I think "bow only" is in my future.
 

1st let me say, I love all types of hunting, especially deer hunting. I also love all the nifty tools we have available to kill them with, and I do not enjoy, or take pride in any type more than another. That said, I am increasingly finding it harder to find good places to rifle or ML hunt anymore. Sure I live adjacent to thousands of acres of public rifle hunting land, and I also belong to a club that owns another 30 thousand acres of private land to gun hunt. However in all honesty, for the time and $$$ I spend on hunting , when I go in the woods I wanna at least see deer. All the places Ive gun hunted, I just dont see much. However, there are tons of great suburban bowhunting opportunities all over the place around here, and every time i get into one of these little gems, i see and very often kill deer. All of my good bucks have come from these little "bow only" spots. Every year I kill several deer in these places and every year there seems to be more than the year before. All the big tracts of woods seem to have less and less than they use to, so as much as I love my remington 700 and my ML, I dont think Ill be spending much time or money on hunting rifles anymore, and Ill be focusing more on achery equipment and treestands in the future.

Anyone else going more towards the bow only burbs aswell?

I have to agree. I see plenty of deer in my "little" bow spots here in Western MA & Eastern NY... The areas I can gun hunt are not very productive. I was actually saying the ame thing to myself that you said the other day.
I do enjoy the time spent w/ good friends and family associated w/ gun season though...

Yeah its just a fact of life in this part of the country, shooting guns and hunting are considered "fringe" activities:rolleye0011: If someone sees you walking out of the woods w/ an evil scoped "sniper" rifle, theyll likely call the cops on you, but for some reason, even the people who dont like the idea of killing deer, seem to not mind and almost respect bow hunters.

No doubt I feel the same way. In a very short time bow hunting has become a passion. Even during rifle season, I still prefer to hunt with my bow. There is something about the "closeness" that brings me nearer the sport.

what's gonna happen once everyone jumps on the bow bandwagon?

Just maybe, Hunters will become more intune with the sport. Or Maybe Bucks that are taken at 40 to 200 yards will grow to be a bit more mature. And just possibly, hunters may become better hunters. Stewards of the game if you will . I do not have a problem with rifle hunting , as I do it as well. But Bowhunting has made me a better hunter. And I mean that as it it encompasses all aspects of the sport.

Here in Nebraska, it seems like when rifle season comes around, EVERYONE is a hunter. I have to agree giving more time to my bow hunting. I also love all types of hunting but I have been saying for a few years that I was going to give up rifle hunting and get another tag with the bow. The truth is, its hard to make myself give up rifle hunting. I wish I could hunt the spots I bowhunt with the rifle!!!

Bowhunting is my primary and I do have better spots for the most part, but something always makes me want to toss a orange vest on and pick the gun up too!

i have to agree completely.. i rifle hunt..and bow hunt.. but here in Pa we no longer have a 3 day doe season.. and let me tell you we have 180 acres of private posted land and mostly 90% is unhuntable. but the deer population here is suffering greatly from over hunting does. when it comes time for rifle season i have to use my sacred bow hunting areas in the thickets stuff imaginable to find them, and then i just use my bow. i think in the last 4 years ive killed at least 1 deer with a bow during firearms season hunting this way. bowhunting makes me a better hunter instead of grabbing my boom stick and marching around aimlessly looking for creatures to run away from me lol

I couldn't agree more. It seems like more and more people are out in the woods every year. After I'm done with school I might just ML and bow hunt. Although as said before I do enjoy the time with friends and family gun season offers.