doughboysigep

I don't know why I can't reply to my previous post (it's not locked??) Maybe "they" are trying to tell us something??
First off, I don't take those comments personal - I bow hunt and love it, I gun hunt and love it. As for the crossbow thing, I know that is a bit touchy, so lets just stick to guns vs bow. here are some of the examples I found (the names have been hid to protect the innocent ):

"..I think gun hunting is too easy and doesn't deserve the respect that bowhunting does.."

".. take the easy way out.." "..I do not admire the accomplishment.."

"..it is far less challenging to get a big buck with a rifle.."

"..Bowhunters are buy far better hunters!"

"..Taking a deer with a bow is always higher/more respectable.."

"Is it really hollier from now attitude ..." (I think he meant - than thou)

"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. "

"...he [the deer] deserve's this respect from you a rifle wouldn't be giving him credit for being the legend you say that he is.."

"...the kill would always be tainted.."

"I shot a buck the other day with my shotgun and I feel pretty crappy about it.."

"..please don't disgrace this buck by killing him with a gun"

I think there is definitely a tone of elitism in many of these comments. Again, everyone is entitle to their opinion, but I just don't get where this attitude comes from. Like I have said, I bow hunt and love it, I gun hunt and love it. I know that bow can be a challenge. I won't call it harder because getting close to a deer in bow season can actually be rather "easy" (bad word, but..) (getting a shot is a little different story). They are in their natural patterns and not spooked. Try getting that close during the 3rd week of gun season when they have been pushed, chased, shot at, etc. - not going to get many 20 yard encounters. Bow is more physical (from another post)??? Sitting in a stand all day isn't that demanding. Additionally, ethical smoothbore shotgunrange around 50 yards - not a lot greater than bow range. Try hiking for 6-8 hours in the Adirondacks (any mountains) and not seeing a thing - that's physical. All seasons have their challenges and bonuses and pros & cons. And everyone will see them in a different light(s). I could go on and on, but will stop here.

here's another:

"Give him due respect. Anyone can point and click."

adams

Great opinion(clap, clap, clap) I'm glad you've exspresed it.

IMO shooting a deer with a bow is more difficult then with a gun.
(Close to what I said but I believe you've misquoted me slightly)

I never said I didn't respect your kills. I simply believe a deer shot with a bow deserves more respect then a deer shot with less primative weapons. I'm glad you respect my buck from Thanksgiving morning. I'm happy with him but would be happier had I taken with my bow. I think it would have been more of an accomplisment.

It's as simple as that. Go ahead and lable me an eliteist if you wish. It dosn't change the fact that I respect bow kills more then gun kills.

Greg / MO

OK, I'll bite.

Take the Jordan buck, for example. Every time I read how he took his record -- with some fellow hunters making a drive and he happened to be the one in position to shoot at it from afar (and if memory serves me correctly while it was running), it seems -- yep, you guessed it -- tainted. A majestic animal like that driven time and time again from various patches of woods until one of the party was fortunate enough to connect?

Honor the animal, if you wish. Truly, it's a magnificient buck. But not much of an accomplishment as far as hunting goes.

I could write tons more, and I'll be happy to join the fracus later. Right now, I've got to go take a shower using all my scent-free soaps and deodorants and start the process that will lead to me bowhunting this afternoon... something most gun hunters don't have to deal with because their effective range negates a whitetail's nose.

KentuckyBuck

I think that most people that participate in these debates are very stereotypical in their ideas, labeling gun hunters as this and bowhunters as that. Not all hunters are the same, not all methods are the same, and that is the best way for huntin' to be, as it allows room for different accomplishments and successes. This debate could go on for eternity, but in the end, we all will hunt and we all will enjoy it. Please stop criticizing the other fellow hunters on this board (unless they use un-legal or unethical means of huntin'). That is my opinion.

Fieldmouse

Your right I did mean that. I guess I had too many beers before I responded to the post.[8D] Oh well.
I'll try proof reading them next time. I don't think it will help.

silentassassin

Well I certainly won't argue with you that there is a certain amount of elitism on this board. I even promote some of it. However, your quotes don't in anyway back up the claims that you made in your other post. Also, if you feel like tackling the issue of elitism then why skirt the crossbow issue? Do you not think it exists there or that is ok to be elitist towards crossbows just not toward guns? Do you support the use of crossbows in the archery season?

rybohunter

I think a lot of the pride that bowhunters take in themselves and thier sport manifests into an arrogant sounding elitist attitude. I am just as guitly as anyone, I don't mean to come off sounding as blunt as I sometimes do, but that's the way it goes. Deep down it comes from a good self pride, but turns into an ugly form of snobbishness rather easily.

Blodg

Well I was called a "bow snob" in another post so I guess that puts me in the elitist category, LOL. What I think you are missing doughboy, is that the above comments are not putting down one type of hunting. The question was asked if a bow kill accomplishment is admired more than a gun kill. MQ1 said it very well, typically a gun hunter that shoots a nice buck lucked into it and had the deer chased over to them by someone else. Not in every case but in many that is true. Not to say that some bowhunters don't get lucky because they do, but in general the bow hunters spend much more time learning the habits of the deer and outsmarting them. There are gun hunters that are very serious and do not fall in the general statements made above but the intimate experience of killing a deer with a bow makes it more of an accomplishment to me. That is not putting down another form of hunting.

Queer Eye

You must recognize that the challenges involved in shooting a deer varies greatly with respect to the type of weapon that it used and the method of hunting and the location as well as other variables. A rifle hunt at a high dollar game ranch with a guide, heated tree stands or blinds, meal services etc is vastly different compared to a man who makes his own osage orange selfbow and uses it to kill a deer on heavily hunted public lands from the ground the last week of the season. So yes, the means to kill an animal has to be taken into consideration when comparing ones animal to anothers. It does not mean one kill is any better than anothers, only that there are greater challenges with respect to weapons, location and the like and acknowledging them isn't a bad thing.

wihunter32

i just started reading this board in the past week and i have to say i definately see elitism and ignorance from many of the posters here regarding the choice of hunting methods. the majority of you are using hightech bows, scentlok, etc. and have decided the line distinguishing a "true hunter" is somewhere between a bowhunter and a gunhunter while it could easily be shifted to only those using their bare hands and a pointed rock.

another problem with this board is that many of you simply stereotype gun hunters as someone who doesnt scout or prepare for the hunt and is generally without skill. one post i just read said gun hunters are those people standing out in a corn field in blue jeans firing away at any deer they see.

finally, this board promotes the same negative attitude against gun hunters that is used by anti-hunters.