Why do bow hunters argue so much. I hunt with every tool, guns, traditional bows, compounds, knives, etc.. I have never been to a forum that has as much arguing as bowhunting forums. Every one nit picks each other to death. I stay away from bowhunting forums due to this, holier than thou art mentality. I hunt with them all, and like discussing the pleasure of each type of hunting, and passing on tips to one another, but when you go to a bowhunting forum all you get is a anal attitude as to why other people are not true hunters, or why others bows make the user inferior over someone else's bow. This is not the only sight I have problems with. I cant even go to archerytalk.com. You post a question and you will get 100 posts as to how inferior you are compared to the poster. I find it real ridicules. Why cant a forum do what it was intended to do, like pass on information, help one another, and allow a little bragging. I will admit this sight is better than most, but you still have a large group of closed minded people who just jump at the opportunity to berate someone else. I personally don't care how or what you hunt with. If I can help, I like to. In the converse, I expect others to respect my means of hunting. Most of the time I like to stalk with my compound. I also like to pull out the recurves from time to time. Other times I like to set up on a hill and glass with a high powered rifle, or stalk with pistols. I cant say im superior over anyone else. I like to hunt, plan and simple. The methods I choose at the time is justified only by how I feel.


Sorry for the rant. I just got through reading about a thousand posts by "super hunter" who cant do anything but post negative responses. Not from this sight though. Im only posting here because it is the best bowhunting sight.

I think alot of the posters here are bow only. Hunters that have elected to handicap themselves and go bow only show alot of dedication and passion. Many of us are also perfectionists and tend to pick at what we perceive as "flaws". Once you've been bow only for awhile, it is very easy to fall into an elitist mindset. I thinks it's natural. We have to be very careful however, to keep those feelings subdued and to not bring down our fellow hunters.

I do think they they tend to be a little critical because they do seem to take the sport and passion a bit more serious then most.

burniegoeasily - Double Creek has a good take on it.

When you rifle hunt and try a crossbow for the first time - dang it HARD ! Then you try a compound and the crossbow seems easy. Then you shoot a recurve and you realize how dang easy compounds were. And self bowyers ? A WHOLE different level of challenge !

And thats just the basic levels of weapons. Not to mention the Hoyt guys vs the Mathews guys, the mechnical heads vs the fixed blade heads, the Black Widow fanatics or thoe who swear by adjustable sights, or drop away rests. WE could go into the ATV talk, poison pods, baiting, and things like that too ?

Hunting is BETTER for discussions on things - no doubt about it.

I think you are right. Very good analysis.

True, that is why I do all. But when some people post, they feel this gives them just cause to emasculate others. I have a friend who almost gave up arhery due to this. He was simply trying to learn, and when he would ask questions on forums, he got ripped to peices. He became my friend because I told him to email me with questions and Id help. If I did not know the answers, Id find someone who did.

My goodness, dont get me started on mechanicals and fixed, or fall away and fixed. I use both of each respectively. Before trying mechanicals or fall aways, I made the mistake of asking here and other sights what they thought. It went on for 80 pages of pure fighting. I said, "forget it" and just tried them.

That is a great post and something that has bugged me about bow hunters for years.

I love to bow hunt but I also love to rifle, upland bird shotgun, waterfoul shotgun, slug shotgun and pistol hunt as well. I don't talk too much about bow hunting with my other hunting buddies because I don't really see a difference. But most of my bow hunting only buddies always put their two cents in about how "great hunters" they are and how "your not a real hunter unless you bow hunt" Horse sh@t

I will tell you this, if you think hitting a deer at 20yds with a compound bow is difficult try shooting a prairie dog at 250yds with a scoped rifle where even your heartbeat or a slight breeze 100yds down range that you don't know about can send your bullet off by feet! I know, I have done both. Even long distance coyotes 250+yds are much harder than most of you give it credit for. I know because again I have done both. Or how about walking miles and miles a day for two pheasants. you think that's easy? I'd rather sit in a tree stand anyday.

I must say that bow hunting and pistol hunting (revolver) to me is the most challenging all around form of hunting because of the close distance that you have to get to your quary inorder to get a chance at shooting. But the actual shot......I can find much more difficult shots than a 20yd deer with a compound.

I have never put anyone down because of their choice of weapon or what they hunt with it as long as it's legal and ethical. And I will never say one hunt or type of hunter is better than any other because I have done most and each are hard in their own way, and to do that is simply an elitist attitude.

I think some of you "one type" hunters need to get out and experience other forms of hunting. Only then will you see less of the "slob gun hunter" remarks that are typed on this forum daily.

Archery guys are the best, didn't you know that? LOL....just teasin...If you are a NASCAR fan, you understand. Every NASCAR fan has his driver, and the rest just suck. We will fight each other to the bitter end.

I think we argue so much because we are perfectionist, adrenaline junkies. No one else can do it right, and I have the best set up. There is a lot of pride in archery hunters, not that there isn't in all other types, there is and should be, but it just seems in archery it is much more personal. Don't take us to heart, we love all ya'll even though you shoot the wrong caliber rifle.....LOL....just teasin again....

Don't take it so hard, we argue because it's fun. As long as we keep our good nature and humor our arguements can't be all that bad.
Just don't think that this is the only forum where people argue with narrow minds, post how a certain caliber is obsolete in the gun forum and you will see fireworks. About 90% of my hunting is with my Hoyt but during gun season me and Mr Winchester go for walks in the woods. My gun of choice is a lever action 30-30 that puts lots of meat in the freezer but some of the gun nuts totting their firebreathing .300 whizbang ultra-magnums act as if I'm doing the deer a diservice by hitting them with spitballs. In their opinions if it isn't the most talked about rifle in guns and ammo then it ain't worth nuttin and kills even less.
All I can do is laugh.

I think all the debating on certain issues is not all bad . But when it's dragged out to over a hundred pages of cut down and put downs, it only hurts us as a whole. There is nothing wrong with a disagreement, but some go to the extreme to make you except there ways. We are a diverse group, it's always been and will always will be that way. The weapon don't make the hunter, the hunter makes the weapon..

BigJ12 - try shooting prarie dogs with a recurve [&:]