I have not shot the rifle for 5 years now. I do hunt with a ML usually though. This year I shot a dow with a special season ML in october and now I am after my second buck in NE with my bow. Rifle starts this weekend and in NE you are not allowed to hunt with a bow in the rifle season.

Very impressive, BHG. I think I would kick back and give your back and the rest of your body a chance to focus on thelife you are creating inside you very soon (my opinion only; it's your body and I admire your spirit!).

I only bowhunt (except for whenI need to hunt varmints like coyotes, etc.). I have nothing at allagainst gunhunting, but I personally get no emotional/spiritual satisfaction out of it. WhenI bowhunt, I have to get into the personal space of my quarry. When I shoot an arrow at a deer (or turkey), all of the energy of the weapon comes from the energy my bodyput into drawing the bow and releasing the arrow. No chemical explosion, just my personal energy going into the bow, then into the arrow and into the animal. This makes it (IMO) more personal and respectful of the animal and more satisfying for me.

Now, if I depended on my hunting to feed myself and my wife, I would be more pragmatic about it, but that's not the case.

Nice thread!

Bow Hunt Only here

I hunt with bow, rifle, and muzzleloader. If they had a beanyflip season, I'd do that too.

Ditto

Me too BHO, I have no desire to shoot anything with one of those dirty, loud, and stinky guns[:'(]

I mainly bowhunt. It is much more of a challange then rifle hunting therefore much more rewarding. I do however rifle hunt opening weekend just to get together with my dad and brothers and a few friends and have a good time.

I completely understand where you are coming from Mountainhunter, and I respect what your decision would be... I'm just a little strongwilled and determined to get my 4th deer for my 4th season. I'd like to keep a perfect record.

Besides the back pain, which I get sitting at the computer, cleaning the house, lying in bed, etc... (it's life, only 9 months of it though, so it's bearable knowing it's not a permanent fixture), I am in good shape. I don't get very big, or clumsy, and I ALWAYS take someone hunting with me when I goout.

I just enjoy hunting too much, and the fact that I only have 3 months a year to do it is enough to motivate me to push onward. I do know my limits. I had to sit a couple of days out the first part of bow season as I hunted opening weekend hard and my body wasn't used to walking in and out of the woods. We *did* ask the doc about it, he said, as long as you are comfortable with it, and your body keeps up with you, go for it. That's why I have backed off for a week. I was going every single morning, up at 5am every day. It got to be too much.

I went straight from softball into hunting this year, so my body never really had time to get "out of shape". Heck, we even won the state title for our softball team during my 5th month!

Thanks for your compliments though, that's just me... it's hard to put me on the sidelines! LOL I am like the Energizer Bunny, I just keep going, and going....

I started bow hunting this year as a season extender. Have not got a deer yet. We do not have many deer, and you may not get a chance even with a riffle. So I am not restricting myself to bow only. I will be breaking out the riffle Saturday after next.

Bow, muzzleloader, and rifle. Bow is my favorite, but each is a different type of hunting and I love them all.