First off, I hate to hear anybody criticize any legal form of hunting---bow, rifle, baiting, dogs, etc. We get enough of that from antis. We don' t need it among ourselves.
I rifle hunt and love it. I hunt in very steep, brushy country and tend to be pretty successful most of the time, but believe me, it' s not easy! On the other hand, my husband bow hunts, and I absolutely love going with him too. Getting that close to animals is amazing---especially elk. He has a very bad back though, and I don' t know how much longer bowhunting will be an option for him. I know it' ll be a sad day for him when he has to switch to a rifle.
Besides putting meat in the freezer, I love to hunt just to be up in the mountains and enjoying all that God created. Having raised six kids, the solitude alone is incredible!