Archery vs Rifle hunting

[sp6x6]

One of my most memorable years filled my tags archery. Antelope,bear,cat,deer,and elk.

 

[warboar21]

I bought my son a bow for Christmas. He took a liking to archery when he went to summer scout camp. All he talked about was how much fun it was. Well he has been practicing and having a good time so I decided to buy myself one so we could shoot together. I'm having a good time as well. I don't think I will be ready this year to hunt but I would like to give it a try and see how I like it. I may go back east to my uncle's friend's farm. My uncle shoots several whitetail a year out of there so it might be a good place to pop my archery cherry.

 

[Recon$$]

I have wavered. I swore off rifle hunting for 2 seasons because I found it to easy at times. In those days I had the time to really spend in the woods and with a rifle id have piled up a few trophys I never shot. Out west on public changed my mind about that. Nowadays I favor success and have been all in on rifle hunts because I want the meat and higher success. I suspect when life slows down ill start bow hunting more. While a long range kill definitely gives me gratification, a solid kill with a bow is probably the most gratifying to me.

 

[dmj]

First of all I do like both. Went 25 years with only archery hunts. Archery season was a good time of year to get vacation time. Could practice with my bow any time I wanted, which was most evenings after work. I really enjoy archery, especially for elk, and will keep at it until I can't pull my bow. When we retired my wife said I could have a out of state tag. So I've had the privilege of rifle hunting elk with a rifle for 20 years. It's been very enjoyable and a great way to extend hunting season. If I had to give up one it would probably be the rifle. One thing that I do strongly feel, is that archery hunting definitely made me a better rifle hunter.

 

[Dooner]

I was drawn to gun hunting early on. I sporterized a springfield 30-06 in my Dad's shop and was hand loading for it at 12yrs old. When I got my first retriever, I traded the rifle for a shotgun, and became devoted to waterfowl hunting with my dogs, also reloading for the shotgun. My work with retrievers really changed my life, eventually leading to me to the decision to become a Veterinarian. I started shooting a bow while in the Vet. school at UC Davis. I really liked practicing with the bow, and could squeeze in a practice session easily on my property over the years. I started making my own arrows, shooting almost daily, even winning some tournaments shooting my hunting setup against guys with their target bows. I had lots of great hunts, bringing home ~35 big game animals from all over the world, including elk, caribou, mule deer, whitetail, black bear, wild boar, pronghorn, and African plains game. After several shoulder injuries lifting heavy objects, I have retired my hunting bows, and switched back to the rifles. I have a couple of 264 Win Mags that I just accurized, putting a 7.5 twist on a Sendero. I've always wanted to try that caliber I also just bought a CA Traverse in 300 PRC. It's really fun getting back into rifles again, and am learning a lot. I have many great memories hunting with my bows; I agree with dmj, in that archery hunting has definitely made me a better rifle hunter.

 

[Laguna Freak]

From about 2000 to 2010, I bow hunted 99% of the time. I had my own bow press and did all my own set up, nock loop tying, arrow building, etc.

Bow hunting ethically requires a skill set and proficiency that is far beyond those required for close to medium range (100 to 300 yards) rifle hunting.

With regard to just the killing part of the bow hunt, I practiced almost daily. I had 12 one inch dots painted on a poly bag. Practice session was over when 12 consecutive arrows were in a dot at 20 yards. I played swinging bag games with buddies where the object was to hit your opponent's arrow while the bag was swinging. I also shot standard paper plates from 50 to 75 yards, and weekly I would go to my local 3D club for more "field practice" in TX Hill Country terrain.

During those 10 years I killed more deer than I remember and couple of them were mount worthy. I turkey hunted a lot and even shot a turkey in the head from 15 yards (not with the guillotine broadhead).

This is a long-winded way of saying, bow hunting is a lot of work. It is physically exerting to draw a bow as many times as I did every day and it will work some muscles that don't get much work any other way. Then you get into hunt prep and execution which is a whole set of implementation that most rifle hunters can't begin to understand. The Blackbuck on my profile photo would not come in bow range during a 3 day hunt. 3rd day he got the .30-06.

2015 I sold all my archery gear because I was tired.

 

[2buffalo]

I have gone back and forth through the years on which is my favorite. Not sure I favor one over the other. When going with an outfitter at this point I go with a rifle. Only reason is success rate. Costs of hunts like everything else have gone up and I prefer to have the advantage of range. This wasn't true 15 years ago. I never look at my mounts or pictures of animals I harvested with either and think less of the hunt because of what I used for a weapon. Each is unique and a good memory beyond the actual harvesting of the animal.

 

[xsn10s]

I've only hunted with a bow three times for elk. But I really enjoyed it in a forest setting. Calling in a herd is amazing. I got them in within 15 ft so that really gets the heart pumping. I've seen a lot more game during bow season than rifle hunts. I love both forms of hunting. Rifle is more forgiving since you have more range and it gives you the option of chasing down game and having more options for shots. They're just different.

 

[Korhil78]

I grew up in Texas so I only hunted deer with a rifle. When I moved to New Mexico, I got tired of not drawing a rifle tag so I switched over to Archery around 2011. I still rifle hunt but I mostly archery hunt. I have killed more trophy grade animals with my bow than I have with a rifle. I do enjoy figuring out the best approach to get close with the bow.

My son does all the rifle hunting so it is relaxing after doing archery hunts to just kick back and glass with him.

 

[Kyle Wheeler]

I grew up rifle hunting but recently go into bow hunting. I like both but will always love rifle hunting as it reminds me of my roots. That being said I'm excited about more season options with archery and it's easier for me to practice archery.

 

[Reelamin]

Having done both I prefer archery no matter what the season. Only issue I see is how to manage the game numbers if we had a huge decrease in firearm hunters.

 

[JDShellnut]

I'd rather bowhunt. If I lived out west with elk around I'd certainly pick up the rifle when I had a tag. I still shoot a lot of pigs with a rifle but truthfully I'd rather shoot them with a bow too.

 

[Terry Lightle]

Enjoy both a lot love coyote hunting with rifles,deer with bow.Gun deer hunt with my sons but do not get the rush deer hunting with gun.Have killed moose,bear and a bunch of whitetails with my longbow,but when Wylie comes to a call it does not get any better

 

[Tidus56]

Archery for me, I legit suck at hunting both rifle and bow. I seem to suck less with a bow though.
I think I hunt because someday I hope I won't suck anymore .