ORIGINAL: BigJ12

Bow vs Gun.....

Both can be equally challenging and equally as tough. A 50yd shot from a stand with a rifled slug gun is pretty easy. A 50yd shot with an iron sighted revolver difficult. A30yd shot from a bow in a tree stand.....easy, same shot with an open sighted 4 5/8 barreledsixgun.....NOT easy. I know, I've done them both.

The problem is when bow hunters talk about "guns" they automatically think a high powered rifle or a slug gun and they automatically think their quarry is standing there broadside at 50yds.This tends to make us look like"elitist" as bow hunters and turns my stomach to no end.

The truth of the matter is there are easy and difficult shots with both types of weapons. Having been a shooter all of my life like most here I can tell you with out any reservation that I would rather shoot a deer at 40yds with my compound bow than a deer at 300yds with my rifle. To me the 40yd compound shot is way easier.

When I see a picture of a deer taken with a gun, I don't ask the circumstances behind the hunt, I just congratulate the shooter for a nice deer. For all I know it was an extremely difficult shot (long range, close stalk etc..) that only a very skilled and confidenthunter/shooter could have pulled off.

Generally speaking, bow hunting is probably slightly more difficult due only to the closer range and movement that must be made in order to get a shot off.But that's generally speaking.....make no mistake about it there are some aspects and types of gun hunting that are far more difficult than shooting a compound or traditional bow.

As far as traditional (long & recurve) bow hunting is concerned, sure that's probably the most difficult form of bow hunting there is.......but the same can be said for hunting with a traditional gun and I'm not talking about a new muzzle loaders either, I'm talking about a true traditional firearm. How about a smooth bore flintlock. See how many deer you can kill when you have a half second delay from when the powder goes off in the pan (no that won't spook the deer)to when the gun shoots, if it even does! Then take into consideration that with a smooth bore (no rifling) yourshooting "knuckle balls" and your shots must be inside of 30yds to even come close to hitting what you are aiming at. Good luck with a second shot....after all of the smoke clears I'm sure you can ask Mr.Buck to "stick around" while you reload.Add in a little rainto the mix and wet feather fletchings will seem like a walk in the park compared to a wet powder pan.

I gun hunt and I will continue to do so for as long as I can get my self into the field, I will also bow hunt as well. I enjoy all forms of hunting and have done enough of them to know that all can be equally challenging and difficult in their own way and none more than the other.

Well, if we are going to compare apples to apples then why is the buck at a 100 yards a sure thing for the rifle? You practice all year and miss at 16yds but the gun can't miss at a 100 ydsbecause it is just so easy with a rifle, right? And then, if it were a muzzleloader or better yet a shotgun (can't use rifles in MD)how easy is that?

Bow hunting has its difficulties that make it much different than gun hunting but, depending on the gun, gun hunting has its difficulties that make its kills just as impressive.

I am not trying to sway your opinion or anyone elses, I am just presenting a different opinion, one that thinks all hunting is impressive and doesn't need to denigrate one method to elevate another.

Jim Shockey only hunts with a muzzleloader but you would tell me that kandi kisky's bow kills are more impressive than his muzzleloader kills?

The truth of the matter is there are easy and difficult shots with both types of weapons. Having been a shooter all of my life like most here I can tell you with out any reservation that I would rather shoot a deer at 40yds with my compound bow than a deer at 300yds with my rifle. To me the 40yd compound shot is way easier.

try gun hunting with a pistol or a true traditional firearm. Even in the best conditions, hitting abullseye with an old muzzle loader with regular open sights is hard. New m/l's can be accurate out to 250 yds with the right opticsbut for most people (average shooters/hunters/not pro) shooting a traditional m/l andhitting the target at 100 yards would be dumb luck.

ORIGINAL: Rob/PA Bowyer

When I watch a Drury's tape, I fast forward through the rifle footage to watch the bow footage regardless the size of the animal. I'm not interested in the rifle footage. Sorry.