mobow

Tony, believe me bro, I know exactly what you're saying. But I share that same fellowship w/ the guys that I bowhunt with. And I'm not arguing in the least.

But for me, honestly......if I were FORCED to hunt w/ a gun.....I wouldn't be at that camp anyway. And if I were.....it would be more frustrating than fun, taking away from all of it. Fellowship or no, if a guy isn't interested in bang stick hunting......It just wont' be fun. Trust me.

_Dan

Not singling you out Rob, just using this as an example.

A lot, not all, of the guys who are diehard bowhunters and won't pick up a gun come from states that have a crazy deer season. During the bow season you take your time going in and out carefully, watch your scent, watch the wind, etc. Then when gun season rolls around you see all your hard work not educating the deer go right out the window. Guys running everywhere, doing drives, being loud, etc.

Is there the factor that someone screwed up "your hard work?"

(Again, not pointed at anyone in particular, just stating observations.)

early in

I'mstrictly a bowhunter and I love it. I've killed plenty of deer with rifle, shotgun, and crossbow. I get more personal satisfaction out of killing a deer with my compound. I do miss the good old days (to a certain degree)of going to the mountains with my pop, brother in law , and a few friends. Time has changed this, as friends have gotten married/had kids, moved away to persue jobs, or just lost intrest. Dadhasn't hunted in many years, so it just leaves me to hunt pretty much by myself. Occasionally, I'll bowhunt with my brother in law, but that's about it.
I really love hunting by myself. I get to call the shots ( no pun intended). I get in the woods real earlywhen I hunt, instead of having to wait forsomeone to get motivated (I hate that!), stay as long as I please, and leave when I please. I wouldn't trade this for anything! I also love hunting basically undisturbed animals, which is usually the case during bow season. Another big plus of bowhunting is the small number of hunterson the state land that I hunt. I really don't miss gun hunting much at all!

TexasBowHunter

Most of the guys at my deer camp or lease bowhunt, so it is all the same to us....a few of those guys will turn to a gun when that season rolls around and a few of us continue to hunt with bows and then we have a couple of guys that gun hunt only.....For us it is no different, other than the weather.... I personally like to bowhunt better,I have rifle hunted the last couple years a handful of timeswith my daughter and when she got her first, that beat any day I have had in the field with any weapon....

Anyway for us and the way we hunt it is all the same....

wallhangr

The difference would be that I hardly ever come back to the cabin during bow season during the day. It's an organized thing during gun season, we meet back at the cabin around 10-10:30 and have breakfast, then back out once everyone decides what stand they are going to. When I bow hunt I might change my mind mid-morning and go to a different stand site. Can't do that during gun season w/o buggering up someone else and couldn't do much of it if there was a group during bow season.

Now if we had decent cell service in our woods maybe we could move around w/o causing problems.

GMMAT

For ME, Dan.....it's justthe revelation that they hunt the same animal in (many times....not all) an entirely different scenario/mindset than what I do. That's ONE reason I find it UNinteresting. It's simply "foreign" to my methodology.

I KNOW....believe me....KNOW that there are guys who gun hunt who take EVERY (and likely MORE) precaution I do when I bowhunt. But...at least around here.....those guys are the exception and not the rule.

I used to go the bow shop sometimes to shoot 3D (indoors) during my mid-day break. I'd see the gun guys come in from their hunts....and have their same camo they hunted in on. They'd eat lunch.....go fill up with gas....etc, etc, etc... and go right back out from there. I just can't imagine being able to do that and be successful, bowhunting.

So....do I think they prepared the way I did? Nope. Do I think they take the precautions I did/do? Nope. Do I find "their" way of hunting "interesting? Nope. Does it afect me in the least? Well.....yeah. They hunt the adjoining properties I do....and sometimes the SAME properties. Are the screwing up my hunting? You bet.

Do I think ALL gun hunters are "this way"? Heck no. Do I think ALL bowhunters are virtuous? Heck no.

Is it for me? Heck no. Do I begrudge anyone doing it.....as long as they're doing it legally and ethically? ABSOLUTELY NOT. More power to you. I wish you great success.

HuntinGUS

I feel a lot like you do Preacher. Bowhunting allows me to hunt earlier and more and the deer are easier to hunt during this time of year. I tend to hunt alone and it's much calmer and more predictible. The deer are a little easier to pattern because there is little to no preasure.

Rifleseason is a radition like non other. All the things you mentioned are also reasons I like rifle season.Shooting our guns, breaking out the old hunting clothes and the stupid hats..........[8D]

The cold air, the feeling I get on opening day makes me feel like a kid again.... I also can re-live the excitement through my nephews.........8 and 12 yrs old.......They get tore up over opening day of rifle season.....I can't imagine a kid not experiencing thator having to wait until they are old enough to hunt with a bow....[&:]....Let's face it....not too many 7,8,9 year olds can bow hunt proficiently...

Ohhhh yeah..............I think it's fun to kill deer with guns............

magicman54494

I gave up gun hunting central Wis. because I got tired of dodging bullets. I won't hunt that situation any more. That being said, I would never give up the pure adrenalin rush of tracking a big buck in remote areas with my rifle. I believe it's the situation not the weapon.

GMMAT

Now THAT sounds "interesting" Completely "foreign"....but interesting. Kudos, MM.

fastetti

There are VERY few things each year that I look forward to more than opening day of gun season. It's not just the opportunity to hunt with my rifle, but everything that goes with it. The 6 hour drive to where I hunt, seeing 5 trucks/SUV's heading north to every one car. The night before figuring out stands, the visiting of other deer camps and hearing the stories about what deer have been seen during preseason scouting. Its almost like you can feel the excitement in the air. Opening morning has to be my favorite though. Out in your stand, thermos of coffee, just waiting for the first hint of light to see whats out there. Just as the first light comes, out in the distance you hear the first shot of the season. At that moment a smile always comes to my face, my favorite time of the year starts right now. I sit in anticipation hearing shots echo around me, thinking to myself," When is it going to be my shot other people hear?" I love everything about it. Then that night getting back to camp and hearing the stories of the day from friends and family. Going out that night, visiting other deer camps, seeing whats been harvested that day while throwing back a few beers.
I think its just being out around so many hunters makes the opening day of rifle season such a great thing for me. Bowhunting is great and I love that is well, but something about the tradition of gun season makes it so much better to me.