, 09:03 PM
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I bow hunt and gun hunt and like them both for different reasons. Nothing more exciting than getting in close to an animal sealing the deal. The flip side to that is practicing with the rifle to know if I have to take a long shot I can.
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Old 10-17-2012, 09:05 PM
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After 20 years of filling the freezer, the last 3 seasons have gone without. Coincedentally, that's when I started bow hunting. I enjoy hunting now more than ever.
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Old 10-17-2012, 09:12 PM
Cal Cal is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by FishHunterPro View Post
I couldnt put my rifle away till I have a wall hanger. I could see it now me sitting in a tree and a buck of a life time won't come closer than 60yrds lol. I would consider trying it with a supplemental tag only after I harvested a mature buck . You say this is your first year hunting. Have you had much success so far ?
Yep, but you would watch that buck for what seems like hours, vibrating with exitement just hoping he might come into range. With a rifle you would have seen him and shot him. Bow hunting is like the tantrick sex of hunting, it prolongs the best parts of the hunts, whether you make the kill or not. After taking a few animals with a bow, although I still get the rush making a kill with a rifle, it almost seems like its over too fast to enjoy it properly.

I enjoy both, I barely even have any excuse to bow hunt since lots of the zones around here open september first but I still make sure to get down south and hunt a couple properties with the bow every year. For me the big draw is what I described above, often the greatest parts of the hunt last only split seconds, with the bow you are often forced to take your time and realy dwell in the moment and enjoy those same experiences.
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Old 10-17-2012, 09:14 PM
Kurt505 Kurt505 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dan Boone View Post
Rifle for food, bow for fun!
So true. I've been <10yds from a big bull elk but couldn't draw on him this year, and pretty much every year I have similar situations. If I had a rifle in my hands I could have taken over a dozen bulls so far this year, instead just one hey bail so far, but I've had some of my most exciting days in the field.
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  #12  
Old 10-17-2012, 09:35 PM
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there is nothing like picking up a bow and getting personal with a critter , sneaking into a bedding area or rattling in a giant to with in feet of you ... not to mention a screaming bull elk right in your face .. or stalking a giant mulie in those standing crops .. The list goes on , and I think its more of a challenge and makes you a better hunter .. I ve killed 35 critters with my bow and I cant wait for 36 ..

mamba,
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Old 10-17-2012, 09:39 PM
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Why would you have an empty freezer if you decide to try bow hunting? There's no rule saying you can't do both.. In the zones I hunt I get 2 months of chasing mostly mulies with my bow and then I have a rifle season to seal the deal on whatever general tags I have. Even if you are unsuccessful at bow hunting it will make you a WAY better rifle hunter!
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Old 10-17-2012, 11:03 PM
FishHunterPro FishHunterPro is offline
 
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To make it a little more of a fair chase I will try out the new single shot !

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Old 10-18-2012, 05:46 AM
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i was the same way about 20 yrs ago.i picked up a bow but found i did not care for it.i picked up a t/c hawken rifle and been hooked ever since.now i shoot only flintlocks most recently bought a .62 longrifle.you can still stalk close and you only have 1 shot.i haven't used my 30/06 in many years but i have a lot of fun.
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Old 10-18-2012, 06:22 AM
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the fun of stalking around a coulee or sitting in a treestand with a bow in your tshirt has merit, when compared to -20C with a wind chill and rifle.
the bow needs 3x the bushcraft, 2x the work, .25 the shots, 3x the season, 4x the patience, 3x the practice but it equals 10x the satisfaction.
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  #17  
Old 10-18-2012, 06:44 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by waterhaulerhunter View Post
Why would you have an empty freezer if you decide to try bow hunting? There's no rule saying you can't do both.. In the zones I hunt I get 2 months of chasing mostly mulies with my bow and then I have a rifle season to seal the deal on whatever general tags I have. Even if you are unsuccessful at bow hunting it will make you a WAY better rifle hunter!
psst... cause it's not about the kill.
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Old 10-18-2012, 06:54 AM
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I do both and love both for different reason's. The spot and stalk during bow season is an amazing experience as you have to get up close and personal. My only complaint about bow season is I never seem to get out in the bush as much as I would like. For me anytime out hunting bow, rifle is amazing. Eventually I would like to try with black powder but I will be needing some AO help with that.
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Old 10-18-2012, 06:55 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SportHuntingHelp View Post
black powder....
its.... ummmm, ' african american powder' now
get with the times man
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Old 10-18-2012, 06:57 AM
SportHuntingHelp SportHuntingHelp is offline
 
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Quote:
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its.... ummmm, ' african american powder' now
get with the times man
lol
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  #21  
Old 10-18-2012, 06:58 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by roger View Post
the fun of stalking around a coulee or sitting in a treestand with a bow in your tshirt has merit, when compared to -20C with a wind chill and rifle.
the bow needs 3x the bushcraft, 2x the work, .25 the shots, 3x the season, 4x the patience, 3x the practice but it equals 10x the satisfaction.
and the result ..... is priceless.
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  #22  
Old 10-18-2012, 08:50 AM
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My big reason, other than the fact it is a total rush with the bow/more of a challenge.....less likelyhood I get shot during bowseason. I worked up in GP and spent a lot of time in the bush. Had to jump into the trees many times cause of bullets coming down cutlines. Hard to work when hi power rifles are going off all around you. Not a fan of rifle hunting in that respect at all. If rifle hunting, I need to go furtheroff the beaten path than the last guy to avoid being a target...ok, a little paranoid now, its just that there are so many idiots that have guns...no offense to the people that know how to handle them of course. There have ben many shootings already this year....I just don't get it, is harvesting an animal, that big a deal that you have to shoot anything that moves....some people need to re-learn the 10 commandments of fiream safety....
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  #23  
Old 10-18-2012, 09:01 AM
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I bowhunt when I or where I can't rifle hunt but when the time or place is right I will have a rifle with me.

How do you figure a single shot rifle as being more fair chase than a rifle loaded with four shells?
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  #24  
Old 10-18-2012, 09:03 AM
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I just like hunting...choice of weapon really isn't important to me....they are all fun to use!
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  #25  
Old 10-18-2012, 09:22 AM
FishHunterPro FishHunterPro is offline
 
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it was just a joke, i hunted with a full clip my whole life, and i guess i just wanted to show off the new toy . hey, quit being so sensitive haha !
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Old 10-18-2012, 09:26 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by FishHunterPro View Post
it was just a joke, i hunted with a full clip my whole life, and i guess i just wanted to show off the new toy . hey, quit being so sensitive haha !
Lol not sesitive just a question.
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  #27  
Old 10-18-2012, 08:24 PM
ishootbambi ishootbambi is offline
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i hate the title....

vs? i dont view it as one vs the other....i like hunting in just about any shape or form i can do it.
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  #28  
Old 10-18-2012, 08:27 PM
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I would much rather bow hunt antelope and spot and stalk mule deer but when it comes to whitetail I would rather rifle hunt...
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  #29  
Old 10-18-2012, 08:29 PM
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Ive had better luck with bow for elk and moose but have arrowed mule whitey all bucks and bulls never shot a female animal and wont but i dont have a preference im happy bow hunting or rifle
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Old 10-18-2012, 08:35 PM
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Originally Posted by harv3589 View Post
I would much rather bow hunt antelope and spot and stalk mule deer but when it comes to whitetail I would rather rifle hunt...
This is about it for me, I dont like sitting in a stand for long hours. Animals that one can get within bow range without resorting to spending all day in a a stand I will target with the bow. I've killed one WT doe with a bow while still hunting but in general stillhunting for whitetails is challenging enough even with a rifle.
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