Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting Archery vs. Rifle

I mostly get annoyed with the special interest seasons, in GA, where I hunt mostly, we have archery (including cross bows) for a month, then "not so primitive weapons" for a week then the rifle opener. By the time of the opener, the deer have been harassed for over five weeks. I really don't care what people hunt with, if they enjoy the challenge of the bow, more power to them, but the season should start on the same day for everyone. Deer aren't really hard to kill, having access to land that has deer on it is the real challenge. Public land in the south is too dangerous and private leases are very hard to find these days. Hunters from So Florida lease up every available land from GA to AL and everything in between.

Hunting with a bow is perceived to be more challenging than hunting with a rifle by most non-hunters and many hunters.It is easier to sell to non-hunting suburbanites who can practice shooting their bow in the backyard and potentially hunt close to home. It's easier to sell to rifle hunters as a new challenge and a chance to take an early crack at this years monster bucks. Makes sense why sponsors would promote archery shows over rifle hunting.

For me bowhunting is mo fun. Mucho sized satisfaction getting the deal done with a bow. Up close and personal is my style gun or bow.

Bow hunting deer is a rush.

More of a rush than rifle/ slug hunting, when the shot occurs.

But rifle/ slug hunting keeps your interest longer in the day , and makes stalking tracking in snow more of a possibility of success Or seeing one while riding the mule.. So I feel gun hunting you can spend more time “ hunting “ per 24 hours.

Now elk hunting with a bow in the rut is a bigger rush!

I think archery is becoming more popular because OTC archery tags are much easier to get for non-residents and offer more opportunity where it would otherwise be hard to obtain.

Thanks to all the bow hunters and others scouting the woods our deer herd will double between Labor day and the opening of rifle season. Bow hunting can ruin your chances of ever seeing a mature buck. Most years I don't get a shot at a old mature buck with a rifle during the rut. And there's no way I'm eating a skinny doe that's been struggling to feed herself and her fawn throughout the summer. Venison is really good eating if you shoot the deer at the right time of the year.

Huh?

I'm not sure what part you don't understand? The deer are not people friendly around here because there's no ranching or farming. During the late summer, early fall the deer browse is terrible.

>> double Huh ?

Anyone who puts crossbows in the same category as any other bow is delusional. States did it to please insurance companies and special interest groups.

Crossbows were, and still should be, for disabled hunters- a clue that they in fact easier to use.

Getting a decent buck is mostly about access to land. Giving everyone the ability to hunt during the rut and shoot an extra buck with a scope sighted crossbow is only harming the age structure of the deer herd. Baiting deer should be placed on an even lower level of difficulty, and most people who use crossbows seem to defend the idea of baiting as well.

Anything made or acquired easily quickly loses its value.

After trying all of the seasons, I can say without question, bowhunting has been the most challenging and the most rewarding for me personally. I had no idea that I literally knew almost nothing about deer until I had to get close to them on a consistent basis. It actually made gun hunting boring.

yes i have had surgery on both shoulders the right one is fine now the left one is painful always and i can not draw a bow anymore at my age of 69 , my job was climbing poles for the REA out in the country we had no buckets the first 20 some years ,so i now use a x-bow in Minnesota archery season . but i still wish i could draw and shoot regular bow but my health will no longer allow me too , i have been in archery and bowhunting for over 60 years so now i use a x-bow during archery season ,plus i rifle hunt because i have always handloaded my own ammo yep i am a looney. i see many deer ,some very close every year sometimes i may shoot a nice buck doesn`t happen every year. last year may have been one of the most exciting deer hunts i have been on in a long time 10 year old grandson sat with me and grandson shot a nice doe and to be honest in general kids today don`t get to hunt or fish as much as many of have when we were young ,so i could care less what the kid uses rather its a bow,gun or even a x-bow to hunt with as long as that kid has a lot of fun doing it. > if your worried about what someone is hunting with including a x-bow i think your a little selfish so get over it there is room for all hunters in America.

I'm a bowhunter and a rifle hunter. I can't see myself dropping one or the other, love some aspects of each of the hunts.