RE: This should heat it up.......
 

That's an accurate assessment. I know some rifle/bowhunters that are excellent deer hunters. As a matter of fact one of the most successful hunters that I know, when it comes to killing big deer, hunts with a rifle as much as he does with a bow. I am just not as impressed by his gun kills as I am by his bow kills. Consequently, I spend 99% of my time with a bow in my hand because I have been on both sides of the coin in the past and I know it's not as personally gratifying when I kill a big one with a gun.

RE: This should heat it up.......
 

WHY DO YOU HUNT WITH A RIFLE SILENTASSASSIN?

RE: This should heat it up.......
 

trophy,

I already answered that. Here is the quote:

RE: This should heat it up.......
 

I think this boils down to what you find the most challenging. I hunt with a compound bow, shotgun and muzzleloader. My biggest deer to date was with a shotgun. Still nothing with the muzzleloader. Several deer with my bow. Bow is more challenging to me, but I also get alot more opportunities to go during archery season. Shotgun is 7 days, broken up into 3day and 4 day seasons. If I had a choice, I would rather kill a big buck with a bow, but I won't shoo him away if he walks past me when I am gun hunting. It would mean less to me to kill a 170 class deer on a drive than if I killed him with a bow under normal circumstances, but you would never hear me complain about getting him! The main thing I don't like about firearm season is the number of hunters around me. Don't get me wrong, I love that fact that people get out and hunt. i love swapping stories with buddies over a cold one about how their season went. But I also like the solitude of hunting in archery season when the deer move more natural. As long as it is leagal, do what you enjoy the most and be safe.

RE: This should heat it up.......
 

Sorry, but I am not buying that arguement at all. Here in Minnesota the sucess rate or rifle hunters in 2003 was 39.7%. The sucess rate of us archery hunters was 35.7% during the same year. In Minnesota rifle hunters kill the majority of deer because they out number archery hunter by a huge margin. Both rifle and archery hunters could probably kill lots more deer if they shot at everyone they saw but you know that isn't the case. Seeing deer is not harvesting deer.

You can find my data right here:
http://files.dnr.state.mn.us/outdoor...vestreport.pdf

RE: This should heat it up.......
 

That's OK we don't all have share the same beliefs. I think you will find that the vast majority of hunters out there that hunt with both bow and gun would disagree with you though. Here are the reasons why I think bowhunting offers more of a challenge:

1. You don't have to draw a gun.
2. You don't have to anchor consistently with a gun like you do with a bow.
3. You don't have to get as close with a gun.
4. You don't have to have completely clear shooting lanes with a gun.
5. You have a bigger kill zone with a gun.
6. You have more shot angles with a gun.
7. You don't have to worry about hitting a sleeve with your string with a gun.
8. With most guns you have multiple shots.
9. Most guns have magnified sights.
10. You don't have to worry about torquing the grip on a gun and making a bad shot.
11. Blood traiiling is not as big an issue with a gun since it kills with shock rather than blood loss.

Can anyone else add anything that I am missing?

RE: This should heat it up.......
 

I rifle hunted for a good 15 years,and started bowhunting in 1998.I trulely think its more difficult to harvest a trophy buck,heck,just a deer in general,with a bow.So what im trying to say is I have more respect for the hunter that harvests his or her deer with a bow.BUT,thats my opinion.
If my friend shot a big,beautiful deer with his rifle then id be happy for him and respect the animal.
Everyone has their own opinion on their own style of hunting.Growing up,rifle hunting was the favorite amongst friends and family.Everyone had the excuse that archery takes to much time to learn and never had the time.I personally wanted to take the time to learn and can proudly say im the only one in the family that bow hunts.
I still do rifle hunt every year with the 'GANG" because i want to.Its the guys getting away from things for a week at the camp,drinking(after hunting)and playing cards.Just the good times with friends and family,and memories to last a life time.If someone shoots a big buck with his rifle then im happy for him.
I think what im trying to say is everyone has there own style of hunting and whatever makes that person happy then so be it.No one is higher or mightier then the next.
Im really surprised that everyone here is fighting like school children over something so silly.

RE: This should heat it up.......
 

It's the end of the season melt down. Happened last year too.

RE: This should heat it up.......
 

Do I think it is more difficult to harvest a trophy with a bow? It can be. However that really isn't the point of this thread.

I think that is a pretty arogant statement for anyone to make. I think it is really sad that it was made by a hunter.

I think anyone willing to make a statement like that is not much of a sportsman. That is just how I feel about it. I don't care if the person has ten 200 class bucks on the wall. If he holds that opinion, I no longer admire, respect, or look up to his accomplishments.

RE: This should heat it up.......
 

yeah cant we all just get along.[>:] why does it matter what method you use to harvest a deer as long as you have fun doing it and enjoy the outdoors!! what if there were no bows?

RE: This should heat it up.......
 

Well that's the beautiful thing about this country that we live in. We are free to think, feel, and even post what we want to. While we have greatly differing views I respect your right to have and voice those views. Good hunting!

RE: This should heat it up.......
 

No don't say that too soon. I still have 2 months with unlimited bag limits on Does.:D

SA let me know if you ever go on a trip and need another person to fill in a spot. I'd love to go on a trip and shoot bull with you after we harvest our trophies with our bow.:)

RE: This should heat it up.......
 

And I have a full month to fill my buck tag.OH how sweet it is.Its only getting better:)

RE: This should heat it up.......
 

hunter25: One of the most intelligent observations on this thread.

NorthernMN: You do realize that you made the above captioned comment directly in the wake of disparaging bow hunters as a group. I can understand how you "feel" about gun vs bow, but, hands down, bow hunting is more difficult and more challenging in terms of taking mature animals.

RE: This should heat it up.......
 

Woah buddy!!! Now you've done it! Great post and I couldn't agree with you more! If the guns are for only one thing, it is for a massive reduction in deer population, and for that I see their only necessity. If you see it, you can kill it. When I see a big buck killed by a gun I cringe...I don't think if a mature buck had the skills to live as long as it did, it deserves to be killed by the bullet or projectile of a gun. But then, that's me. Does killed by a gun is good meat for the hunter and that's where I draw the line. When I can't kill a mature buck with a bow, I'll take pictures. Good luck to you.

RE: This should heat it up.......
 

I'd have to go with C.

I definetly don't get the same feeling as i would if I had taken the deer with a bow ,nor do I get as excited looking at a deer that has been taken by a rifle ,althought I do appreciate and respect the animal for it's greatness. We all need to respect each other for our feat's regardless of which weapon we choose to hunt with.But this is why we get hooked on bowhunting because it definetly give's us a different outlook on our harvest's and a different scense of accomplishment. It's definetly give's me a different perspective on hunting and all it's got to offer.

nubo

RE: This should heat it up.......
 

i do not think any less of a trophy if it was shot by gun. deer gun hunting in wisconsin is out of the rut and the heavy hunter pressure can force those big bucks to go almost completely nocturnal. i hunted almost all day everyday for the wisconin gun deer season and i only grabbed my gun and considered shooting a buck once. this buck got up out of the brush 5 minutes before close and never moved once the rest of the day. deer and especially bucks simply arent as active at this time than they are during the rut and that presents a challenge to many gun hunters that bowhunters avoid

RE: This should heat it up.......
 

A quick question for those who feel less impressed by a trophy killed with a gun......

Do you feel less impressed by a trophy killed by bow on a large tract of QDM land than you do by a trophy killed by bow on public land or small tract of land in a non QDM area?:eek:

RE: This should heat it up.......
 

Hmm this is one touchy subject and since it was posed as a question and not a personal attack ill give an honest answer no polotical correct crap just an honest answer I just like my friends bow hunt the season is much longer than gun i do like getting up close but i wont pass up on a gun hunt a trophy is a trophy it dosnt matter what method the trophy was taken by it a trophy because there arent that many that size there is a lot more game harvasted with a gun than a bow but it does require some skill and practice to hit your target with gun or bow and you have to be there when the deer show up or whatever game your after i went gun hunting monday and didnt even get a shot off i did see a really nice deer but it was getting to dark so just like the last time i was bow huntin i seen deer within range but didnt get a shot there are a lot of guys and girls who go huntin and dont get a chance at harvesting any game i hunt a lot of public land and a whole lot of hunters leave empty handed im my opinion for what its worth i consider it a privalage just to get out to go hunting and enjoy gods green earth the method of harvest isnt as important as just getting what little time i get to hunt and i cherrish every minute of it gun or bow huntin we only have so much time on earth i make the most of what i have there thats my 2 cents