PAThwacker

here's one: http://media.nj.com/photogallery/187...59658e78ff.jpg

earnabuck

Ok, this was your original post....then you proceeded to create scenario after scenario where your in the rut, the deer are everywhere and you can't carry a gun or you don't have access to land where can carry a gun.....Just take your statement on a national basis (as this forum operates) and understand why so many are disagreeing. We don't hunt in your little corner of New York where you have these specific rules and regulations. Neither does 90% of everyone else on this board. Your original statement is right (in your mind and for your area) but as a whole it makes no sense. I am not an elitist either, I don't give a crap what you use to hunt with. I like to bowhunt because I do see more big bucks. AHA......but, I haven't shot one yet. If I had a rifle I would have 5 of them. I have missed 2 and never had a shot on 3 others. I just want you to look at the picture as a whole not as a specific scenario. Too many factors have to go right to take a deer bowhunting. I realize you can't gun hunt during the rut but that is just a fact of life I don't think because it is bowhunting only that it makes bowhunting an easier method or equal to gun hunting. Why are more deer shot during gun season? 1. More hunters and 2. opportunities are greater when your range of killing is greater. I understand that you feel this way because of where you hunt, but put yourself in the midwest or west and nobody will agree with your thinking.

DeerandbearhoG

1) Just because more people disagree w/ me than agree, doesnt mean theyre right, in fact id say more people usually agree w/ the myth than the actual truth.
2) "my little corner of NY" is not all that different than much of the rest of the counrty. many would argue that some of the best whitetail hunting is found in subrban areas all over the counrty, where only bowhunting is allowed , and most states hold bow season during the rut ,so your argument that Im projecting from a bubble falls flat.
3) Ive killed dozens of deer w/ my bow and gun ,thats not to brag or sound arrogant, but thats what I base my beliefs on, how can you make any objective determination on the subject, if you have not even killed a buck w/ a bow? Your basing your opinion on whats harder, by believeing that you could have killed deer w/ a rifle ,that were out of bow range, but what you fail to realize is that you might not have even seen those deer while gun hunting , and maybe not even have been able to hunt w/ a gun, in places you saw them anyway
4) I dont know how many more Xs I can say this, for it to sink in but I never said bowhunting is always easier, I origonally said "gun hunting is easier that bowhunting is a myth" because in many cases, bowhunters have an advatage over gun hunters , and sometimes the situation gives the advantage to the gun hunter, the point ,for I dont know how many XS now, is that one is not nessassraiyl harder than the other.

Now I wonder how many more posts it gonna be before the next person says "yeah but you can shoot farther so its eaiser"

Steve863

I highly doubt the buck would approach your stand in the same fashion it does during bowseason when they are unharassed.
If you were gun hunting you might have never seen these bucks because of the many more hunters in the woods moving the deer, and if you did happen to see one it might be while its hightailing out of the county. It's your choice that you are limiting yourself with a bow, but don't make it look like bowhunting is the more superior form of hunting because it's not. I myself put a lot of value into quick and humane kills. I think the expert rifleman will have way better chances in putting the deer down for keeps in comparison to the expert archer. Just because one chooses a more lethal weapon shouldn't make him any less of a hunter. Some people give priority to the surer kill with a firearm over these great challenges that bowhunters think they have. I surely do.

earnabuck

Well lets agree to disagree because you aren't looking at it the same way most other people are. If fish are rising to flies, fly fishing is easier....If deer are chasing does and not caring about safety, you will see more bucks therefore while bowhunting you may have a better opportunity at a big buck. By the way, I have shot bucks I am just more selective now.

earnabuck

Where did I say bowhunting is superior, I said its more difficult, you construe that more difficult means superior. I couldn't care less how a person hunts an animal. Point is I may see 15 bucks during the rut while bowhunting. 2 of them maybe shooters and 1 I may get a shot at. If riflehunting (which I also do) I may see 1 or 2 bucks if I am lucky...and there is a good chance that I will get a shot at them. I will take an ethical shot either way bowhunting or gunhunting, but the fact is pointing a scope at the vitals and pulling the trigger generally results in a harvested deer. While bow hunting there are more factors, such as yardage, if you miss your yardage you may shoot over or under a deer, and you have to worry about staying steady while drawn back. Believe me I started rifle hunting and did that for 10 years before I picked up a bow, I just like being in the woods and doing both gives more more opportunity to do that.

DeerandbearhoG

Sorry, I misread your post and assumed you never shot a buck ,I didnt realize you wrote big bucks.

DeerandbearhoG

so how can you determine that one is more difficult than the other? sounds pretty equal to me, which was my whole point. dont I wish that was true. I have missed deer at 30 yds w/ a rifle, and I practice and check my zero all year long. I also missed a great deer on a trip of a lifletime in 07' w/ a 308, dont know why ,gun was on , solid rest, just missed at 150yds. Put a me in a stand w/ my bow, within 30yds from a funnel or trail ,and any deer(I want) that walks by is taking a dirt nap.

WVCritter

In the last 5 years I've taken 14 deer with a bow and 5 with a gun(4 with a muzzleloader and 1 with my .270). I'm here to tell you that in my situation it was far easier to kill the 14 with a bow than the 5 with a gun. Why? Bow season comes in first and the deer aren't spooked. They're easier to pattern, the season is longer and there's a lot less competition out there. It's pretty obvious that if a deer was standing 100yards away broadside, it would or should be easier to kill with a gun than with a bow but then that all depends on who's shooting. I've managed to muff more shots with my bow than I have a gun but then I've had a lot more opportunities with my bow.

aharper33

Originally Posted by elkoholic501
Rule of thumb...Your weapon of choice should be at least equal value to what you've got in the game... If your spending a couple of grand to hunt a WT or 5+ to hunt elk. You don't want to rely on a $400 POS rifle scope combo... good guns go up in value. If you don't have the cash, borrow the gun, that's what hunting buddies are for.

this here is what i was trying to say with that thare are alot of people that think tha tyou need to spend a ton of money on a gun and scope.

Why? If a $400 rifle set up shoot lights out at shooters ethical kill range...the value of the set up don’t matter....it’s the confidence in the set that does.

Agree with this 100%. its up to the hunter as much as the equipment