[quote]ORIGINAL: ELKampMaster
For me, rifle. Personally, I do not like to see animals run from the point of impact and have to settle for the hope of catching up with them "just into the woods a bit" or "over the hill". The more I can reduce this "flight factor" the happier I am.
I find that to be an intresting statement EKM. I feel that bowhunters for that reason have a higher skill level in tracking and being more woods wise in the bush. The reason a critter will run after being shot with an arrow is from the sound of the shot or maybe movement acompanied by a slight pain that you can relate to when shaving. I have shot some animals in my life and after the shot I have seen some of them run 20-30 yrds and then just start walking or lay down and go to sleep and then expire. Sometimes they have no ideal that they have been shot.I think bowhunting is all skill with very little luck involved that takes time to master as to gun hunting where one can go down to walmart the night prior to the hunt and buy a rifle and that guy just might get LUCKY and shoot the game he is after, where as a bowhunter requires hours and hours of time to practice and has to be proficent at getting close to the quarry and be able to track an animal when even no blood is present due to a high shot in the vitals with no exit. I believe that for this reason when a bowhunter shoots, he will devote his/her entire hunt in tracking the animal as most gun hunters don't appear to have that much patience.
The bowhunter has to be constantly aware of wind conditions/ scent,ect as it is unforgiving at 30 yards away but a gun hunter doesn't need to be too concerned about wind or camo when out with high powered rifles.
Not tring to start a flame war between the bowhunters and gun hunters as we are all out there for the same reason and I do them both, but some of us are on different skill levels. Good luck, Bobby
