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How many of you feel like a good deer has an * by it or that it doesn't really mean much or certainly not as much when it was killed by a gun? Please answer your true opinion not the politically correct opinion. I will be perfectly honest that when I am talking to someone about someone killing a big deer and they tell me they shot it with a gun. In my own mind I am thinking well that doesn't even count or that's no accomplishment. That's just how I feel about. I don't care if a guy has five 190 class bucks on the wall, if he didn't kill them with a bow, then I don't admire, respect, or look up to his accomplishment. I do occaisionally gun hunt and it goes the same for me when I kill one with a gun. I don't feel like I did anything and like adams mentioned I literally feel "dirty" about it. Do you feel this way:

A. to a certain degree

B. not at all

C. absolutely

Please explain your answer.

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i think you've got a chip on your shoulder. maybe you feel dirty because you are being hypocritical, not respecting any deer taken with a gun, but you still hunt with a gun. doesn't make any sense to me.

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Why because my opinion is different than yours?


Well that's absolutely part of it. I spend 99% of my time hunting with a bow because I think gun hunting is too easy and doesn't deserve the respect that bowhunting does so naturally when I kill one with a gun I feel like I shouldn't have done it that way and that I was cheating.

So you have never gotten frustrated at anything and decided to take the easy way out?

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B.
Politically correct as I can be, I think that is a very ridiculous statement, and that goes for all those who believe that bowhunting is the only true respectable hunting method. Being a hunter at heart, I know that all legal means of harvest are challenging in their own regard and should be respected.

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I respect your opinion but I wonder do you also extend that belief set to the hunting of small enclosures where legal?

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C

BUT

I still admire the animal just the same if it was shot by bow firearm or a road kill.

I don't get excited when someone shows me their gun kill like I do when they show me their bow kill.

Political correct or not its my thoughts on the subject.

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i do what i believe is right.

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silentassassin,
No I don't believe in fenced-in huntin' or whatever it is. I've not been associated with it, and so I didn't include that when I was thinking of my response.

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I must answer a to your question, as I have decided to only bowhunt. Your opinion would have more meaning had it not been for the fact that you DO GUN HUNT! To feel that way and express contempt, you are certainly being hypocritical.

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SA-
A.

The ultimate up close and personal "I got you" whitetail experience would be a BowieKnife though if that is what you are getting at.

BTW how many 190+ class deer are hanging on your wall due to a rifle?:eek:

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I would say A, with a heavy lean towards C. I am not totally heartless to those gun hunters, but I do not admire the accomplishment.

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Silent,

I have to say "A" too. I get excited about any of my friends shooting big deer gun or bow but I have to say I give more respect for the bow kills. I also hunt with a gun (rarely) but feel it is far less challenging to get a big buck with a rifle. In fact I am contemplating going 100% archery. No need to apologize to anyone for your opinions. If thats the way you feel so be it.

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When I see a good buck that was shot with a gun I definitely look at it differently. I think to my self that would have been a real trophy with a bow. It is a trophy in either respect. In this part of my State the majority of the gun hunters do little or no scouting and If they do get a good buck its usually just dumb luck. They have one weekend or two a year so they don't put much effort into it. Thats not necessarily bad. If you put little work into the hunt you deserve less of a congratulations for you successes because they were less deserved. That is also why it takes a 160" deer to get B&C and 125" to get a P&Y. Obviously its easier to shoot a large buck with a gun. NOTICE I said "easier" NOT EASY!!

I don't gun hunt for deer. I have a few times in the past and it just doesn't do anything for me. I support all hunting but that doesn't mean I have to like or be involved in it! I say I don't have to like it,meaning that the only reason I dislike gun hunting here, is that it screws up my bow hunting, thats all!!

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I will agree with you and readily admit the fact. However, the fact remains the whether I kill it myself or someone else does it still has deminished value in my eyes when killed with a gun. I suspect there are many people that feel that a trophy killed with a bow is more of a trophy than a trophy killed with a gun yet they hunt both ways. To quantify my statement that I gun hunt is to say that I have gun hunted 2 times in 5 years and killed one deer with a gun and that was with a 20 gauge shotgun at 30 yards.

None that died at the hands of a gun;)

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Still Say you need to use a Bowie Knife to get the ultimate trophy;)

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As I stated in the other post, I don't think it matters if you use a bown or rifle. I'd guess most hunters are after the meat more than anything, don't have the opportunity to track deer year 'round, can't put stands all over private land, or can't even hunt areas that have P&Y or B&C class bucks. In kansas you're darn lucky to have exclusive rights to great deer land because of all the publicity the state is getting as "monster buck heaven". Just go hunt with what weapon you choose and don't look down on others because they use a rifle. People have been using both methods for hundreds of years.

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I believe that any deer taken in a "Fair Chase" manner is a trophy, regardless of how it was killed. But with that, there are many factors, is the deer a giant by the standards from where it was harvested. How much time was spent trying to out-trick the buck, or was it your first time out on public property and you just got lucky, or did you trespass in order to get it, or worse yet, did you poach it! We should be careful on what standards we use when criticising others on how they harvest deer. If you want to go by those standards, the only person who has a trophy worth talking about only hunts with his homemade bow and homemade arrows that are tipped with flint that he shaped himself, and that he shot wearing his red plaid wool clothes while hunting on the ground. Just a thought.

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I would have to say C. When hunting with a rifle although there is a challenge that requires skill, the reason I think bowhunting is more rewarding is because the extra skill, scouting, practice and dedication that it takes to get to within 30 yds. of a trophy class animal.

Bowhunter by choice and to tell you the truth, I have never shot a rifle before so maybe my opinion is uneducated but eh,,, who cares.

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I admire any deer that someone has taken regardless of the method they use, gun or bow. I hunt with both, but personally, I feel a greater sense of accomplishment with a deer taken with my bow. I feel that it takes more planning and skill to get a deer 20 yards or under with a bow as it seems more exciting to me to have them up close and personal. I guess it really comes down to what the individual likes the most. If I want them to respect me for what I enjoy, then I have to be fair and give them that back. JMHO. Aim for the boiler room. BHunter32.

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All that I will say is that I choose to bowhunt only.[:-]

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I believe a criticism would have to be stated out loud. I shared with you all what my opinion is. I don't go around telling people that I don't think their deer is a trophy etc. etc. I merely think it to myself. It's a value you system that I have and some others share, as evidenced by many posts here in the past. I personally place more value on an animal killed with a bow than I do on an animal killed with a gun. To place value on things doesn't necessarily mean criticism.

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Well, since you've quoted me as feeling dirty it's probably no supprise that I will answer C. I'll lay it down for you as well. I feel down right dirty for shooting that buck with a gun. This is truly the first time I've ever felt this way. In the past few years I've been hunting more with my bow and less and less with a gun and I now know why.

The amount of time and dedication I put forth into bowhunting and the amount of skill or "trickery" if your may, it takes to kill a good mature buck in bow hunting is on a much higher plain. I don't begrudge the guy who shoots a deer with a gun but I 100% without a doubt respect the accomplishemt more when done with a bow. I also hold more respect for an animal taken with traditional equiptment then I do with a compound. Some day I hope to get to the point I can be proficient with a stick bow but until that time I will push the limits of my ability.

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So I guess you get a deer every time you go out with a gun, or you only go out with a gun when you can't get one with a bow.:D;)

I hunt both and enjoy both equally. It's not what you used to harvest the animal but the preperations taken leading up to the final moment.:)

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I will say-a- leaning to a heavy -C- Bowhunters are buy far better hunters! If you think taking a gun a week before the season starts sight it in. And walk out in to the woods and say see a deer 100yrds away and kill it with now problem. How can you say that the hunter deserves as much respect as a bowhunter that starts practicing months before the season starts. And practices 3-4 or maby even more days a week. And sence this is more a physical sport that takes more time. Then when a deer comes but say 50yrds and the bowhunter has to wait for the animal to get with in what is a more ethical killing range for the hunter to draw his bow with out being seen? Have the deer close enuff to shoot with out being winded? Hoping the deer will not jump the strings? And many more things to long to mention A gunhunter does not have worry about any of that! Have you ever tryed to draw a bow in 20 degree weather or colder? Its not that easy! But what is easy is to pull a trigger in what ever temp you want at what ever range you want! Any thing in this world that is harder to do will always get more respect than something thats easy to do! Its just that simple. if you ask about any used to be gunhunter that lays down his gun and starts bowhunting for good most of the time he will say becouse of the challenge? its just not there with gunhunting. I do how ever give respect to any hunter becouse he is a hunter. But when it come to bowhunting that a whole another story.

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I respect the trophy of any true sportsman regardless of how it was killed. If a person lost a hand in an accident and is still able to take a deer using a rifle, that is a trophy worthy of respect. If someone kills a new world record buck by flinging and arrow 70 yards at a walking deer they get no respect from me. I have several nice bucks on my wall that I took with a rifle. I certainly do not think less of them. At that time I didn't own a bow and only hunted with a rifle. One of my best was taken at 30 yards. My rifle was no advantage. It just happened to be what I was carrying. Have you considered that perhaps many traditional archers may look down on your trophies since you are hunting with a compound bow?

How considerate of you!

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I don't think your statements criticized anyone. In my opinion you stated the obvious. I bought a muzzleloader this year to gun hunt in IL. This would be my first year gun hunting deer. The accuracy is amazing out to 100 yards so your effective range is more than tripled over a compound bow. At that distance you could move over to the nearest tree for a solid rest and increase your range even more. So there's no doubt about it, a bow kill is much more of an accomplishment than a gun kill. You don't have to worry about the deer jumping the string either. By the way, I didn't go out during firearm season. I wasn't sure why, but maybe I had some of that 'dirty' feeling and didn't realize it.

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I respect any hunter, regardless of weapon preference. It takes skill and dedication to harvest "trophy bucks" in any sense of the game in all honesty. Do I have a higher respect to those that use a bow? Yes, do I have an even HIGHER respect fro those that chose the traditional method of hunting as well. It takes much practice and perseverance to hunt with a longbow, and even a recurve in comparison to a compound or a rifle.

I respect the animal that is taken with any weapon, I have no less respect for the animal itself whether it was killed by longbow, recurve, compound, muzzie, or shotgun, any trophy buck is a respectable animal.

I have no problems with anyone using any weapon so long as they complied with fair chase laws... where I lose respect is those that kill the animal JUST for the sole purpose of attaining a trophy with no desire to consume the meat of the kill. [:'(] That frustrates me to no end!

My boyfriend told me something that I think is right on, when he was a kid, he used to ask his dad "Dad, can I shoot that bird?" His dad's answer was always, "Are you going to eat it?" When he replied "No." His dad said, "there's your answer." He now hunts doves, but I guess the point is, there IS no point to shooting a blue jay if you aren't going to eat it, ya know? sorry... a little off topic.

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Political correct is a dirty word in itself. No such thing exist
Any deer is a trophy no matter what they killed it with.

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i admire any deer taken by another hunter legally.... i dont like gun hunting as much as bowhunting but if someone take a 190 inch buck with gun iam going to admire it..... btw ask a gun hunter that does not bow hunt what he thinks;). just my two cents

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A deer killed with a bow is a trophy a deer killed with a gun is a nice deer. That's how I respond to anyone as I'm admiring their deer. For those of you who are concerned, make sure you ask when someone says nice deer to you, "Do you mean that in a trophy sort of way?"

Hey Buck Huntin Girl, if I shoot my trophy and donate to Hunters for the Hungry, am I still an A-hole?

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An animal being a trophy is a trophy in itself? whether it is taken by Gun, Compoundbow or traditional method. "Or even hit by a car? But the question is does a bowhunter deserve more credit or respect for taking a muture buck than a gun hunter because of the dedication that it takes to shoot a bow and the challenge that it takes to get close enuff for a clean and ethical shot to take his game? YES! Should a traditional archer receive more credit or respect than a compound archer for the same reason? (IMO)YES!

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B! And it may even be harder depending on the state hunted and public vs private land.

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Before I had a bow, I hunted with a rifle, before I got a tree stand, I hunted from the ground.
At each step of my 25 years of hunting experience, I thought everything that our sport stands for is worthy of admiration. There were times I recall even with a rifle not being able to take a doe on a particular 3 day PA doe season.
I feel any hunter who legally takes a deer has accomplished something that should not be looked down upon by any other hunter.
I look back at my days of rifle hunting or at the mounts on the wall with just as much a feeling of acomplishment as all the deer I have taken with the bow.

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LOL you were right it heated it up all right!!! LOL

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I say bahhumbug to you..LOL......... I also say that if an animal is killed by a skilled hunter, no matter what the animal, or how he hunted the animal, if it was done legally, then he has done what any hunter has done, or hopes to do. Which is abide by the law and most importantly of all.. Something he or she loves to do

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Excellent and thought-provoking thread, silentassassin.

In the mind of any thinking person, the bow kill is more difficult than the shotgun or rifle kill. (And yes, for the board hair-splitters, the longbow is more difficult than the compound)

Also the idea that if you gun hunt you are somehow no longer entitled to a "lesser" opinion of gun hunting is nonsense.

I gun hunt for whitetails, but very little. It is almost strictly a social thing. I go because about 16 or 18 of my friends go and we have a ball. Does that somehow mean that I cannot hold bow hunting (for whitetails) in higher esteem?

I dream of drawing the bow on a fine whitetail. I do not dream about firing a volley of three slugs at an animal that some other hunter has spooked my way. It is hunting, yes, but to me it is somehow less "pure."

Thank God this is America and we can do both if we wish. Both are fun, both are fine.

(But real men bow hunt):D

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Of course the hunter's personal accomplishment of taking a deer with a primitive weapon is greater than taking one with the most rigged out rifle at 200 yds. But to say that you don't value the animal itself is disgusting and if you don't respect the animal you shouldn't be hunting with a bow or a rifle.

Your opinion of choosing a bow over a rifle is great and is obviously going to be supported in this forum, but when you don't honor the animal you hunt, you become part of a bigger problem.

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C Taking a deer with a bow is always higher/more respectable, however you want to put it. BUT I do suppose in some areas it can be a task in itself just getting one with a gun, so that means something, but not as much if they took it with a bow in that same area.

Now here in PA gun season natural deer movement pretty much goes out the door. I will never shoot another buck with a gun again. I still gun hunt some for does, cause its fun, this year I tried using a 357 mag revolver. Let me tell you that is quite difficult waiting for an open 40 yd or less shot at deer when they are zooming past.

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IMO, there's a hunting hierarchy of sorts, based on the difficulty or skill level needed in the hunt. Deer hunting is harder than pheasant hunting, so I tend to respect or admire a deer taken more than a pheasant. Bighorn Sheep are harder to take than deer, so I admire that more, etc.

Same goes for the method used to take the animals. Bowhunting is more difficult, so I respect and admire successful bowhunts more than I do animals taken by a firearm. Ditto for animals taken by recurve vs a compound.

I don't begrudge anyone for their chosen method of hunting - so long as it's legal - but my respect and admiration increases as the skill of the game in question and the level of difficulty to take it increase.

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Why do so many bowhunters have a stick up their a$$ about rifle hunters...? Sort of in line with what Roost em said. Some bowhunters just think they are "hot stuff" cause they choose the "higher road." Well if you would choose the higher road in reality than you should only shoot a long bow, that you made, with arrows that you made and broadheads that you carved from stone. This holier than thow attitude really sucks.