Exclusively bowhunting?
 

How many of you hunt deer exclusively with a bow? I've always hunted the MZ season with bow - been successful the last 5 years. A few years ago, I also now hunt the modern firearms season using only my bow - I've had success then too with some passed opportunities as well.

Anyone else?

RE: Exclusively bowhunting?
 

For the last threeyears since I moved to IL. i have only hunted deer with my bow. However, I will be going home to WV to visit family over thanksgiving. This is the same time rifle season is open in WV. I may pickup the ole 30-06 just to be able to get out into the woods with my old man. I miss having him as my hunting and fishing partner.

RE: Exclusively bowhunting?
 

This is my first year of bowhunting...but the only way that I am pretty well guaranteed a deer for my freezer is to also rifle hunt. I have been out probably 20 times so far during bow season and put a friend in my stand. He hit a buck but didn't get it. I always think to myself that if I would have been there I would have gotten it...but you never know.

Long story short, rifle season starts this weekend and I am ready to fill the freezer!!!

RE: Exclusively bowhunting?
 

Why would I limit myself like that ? I love gun hunting , bow hunting is fun too but pretty much a season extender for me .

RE: Exclusively bowhunting?
 

I'm not bashing gun hunting. I gun hunted andfor deer for over nearly 30 years and before going "bow only." My freezer is usually overstocked well before gun season starts and I feel far more satisfied taking a deer with a bow, so I go this route. If gun hunting trips your trigger, that's fine with me.

RE: Exclusively bowhunting?
 

If I had a deer at this point, it would be different, but I've not gotten one yet, so I will be picking up my muzzleloader come Nov. 18. I've hunted harder this year than all of the last 3 years combined so far and I've had more opportunities that I screwed up for whatever reason... I've had the chance to shoot 4bucks so far this year with my bow... couldn't draw on one, shot under the other, and turned around too late for the other two which were within 5-10 yards of my stand. My bad.

I would LOVE to be able to hunt exclusively with my bow, but my freezer is hungry, one deer (hubby's) isn't enough to fill it's belly. Besides that, I'm 6 weeks out from delivering this baby girl and my body is telling me to slow down a little, so I'm hoping I will have one within the next 3 weeks so I can kick back for the last few weeks of this pregnancy. My back doesn't handle the hours of sitting very well right now. [:o]

RE: Exclusively bowhunting?
 

I will make this my 1st year bow only for deer. I will gun hunt hogs.

RE: Exclusively bowhunting?
 

and THEY SAY WOMEN ARE THE WEAKER SEX!!!!!! IF I were a pregnant female i would be kicked back and hubby would be doin all thaem chores by himself LOL save all your energy for huntin

RE: Exclusively bowhunting?
 

Bow and traditional style muzzleloader once in a great, great while during rifle.
The rifle is for emergency situations only, such as coyotes, racoons, etc, etc.

RE: Exclusively bowhunting?
 

BHO!

RE: Exclusively bowhunting?
 

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.

RE: Exclusively bowhunting?
 

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!

RE: Exclusively bowhunting?
 

Bow Hunt Only here

RE: Exclusively bowhunting?
 

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

RE: Exclusively bowhunting?
 

Ditto

RE: Exclusively bowhunting?
 

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

RE: Exclusively bowhunting?
 

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.

RE: Exclusively bowhunting?
 

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! :D

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....

RE: Exclusively bowhunting?
 

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.

RE: Exclusively bowhunting?
 

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

RE: Exclusively bowhunting?
 

As much as I love to hunt with my bow, I also do gun.
Don't see a reason to limit my fun.

RE: Exclusively bowhunting?
 

I might be limiting myself, as some of the earlier post imply....but it's just my preferred way to hunt. Nothing against any other weapon, just for me, it's the way I want to do it. Bow only here.

Kelly

RE: Exclusively bowhunting?
 

I'll bowhunt during rifle season this year. I no longer have the desire to shoot deer with guns. I've done it for alot of years but bowhunting is SO much more fun to me.

My dad thinks I'm nuts. He says I'm going to kick myself the first time a huge 10 point walks by me at 75 yards during rifle season and I'm sitting there with my bow. I'll be out there with my bow in the thick stuff when the gun hunters start shooting. The gun hunters should push them my way.

RE: Exclusively bowhunting?
 

Bow onlyfor more than 13-14 years I'd saybut if the chance occured I would ML.Just something bout the smoke and bang.Have a new ML'er from 4 years ago and never been hunting with it so I still call it new.

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RE: Exclusively bowhunting?
 

VERY well said.

I concur.

Jeff

RE: Exclusively bowhunting?
 

The only time I don't bowhunt is muzzle loader season. I just like to get the smoke pole out and let it eat!

RE: Exclusively bowhunting?
 

I haven't killed a deer with a gun in a few years, but I got a new ruger .280for graduation and might have to try it out, but other than this season, yes I'm strictly a bowhunter. I don't see any reason not to when the season goes from October 1st- January 15th...

RE: Exclusively bowhunting?
 

The only reason I muzzleload is for the extra buck tag. If we could take two bucks with a bow like Il offers than I would just bowhunt only. I do shoot yotes in the off season with my high powers though. Any out of state hunt for big game will and is only with a bow.