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true meaning of bow hunting

7K views 36 replies 22 participants last post by  220swift 
#1 ·
I may be on my own here but Im starting to think that archery gear today is getting to good for bowhunting. The reason that I like to bowhunt is the challange of getting close to game but when I watch hunting shows on tv the trend seems to be that people are killing animals at longer and longer ranges with archery gear. Just today I seen a guy on tv shoot a elk at 78 yards and I once seen a guy shoot at mule deer at 100 yards. Not only do I think these long shots are taking the sport out of archery hunting I also feel that they may start to make people that are not good enough to make these long shots start trying it in the field. I also see the same thing happening with muzzel loaders and shotguns. I dont know maybe its just me but I would be really ticked off if I got a record archery animal at less than 50 yards just to have it beat by someone that put out a hale marry and smacked a bigger animal at 100 yards.
 
#4 ·
I can't hardly watch a deer hunting show any more because of that reason. I watched a guy shoot a big buck at 78 yards on one and it was hail mary shot, he did kill it but it was pure luck. I would never even think about trying that, let alone put it on tv.

I shoot with one pin and its set at 20 yards. Hardly ever shoot at anything over 30 yards unless its a bag out in the yard. Too many guys are out there shooting 40,50 and even 60 yards (I'm talking about the guys that just shoot a few times a year at 20 yards and then go out in the timber and think they are a pro at it) and wounding the animals and they walk around for days suffering and eventually die and are never recovered.

So yea, I agree.
 
#5 ·
Dont get me wronge I think its a great idea to practise at longer range because it makes the shorter shots seem easy but for me I keep it 50 yards and under. I have a 60 yard pin but it is for practise and the only time I would ever use it on deer is if I had no way to get closer and conditions were perfect ex. animal has no idea I am there and is relaxed and there is no wind. Wind can move an arrow to much at that distance for my skill level. I still have never taken a shot on deer with my 60 yard pin and dont plan on it any time soon. I usually try and see if they will come closer to me if I cant sneek in any closer.
 
#6 ·
This is the same dilemma as long range rifle hunting. Being a big game bow hunter, I regularly practice out to 80 yards. This goes back to 3D and Field competition shooting, however, an archery shot over the shooters comfortable shooting distance is never advisable. For me 50 yards on a deer and bear and 70 yards on an elk.
 
#7 ·
A man's got to know his limitations......We all have them be it bow hunting or drinking beer. It's called " self responsibility".
 
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#12 · (Edited by Moderator)
I won't decry this topic. I hunt now with traditional gear so I keep my shots under 40 yards. When I lived in Oregon I practiced regularly with my compound @ 80 and this made it easy to put 50 yard shots into a fist sized group.

I'll give anybody credit for putting in the time to practice and be confident in their shot placement at any yardage. There have been longbow hunters in the past (the name Schaeffer comes to mind) who could regularly hit small items @ 100 yards.

Not every shot is a "hail mary" and they just got "lucky" IMO a more you practice the "luckier" you get.

This same argument is being applied to long range hunting and people complaining that NOBODY should be taking 800 and 1000 yard shots at game. We've really got to get out of this mindset. Lot's of people put in the time be confident, efficient and accurate at their chosen distances and I don't think the average Joe should beat them down because they would be uncomfortable with making that same shot or declaring it "unethical"

I also hate to see this televised as I'm sure it leads some to believe that they can do the same without putting in the time and effort, thus ending in wounded game and lost animals.

As soon as we start to limit the similar equipment a hunter can use in a season we stand of the verge of being "elitist" I've seen this with both archery and muzzle loaders. All we do is divide our strength in numbers for hunters.

$.02
 
#13 ·
I agree with Fr3db3ar. (The real Fred is one of my heros.) I happen to shoot a recurve and my most effective range is 7-12 yards. There is an evil in becoming an elitist. No sense throwing rocks at each other, when plenty are aiming at all of us. On the other hand, man be proficient and responsible with your weapon. RS, NattyB
 
#15 ·
My last pin is set at 40 yards and that's all I'm going to push it to. I missed 2 coyotes on Sunday and need to work on my range a little bit. The first coyote I put the shot over his back, the second coyote had the arrow go behind its rear as it turned to run. I wouldn't know what to do with a bow that would shoot 70+ yards.
 
#16 ·
It isn't so much the distance that I have a problem with. If you practice at those distances and are confident in your shot then by all means take the shot. Unfortunately there are shooters out there that watch movies and play entirely to many video games so they believe that they are capable of taking those long distance shots. I practice long distance shooting regularly therefor I know that I am capable of making those shots. It all goes back how each shooter was taught and how they practice. For example, my son wants to shoot at further distances, but I won't let him until he becomes proficient and has acceptable groups at shorter distances.
 
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#20 ·
Me either my louisville slugger isnt that long----LOL
 
#19 ·
I think a lot of it is a generational thing. When my dad traded in his recurve for a compound my grandpa called him a cheater because it made hunting easier. I grew up with compounds but the technology has gone through the roof and taken a lot of the challenge out of hunting. I consider some of today's technology to be cheating in a sense too. I don't go hog wild with the gear on my bow because I like the challenge of get a buck in close and harvesting it. I have never shot at a deer over 30 yards. I do practice out to 40 just to be confident in case the need arises. On a side note, I hate to see an animal get wounded and suffer, especially due to one's lack of self restraint. Therefore, if a hunter practices and is confident he can make a clean ETHICAL kill at greater distances I am fine with that. In my opinion it's a personal choice for each individual hunter but regardless of which choice is made, he owes it to the animal to be as confident and accurate as possible to guarantee a quick kill.
 
#21 ·
Bones,

Sorry, I missed your earlier post about the real Fred Bear. No wonder this is the #1 predator site! Maybe we could get Elvis to log on. ...It's also why I stay away from that Red Bull. A trucker once gave me an unopended can of it. I kept it in my file cabinet at work for about two months, then threw it out...could'nt get enough courage to drink it. That stuff could turn a porcupine into a wolverine.

RS, NattyB
 
#23 ·
I am an avid bow hunter and prefer to hunt this way. To me it all depends on the hunter and how they feel on their skills. At 50 yards i myself can group my shots in the size of a milk carton top,and push arrows through the target with other arrows,breaking countless knocks in the process.BUT!!! Loving the outdoors as i do,and respecting mother nature as well, i wont shoot at anything i intend to eat over 40 yards. Its just my rule,and to each his own. I established this rule way back in high school when i lived in upstate Pa. One night me and my friends were shining deer and a massive 9 point greg spotted beded down in a cabbage feild 200 yards out fell to my trusty 7mm-08. Upon preparing to slap some backstraps on the grill i found the deer could not be eaten do to the fact it had a broke off arrow and broadhead where the neck and the shoulders meet at an angle that suggested the deer had been shot from an elivated position,possibly a stand. Ganggreen had allready set in and i realized this deer had to be in such great pain. Now im much older,and have left my shining days in high school memories,BUT!!! That deer has never left my thots when im on the hunt with my bow. Now...to be mad cuz someone took your record legally in any way, is just plain hatin on someone. Records were made to be broken. It would be a shame if your son or even your daughter was the one who broke your reord and a statment like that got around to them.
 
#26 ·
My first archery Buck was taken at something over 80 yards with a 50 pound Bear Kodiak "Hunter" recurve with cedar arrows and Bear broadhead. There was a lot of luck involved with that shot. Now here comes the problems. My first Buck was standing broadside to me when I released the string. The Buck whirled at the "thunk" of the string, and my arrow caught him in the rear. The arrow travelled forward in to the vitals. On another occasion, I had a standing Buck take one step forward just as I released a #2419 Easton arrow from my 80 pound custom recurve at 40 yards The arrow struck that Buck in the ham area and I never did recover him.

I love the older compound bows with the round wheeels and 48" axel to axel length, but since I release with fingers only and refuse to switch to artificial release, these new stubby compounds are not for me. The finger pinch on such a short bow would be horrific.
 
#27 ·
Jumping String can be a real challenge with a recurve. Longbows are much quiter by design. Individual recurves can vary much in how much noise they make. Most of my jumped strings lended to a miss, some a poor hit and a few a deadlier hit. Once had a doe jump into the arrow at 35 yards. It impalded her front to rear. Once had a young doe completely dodge my arrow at 20 yards. Hit a doe with a lousy neck shot when she halted at the bow noise. I have the least trouble with them jumping on a close (under 20) relaxed deer. ...It's all part of the hunt and it never was an exact science. My current recurve is very quiet and I've also shot over 6 deer 2x, one buck 3x before they knew to flee. Always amazed me when I zip an arrow through one and they run 5-10 yards and stand there.
 
#29 · (Edited by Moderator)
I like heavy too, it is very quieting to a bow as well as has great punch through. Youre shooting at an unreal 12 grs per pound, 7grs per lb and up is plenty--you got an elephant killer LOL
 
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