How dedicated are you?

[Aussie_hunter_jd]

This isn't meant to be a competition or argumentative but I'm genuinely intrigued.

In the states you guys have a lot of archery seasons which seem to generally be easier to draw. So it makes sense that lots of blokes would take advantage of that.

Here in Australia, there is no weapon season, and no closed season for most deer species. This means you have year round rifle pressure on animals so there constantly on alert making them a real challenge.

I hunt with rifle, blackpowder and bow and interchange between them on hunts though I definitely find myself leaning towards rifles over bows, particularly when chasing big animals simply because I can. The thing of it is, I probably enjoy archery more than the others, come summer I don't hunt deer because most species are in velvet or nursing young so I hunt varmints exclusively with a bow (I don't actually own anything smaller than a 270). I'd toyed with the idea of a year hunting exclusively with a bow on deer but I just don't know.

Mind you, I missed a big red stag from 20m with my now early this year, and shot and lost a hind, buck fever big time.

My question is, who here would genuinely choose a bow over a rifle majority of the time under the conditions I hunt under here? Or put plainly, how dedicated a bow hunter are you?

Sent from my D6653 using Tapatalk

 

[Work2hunt]

I cant speak for hunting where you are but, if I had to choose bow or rifle I would choose my bow any day of the week. I love archery hunting.

 

[NE69]

Bow for sure. Something about stalking a big muley to 25 yards that you just can't get with a rifle. The last several rifle tags I had I didn't fill by choice. Wondered why I even applied for them!

 

[Mr Drysdale]

The first six weeks of deer season in Mississippi are bow only. I generally have filled my freezer by then and dedicate gun season to hunting with my three younger grandsons. I do squeeze in a rifle hunt for myself occasionally but if given a choice, bow only. BTW I have not shot a deer in five years with a firearm.

 

[siwulat]

Bow hands down. In my state the licenses are split, meaning you have to buy one license for each weapon. I don't even bother buying the rifle anymore. Just continue right on bowhunting wearing the blaze orange.

 

[CoHiCntry]

The bow doesn't speak to everyone in the same way. Bow hunters are always saying how easy rifle hunting is. It's kind of funny. I've hunted with bow, rifle & muzzleloader for several years. My choice would be muzzleloader all the way. For whatever reason I get more excited about hunting with a muzzleloader than a bow or rifle. Muzzleloader is the perfect compromise. It's basically just like bow hunting, without the archery aspect. Ive always liked bow hunting way more than the archery side of it. If that makes sense? At least that's my take... Not sure that helps with which weapon is best for your area?

 

[gonhunting247]

I think I'd opt for my Muzzle loader also. I love to to hunt, so it's hard to choose just one method. I use multiple weapon choices and enjoy the different aspects of them all. Being proficient with all the different types allows a guy to stay in the field for a lot more time. I guess I agree with CoHiCntry, I too like bow hunting way more than just the archery side of it.

 

[Aussie_hunter_jd]

It's interesting hearing peoples thoughts and views on it.

I always wondered if it was just opportunity but it sounds like there's a mix of dedicated archers.

Got to agree with the muzzleloader comments though they are unbelievable fun I reckon, the good stag I shot with mine this year is definitely one of my favourite harvests.

Sent from my D6653 using Tapatalk

 

[theleo91386]

It depends on the tag in my pocket. If your wanting more of a challenge in your hunting area than you're getting by hunting with a rifle or smoke pole, then by all means, archery is the way to go. I like the style of rifle hunting where I go, it's really run and gun sort of hunting with horses and mules. Spot elk from a long ways off, take inventory of what you see and make the game plan to close the distance for a closer look or taking a shot. A lot of the time it's spotting animals from a mile to 2 miles out. The archery hunting is a slower pace of finding a bull and working him, sitting on wallows, or setting up an ambush. I might have a different view if I hunted with a partner because solo archery hunting for elk isn't the easiest way to go about it. My next rifle tag I'll be stepping out of my comfort zone a bit though and I'll hunt with a 127 year old model 86 45-90, the 280AI will be staying in home.

 

[Gr8bawana]

Last year I hunted with my brother in Arizona when he had an archery tag in one of the premier areas. We had so many close encounters with screaming bulls at spitting distance but he was holding out for one of the many monsters that inhabit the area. We chased those bulls for 13 days and he never flung an arrow. It was the most fun we ever had and no blood was ever drawn, it was a blast.
That being said, if we only hunted with a bow we would rarely get to eat any of the animals we hunt. Those being antelope, muledeer and elk.
We switch it up between rifle and bow about 50/50 so it's a good compromise.

 

[Doe Nob]

It depends on the time of year, the terrain, and the tag.

I like both. I prefer archery, it seems more rewarding when it all comes together. It can also be infinitely more difficult to punch a tag. I'm also not the best rifle shot in the world. I have a pile of unpunched archery tags and I cant' think of the last rifle tag that didn't get filled.

I also prefer spot and stalk hunting. I do not have the patience to sit over water or in a stand for days on end.

I have a rifle tag in my pocket that starts next weekend and for the area we are in I'm glad for it. It's all nearly vertical country above timber line and it would be an immense challenge to punch an archery tag there. Success rates in the single digits speak to this in this unit.

Rifle to me is definitely about trying to find and take the biggest animal in the unit. Archery I can drop my standards and get more action in. I think I prefer more action.

 

[Matthoek21]

I prefer archery. I like the limited competition with other hunters and tags are easier to grab. Being from Georgia we have a long rifle season for deer and it's pretty easy to fill tags. I personally have not killed any big game with a rifle in 29 years. Not that I'm opposed to it, I just prefer the bow. I love being like a predator slipping quietly an hopefully undetected.

 

[Aussie_hunter_jd]

I get that you have more options, less competition etc. But my question is, if you were in Australia where there are no archery only areas, seasons or times and you're competing against 12 month round rifle hunters would you still stick to archery?

One guy answered early on, he still bow hunts in orange during rifle season. That's dedication to a bow in my book!

Sent from my D6653 using Tapatalk

 

[hoshour]

I hunt exclusively with my bow when I am in North Carolina and have always used a rifle out West.

But, I'll probably start using a bow out West after this year, except for mule deer, although a high country archery mule deer hunt is on my bucket list.

 

[Matthoek21]

Guess it depends. As long as one can get remote I would choose bow. If I'm competing against the whole country all year on limited public land then I would gun hunt if I wanted some meat and/or had to have it. If I had access to private land with no competition I would continue to bow hunt.

 

[BOHNTR]

I am a bowhunter......and a bowhunter only......have been for over 40 years.

 

[kiwi]

I hunt with bow and rifle. For each specific hunt I decide the weapon, but if I had to choose one it would be the bow and it's the weapon I use the most.

 

[ivorytip]

i see what you are saying, there is no (rifle) season here in Idaho. there is an archery season, and there is a any weapon season. I love archery hunting, but.... during the any weapon season I use my rifle. I would like to try out the cross bow during the any weapon season though. those guys that stick with archery during the any weapon season are true champs. seeing a big buck at 300 yards out during the any weapon season and having bow in my hand and not my rifle, (ole Betsy) would be a sour note for me.

 

[ivorytip]

I am a bowhunter......and a bowhunter only......have been for over 40 years.

that's awesome! do you go out during the any weapon seasons with bow in hand or do you just hunt archery during archery only?

 

[BOHNTR]

that's awesome! do you go out during the any weapon seasons with bow in hand or do you just hunt archery during archery only?

I have bowhunted several units during the general (rifle) season over the years. Doesn't really change how I hunt.