First of all youre buddy needs some education on other forums of hunting and shouldn't be scoulding or toting any anit-hunting lines. Second of all congrats on your new bow, you'll have lots of fun and it will...I mean Will make you a better rifle hunter!!!!

A rifle kills by way of shock and energy transfer. When the bullet travelling at high speeds hits a deer/elk, etc it produces shock to the animal and devasting damage. A bow kills via the wound it self, hemoraging, etc. It is travelling at a much slower rate but and doesn't produce the shock or devastation. Thus the need for accurate shoot placement and limited shooting angle with a bow. It is very lethal and I have seen it take down animals as quickly as a rifle. Many guys have deer run 50-100 yards with a lung shot and a rifle, the bow many will experience with a doublke lung shot deer travelling 20-150 yards. I have also seen animals stand their after piercing the Lungs and only mange a few step...other times they'll bolt and crash with in eye sight.(again very similar to a rifle)

Personally I think with a good vital hit the bow is probably more clean than the rifle...no devastation and just clean on through. Where bow hunting gets a bad rap is it takes more skill and thus poor shots can occur and wounded animals may escape or go for a long run. However I have seen many a bad shot taken by the rifle hunter, the difference is most times the shock and expansion of the bullet helps in the finding of the game...this can't be considered clean or ethical...just luck or power. If you limit yourself to vital hits and distances to your shooting capability the bow will produce the same results as any rifle. It is more rewarding having to put yourself within 20, 30 yards of the game, being able to check the nerves and wait for the perfect opp. Then excute and collect your prize...IMO. I love all types of hunting and with each comes a different challenge...but the bow is tops for the whole experience and it really will make you a better hunter...simple you have to be to get closer!!

I hunt moose and bears exclusively with my bow...so tell me it isn't lethal, ethical and quick.

Have fun and tell your pal don't knock it till you try it and get all the facts. Practice and patience are keys to all hunting, but a bow will teach more than you ever thought possible. You watch you'll have a deer and your trusty rifle at 100 yards, but you don't have that perfect shot and you'll wait....it happens. Guys who hunt with a bow, am I wrong?