Why do you use a bow ?

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

I know this is on here as an old thread, but after reading another thread (different subject) get 
Thought I would start a new one, just to give it a place, and see why you bowhunt.
...
I got into Archery in 1986 because of season timing, I was running into Elk while deer hunting, and found out that Archery Elk season was already over, and I figured I would rather hunt when I could find Elk, instead of just trying to find a way to get away from all the yellow rain slickers hiding all over the West Fork of White River, hoping some Elk would come out of the Park (Mt.Rainier)
After calling in a 6X6 Bull (and a couple others) up in the Alpine Lakes area, I was hooked !
I took the NBEF course at NW Archery in 1987, and made friends with the StCharles family.
As the years progressed, I ended up switching to Traditional Archery, due to , in part, peer pressure, and just having more fun shooting a recurve than my 'pounder.
Also, after having some "equipment malfunctions", I decided to go with the K.I.S.S. (Keep It Simple Stupid) theory, less "stuff" on my bow.
I now hunt with Traditional Archery with the satisfaction of using a very limited weapon, I enjoy having the whole family go to 3D shoots, feel a connection with the pioneers in the sport, and just like carrying a piece of wood, while walking around enjoying the outdoors.
Some years, my only trophy is a rabbit, or grouse, but the satisfaction I feel does not compare with any animal I shot with any other weapon, including my compound.
I got into Archery due to season timing and antlerless opportunity, but stay with it due to a feeling I cannot describe, a combination of personal satisfaction, and a sense of accomplishment.
The feeling I experience while bowhunting is religious in nature, I am in contact with my own personal god, and myself.
I look forward all year for Elk season, and when I get that shot of adrenalin as an Elk walks into my "danger zone", I feel the effects long after the encounter, my season is a success, even if the Elk gets away !
When I do actually harvest an Elk, the personal satisfaction, and pride in accomplishment is life affirming to me, making the normal day to day tribulations seem trivial, my problems all seem surmountable, and life is going to be O.K.
There is something so soothing about walking in the woods with a bow in hand, that helps me, both mentally and spiritually,  that I did not have when I hunted with any other weapon,
 I started hunting with a rifle, then with a Muzzleloader, then a handgun.
But will hunt with my recurve until I cannot hunt anymore, as it defines me.
I am a bowhunter.

[pianoman9701]

I've always been attracted to the challenge of it the most. I love getting so close you can smell them first. I love standing over an elk especially, or a deer that I just killed with a bow. It's like caveman chit. I've never experienced anything like that feeling. I love being invisible and seeing all of the other critters that I see because of that. I love the months of practice and this year especially, the conditioning that's making my confidence soar toward the season opener.

[NWWABOWHNTR]

The stalk to get close enough to harvest an animal with my longbow... the surge of adrenilin when you get that close.  I have hunted with a rifle, muzzleloader, pistol but always come back to hunting the way my Dad taught me... much more satisfaction IF I harvest an animal than when I did with my rifle.  Nothing against them at all, just my personal wishes to experience it my way.  Still love the look on peoples faces when I walk out of the woods and somebody stops me and asks what kind of bow is that and can you really hit anything with it? 

[elkinrutdrivemenuts]

I started bow hunting for the longer season and the opportunity to hunt elk in the rut, as they are hard to locate in ne wa without hearing them bugle. Quickly realized the opportunity may increase but the chances of success are still low.   However while bowhunting I realized it made me a better hunter, I was more focused on my steps, my scent, and figuring out how to get close to the animals.  I learned more about their natural habits and how to take advantage of that.  It has made me a better hunter and taking game with a bow will only increase my overall confidence as a hunter.  I still hunt with a rifle, but if I take an animal with a bow, I will feel I have accomplished the next goal as a hunter.  I always like to challenge myself and it keeps me working hard to become the best hunter I can be.

[JimmyHoffa]

I put longer season because when I'm lucky enough to get the multi-season tag, I get a whole lot more season.  The way I see it, more time in the woods means better odds for elusive critters.  It also opens up places that are not available for other weapons.  Overall, I want to be in the woods (all the time really)...but will use any excuse to get out there.

[TikkaT3-270Shortmag]

Real simple! When your rifle hunting & you spot an elk the hunts over, when your bow hunting the hunt has just began!


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[Special T]

For other i would say acess... I have gotten permission with a bow where i would not have with a rifle...

[Jellymon]

How many people hunting with a bow are really bowhunters? Would these same people use a bow if they were offered the chance to use a rifle in the same season? If that happened I think the number of people in the woods with a bow would be cut in half or more. Have you ever seen a truck full of guys holding bows, slowly road hunting the clearcuts? Those are rifle hunters. Me, I would still take my bow, I love hunting with it!

[Swannytheswan]

I would still use it I used to live in TN and there you could hunt with all 3 modern muzzy and bow. I used all three in order to hunt more weeks per year but I moved here and had to choose and i choose bow mainly because of the intensity of the hunt with rifle or muzzy I get lazy and don't try to get as close with bow its more hunt for my money because you have to get so close!

[pianoman9701]

How many people hunting with a bow are really bowhunters? Would these same people use a bow if they were offered the chance to use a rifle in the same season? If that happened I think the number of people in the woods with a bow would be cut in half or more. Have you ever seen a truck full of guys holding bows, slowly road hunting the clearcuts? Those are rifle hunters. Me, I would still take my bow, I love hunting with it!

I don't know, there aren't a lot of lazy, successful bowhunters out there. You can't just fall out of a truck and shoot something. Even the easiest bow elk takes some doing. As far as rifle being allowed at the same time, I'd still bowhunt.

[DOUBLELUNG]

I am not a purist.  I started hunting in New Hampshire, all three weapons allowed me three months to hunt and the chance to take a second deer.  In Wyoming, the archery season let me hunt rutting elk and was more convenient much of the time - I was very busy during the general seasons.
 
When I moved to Washington, I found the pressure insane, and many of the opportunities actually feel unsafe to me.  Archery is a way to bring the elk and deer hunting down to safer and saner levels.  Also, IMHO it is EASIER to kill a bull elk during the rut with archery tackle, than with a rifle during post-rut seasons  . 
 
I love the heightened intensity and protracted harvest archery hunting.  My satisfaction bowhunting is the quality of the kill, hence the username and avatar.  I would far rather make a perfect 20 yard kill shot and watch a yearling doe fall within yards and die within sight in a couple of seconds, than make a marginal hit on a 6x6 bull and track him for hours before finally finishing him off.   

[jstone]

I started because of to many crazy people with rifles. But of course the first year i got addicted to it. The challenge. More self fulfilment when i harvest an animal. You have to be more skilled and in tuned to your surroundings.

[Yeti]

I grew up in Michigan with a non deer hunting family, though my dad got bows so we could do something together. I got my first bow at age 5, my first compound at age 12.  I never bowhunted deer until I was 19.  I love shooting my bow because it reminds me of good times with dad.  I choose to bowhunt now, because of the challenge, similary I like to fly fish over any other tackle.  I am not a purist either, it has just built charachter over the years of the never give up attitude.  Besides I dont have to wait till November to start hunting come fall time either.

[Tacomahunter]

I started because of to many crazy people with rifles. But of course the first year i got addicted to it. The challenge. More self fulfilment when i harvest an animal. You have to be more skilled and in tuned to your surroundings.

[Camp David]

Watched my neighbor shoot his bow for years; I really did not need another hobby, but it always intrigued me. I  remember shooting my last buck with a rifle. It was so easy; I realized needed more of a challenge. That spring I started shooting my neighbors bow and never looked back. Like all of my hobbies, I go all out and it has become a passion. I have never been closer to animals and never had so much satisfaction hunting even if I had not loosed an arrow. Archery friends are also more in-tune to nature more focused on hunting. I also had a lot of satisfaction helping numerous hunters and non hunters transition to bow hunting. It's a real thrill being with them after a successfull hunt.

[mulehunter]

I love bow challenges  love to sneak with in between 40-10 yds, everytime I released arrow goes all way in Thud... Thud.   

Mulehunter.   

[robb92]

I voted for other, when I lived on the east coast, you couldnt use a rifle, you could only use shotgun, muzzleloader, or archery gear. Where I hunted the land owner only allowed archery gear. To me that was a fair trade.

[Rhinoron247]

I have found I am better with a bow at 30 yards than I am with a rifle at 300 yards.  Also the close proximity aspect of bow hunting Elk helps to keep me focused. 

[Malardman]

Hunting within city limits?

[PolarBear]

Because hunting with a rifle is not nearly as fun or challenging.

[The100Road]

Because hunting with a rifle is not nearly as fun or challenging.

Looks like Challange is the front runner? so calling in a bull or cow is more challenging then going rifle for the one spike that 2000 other hunters are going after as well? seems like the spike would be more challanging to me. Archery is the way to go for a better season.

[PolarBear]

Some of us hunt late season and do absolutely no calling.  Still hunting and spot and stalk. It is more fun to me to get within 30 yards of a buck or bull that has been chased for months by 3 different types of weapons hunters.

[Buckmark]

Because when hunting at night they are very quiet and they make some really cool flashlight mounts for them..

[JimmyHoffa]

Here's a quick question....  There are a few posts that say 'with a rilfe the hunt is over when you find an animal, with a bow it begins' and 'liking the challenge of getting close, and PB's last post.

Some of us hunt late season and do absolutely no calling.  Still hunting and spot and stalk. It is more fun to me to get within 30 yards of a buck or bull that has been chased for months by 3 different types of weapons hunters.

So for some of you is it that equipment forces you to make yourself get closer?  Would you not try to get closer with a different weapon?  Part of the reason I ask this is because I've read a few threads with bowhunters talking about all the animals they shoot at ranges of 60-80 yards, that's about the same range I've shot the majority of my animals with a rifle.  So, would using a 12 gauge with 00 buck (range of 35 yds) be considered more 'challenging' than the bows?  Are you trying to quantify challenge based on range at which an animal is shot?

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

Here's a quick question....  There are a few posts that say 'with a rilfe the hunt is over when you find an animal, with a bow it begins' and 'liking the challenge of getting close, and PB's last post.

Some of us hunt late season and do absolutely no calling.  Still hunting and spot and stalk. It is more fun to me to get within 30 yards of a buck or bull that has been chased for months by 3 different types of weapons hunters.

So for some of you is it that equipment forces you to make yourself get closer?  Would you not try to get closer with a different weapon?  Part of the reason I ask this is because I've read a few threads with bowhunters talking about all the animals they shoot at ranges of 60-80 yards, that's about the same range I've shot the majority of my animals with a rifle.  So, would using a 12 gauge with 00 buck (range of 35 yds) be considered more 'challenging' than the bows?  Are you trying to quantify challenge based on range at which an animal is shot?

I hear you, I hunted with a 30/30 when I rifle hunted, when I first started bowhunting, I practiced at the range out to 80 yards, yet only shot game under 40.
I now use a recurve, but 40 yards is 40 yards, no matter what weapon, especially here on the west side where it is hard to see that far sometimes... 
The challenge to me is not to get close, it is to stop my knees from shaking !

[PolarBear]

Jimmy, when I do hunt modern firearm (which has been twice in the past 15 years) I hunt with a 12 guage shotgun.  I killed a nice 4x4 in Alabama in 2010 with one from 20 feet and a whitie in Republic a few years back, the year I had my back surgery and could not shoot my bow.  This year I might be hunting modern with my daughter and if so I will be doing my hunting with an old Stevens Model B Fox 12 guage side by side.  I have some nice rifles but only use them for coyotes anymore.  The thrill of rifle hunting big game with them is gone.  By the way, the last buck that I killed with a rifle (30-30)  was at 15 feet, off the hip.  I tracked him to his bed, hade him stand up and dropped him were he layed.   250 pound, 22" 2x3 blacktail.

[deerslyr]

Well I guess I will go against the norm of most people, im an opportunist. I havnt taken enough mature bucks or even a single elk to say that I will purely hunt with a bow. Im sure someday when my skills increase i will become a purist but for now I cant fathom hunting the mule deer rut here in montana with a bow while its open for rifle. How ever the satisfaction from taking an animal with a bow is greater than with a rifle, but it still doesnt take away from the rush I feel when harvesting an animal with a rifle. I hope none of you take that the wrong way but my skills just arent on par with most of you.

[pianoman9701]

Because hunting with a rifle is not nearly as fun or challenging.

Looks like Challange is the front runner? so calling in a bull or cow is more challenging then going rifle for the one spike that 2000 other hunters are going after as well? seems like the spike would be more challanging to me. Archery is the way to go for a better season.

  Sounds to me like the comments of someone who doesn't bow hunt for elk every year. Don't get your panties in a bunch. I'm sure you work very hard at whatever kind of hunting you do, Polar.

I've done plenty of rifle hunting and gave it up when I decided that killing wasn't the only reason I hunt. Having done both successfully, I can say that there's nothing about bow hunting that's easier than hunting with a rifle, with the possible exception of which elk you get to take. If you looked only at the numbers, it may seem that it's more of a sure thing. But I suggest that's because a great many bow hunters are in top physical condition, shoot their weapons more and know their weapons better, and spend a heck of a lot more time scouting to connect with a critter once those 10 or 12 days of September come along. Just my 

[MtnMuley]

Strictly for better chances at trophies.  I am by no means partial to any weapon. 

[Swannytheswan]

Here's a quick question....  There are a few posts that say 'with a rilfe the hunt is over when you find an animal, with a bow it begins' and 'liking the challenge of getting close, and PB's last post.

Some of us hunt late season and do absolutely no calling.  Still hunting and spot and stalk. It is more fun to me to get within 30 yards of a buck or bull that has been chased for months by 3 different types of weapons hunters.

So for some of you is it that equipment forces you to make yourself get closer?  Would you not try to get closer with a different weapon?  Part of the reason I ask this is because I've read a few threads with bowhunters talking about all the animals they shoot at ranges of 60-80 yards, that's about the same range I've shot the majority of my animals with a rifle.  So, would using a 12 gauge with 00 buck (range of 35 yds) be considered more 'challenging' than the bows?  Are you trying to quantify challenge based on range at which an animal is shot?

I hear you, I hunted with a 30/30 when I rifle hunted, when I first started bowhunting, I practiced at the range out to 80 yards, yet only shot game under 40.
I now use a recurve, but 40 yards is 40 yards, no matter what weapon, especially here on the west side where it is hard to see that far sometimes... 
The challenge to me is not to get close, it is to stop my knees from shaking !

yeah 40 yards is 40 yards but for me with a rifle I would have a hard time limiting my self to 40 yards when I know that I can hit easily and safely out to 150-200 (I use a 30/30 also) and when that buck of a life time is standing there at 100yds and you can't get him to come in closer or you can't get closer to him do you pull the trigger with him standing broadside at a 100...me heck yeah I do I don't want to let him get away but with a bow I would pass every time because I know it is too far and I don't want to wound him...I'll keep hunting him till the end of the season and if I don't get him I"ll hunt him next year if I do he becomes a great story of how I relentlessly pursued a trophy and finally got him and the victory is that much sweeter.   

[colockumelk]

Two words... BUGLING BULLS!!!!!

[Machias]

I get a HUGE thrill out of being so close I can see their eyelashes, escpecially bears, but dang near as excited with deer and elk.  I enjoy hunting with a rifle but it's no where near as fun as hunting with a bow.

[pianoman9701]

 

[boneaddict]

To spot an animal in his environment, get within 30 yards of him, defeating all his senses, pull back on a piece of quality wood and instinctively send your arrow into his heart without him knowing it......or sit at 500 yards and pull the trigger.   Having experienced both I can tell you I liked them both but one was way more satisfying.

[trophyhunt]

I voted for other. I love bow hunting because there is nothing like hunting elk in the rut! And for the most part, minus special permits, you only get the best shot of it during the bow season. muzzy is my second favorite because you still get a piece of the rut. My point is Elk in the rut, the only way to go.