Should I try archery next year?

[Evoac05]

So yet another season has gone by and I am not too fond of tag soup. This was my third season without any luck, but as each year goes by I end up learning more than I did the year before. I grew up in a anti gun and hunting home, so I am learning as I go. I have been hunting with a buddy of mine that was new to hunting too. I see more deer each year, but nothing with antlers during modern season. I am thinking about switching over to archery next year. My question is.....who has had no luck during modern season, but did once they swapped to archery?

[dylanb]

i rifle hunted for 4 years  shot 1 deer archery hunted for 2 days and taged out and it was way better being 30 yards from it then 300 yards. im a sliver slinger for life now

[DIYARCHERYJUNKIE]

Theres a few of these posts on the forum do a search and u might find a few things. 

From my experience I learned you must become an archer before you become an archery hunter.  If you don't have thousands to spend on gear and hundreds of hours to shoot the bow and scout then it makes it even harder. 

Archery is a year round sport.  You must become one with nature and your gear to be successfull bow hunting consistently.  I started hunting in 2008 I bought a modern deer tag that I ate.  The next three years I got an archery tag.  I had a lot of heartbreakers with my bow.  All archers do.  I ate all three archery tags.  I got a modern tag this year having drawn a multi tag I planned on buying.  I hunted for at least ten days of season and finally a nice two point stepped out at about a hundred yards bang he dies and I'm eating good this winter. 

I see a lot of deer during archery season but killing one and finding it is a whole differnt thing.  If you do switch start practicing now by sept you should be just fine to hunt ethically.  Good luck let us know.

[Evoac05]

I already have the gear for archery and have practiced, but not enough to have ethically bought an archery tag this year.

[Houndhunter]

it doesn't take thousands of dollars to start bow hunting, 600$ would get you set up. Most bows are very easy to shoot, you'll be amazed at how well you shoot within a week. Nice cause usually you can shoot at home if you have a yard.


That being said, not alot of big bucks get killed with a bow. That's why I rifle deer archery elk. Kinda depends what your after

[PolarBear]

That being said, not alot of big bucks get killed with a bow.

Speak for yourself there Paul!   

[DIYARCHERYJUNKIE]

it doesn't take thousands of dollars to start bow hunting, 600$ would get you set up. Most bows are very easy to shoot, you'll be amazed at how well you shoot within a week. Nice cause usually you can shoot at home if you have a yard.


That being said, not alot of big bucks get killed with a bow. That's why I rifle deer archery elk. Kinda depends what your after

Your correct 600 would get you a bow and maybey even arrows with broad heads.  But a good set of glass and a range finder.  Gonna run ya about 600 more minimum.  At least for any decent set.  A week in the yard isn't gonna cut it.  You will injure and lose game if you only practice that much.  You need to run about one thousand arrows through your bow preseason and practice at twice the distance you shoot on game.  That way the deer dies one shot.  I'd rather never see a deer again than injure one and not find it.  The cost of scouting and spending time afeild is what gets to diggin in your acct.   

[splitshot]

  the late archery season is when a lot of big bucks get shot at from tee stands.  i tried it for a many years back when you could shoot a deer with anything but you got one tag.  shot a lot of carp.  you need lots of patience and you have lots of failure.  good luck and practice, practice, etc.  mikew

[clindsayrun]

Practice, practice, and practice some more! Practice high angle shots, practice odd positioned shots. Practice seated, keeling, and standing. Practice odd yardage shots and practice getting out of your comfort zone. Practice in the clothes you'll hunt in.
Between practings, study and learn everything you can.  A few guys flinging arrows can give the entire community a bad image...

[Special T]

http://silverarrowbowmen.com/
You live Close so come out and shoot! Membership for the Upcoming year is $40! 30+10 initiation... non members pay $2 for the walk through course. We will be hosting several 3ds that will be as close to real hunting practice as you can get. 

[csaaphill]

Up to you. I've hunted with both and even if I'm an odd one out I like rifle better. I do like some of the chances you get with a bow over a gun, but prefer gun.

[NWBREW]

Yes....yes you should. I'm hunting MF. 

[PolarBear]

I have been archery hunting for so many years that I cringe at the thought of going back to rifle.  If I did I would have to hunt with a shotgun or pistol to make it challenging.  I hunted rifle in 2007 after my major back surgery and hated every second of it.   That buck was probably the least satisfying animal that I have ever taken.  If you are going to do archery please do not go at it half assed!  There are far too many "hunters" who decide to switch just because of longer seasons and fail to the the amount of practice to be a responsible archer.  Archery hunting big game is not like rifle hunting, an hour at the range per year aint gonna cut it.  Unfortunately far too many feel that it is.

[Houndhunter]

Don't trust polar bear, he hasn't killed a buck in years , I thought you were partying it up right now lol.

As far as trophy blacktail go, they are not easy on public land. I'd go rifle if you wanna shoot a big buck

[marlin]

Ive only hunted Washington for 3yrs, but my first two were with a rifle, and I saw plenty of does and no bucks.
This year I decided I was going to bowhunt because the odds of success are better. Twice as much time to hunt, and either sex is legal. So I tagged a doe on the 6th day of season..
I grew up in Tx, and hunted on private land with no hunting pressure.. So you could just sit in a permanent ground blind surrounded by flat land, and watch deer walk all around you.. Plus, baiting  by way of feeders is legal.. So hunting in Washington was a major difference. Public land, where all you see is orange during rifle season.. And I can always tell when rifle season starts, because I see lots of antlers outside my apartment alongside the freeway, but none in the woods.
The morning that I killed my doe, I had her in the bed of my truck on the way to my friends house, and I saw 2 bucks in the road..  I really enjoyed my first year of bow hunting. I cant wait to get back to texas, on my property you can get 4 deer per year, and it doesnt matter what weapon you choose to use.
The odds of success in rifle season suck in my opinion.. Now if you could shoot either sex, and have as much season as archery does to hunt with a rifle, I would be rifle hunting most of the time.