Bow hunting V Rifle hunting debate;

[howa243]

Have a look at this Vid howa243..no treestands required. My previous reply was to your "treestands" comment.

Once again Howa I posted the Gulf video re your treestands comment I hope you noted that the the archer stalked,took aim carefully and did very well.....without a treestand ffs. They are /were WILD animals in an unforgiving environment, not animals at a game farm water trough.
It seems that you have a bit of history being fixated with bows and arrows


howa243
Well-Known Member
Nov 7, 2013
#1
This is not meant as a knocking bowhunting thread. More to do with always being amazed at the damage that animals seem to be able to cope with.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/....html?ncid=edlinkusaolp00000003#slide=1916292

I understand why you posted it but my comment was based on the research we were discussing that showed that most of the arrows fired were from a blind or high seat(I think. Long time ago now). So if memory serves I was wondering what the point is of hunting with a bow in that kind of situation because it invalidates one of the main reasons for doing it.
You are correct. My views have not changed. Have yours?

 

[John Gryphon]

A couple of photos I took a few years ago of a mature stag in thick cover at a range of approx seven yards.
If necessary and needed I would have head shot him,I seriously doubt if any archer could have done the same by sending an arrow through the myriad of branches to hit what!

 

[howa243]

A couple of photos I took a few years ago of a mature stag in thick cover at a range of approx seven yards.
If necessary and needed I would have head shot him,I seriously doubt if any archer could have done the same by sending an arrow through the myriad of branches to hit what!

I don't think any archer would head shoot would they? Assume a ricochet is really quite likely. Might be wrong obviously because I have no experience of having done it and therefore no valid opinion on the matter.

 

[John Gryphon]

I have no experience of having done it and therefore no valid opinion on the matter.

EH WHAT?

 

[CarlW]

Whats next stationary clays to reduce the amount of chipping. Actually that would reduce frustration come to think about it, but add to boredom.

Am fully in favour of this!

 

[CarlW]

Personally, I have no strong views on bow-hunting. Some of our clients do it and most seem roughly as competent (or otherwise) as the average rifle-shooter. It looks fun and I might try it one day if I can get good enough at shooting cardboard boxes first.

I did get upset once when an American took a frontal head-shot on a warthog with a bow and the poor pig just trotted off with a flag sticking out of his forehead. However, he was a dick with a rifle too so that is more an argument against idiots than it is against bow-hunting.

For me, I am not sure I care what tool any particular hunter chooses to employ. I care whether he can kill an animal humanely. If he can kill it humanely with a rifle or with a bow or even with a hammer then that's up to him. If he can't do so then I will judge him to have failed.

I also wonder how helpful (or not) the statistics are. The question surely needs to be personalised down to the individual level: can I / can he kill humanely with that tool? If so, go ahead; if not, don't.

A good debate anyhow. I have learned a lot so far. I also want @howa243 next to me in a bar brawl: that fella really does not go down, no matter how many there are on the other side. Big respect!

Kind regards,

Carl

 

[mereside]

So you get a 'kick' then!

JTO I like being out hunting I harvest everything off my deer and wild boar I enjoy every aspect of it, if you have issues with it that's for you to deal with not me

 

[howa243]

EH WHAT?

I have been told that as I don't have any experience of bow hunting I don't have a valid opinion on the matter. I assume same can be said of anything I have not experienced.

 

[howa243]

Personally, I have no strong views on bow-hunting. Some of our clients do it and most seem roughly as competent (or otherwise) as the average rifle-shooter. It looks fun and I might try it one day if I can get good enough at shooting cardboard boxes first.

I did get upset once when an American took a frontal head-shot on a warthog with a bow and the poor pig just trotted off with a flag sticking out of his forehead. However, he was a dick with a rifle too so that is more an argument against idiots than it is against bow-hunting.

For me, I am not sure I care what tool any particular hunter chooses to employ. I care whether he can kill an animal humanely. If he can kill it humanely with a rifle or with a bow or even with a hammer then that's up to him. If he can't do so then I will judge him to have failed.

I also wonder how helpful (or not) the statistics are. The question surely needs to be personalised down to the individual level: can I / can he kill humanely with that tool? If so, go ahead; if not, don't.

A good debate anyhow. I have learned a lot so far. I also want @howa243 next to me in a bar brawl: that fella really does not go down, no matter how many there are on the other side. Big respect!

Kind regards,

Carl

Thanks, I think. Would have given up ages ago it there had been a decent argument. Sadly the argument seems to be, its quiet, my cousin can do it, i know folks who do it well and I am going to ignore all of those American research items showing significant wounding. The paucity of reasoned argument in favour, has rather taken me aback.

 

[mereside]

Nope I guess not. Because I would not make the compromise in equipment simply to feel more excited about the shot.

that's the thing it isn't a compromise that is your opinion nothing more, could I ask of your experience, you talk about shooting park deer and wild but you also say that everything drops to shot so you can carry on shooting, how long have you been at it and do you ever have a runner or a wounded beast,regards wayne

 

[CarlW]

Thanks, I think. Would have given up ages ago it there had been a decent argument. Sadly the argument seems to be, its quiet, my cousin can do it, i know folks who do it well and I am going to ignore all of those American research items showing significant wounding. The paucity of reasoned argument in favour, has rather taken me aback.

I think you lot have had a good debate. I have learnt a lot from watching it. You must be exhausted, though. Well done, matey.

Carl

 

[howa243]

that's the thing it isn't a compromise that is your opinion nothing more,

For this to be just my opinion I assume you can prove that a bow at bow hunting distances is the equal of a centre fire rifle. So equally accurate and with equal ability to kill in as short a time as is seen to be acceptable.
Can you do this?

 

[mereside]

For this to be just my opinion I assume you can prove that a bow at bow hunting distances is the equal of a centre fire rifle. So equally accurate and with equal ability to kill in as short a time as is seen to be acceptable.
Can you do this?

howa, there are many people that make huge errors shooting centrefire at short range the same can be said long range, you talk as though you have never wounded anything?

 

[howa243]

you also say that everything drops to shot so you can carry on shooting, how long have you been at it and do you ever have a runner

Don't think I said everything! If I did I was mistaken. Shot ten this weekend and for the first time in ages I ****ed a shot up. The stag moved and I hit an antler. Was going to mention it earlier in relation to animal movement and projectile flight times but could see we had moved away from the rational.

 

[mereside]

Don't think I said everything! If I did I was mistaken. Shot ten this weekend and for the first time in ages I ****ed a shot up. The stag moved and I hit an antler. Was going to mention it earlier in relation to animal movement and projectile flight times but could see we had moved away from the rational.

With your experience is that the only deer you have misplaced the shot?

 

[howa243]

howa, there are many people that make huge errors shooting centrefire at short range the same can be said long range, you talk as though you have never wounded anything?

Jesus how can you possibly say that? I don't think I have used personal experience in any of these answers to justify my position on this. How can I, with no experience? Others have though.

 

[howa243]

With your experience is that the only deer you have misplaced the shot?

No. That's why I said first time in ages.

 

[mereside]

Jesus how can you possibly say that? I don't think I have used personal experience in any of these answers to justify my position on this. How can I, with no experience? Others have though.

I am a bit thick you need to spell it out for me, my experience shows me many people make mistakes and deer have been wounded, I follow up for people and see what happens I am talking from experience I am asking you how many you have had go wrong in your experience, you have already said you have no other experiences with bowhunting but your opinion is clear I am trying to see why you think the rifle is far superior, I would also like to ask you why you only head shoot in the park as clearly this indicates that things can go wrong with this type of shot?

 

[VSS]

why shoot a bird on the wing and risk wounding when you have the option of shooting a stationary bird

I often wonder about that. Personally, I prefer to shoot pheasants when they're sitting in trees, silhouetted against the evening sky. Backstop might be an issue though, if using a rifle or a bow.

 

[howa243]

I am a bit thick you need to spell it out for me, my experience shows me many people make mistakes and deer have been wounded, I follow up for people and see what happens I am talking from experience I am asking you how many you have had go wrong in your experience, you have already said you have no other experiences with bowhunting but your opinion is clear I am trying to see why you think the rifle is far superior, I would also like to ask you why you only head shoot in the park as clearly this indicates that things can go wrong with this type of shot?

Honestly, if this is not self evident then I don't really think I have the knowledge to prove it. What I can say is that having used a bow that is used for stalking, I would find the effort of using it accurately much more difficult than a rifle. So it would be more difficult to use and this would effect my confidence.
Additionally if you Google 'bow, wounding rates and deer' you will happily spend the evening as I have my day reading how bad things can be. Nobody is suggesting that wounding rates are equal. And my point is that we should only concentrate on distances at which a bow is potentially usable. At such distances the likelihood of missing or wounding using a rifle, would be much reduced.