Archery or rifle; pursuit of ethics, simplicity and enjoyment

[Drop Bear]

Yes this topic is kind of an strange thing to worry about. But, it’s something that been on my mind so I’d be interested to hear some other hunter’s input. I’ll also be saying some things about both archery and rifle hunting, which are my feelings on the matter but may well not apply generally, so don’t be personally offended.

I Just got back from hunting Tahr. I took my compound, my friend took their rifle. Long story short, I had a bow shot which I totally blew because my rest had been knocked out of alignment. I then borrowed a rifle and shot an animal. This got me thinking; on the one hand I like that archery hunting demands a greater commitment to be successful, which is something I personally value. But on the other, all the complex accoutrements of the bow and all the fiddling with equipment is something I would prefer to minimise. In contrast, my friends rifle (a Swedish Mauser, a wonderful thing to use) was starkly simple. But it’s totally reasonable to shoot out past 300m with a rifle and the animal I shot was at 150m, which was an easy shot despite my less than ten round experience with a centrefire rifle. The ease of this seemed a little unethical to me, though I encourage others to do as they please.

I’m now wondering if I would be better off hunting with something like a Mauser, perhaps with iron sights, to simplify things so I can spend less time fiddling with gear, and more time doing what I like; hunting. Iron sights to level the playing field a little. But, in Australia, the legalities of owing a firearm are a nightmare which might tip the scales back in the other direction. Furthermore, a lot of public land hunting in my area is limited to bows. Traditional archery? Perhaps something I should investigate, but also a technical pursuit and demanding a lot of time for practice. Time isn’t something I have an abundance of.

I realise this isn’t really a question, more a dump of thoughts, but if anyone has an opinion on the matter, I’d love to hear it.

 

[Titan_Bow]

Maybe running a basic 3 or 5 pin site and whisker biscuit rest? I’ve used a WB for several years now with my compound. I’ve shot traditional for most of my life, but started with a compound to help my little boy, who wanted a compound. The WB is super simple and really cool proof. With a good quality 5 pin sight, I am deadly accurate out to 60 yards. It’s so simple and effective, the only reason to switch to a drop away for me is so people will quit looking at me at the range like I just started shooting and hunting! (Although I have been doing both for 30 years!)


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[ozyclint]

sounds to me that your the type of guy who places a lot of value on how you go about things and one that realizes the greater level of satisfaction that comes with overcoming personal challenge.

however, you can't have your cake and eat it too. you can't shortcut the 'how' and expect more 'wow'.

the satisfaction gained from achieving one's goal's is directly proportional to the hardships and challenges overcome in order to achieve them.

good luck with finding the balance.

 

[dieselchessy]

When archery equipment gets simple the physical and mental aspects of it get complicated quick.

 

[fngTony]

When archery equipment gets simple the physical and mental aspects of it get complicated quick.

This has been my experience. I actually like it that way because it forces me to better myself, not buy new bows and accessories.

 

[5MilesBack]

You're complicating something that isn't complicated. Grab a legal weapon and go hunt......regardless what that weapon is. If it gets too complicated.....don't go. Problem solved.

 

[Back Country Hunter 2]

I just try to hunt as often as possible. To me it really doesn't matter at this point in my life what weapon I use. I am just trying to get as many tags as possible and fill them. Meat tastes good! This past year I had an archery tag, muzzle-loader tag, and multiple rifle tags. Interestingly enough the only tag I didn't fill was the archery tag.

 

[NEhunter]

You're complicating something that isn't complicated. Grab a legal weapon and go hunt......regardless what that weapon is. If it gets too complicated.....don't go. Problem solved.

This.... There is nothing saying that you have to take that 300 yard shot with a rifle just because you can. Set a personal goal to be within 100 or something.


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[sveltri]

Hunt however you like, it’s all good. There’s not much that’s more simple than a longbow.

 

[GLB]

Try a Trad style bow if you want to Bowhunt. You can make it as simple as you want. Its most satisfying when taking game. However I will warn you that it can be a love/hate relationship

 

[elkduds]

You answered you own ?. Hunt w both. Some species are more amenable to archery hunting (rutting elk), while others are a better fit for rifle. Don't overlook muzzleloaders!

 

[bivouaclarry]

IMO, ethics is not dictated by the weapon of choice. Rather, ethics is striving to put the animal down in one shot, cleanly. IMO, hunting is about getting as close as possible to prey to make that happen every time. There is a great satisfaction that comes with being a hunter and closing that distance.

 

[sneaky]

Sharpen up on your use of 4 letter words if you pick up trad gear, you'll be using various combinations of them at one point or another.

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[Takem]

I just try to hunt as often as possible. To me it really doesn't matter at this point in my life what weapon I use. I am just trying to get as many tags as possible and fill them. Meat tastes good! This past year I had an archery tag, muzzle-loader tag, and multiple rifle tags. Interestingly enough the only tag I didn't fill was the archery tag.

This pretty much sums up how I feel. Everyone is different but I don't feel any less satisfied with shooting something at 40 yards with my 7mag (or any distance I'm comfortable and confident with) than I do with my bow.

 

[gdpolk]

Hunt your own hunt. Sometimes one man's goals are different than another man's goals. As long as your hunting ethically the tool you use is really not that important to me.

I am a very committed traditional archer. My longbow takes more game for the table every year than many of my friends do with guns. Does that make it a better weapon? No. I have a cabinet with firearms for about anything that suits my fancy and they aren't going anywhere because I like to own, shoot, and hunt with them as well. I love to hear that gun powder ring and I shoot rifles competitively regularly. In the field my guns are more efficient than my longbow. However, what I truly love about hunting is the time outside and the experience of pursuing wild game in a natural landscape. When I pick up my longbow it makes me slow down and enjoy the experience a bit more. For this reason I will almost always choose my longbow over a crossbow/compound/rifle/shotgun/handgun if possible. If I had a very limited time to spend in the woods and was really in need of meat fast, I'd be getting the rifle first but I'm blessed to have a lot of opportunites to get outside.

 

[Beendare]

Rifle/Bow; Every hunter I know [many] strives to be highly proficient with their chosen weapon. Along with that, they develop parameters for their effective range- everyone is different. For example, I'm not much of a rifle shot...I pretty much only shoot coyotes and limit my shooting to about 200yds. I was helping a guide in AZ and we had a couple guys that were 'Money' at 800yds- amazing shooters that practice weekly at those ranges.Yup^ everyones different.

To the "Ethical part"...what we do as hunters is highly ethical.

We are providing for our families.

We are managing other species we share this planet with [Yes its man that is the gatekeeper responsible for managing these species, NOT assorted predators]

It is our heritage to live off the land, We go about our business in an efficient manner...killing game quickly.

 

[Ndbowhunter]

Tahr are pretty ez to hunt and kill, I wouldn't worry about it.

If you want to be really ethical don't use anything at all. Hands down my most adrenaline, memorable hunt. Wife didn't want me to slit it's throat, so it walked away.

 

[Ranch Fairy]

Have fun out there.
On the bow. If you are going into hunting situations, simple, simple and simpler.
There’s a lot of crazy new toys people put on bows. They are cool for measuring peckers and the color of your peep sight.......at the 3D range.
But animals laugh.

You want to use a 300 Win mag. Heck yah! Everyone needs one...and a 338.
Because they exist!!!

Have fun hunting.

 

[juan trueno]

I’ve been somewhat bummed out since the season ended- and I finally realized it was tied to the morality of the way I had been living. Then looking back at my life I realized that it’s been this way for 28 years now- just this listless feeling of not being quite right. Out of place- never could fit in. Just morally corrupt social deviant. I called a pastor- I didn’t know what else to do.

 

[juan trueno]

It’s pretty bad- absolute no moral compass- and really no ability until now to even recognize that about myself. So absolutely corrupt in the inside- I hate Indians, mongols, Robin Hood and pretty much everything else associated with archery- never could stand it, but now I know- it’s just That righteous light burning so bright and exposing the truth about me- making me look into the mirror of my own soul- and see who and what i really am- and that’s why I never could stand it. Just a blind man happy in the dark and scared to face that healing light



Edit- I edited this post and the screen came back and said “your changes have been SAVED!!” hallelujah