Bow hunting is real hunting...

[Hawklore]

I've always been a fan of bow hunting, the unpredictability of the animal, and you never can know if your shot is going to kill, and the majority of the time you have to be much closer then with a rifle.

Granted I wouldn't be able to bow hunt, and prefer my rifle.

But these bow hunters have patience...

Esp. when they get out done..

http://break.com/index/deer_from_the_matrix.html

[TPIguy]

I once tried to hunt rabbit w/ my recurve. I gave up after I lost about $30 worth of arrows.


A shotgun is so much easier.

[Golfer]

Been there, done that and have the T-shirt.

Deer constantly amaze me...thats just one reason why I love being in the woods.

[BlueJ1]

I understand bow hunting...but when people use bows to fish I have a problem with it. Not completely sure why, but I do.

[Captain Virgil Hilts]

That's what we refer to as "jumping the string". Years ago, before it was filmed, it was commonly believed that the deer actually jumped OVER the arrow, and people compensated by shooting a little high, and missed more.
Once it was discovered that the deer were crouching before they jumped, and the arrow was going over, everyone began to shoot low. People began to shoot faster bows with overdraws, and to work harder at silencing their bows as well.

Only people who shoot bows that are either dead silent or shoot faster than 320 feet per second should consider shooting at ranges much over 20 yards in most cases, and even then only if they shoot very well. Now, it isn't that difficult to shoot well, with practice. And these days, with high powered bows with 85 pound draw weights and 85% let off, it is even easier than it once was.

Do you have a handicap? I'm just wondering because you say you can't bow hunt. In most states, you can hunt with a cross bow if you have a verfiable handicap, and now even if you don't in a lot of states.

[Hawklore]

Originally posted by Captain Virgil Hilts
That's what we refer to as "jumping the string". Years ago, before it was filmed, it was commonly believed that the deer actually jumped OVER the arrow, and people compensated by shooting a little high, and missed more.
Once it was discovered that the deer were crouching before they jumped, and the arrow was going over, everyone began to shoot low. People began to shoot faster bows with overdraws, and to work harder at silencing their bows as well.

Only people who shoot bows that are either dead silent or shoot faster than 320 feet per second should consider shooting at ranges much over 20 yards in most cases, and even then only if they shoot very well. Now, it isn't that difficult to shoot well, with practice. And these days, with high powered bows with 85 pound draw weights and 85% let off, it is even easier than it once was.

Do you have a handicap? I'm just wondering because you say you can't bow hunt. In most states, you can hunt with a cross bow if you have a verfiable handicap, and now even if you don't in a lot of states.

No, I just don't think I'd have the patience, nor the state of mind to kill an animal unless I used every bit of it..

But, the way money is going atm in the house, I may need to start hunting to provide some meat for the family so the meat money can go somewhere else, etc.

I'd love to bow hunt, but I have a hard time holding a 18yr old dog thats being euthanized, (It's my job I didn't loose a family pet.), don't think I could take life into my own hands...

Thanks for that history lesson!

[Charon]

Hey Hawklore,

A bit OT, but is that your post over on Gunboards reenacting with your dog? If so, you should post it here. Nice pooch and nice mauser.

Charon

[Golfer]

If you're looking for cheap meat...taking up hunting initially isn't the way to go.  After your investment in weapons, tags, licenses and if you don't want to deal with the public (I don't) a club membership...it gets up there.

Ohio is up to $24 per tag.  You can butcher yourself (If you have a hard time putting a dog down you probably won't want to) in addition to the $19.00 hunting license.

After I kill a deer the arrow is usually trashed (There went around $10) and I'm hoping the broadhead isn't toast (yet $10 more)

I just did some "figgerin" the other day going over our maps and transposing it to google earth of all the deer I've killed. (Each and every one within the state of Ohio)

The total was 34.

34 deer times an average $18.00 per tag total = $612
License fees over my lifetime = $217
Figure $1.50 per deer for ammunition (Used Remington Copper Solid 3"MAG rounds the last 5 or so years.  Over $2 a pop) = $51
Butchering Fees at $60 per deer = $2040
Gun = Remington 11-87 "Combo" barrel package = $850 at the time
Bow $150 for the crossbow I used when young, $250 for the compound I use now with some accessories.


Forget clothing, accessories, knife taxidermy for 2 large bucks and what not...

850+51+217+621+2040+400 = $4179

Divided by 34 deer = $122.91 per deer

Figure you get what...45lbs of meat per 100lbs of animal.  Almost no fat and that comes down to about $2.75 per pound.

Over time you absolutely can't beat it.  You'll come out on top with hunting every time...but you get the ultimate bonus.  You get to be in the woods!

You'll see things like this:



You will walk right up on a deer


and then watch it walk toward you

[Masherbrum]

Originally posted by Hawklore
I've always been a fan of bow hunting, the unpredictability of the animal, and you never can know if your shot is going to kill, and the majority of the time you have to be much closer then with a rifle.

Granted I wouldn't be able to bow hunt, and prefer my rifle.

But these bow hunters have patience...

Esp. when they get out done..

http://break.com/index/deer_from_the_matrix.html

For every kill by an arrow, dozens of animals are wounded by "Ted Nugent wannabes."    I've seen countless deer with arrows sticking out of their backs, hind quarters, etc.

[FX1]

I have been bow hunting for the past five years. Its the only real hunting that we have high powered rifles and today muzzle loaders take no skill to kill. On some south Texas ranges we will use rifles but that is a different form of hunting with high racks on trucks so you can see over the brush.

This year with a bow

2 does
6 pigs 2 were stocks
1 coyote first with a bow

Hunting isn't cheap in Texas i have spent over 5k this year without a lease. We run corn 3/4 of the year and protein in the late spring all the way up to hunting season.

[VOR]

Originally posted by Masherbrum
For every kill by an arrow, dozens of animals are wounded by "Ted Nugent wannabes."    I've seen countless deer with arrows sticking out of their backs, hind quarters, etc.

Dozens of wounds for every kill, huh? I'll bet you just made that number up, and I'll bet there are far more misplaced bullets flyin around the woods than arrows.

[FX1]

I have found all my deer but i have lost 2 hogs. I think the hogs were just wounded but i really couldn't find that much blood. When i was a rifle hunter i thought the same thing about bow hunting and wounding deer. I am willing to put money that more rifle hunter don't find their deer after the shot more than bow hunters. I think that most bow hunter are more sportsman and take time and practice their skills more often than rifle hunters do. I will only take a good shot and to this day most deer i shoot go about 30 yards.

[FX1]

I counted 78 shots opening morning off rifle season. I know for a fact that the deer that was dead on our road came from a rifle blind on the next door neighbors ranch. They shot it high on the bellybutton and it must have ran a mile to die next to that road.

[Masherbrum]

Originally posted by VOR
Dozens of wounds for every kill, huh? I'll bet you just made that number up, and I'll bet there are far more misplaced bullets flyin around the woods than arrows.

Nope, come to Michigan.   You always have the idiots that unload a shotgun.   Those aren't "hunters", they're idiots.  

Again, come to Michigan, I'll show you DOZENS of deer with arrows sticking out of them in two days.

[Golfer]

Every so often I'll see a deer with a wound that had either healed or was well on its way.

If a deer limps by me, no matter the size, it's soon to be my deer.

I can't say I've ever seen any (I guess that makes them 'countless') deer with an arrow sticking out of it.  I don't see any animal allowing that to just sit there...it would eventually have it ripped out or die trying I'd think.

I have had my knife bump into a broadhead when dressing a deer...that was a wakeup call to be careful.  I can't imagine how fun it would be to reach up in the chest cavity of a deer and have razor blades slicing open my fingers.