RE: Bowhunting, is it good?
Remington Girl,
I’d say, buy one, whether you’re going to hunt with it or not. They’re lots of fun to shoot.
Better than hunting with a gun?
Wow, some of you probably think I put her up to this…
Not exactly better or worse, just different. You see there is so much to think about when comparing weapons to hunt with. Probably the biggest thing to consider is how you’ll hunt.
Many (or most) bow hunters sit in tree stands while hunting. This type of hunting has some pretty intense challenges of finding the right spot to put a stand without alarming deer or whatever you’re hunting. Paying strict attention to scent, whether you use products or not will be in order also. Knowing (or at the least suspecting) which way the animals will come in, and having cleared shooting lanes will play a key role in this type of hunting also.
Some reasons to hunt this way (passive hunting) would be hunting a small piece of land, to loud a day (crunchy leaves) to walk around. Or simply to increase your odds if you can’t or are unwilling to still-hunt. I think the coolest part of hunting this way is how you’ll see nature. Once you’ve been in a tree for a bit, the woods seem to just come-alive around you. You see some pretty cool stuff that you (or I more specifically) wouldn’t normally see.
Then there is active hunting…
This is where the rubber meets the road.
Disclaimer time (for the bow only types) – Take any form of hunting, add a bow in place of a fire arm and you’ve made it more challenging.
Getting out of a stand and deciding to walk on the forest floor is a huge step in hunting. Scent control is much more of an issue on ground level than it is 15 – 20 feet off of the ground. Movement is at eye level to the deer, and you will be making noise. This type of hunting is very tough. In my experience, this active style of hunting, presents more challenges than bow hunting from a tree, even when carrying a firearm. There simply aren’t many long range shots presented in the areas of thick cover that deer call their beds. To walk in, undetected and get a shot (normally between 25 – 35 yards) is tough to say the least.
Want to take it a step further, try this active style hunting, with a bow; and you’ll really be challenging yourself. I’ve only shot one doe this way, and I consider her my finest trophy.
In closing, go buy yourself a bow and learn to shoot it. Have fun shooting it, and then decide whether you want to hunt with it or not.
Good luck,
KP