Bowhunting today can still be as difficult and challenging as it was 35 years ago, or even 50,000 years ago.
Arthur, I know what you mean. I'm in the process of making a self-bow. The challenge will be back, for sure.
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How does your resume read when it comes to big deer? How many and how big with a gun and how many and how big with a bow?
For 35 years, I've bowhunted in an area that was , and still is, dominated by the classic "if it's brown it's down" type hunter. 85-90% of all bucks are shot before they are 2 years old and 95-97% are shot before they are 3. Shooting a mature buck here, is more of an accident then anything else.
I've never even seen a mature buck while gun hunting, though I admit it's been 10 years since I've done a lot of gun hunting. During bow season, I at least see one every couple years. In fact, this year I missed a 150 class buck (hit a twig). This deer was relaxed, making a scrape 20 yards away. That would never happen during gun season. I would never even see him during gun season. He'd be hiding during the day and would probably be completely nocturnal. If you don't get the big ones, by 8:00 am opening day, you probably won't. It's a war zone around here and the older bucks know it.
During bow season, I not only see a lot more bucks (10 times as many wouldn't be an exageration), and they are not scared. They come closer and do not spooked as easily. It's fairly easy to grunt one in, or rattle one up - something the you absolutely will not be able to do here during gun season.
Yes, bowhunting with all the modern stuff we use, is much easier in my opinion.