adams

I have a little diffrent view but I can understand your point. In Maine and New Hampshire there are very few 150"+ class deer taken. Any deer that goes book (B&C) is a trophy around here. There just aren't that many bucks sporting head gear of that calibre.

I personally get more satisfaction from hunting with my bow. When I was younger I was happy with every deer I took no matter the mothod it which it was taken. Now I've got a buch of deer behind me the method I take a deer is more important then taking one. I suppose some day I'll put down my compound and go old school as I feel I'd get more out of it, Personally.

I won't and don't force my views on others as to what weapon they hunt with. As long as a hunter is hunting within the law and practicing fair chase, how they choose to take an animal is none of my bussiness. I do feel deer I take with a bow are more of and accomplishment then a deer taken with a gun but that can't be imposed on others IMO.

loner

i have been hunting deer since 1955 and have taken them with rifle,shotgun,muzzleloader and bow.some from the ground and most from a tree.a trophy is in the eye of the hunter that took it,period!there is no question in my mind,that a mature buck with a bow is the ultimate challenge due to the fact you have to get so close to make the shot.i have deer on my wall that do not make the B&C OR P&Y but they are trophies to me because of the shot,how long i had to hunt it before getting a shot, or any number of other reasons.a trophy to someone like myself,is not going to be over 140-150 class deer due to pressure and area i have to hunt.the point i am making is that a 21/2 year old buck with a bow for me would be the equivlient to a 160 class killed by a member of primos,realtree etc. in the spots they get to hunt with guides telling them where to hunt. maybe i am alone on this but that is how i see it.there is no question in my mind that bowhunting is much more difficult than taking a deer with a gun.

Hiawatha

Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder. However for me, if i get my deer with the bow or the rifle i am after a 150 class deer at least. For me it makes no difference what i killem with but i want a good buck. If i pass up a buck with a rifle i would also pass up that same buck with my bow. But everyone has their own judgement system.

Fieldmouse

If I knew this was going to get such a response, I would have posted this a long time ago. Keep your posts coming.

I do think it's interesting I've been called a snob because of my view. I've stated this several times, I bowhunt purely for the sport of bowhunting.

Why own guns? I love shooting sporting clays. I won't turn down a any type of bird hunt, though I want to hunt geese with a bow. I just don't actively seek bird hunts. Also you never know when you might have to shoot someone breaking into your home. I can tell you it's not an fun position to be in.

Western MA Hunter

I think everyone's idea of a trophy differs. I don't care if it's taken with a gun or a bow... If the deer is nice and the hunt was special, it's a trophy. Who cares what it is taken with...
But, would I rather kill a monster buck with the bow or gun?... Bow of course! ... but he'd still be a trophy either way...

Woodline Bucks

This topic bugs the hell out of me. I am a bowhunting fanatic and believe every deer I shoot with a bow is a trophy. I don't mount every deer, but I had to do a lot of things right to get that deer on the ground and in my freezer. I enjoy gun hunting as well, and the only deer mounted on my wall is a gun shot deer. I haven't put any bowkills on deer because I haven't shot a pope and young buck yet. I consider my wall hanger a huge trophy. I put a lot of years into getting that deer and wouldn't trade it for the world. It is hard to believe anyone who hunts with a bow could post this, but everyone has the right to their own opinion. I just wonder if you are one of the people interested in joining Clinton and getting rid of all of our guns? If this happens you can bet it won't be long and the bows will be gone too. Then deer hunting will be but a memory and we will all be in a pickle. A trophy is just that, something that means alot to the individual who holds it. Please don't discredit them on their achievement.

Woodline Bucks

The above should read, I haven't put any bowkills on the wall because I haven't shot a pope and young buck yet.

Bow_Nut

Amen to that!

Size of the kill or weapon aren't everything,
- Location
- Circumstances
- Personal effort
- First kill or 15th P&Y
Many factors affect YOUR satisfaction level.

by23856

Fieldmouse, I'll agree with you, whether right or wrong, because that is the first feeling I get when the inevitable 'comparing of the the bucks' happen at work and in church or wherever in December. I show pictures of my bucks, and everyone else shows pictures of their's or their friend's deer and when a nice one is shown that was taken with a gun, I sort of dismiss it. Is that snobbish, sure it is, but when I have seen bucks of equal or better quality at distances that I could not reach with a bow but could have taken with a rifle, why should I get all giddy over their deer? Maybe they put on a great stalk to get it, and that changes things a bit, but even in stalking, if both the bow hunter and rifle hunter are stalking, the rifle hunter still has the upper hand, except if the bow hunter is a snap shooter and the rifle hunter is using a scope, maybe.

What I'm saying, and what I think Fieldmouse is saying, is that with all things being equal (ability of hunter(s), amount of time in the field, hunting the same property at the same times, etc.) that getting a buck with a rifle is much easier than getting one with a bow, so yes, it does diminish the trophy status of the rifle kill some, IMO. I have never heard a rifle hunter (which I am one as well) say, "Gee, I saw a nice buck today but I couldn't get it with my rifle. If only I had my bow with me..."

I think what has caused such a debate is that people feel as if you are diminishing the trophy quality for the rifle hunter, as if you tell them, "Hell, who cares? You took it with a rifle." Trying to make them feel bad about it. I don't think that's what you're saying at all. You just don't praise it as much as you would a bow killed deer. I would bet that everyone that is bashing you does the same thing but in different fields of interest. An example would be Joe Montana listening to a guy in a bar brag about the High School Championship game he won as a quarterback. Sure, Joe would be happy for the guy, but would he gush all over it? Hell no, since that does not compare to the SuperBowl Rings he has on his hand. Winning the Super Bowl is a little bit tougher than winning a High School Championship. And I'll say this (and it has been said on this board before), every successful bow hunter would make a great gun hunter, but not every gun hunter could make a great bow hunter. That's a hard fact to dispute.

fletch920

Fieldmouse, your arrogance is appauling to me. People with holier than thou attitudes are what makes many gun hunters look at bow hunters as a bunch of elitist jerks. And you have just helped prove the point. Division amongst hunters is something I can not sotmach and you and those like you are going to be the downfall of us all. Not everyone has the time it takes to be a bow hunter. Does that mean they should stay on the sofa rather than hunt a few days a year with a gun? Get over yourself man.