Kyle Colburn

i like working the deer into me using calls and rattles etc... really a rush

stillhunt04

It's like my uncle normally says, when you're bowhunting you're sitting in the deer's living room, and they tend to notice when you change the furniture. I haven't even been rifle hunting before to tell you the truth, but I know some guys who have that are now bowhunting, and wouldn't consider going back. Also, when and if you get the chance to kill something, it seems like you accomplished more when you pull the string back and let the arrow fly rather than loading the chamber and pulling the trigger. I think with a little time you could train anybody to sit up in a tree real quiet, pick up a gun, point, and shoot, but shooting a bow takes some practice and dedication. But that's not to say that if rifle hunting was the only option, I would exactly turn it down...

smokyghost

for me bowhunting is better in alot of ways.
1. more time in the woods (sept 15th to jan 31st here)
2. you get to hunt all the periods of the rut.
3. the deer have a fighting chance.
4. challenging.
5. makes me hone in on every lil bit ofhunting knowledgeI have about whitetails.
6. Ive become a better hunter.
7. the rush.
8. and the meat seems to taste better.

TroopA

1. More time in the woods.
2. There's nothing like having the deer come so close to you - my heart is pounding right now just thinking about it.
3. I havethe feeling that I "controlled" the shot in some weird way. Seeing the shot hit exactly where I aimed brings a feeling that gun hunting just can't.
4. I love the preseason practicing with my friends. It gets us pumped up!!

Bols

I am new to bowhunting myself, just bought my bow the day after I dropped my first buck during the first day opening shotgun season here in IL.

2 reasons why I chose to get a bow, both of them I believe are listed above:

1. Extended my season in both directions. Before and after shotgun season.

2.Instead of being able to only take one buck a season, I now have the ability to harvest two.

Plus, you can buy archery permits at Wal-Mart and other fine retailiers. How sweet is that? No lottery. No waiting for the permit to arrive.

I believe that since I tend to stay on the conservative side of yardage for shotgun hunting, usually around 50 yards and under, (I killed mybuck this year at 20 yards) I have witnessed some of the closer encounters with whitetail.

I can't wait to getan even greater sense of that feeling through bowhunting. The adrenaline rush is amazing. Iabout shook right off the bucket I was sitting on second shotgun season as a monster8 pointer just strutted through the corn field I was set up on.Once again, as mention above, I couldn't shoot that mature buck because I had already tagged my buck for the season.

Next year, I might get that second chance at that monster.

I haven't even shot my bow and I can already sense the enjoyment I will get out ofbowhunting.

In the end, it makes you a better hunter and thatmight be the best part of it all!

Finch

This is my most serious year as a bowhunter. I have hunted two previous years with a bow but have had more success and confidence this year. I like the fact of the longer season and the challenge the sport presents. Next year I want to bowhunt all season w/out picking up a rifle. I bagged my first buck ever this year and it was with a rifle. I wish my Hoyt was in my hand instead of that 30-30. You really dont need a gun to be successful. Most, if not all of the deer I have seen this year have been w/in bow range. I love the RUSH!!!

livbucks

I was introduced to hunting initially with a rifle. I had some real good times at deer camp with my family. I got into bowhunting all on my own when I turned sixteen and was old enough to hunt alone. I couldn't get enough of hunting and wanted to extend my seasons. I eventually converted my entire family into bowhunters over the years. I taught my Dad to shoot a compound when he was 55 years old. We all are primarily bowhunters now but we still love to go back up to camp for rifle season. I would personally say that bowhunting and rifle hunting are two different entities enjoyed by many of the same people. We are all hunters when you boil it down.
I like both, but each for a different reason.

MO Archer

Well bow hunting is all I have. I was young and involved with a psycho woman that placed a restraining order on me out of spite made up of lies. It is so sad how easily a person can get one of these on you. I went to the house thinking it would not be an issue to get my stuff, cops were called and I plead no contest to not have a chance of going to jail for a year. I was young and dumb. Well this qualifies as a domestic violence charge so I now fall under the The Lautenberg Amendment which no longer allows me to posses or carry firearms or any type of ammunition. It sux, but I love shooting my bow so I guess I better get good at it if I want to hunt because it is all I have. Not trying to put all my business out there but maybe a young guy will read it and be smarter than I was. It really is hard to not have all of your basic rights as an american especially over something so STUPID!!!! BUT I LOVE BOW HUNTING!!!

gzg38b

I like the fact that you actually have to practice during the summer.

I love shooting my bow during the off season, 3d shoots, etc. I like scouting for stand placement, looking for scrapes, rubs, funnels, scent control, cover, etc. If you want to kill a buck with a bow you have to know how to HUNT. It's like a chess game between you and the animal.

With a rifle, it's too easy. There's little sense of accomplishment. I don't feel the connection with nature and the animal. With a bow I feel like I'm hunting. With a rifle, I just feel like I'm killing. Any deer in sight you can shoot. Where's the challenge in that? Every deer I've killed with a bow has been a trophy to me. When I used to rifle hunt I didn't feel proud when I killed something. There was a letdown, sort of an anti-climactic moment. I almost felt guilty. It was weird.

My dad thinks I'm nuts, but I take my bow out during gun season now.

Wave

This is my first year of serious bow hunting. I love it and have put a good bit of money into it. it is more challenging than gun hunting but those of you who say gun hunting is easy got another thing coming. I don't see how anyhunter that has experienced the rush you get before a shot is an easy thing to overcome. I get the same feeling with a gun, It is a bigger deal with a bow, too me, but it is there for both. Sureguns extend your range, but they still have aneffective range that an animalcan exceed.My dad's side of the familyhave a 2,000 acrefarm in south alabama the deer there arehunted hard and areextermly cautious seeing deer there is an eventif you don't take your saftey off quietly than good luck, a deer will go from 100% relaxed to full sprintfaster than you can blink. I have not decided ifI will bow hunt there this year.Killing anice buck with a gunwould be huge accomplishment, with a bow a miricle. I live in GA inrual area alowly being infested with subdivisions. the deer herd is much healthier and more prevalent I have been hunting since the season opened (early sept.) every weekend and at least 1 day during the week most of the time two or threedays. I have seen deer about 75%-80% of the timeyesterday morning I let a nice young 7 pointer have a chance to grow some more and he should fill out nicely. I have been deniedthree oppertunities so far this year only.The first was on day two of the season shot at a 7 or 8 @ 35 yards, he jumped the string. the others were does that freaked with the arrow still at full draw[:@]. I have decided to hunt my house with a bow this season but I still have a great amount of respect for gun hunters.
I agree with this guy. I think they have a fighting chance most of the time when there not in a cage.

as for T.V. shows thats a diffrent story pretty much bow only there. It dosent seem toshow the challenging acpectof gunhunting.