Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Bowhunting The most satisfying shooting and hunting possible?

With my connections to Africa you folks know that I have firearms and use them a lot there. But for the last dozen years or so, I have not had the interest in firearms that I do in Archery. I've never been a "gun nut" and only own a few that get the job done. Most everyone who knows me is surprised to find out that as a PH I don't have a gun vault full of guns. They are also surprised to know that I have only a couple!

There is nothing more satisfying in hunting for me then the effort of a smooth draw and to hold on target that archery gives me. To harvest big game with the senses they have, and the speed and agility they manage to actually jump out of the way or duck out of the way of an arrow in flight.

The intimate knowledge of game to get within range, the planning to put yourself in the location that you know game will be passing. Setting up blinds or "hides". Planning for months weeks of scouting and living in the bush. It's a satisfaction that a gun hunter could never realize.

I hunt with a gun as well, and I truly believe that once you have been a bow hunter your gun hunting improves by more then can be measured. My first big game rifle was a 300 Weatherby. When I paced off 350 yards and realized that was how far I could now hunt.............wow............ that was insane! I still was very uncomfortable shooting far, even though it was a "no brainer" with this rifle.

I simply cannot imagine hunting for my recreational pleasure without a bow and arrow. I have my son now involved with this. He and I shoot together almost every day when the weather is not brutal cold. He's got his little Chaos bow, and it will be set up for fishing this spring. I think I'm more anxious to get him kick started in archery then I am to hunt for myself now!

The planning, scouting, stalking, and drawing the arrow back with your own effort to make the shot is simply the highest level of accomplishment a hunting sportsman can achieve.

Couldn't agree more JJ.

It took me a long time to take my first deer with a bow but that was a truly incredible day/feeling. Perfect shot from the ground at 7 yards had me HOOKED!!

To add to that, I'd say training and hunting behind your own pointing dog is right up there with the satisfaction of a good bowhunt.....

Gotta agree.For me, using a stickbow is about as pure a hunting experience as I've ever had.I still shoot a compound too, but man I get all kinds of shook up when I have a shot with my recurve.

I have to agree!

The 'up close and personal' aspect of bowhunting is an unparalleled exerience. My bowkills, regardless of the size of the animal, are much more memorable to me than any of my rifle kills.

I will still continue to hunt with centerfire rifle, and muzzleloader, and handgun- but for sheer hunting enjoyment, nothing is more satisfying than going afield with my Mathews bows.

I'm leaving tomorrow morning to go back to my Bighorn sheep hunt area, also with bow. The odds of scoring are nowhere near what they would be with a rifle, but the effort is something only a few people nowdays can appreciate.

I'll appreciate it from 600 miles away here in Washington state. I know that some of the closest encounters with big game that have been unsuccessful have been the greatest memories.

I once bugled in a very respectable bull from the Seattle watershed which is closed to all people. I got him out of there into a legal hunting area. I was in a young clear cut which had me hidden behind a small douglas fir tree. It was the only sizable tree in the area which I felt would allow me to remain hidden and still shoot from wherever that bull came from. When he stepped out into the open about 60 yards from me I was amazed just how huge he looked. He then closed the distance to 40 yards but facing me. At that point he completely ripped and shredded a sapling about 2/3 the size I was behind. There was nothing left to that tree but a stem. He did that in all of 30 seconds. He stepped another 20 feet or so closer and was staring right at the tree I was behind.

It then dawned on me that he wanted to rip this sapling to bits as well and I was crouched behind it. There is no way in heck to shoot this bull head on with archery, but he was going to walk right to me. He stood drooling and staring and waiting for that cow to call to pinpoint her location. ..... Yeah right, like I was gonna invite that. He was all fuzzed up, hair standing on end drooling pissing on his front legs and had mud brush and branches hanging from one antler.

As If I were gonna move a muscle at this point. He was probably 30ish yards away facing and staring right at this tree. About then cows called from back in the timber, he turned and walked back to them.

So yeah no gun, no shot, no trophy bull, ...... but I'll never forget that event in my lifetime!

Very cool.

One of my most enjoyable/memorable seasons was also one in which I didn't take a shot.

It was my first season back to bowhunting in awhile and I'd only had a chance to practice out to 20 yards before the season arrived.

It was my first season using a Summit Viper climber (awesome) and that allowed me the versatility to move to where the deer were as the season progressed; something I'd never had the opportunity to do so easily before.

That resulted in me getting into a fairly good number of deer that season which gave me the confidence to just sit it out and wait for a trophy.

I had a few shooting lanes picked out and/or cleared and the day came when Mr. Big showed up. I saw him when he was ~50 yards out did a little grunting which got him moving in my direction. I was so excited I was almost vibrating with anticipation and he eventually picked a path that was leading right to my best shooting lane. As he walked up I remember thinking "Oh my GOD!! I'm actually going to take a trophy buck!!"

I was able to draw back as he walked behind a tree that was about 10 yards in front of my shooting lane and it looked like I was about to get a chip shot on the biggest deer I'd ever had within range. He was clueless to my presence and my heart was about to pound right of my chest with all the adrenaline and then it happened; he stopped!!

I was downwind so I knew he wasn't picking up my scent but he just STOOD THERE! After a few seconds he gave a big snort and ended up running back about 40 yards and stood there again. I was in shock. I couldn't figure out what had happed and then out of the corner of my eye, I picked up on the problem. It was a red fox.....the only red fox I'd EVER seen in that area and he had to show up about two seconds before I was going to fling an arrow into MY BUCK OF A LIFETIME!!! After that, the buck ended up heading back from where he came.....

I'm not even sure how to describe that let down but I was determined to get a shot on that buck, some way some how. Anywhoo, about a week later that same buck was steamrolling after smaller bucks in the area where I was set up and he eventually came through an opening ~30 yards from my stand. I had drawn my bow already and was hoping for him to move in closer so I could take a shot but he never did. He was broadside at 30 yards and I could've easily taken the shot but I passed because I hadn't practiced at that range in a LONG time and I just didn't want to risk wounding the trophy of a lifetime.

That next day I pulled the bow out and shot at 30 yards and I was actually right on so I felt a little foolish for not taking the shot but I felt VERY PROUD for respecting the animal and passing on a questionable shot.

I may never get an opportunity like that again but I'm still glad to this day for having the decency to pass on that shot and end up with a season full of great memories instead of risking one full of regret.

Sorry for the long post but these posts really struck a chord....

Great stories and I couldn't agree more. Got head over heels into archery a few year back and love it year round now. Both my boys also shoot with me year round and the 13 year old is dying to give deer hunting a try with stick & string next year.

I have a discussion like yours with my friend Dean at least once a year. I've bow hunted exclusively here for 4 years. My friends go out for bow season, but can't wait for gun season to come around to get that buck they've been eyeballing. Some guys have wounded a couple, missed a couple and now they go blast one with a shotgun. I tell them "thank heaven for gunpowder huh)? I invite all of them to join us on the 3D circuit all Spring and Summer. They never do, and next year, it'll happen all over again. We can use a bow in RI from Oct 1 until Jan 31 and most of our hunting areas are too small to gun hunt. If you like deer hunting, here, you've really got to get into archery.

I think as hunters we go through phases. Luckily, I am at the phase where I can be at peace in the woods without feeling the pressure to kill everything that moves. Its a nice feeling...

I have taken animals with both a rifle and a bow and you are spot on. Nothing compares to leting the arrow go and watching the perfect flight into the vitals.

Right on NB, you are so correct sir.

Archery sure puts the "Hunt" back in hunting. You have to get into their 'zone' to make a good shot. It is extremely satisfying to make a good stalk and shot.

Stick and string, and bird dogs and shotguns for me. My last moose was with a rifle though. I got hooked on longbows and recurves this past year. I have taken small game but not a moose or caribou yet. I should have stuck with the bow for moose. Next time its bow or nothing
Dan