Bow hunting?

[DartonJager]

With out doubt as much as I love to firearm hunt my love for bow hunting is immeasurably greater
I honestly can not put into words exactly why I love bow hunting so much more than with a rifle I just do.
One thing I know I feel much more like a hunter when bow hunting VS with a rifle
With a rifle I feel more like a shooter than a hunter as I can not recall the last deer I missed while rifle hunting, yes I had no shot situations but I haven't shot and missed in a long time at least not this decade. CAN NOT say the same for bow hunting.

 

[Sflutes]

although bow is alot more werk than gun....i like bow, puts ya right in the mix, nothin like having a deer walk up to ya, put their nose on ya and take a big wiff, jump back and start stompin the ground at ya to get ya to flinch!! like a bull fixin to charge!!! full adrenaline rush!!!
took me 4 years to get in the mix like that though.

 

[Flatbow]

As Berrelnut siad... "Yep. If you haven't hunted bull elk, in the rut with a bow, you haven't lived. So get to it if you haven't yet"........ unless you have woods raced motorcycles cross country. That is also living real!


I haven't killed all that many Elk but I have killed Elk with modern rifle (first Elk) with revolver, with compound bow with recurve bow and with long bow. Now all I need is muzzle loader (side lock and patch and ball) and a self made primitive bow then I would die happy. All my archery hunting since 1991 has been traditional and with my own self made equipment since 1995. Hunting Elk in the rutt is awesome especially 20 years ago and before the reintroduction of the wolf.

 

[Left Hand Dave]

I have bow hunted for about 30 years and also have gun hunted all my hunting life. I love both. I have taken a few truckloads of deer, a few coyotes, groundhogs, bears and around 10 elk both cows and bulls. I think if you have decided to try the x-bow you will eventually want the added challenge of a vertical bow. One other thing to keep in mind is that out of state archery tags can be easier to get than gun tags. Where I hunt in Colorado archery tags are over the counter....for now anyway.

 

[Kaveman44]

i hunt with bows and shoot competitions!

 

[Kaveman44]

first was my hunting bow and this one is my 3D bow

 

[jraulsten]

first was my hunting bow and this one is my 3D bow

Is the target a Traverse? Just picked up my Vertix and absolutely love it! I love to shoot but honestly spend much more time in a tree with my bow. Killed my first deer with an old Herter's fiberglass longbow. I'm sure a few on here remember those. I borrowed the bow from an older cousin and Dad said he would get me a bow of my own if I killed a deer. I'm sure he thought he would never have to buy me one He kept his word and got me a Bear Kodiak Magnum. Got a deer with it my second year of deer hunting and sure scared the heck out of many more! Been shooting compounds ever since but sure wish I had that old Bear back. Every year I say that I don't see how bows can get any better but every year Mathews and the other top manufacturer's seem to manage just that.

 

[Creedmoor shooter]

I like bow hunting more than with a rifle. If I could only hunt one way it would be with a bow.

 

[jraulsten]

I like bow hunting more than with a rifle. If I could only hunt one way it would be with a bow.View attachment 124026 View attachment 124027

I love the grip on those Realms......

 

[Creedmoor shooter]

I love the grip on those Realms......

It's a very consistent grip. I shoot this bow very well. Much better than my old hoyt. Very smooth draw and smoth on the shot. Probably not as vibration free as the Matthew's but its definitely a smoother draw atleast to me. I went with the longer ATA for more forgiveness at longer ranges

 

[Country Bumpkin]

With all these bow hunters looking at this thread, anybody need some more arrows?

https://www.longrangehunting.com/threads/lots-of-arrows.215726/

I've been bow hunting big game since before I could hunt with a firearm. Shot my first whitetail with a bow. I was very successful until I joined the AF and left home. I've since added an elk and several mulies to my quiver.

I too, if forced to choose, would pick bow hunting over rifle. If I had to pick between bow hunting and woods racing on my two stroke dirt bike, I'd wage war on whoever is making me pick between the two best sports ever!!

 

[Tidus56]

Heck ya! Hunting with a bow is so much fun. Hunting elk with a bow is my very favorite type of hunting. Gettting close to elk can be really fun and difficult.
Hunting mule deer is also so fun. I have hunted archery ever since I started hunting.

 

[jraulsten]

I got a loaded Halon 32 with lots of extras for less than half what it would cost new in "other stuff for sale". Good opportunity for someone to get into bow hunting without breaking the bank for some quality stuff.

Always dreamed of elk hunting with a bow and now I feel like I may have waited too long

 

[Flatbow]

Country Bumkin, I like the way you think. Looks like we have Idaho covered, you down south and me up north!
I have been on a dirt bike since I was four years old. Did a lot of local woods racing as well and was pretty competitive.
Would be a very tough decision to have to choose between the two and I would be in a pretty foul mood!
At my 50 years of age now even though I still ride hard I would have to go with archery hunting with all my self built longbows and equipment and the more time I spend with my Boys and Wife at this sport.... way of life actually.