I am new to bowhunting myself, just bought my bow the day after I dropped my first buck during the first day opening shotgun season here in IL.

2 reasons why I chose to get a bow, both of them I believe are listed above:

1. Extended my season in both directions. Before and after shotgun season.

2.Instead of being able to only take one buck a season, I now have the ability to harvest two.

Plus, you can buy archery permits at Wal-Mart and other fine retailiers. How sweet is that? No lottery. No waiting for the permit to arrive.

I believe that since I tend to stay on the conservative side of yardage for shotgun hunting, usually around 50 yards and under, (I killed mybuck this year at 20 yards) I have witnessed some of the closer encounters with whitetail.

I can't wait to getan even greater sense of that feeling through bowhunting. The adrenaline rush is amazing. Iabout shook right off the bucket I was sitting on second shotgun season as a monster8 pointer just strutted through the corn field I was set up on.Once again, as mention above, I couldn't shoot that mature buck because I had already tagged my buck for the season.

Next year, I might get that second chance at that monster.

I haven't even shot my bow and I can already sense the enjoyment I will get out ofbowhunting.

In the end, it makes you a better hunter and thatmight be the best part of it all!