Are you an archer or a bowhunter?
02-22-2010, 04:47 AM
#31
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Burke, VA (raised in MD)
Posts: 1,096
To me, the difference lies in decision making. There is very little decision making in archery (3D is a bit of an exception). But, what makes a great shooting bowhunter is the decision making prowess to decide when and how to shoot.
To complicate matters, bowhunting is a solitary sport and face-to-face learning is limited.
We have all heard same, old stories of the archers who can hit a bottle cap every time at 20 yards but can't double lung a deer at 15 while bowhunting. There is also the trite story of the guy who can't hit a pie plate at 20 but thinks he is deadly on game. Obviously, none of us think we are either of these guys but the harder question to answer is: What kind of bowhunter appears in the mirror?
This is the kind of self-reflection and examination that improves decision making and allows you to become a better game shot (IMO).
To complicate matters, bowhunting is a solitary sport and face-to-face learning is limited.
We have all heard same, old stories of the archers who can hit a bottle cap every time at 20 yards but can't double lung a deer at 15 while bowhunting. There is also the trite story of the guy who can't hit a pie plate at 20 but thinks he is deadly on game. Obviously, none of us think we are either of these guys but the harder question to answer is: What kind of bowhunter appears in the mirror?
This is the kind of self-reflection and examination that improves decision making and allows you to become a better game shot (IMO).
02-22-2010, 08:01 AM
#32
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Middletown PA United States
Posts: 3,625
I would say I'm an archer that has always had an addiction to bowhunting. The only reason I classify myself as such is that I shoot my bows year round and hunting season lasts but a short couple of months. There are 8 or 9 months of the year separate from hunting and I'm not going to let all this expensive gear sit around when there's paper or foam to shoot.
That being said, as I get older I'm losing the urge to get up in the middle of the night, get dressed in a lot of heavy clothes, and go sit in a treestand for days at a time without seeing anything. In other words, after chasing deer for almost 50 years I'm getting burned out. The desire to keep shooting remains.
That being said, as I get older I'm losing the urge to get up in the middle of the night, get dressed in a lot of heavy clothes, and go sit in a treestand for days at a time without seeing anything. In other words, after chasing deer for almost 50 years I'm getting burned out. The desire to keep shooting remains.
02-22-2010, 08:39 AM
#33
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: SE Ohio
Posts: 2,531
Originally Posted by YooperMike
For me, I started aas a pure bowhunter, only shooting in order to be just proficient enough to kill an animal. Now, I'm still a bowhunter, but I enjoy target archery as well, especially 3D. By learning to really just enjoy shooting, that has helped me immensely in hunting situations with having the confidence to know that I can make the shot.
02-22-2010, 09:18 AM
#34
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Henderson, KY
Posts: 1,760
Originally Posted by MOhunter46
Well the way i see it is that a bowhunter needs to be and archer but an archer dosent need to be a bowhunter. So if you bowhunt your kinda both right?
archer here... I kill and hunt just as much as everyone else, but won't accept "getting close" as an excuse for poor shooting... I've killed animals directly under me, an from the ground less than 5 yards... Of course I wanna get close every shot, but I I see a deer o turkey at a distance known as "far" to most, I will not let my attitude get in the way
I will evaluate the situation, and if the outcome seems like it will be good on mine and the animals part, I will shoot with the intent on recovery... Knowing your ability as an archer in the woods is vital for good judgement on "to shoot or not to shoot". If u shoot alot, you know your probability much better
02-22-2010, 09:29 AM
#35
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Henderson, KY
Posts: 1,760
Originally Posted by kwilson16
To me, the difference lies in decision making. There is very little decision making in archery (3D is a bit of an exception). But, what makes a great shooting bowhunter is the decision making prowess to decide when and how to shoot.
To complicate matters, bowhunting is a solitary sport and face-to-face learning is limited.
We have all heard same, old stories of the archers who can hit a bottle cap every time at 20 yards but can't double lung a deer at 15 while bowhunting. There is also the trite story of the guy who can't hit a pie plate at 20 but thinks he is deadly on game. Obviously, none of us think we are either of these guys but the harder question to answer is: What kind of bowhunter appears in the mirror?
This is the kind of self-reflection and examination that improves decision making and allows you to become a better game shot (IMO).
To complicate matters, bowhunting is a solitary sport and face-to-face learning is limited.
We have all heard same, old stories of the archers who can hit a bottle cap every time at 20 yards but can't double lung a deer at 15 while bowhunting. There is also the trite story of the guy who can't hit a pie plate at 20 but thinks he is deadly on game. Obviously, none of us think we are either of these guys but the harder question to answer is: What kind of bowhunter appears in the mirror?
This is the kind of self-reflection and examination that improves decision making and allows you to become a better game shot (IMO).
I know that I can hold groups at 70 yards that would kill an animal 95% of the time. But in a tree you are not in the same situation so being able to judge your current shooting/holding state is necesarry as well.
Some guys get really nervous, which IMO limits their shooting tremendously. You can't expect te same results when you are shaking uncontrollably...
You've gotta know where you stand as an archer at the particular moment of truth as a bowhunter to increase your success... They go hand in hand for bowhunters...
On an "archers" moment of truth, he is goin to shoot regardless and doesn't really need to ever question his ability. That's what kills alot of us
02-22-2010, 10:18 AM
#36
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 1,282
I have always thought of an "Archer" as anyone that shoots a bow, Compound or Recurve or Longbow for hunting or target. I am a Bowhunter, but I shoot year round. I approach archery from a hunting perspective, I used to have target bows for target shooting and hunting bows for hunting. Now I use my hunting bow for everything and do not change it much in the off season for 3D shooting. This keeps me sharp for hunting.
Last edited by LKNCHOPPERS; 02-22-2010 at 10:20 AM.
02-23-2010, 07:37 AM
#37
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: York,Pa
Posts: 2,645
Originally Posted by GMMAT
Bowhunting IS archery.
Now...if you want to talk about TARGET archery .....then I'd just say that target archery and bowhunting are mutually exclusive endeavors.
I consider myself a bowhunter....that enjoys target archery.
Now...if you want to talk about TARGET archery .....then I'd just say that target archery and bowhunting are mutually exclusive endeavors.
I consider myself a bowhunter....that enjoys target archery.
02-23-2010, 09:35 AM
#39
Typical Buck
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Mid West
Posts: 591
I agree with a lot of the previous posts, I became a bowhunter by first becoming a archer. Bowhunting is a true passion of mine, but by enjoying and practicing archery it makes me a better bowhunter. It doesn't matter how far I know i can shoot an arrow. I will still try and get as close as possiable to the animal i am trying to put on the table, simply to increase my odds of taking that animal and out of respect to the animal.
02-23-2010, 09:43 AM
#40
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Phoenixville, PA USA
Posts: 5,541
Bowhunting is what introduced me to archery. I'm sure glad it did because I enjoy both immensely and while they are related I enjoy them for different reasons. With archery it is competitive (with myself mostly now) and I love to tinker and change things trying to squeeze the most out of myself to be the best I can. With bowhunting it is the pursuit and learning the land and the game as much as possible and putting together the pieces of the puzzle that will lead to the shot. It is only when that shot presents itself that the two are married and that is a beautiful thing.
