Archery vs Rifle hunting

[jraulsten]

Love both but if faced with a choice, I would have to stick with the bow. I remember my dad telling me back in 1970 he would buy me a bow if I could shoot a deer with a borrowed bow. I'm sure he was confident he wouldn't have to pay up! I borrowed an old Herter's fiberglass long bow from my cousin and bought some arrows. Remember those Fred Bear wooden arrows with the green broadheads that used a razor blade insert? Well, I shot an 8 pointer and dad bought me a Kodiak Hunter Magnum. I went on to kill a few more with it before moving to compound but wish I still had that bow!

 

[xsn10s]

I love both. But if they make it too expensive to hunt with a rifle then bow it is.

 

[VLD Pilot]

In my home state, archery season runs 76 days. Firearm deer, 16 not counting early/late doe season and muzzleloader. While I enjoy all the gun seasons, 2.5 months of archery is pretty liberal. Sure hope I never have to pick one because after sitting in trees sweating from early October to freezing in mid November with a bow in hand, my trigger finger gets real itchy by gun season. No way I'd ever want to give that up. It's 50/50 for me.

 

[Korhil78]

You Havnt ever lived until you are drawn back on a big bull elk while it's screaming it's head off at the guy 40 yards behind you that is cow calling.

 

[Creedmoor shooter]

You Havnt ever lived until you are drawn back on a big bull elk while it's screaming it's head off at the guy 40 yards behind you that is cow calling.

Thats my dream right there. I'd absolutely love to go elk hunt with my bow. That would be exhilarating

 

[Prairie Sasquatch]

I like rifle and archery both but find archery more challenging and more exciting.

 

[Tidus56]

Thats my dream right there. I'd absolutely love to go elk hunt with my bow. That would be exhilarating

Can't get you a bull hunt but you can come archery cow elk one of these years if you want to.

 

[Rodman]

I am addicted to bow hunting. Only long gun I hunt with besides my bow is a flintlock muzzleloader. I enjoy the spot and stalk so much that hunting with a rifle doesn't get me motivated anymore.

 

[Shadow057]

Bow hunting is more exciting, but i hunt with both.

 

[s3silver]

I hunt with both archery and rifle. I still find more excitement and heart pumping anxiety with the up close and personal encounters found when archery hunting.

 

[sdakotaguy]

I have done & do both. Archery has been way more work for me & generally more rewarding. While I like both Archery ticks more boxes for me. This year I took 1 deer with a bow a fair 5 x 5 that was one of my best deer hunting experiences thus far.

While Archery hunting this year I had 2 bucks inside of 15 yards this year & that is a thrill I just do not see while rifle hunting

Had 3 rifle tags this season of which 2 were antlerless tags & the third was an any deer. Filled the 2 doe tags opening day. The desire to fill the last any deer tag was nearly gone once the 2 doe tags were filled. Ill enjoy & appreciate the two does as table fair just as much as the archery buck.

While I share I generally enjoy Archery more. Rifle is a great way to put meat on the table & is enjoyable as well.

 

[MtPockets]

I archery hunt way more than rifle, primarily because my wife and I bowhunt together. We've had a ton of awesome adventures bowhunting, but we suck at closing the deal.
I enjoy them both, but if I had to pick itd definately be archery.

 

[KurtB]

I'd vote traditional blackpowder. It gives me slightly more range than archery and the woods aren't as busy in my areas during that season. Other than that, I love it all.

 

[s3silver]

I archery hunt way more than rifle, primarily because my wife and I bowhunt together. We've had a ton of awesome adventures bowhunting, but we suck at closing the deal.
I enjoy them both, but if I had to pick itd definately be archery.

I do the same with my wife and now with my boys. Creating those memories of camping, hunting, field dressing, dragging, and packing out is what it's about. I do concur, about closing the deal as sometimes the quarry does not want to cooperate!