Stay with the bow! I've only bow hunted deer...never gun hunted them. Only shot a rifle a half dozen times or so at stumps and targets and it was a very loud, obnoxious, and unpleasant experience for me. I would offer the suggestion of continuing to raise the bar for yourself in bowhunting. IMO it is more exhilarating to pass up an 8 pointer at 15 yards to let him go so he can grow than to blast a 160 class 10 pointer at 200 yards; but then I've never blasted a 160 class buck with a gun at 200 yards but I have shot a 170 class at 15 yards with a bow so I can't imagine there is a comparison. But as a wise man once said...&quot;to each his own&quot;. <img src=icon_smile_wink.gif border=0 align=middle>

I'm only shotgun hunting along with the bowhunting and while I enjoy both the bowhunting is by far more rewarding. To me a doe with a bow is about equal to a 130 class buck with a shotgun. I would say that if this gun season allows you to spend more time in the woods then go for it but, don't expect a deer 150 yards away to get the heart pumping like any deer up close.

Just to give you an idea of how long it took me. Last year was my 10th season with a bow. 10 long years!! Last year I finally shot a buck worthy of putting on my wall. Up until then I had only shot 1 1/2 year old bucks with 8 or so points and I didn't even get to shoot a buck until '98. That was no antlers for 7 years.

All I can say is don't give up!! Try rifle if you want, but don't give up on that bow, it will pay off. And when it does, you will be so glad you didn't give up!!

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Personally if I only had one way to hunt, it would be with a bow. I usually spend more time with the bow, and kill more deer with it also. However...since I do have the option to hunt with rifle, muzzleloader, shotgun, and pistol also...I take advantage of it. Yes, it is different than a bowkill. Maybe it's not as challenging to some, maybe more?????? All I know is I enjoy being out there, and all types of hunting should be fun. Farm Hunter....very well put!!!
Guys, don't put someone else down, because they don't do exactly as you...we're all on the same team here.

Monsterbuckland...all I can say is try it...you may enjoy it! Or don't....it's up to you.

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monsterbuck,

That question can be answered by you only. Give it a try and decide for yourself. I rifle hunted for years and got bored. The last 10 years, all I've done is bowhunt. Just my preference. And if someone rifle hunts, have a good time! To each his own.

I just bagged my first deer with a bow on Sunday and I was thrilled. I have had success rifle also, bagging 8 in Pennsylvania, and three of those were close enough for a bow, but the movement of drawing a bow may have cost me those three, who knows. I hunted bow twice before this year, back in '89 and '90, and scared the deer off with my drawing of the bow. Now that I'm a little wiser from reading these boards, I feel more confident in bow hunting and that will be my first choice in the future. All the things that you need to do right to get the deer close to you is so rewarding when you get it all right and luck plays it's part (luck is preparation meeting opportunity), is second to none, short of jumping out of the tree and stabbing the deer to death, maybe.

However, I'm not gonna give up rifle hunting because I remember each of those hunts as well, although 10-15 years gone now. In fact, I'm traveling back to my native PA to rifle hunt after Thanksgiving. I'm just as excited about that as I was when I was 12 and on my first hunt. I say hunt as often as possible- you can't go wrong.

I have killed many deer with a gun. And I am just now starting to bowhunt because I felt like anybody with a steady hand could kill a deer with a gun, and it wasn't challenging enough. But, I will say this. I remember each and every deer I have killed in great detail, and I didn't kill a single one of them that didn't get my heart pumping my knees shaking and hands twitching. Even the does. If it don't get you worked up, regardless of the means you use to take the deer, gun, archery whatever, if you don't get worked up you might as well quit hunting cause you just ain't right.

KSUIE

They are both great. A bow may be more of a challenge. However, I'm not sure you can make generalizations like &quot;a bow kill is more exciting&quot;. More exciting to who? To you? To your friend? To an 8yr old child?

I think excitement can only be determined by the shooter. I know when I was 7yrs old and killed by first deer with a shotgun, I was the most excited kid in the world that day. Much more excited than any bow kill I've ever had. However, now that I'm older, I personally get more excited over a bow kill than a gun kill. To each his own.

Hunt the thickets

Theres two parts to a hunt - the actual hunting and then the shot.

Obviously, its more difficult to get within 20-30 yards of a big buck than it is to get within 100-200 yards. Its also a given that shooting a rifle is a piece of cake compared to a compound bow. Want to talk challenge ? Try shooting a deer with a longbow/recurve.

Thats not eliteist attitude - its just a breakdown of how the difficulties of the hunt/equipment stack up.

Those few who make their own wood self bows, their own arrows and hunt from the ground only are a true breed apart folks.

WAsk yourself why you'd hunt with a rifle ? If you want a better chance at killing a deer, do it, but realize that challenge isn't as difficult. Good luck to you either way.
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