Well said vc1111, that was a good description of gun hunting vs. bow hunting up above for probably 90% of the country. There is no doubt, at least in my area, that the guys who shoot big bucks during gun season are way more lucky than skilled. If the deer had run torward any of the other 10 guys in his group drive, they would have been the hero.

I guess circumstances will dictate the answer. In New York where I hunt, the situation is very much the same as Atlasman's. Your're very unlikely to see a mature buck, period. If you do, it's about 10 times more likely to occur during bow season. Combine that with the heavy cover and limited effectiveness of an open sight shotgun, and once again, the weapon isn't that much more effective. Where I hunt, bowhunting is much easier, mature whitetail or not. In fact, I would rate the possiblilty of taking a mature whitetail during gun season to be so remote, that I wouldn't even waste my time trying.

And the "Examples of Elitism" just keep pouring in.

There is plenty of elitism on both sides of the fence. I have found that bow hunters are typically in the field more than gun hunters and seem to really understand animals and nature better than most gun hunters. Score one for the bow hunters. Most of the bow hunters I have encountered are quite passionate about hunting and experiencing the outdoors. Score another for the bow hunters.

Personally, I feel that bow hunters are elite. That's why I want to be one. The last three rifle seasons I shot deer within 20 yards of my stand. It really didn't feel very sporting, although the venison was delicious.

Just wanting to learn bow hunting,
David

I have been a bow only hunter for eleven years, but I used to gun hunt before that. I think it was mainly for tradition, but when I quit I didn't think of myself as superior it was just my decision. I don't know how many deer I shot with my gun (I'll guess 4), but there was no thrill to it for me---see deer---aim----shoot. I couldn't believe the excitement (shakes) that I got when I first seen a deer in range with my bow and the heart pounding anticipation of waiting for a shot. I have become a better hunter through bowhunting. It has taught me about wind, travel patterns, bedding areas, secondary trails, patience and the list goes on. I can remember all 29 bloodtrails when I'm flipping through the scrapbook and the location of each shot. Maybe I was too young to enjoy gun hunting (14-20) because all I remember is the fellas and not the hunts.

And there is nothing wrong with that at all. I gun hunt what little that I do because I enjoy all the socializing that is included in gun hunting. That is part of that type of "hunt."

Here is the crux of the matter:

Amen. That says it all.

Well let's get really elite,downing a deer by running it down with a sharp stick and some rocks would be the purest way,wouldn't it?

I was a bow/gun hunter,now I am a crossbow/ gun hunter.I don't mind telling you that my crossbow leaves less dear running around with carbon fiber in their ass!Pushing sixty will make all of you kinder to a crossbow.That being said I need some help taking the biggest buck I have ever seen,he lives right next to me.I've seen him 3 times and watch his handiwork on a daily basis.In truth the deer in Ohio are winning.

all the best!
lizzzard

I think somebody's going to hand you your head on a platter for that assinine comment. But I am glad you quit calling yourself a bowhunter if you're wounding that many deer. Too bad there are only less wounded deer in your patch of woods and not NONE.[>:]

This thread has really spent some time hashing over this issue. The way I see it, the elitist attitude is unfortunate, and doesn't belong in hunting, period. I have bow hunted since '93, and this year I killed my first deer with a gun. I have always enjoyed bow hunting, and found gun hunting no less enjoyable. I approached the gun season the same way I would have if I was bow hunting. I scouted, placed a tree stand in the same place I would have had I been bow hunting, and I took all the same wind and scent precautions. I hunted just as seriously, and put in the same amount of time I would have if I was bow hunting. I didn't shoot at, or even see any running deer, as some posting on this thread have implied is the norm during gun season. I'll gun hunt again, as will I bow hunt again.
The elitist attitude I feel developes when people fail to see why each individual chooses to hunt. I enjoy every aspect of hunting. I basically subscribe to the meat hunter philosophy, but perhaps some what modified. I will shoot the first mature doe, or the first buck to walk by. This is to ensure I will be eating venison. After that I hold out, and hope for a bruiser to come along. This is how I operate with both the bow and the gun. Why? It's what I choose to do and it's legal.
Why people choose to only gun hunt, or not to bow hunt is their decision to make. A lot I have read here indicates that bow hunters are "elite" because they choose to use a more "challenging" method. Well so what? I face many challenges in my personal, and professional life, and so do probably everyone reading this. I don't always want a "challenge" , and hunting is challenging enough. When it is time to hunt I want to be in a comfortable (relatively speaking), enjoyable situation. Some times the most challenge I want to face is forcing myself not to shoot a legal 5 or 6 pointer, because I know there are plenty of nice bigger deer around.
The real issue should be ethics, as written in the game laws. When I gun hunted this year, I did so seriously, and with respect to the game I hunted, the land owners who gave me access to their land, and to the other hunters in the area (thankfully there were only 2). Being a good outdoorsman, sportsman, or hunter is not limited to any particular method of hunting. I know bowhunters(bow only) who are "good hunters" because they kill so many deer each year. These guys always shoot more than their limit, seldom tag their deer, and routinely sneak on to posted land because nobody will know they're there. Elitist? You tell me.

That you apparently failed to recognize your inabilities and/or failed to practice sufficiently is hardly a reflection on the modern compound bow, which can kill quite effectively and humanely when used in the hands of a hunter that cares enough to be honest with himself about his personal limitations and effective range. Further your personal experiences with bows and deer is certainly no reflection on bow hunters as a whole.

As to your age and your stance on the crossbow, I am in concert with you. I think that the crossbow is an excellent choice for those that have impairments or ailments that create a disadvantage for them. Crossbows are welcome in my woods anytime. Who knows. In a number of years, this bow hunter may be looking at them out of necessity too.