Archery in a rifle dominated hunting world

[JimQ]

Anyone else out there reached that point in their hunting lives that they no longer want to walk out the door with a rifle slung over their shoulder? I am that hunter that watches every hunting video he can and once upon a time it was all of them. However, now I only watch the bowhunting ones and have no desire to watch someone sit out 475 yards to shoot a muley buck or bull elk. I haven't pulled my rifle out of the gun safe this year and probably won't. Everyone has their own weapon of choice that makes them the happiest and my heavily modified Winchester 270 just doesn't interest me anymore. When I walk out the door my first and only choice is my Sauk Trail Spirit recurve. The dilemma is of course the same one everyone suffers from, finding a piece of public land that isn't saturated with orange and gunshots. The western side of Montana has numerous BMA's that are archery only but I have already had my one big hunting trip for the year so now I am down to trying to stay within 2 hours of home for a day hunt. Region 4 unfortunately has none of those that I have been able to find so must find that piece of public land that does not interest the rifle hunters.
Am I crazy? Foolish? Or just getting old? OK enough with the boohooing and time to get back to the maps. Good luck all my fellow archers!

 

[Deleted member 18333]

Anyone else out there reached that point in their hunting lives that they no longer want to walk out the door with a rifle slung over their shoulder? I am that hunter that watches every hunting video he can and once upon a time it was all of them. However, now I only watch the bowhunting ones and have no desire to watch someone sit out 475 yards to shoot a muley buck or bull elk. I haven't pulled my rifle out of the gun safe this year and probably won't. Everyone has their own weapon of choice that makes them the happiest and my heavily modified Winchester 270 just doesn't interest me anymore. When I walk out the door my first and only choice is my Sauk Trail Spirit recurve. The dilemma is of course the same one everyone suffers from, finding a piece of public land that isn't saturated with orange and gunshots. The western side of Montana has numerous BMA's that are archery only but I have already had my one big hunting trip for the year so now I am down to trying to stay within 2 hours of home for a day hunt. Region 4 unfortunately has none of those that I have been able to find so must find that piece of public land that does not interest the rifle hunters.
Am I crazy? Foolish? Or just getting old? OK enough with the boohooing and time to get back to the maps. Good luck all my fellow archers!

I'm getting close but only in regards to elk. Bull elk specifically. Not so much a crowding issue as much as I just find it so much more enjoyable. Starting to lose interest in hunting bulls that I am not trying to call. The weather is better. Yes, there is less competition. But its just so much more fun to be hunting rutting bulls, IMO. For everything else I still would rather grab the rifle.

 

[JimQ]

I'm getting close but only in regards to elk. Bull elk specifically. Not so much a crowding issue as much as I just find it so much more enjoyable. Starting to lose interest in hunting bulls that I am not trying to call. The weather is better. Yes, there is less competition. But its just so much more fun to be hunting rutting bulls, IMO. For everything else I still would rather grab the rifle.

Thats my one big hunting trip of the year is chasing those bulls during rut.

 

[Deleted member 18333]

Thats my one big hunting trip of the year is chasing those bulls during rut.

Im starting to think I need to do the same.

 

[Redman]

I killed my first deer with a bow. I hunt Muzzleloader, rifle, an pistol. Bowhunting makes the others easier but I love hunting with any legal weapon. I used to just bowhunt but find enjoyment in handloading and messing with different bullets. I am by no means a "long range" hunter..if I want that I shoot varmints. Love the fell of a gun or bow in my hand but at the end if the day I am grocery shopping and thankful that I am able to put food in the freezer.

 

[BOHNTR]

I’ve been at that point for many years……now I’m to the point where I don't want to watch folks on television with a bow casting arrows at muzzleloader ranges and call it Bowhunting. That’s shooting, not hunting, IMO. But that’s just me and who am I to say otherwise, I guess.

 

[JimQ]

I’ve been at that point for many years……now I’m to the point where I don't want to watch folks on television with a bow casting arrows at muzzleloader ranges and call it Bowhunting. That’s shooting, not hunting, IMO. But that’s just me and who am I to say otherwise, I guess.

Thats why I prefer traditional. I enjoy most of all the DIY traditional hunter videos most with the guys that are ecstatic about the little whitetail doe they just smoked at 15 yards.

 

[TheJason]

I’m the opposite. I hardly every bow hunt anymore. I take the rifle out and when that’s done it’s time to hunt birds with the dog.

Probably a similar evolution to yours but it just looks different.

 

[nrpate05]

Is rifle season really more crowded than archery season? Seems fairly equal in CO. At least in some parts of the state. I also feel like a lot of the bowhunting videos are getting old. If I didn't know any better I would just think you walk around in the woods and blow your bugle a few times and a bull comes wandering in. I really enjoy the late rifle seasons and stalking the timber in the snow. I took my last elk that way at about 20 yards. Really exciting.

 

[wa_archer]

I’ve gone both ways only archery for years and have slowly started mixing rifle hunts back in. Although yes my rifle hunts are normally bear or off day deer hunts. Washington doesn’t matter much when it comes to crowds. Yes there are far less during archery but a lot more than when I started.

 

[Nick87]

They're both different and I like both the same. If I'm hunting whitetails around home I don't care if I fill a tag I've filled plenty I'd rather bowhunt because it's more fun during the heat of the rut. Hunting western states I'd rather have the rifle as filling my tag is a little more important. Having kids now also comes into play which i choose because time is much more limited than it was in years past.

 

[gouch]

I've pretty much always felt that way. I have killed many animals with a rifle but always felt like I had cheated after the deed was done. I lost all my guns, except a muzzleloader, in the fire and immediately bought a new shotgun but decided there was no reason to by a rifle. I could use the muzzleloader if I wanted to hunt with a gun. I do enjoy hunting with the stuffer. Now, this year right before deer season a friend decided I needed a rifle and gave me a 7mm-08 so I feel obligated to hunt with it. But it's still cheating.

 

[Deleted member 28227]

Exact opposite for me... archery in a lot of CO units is up as much as 800%, some units are now 70% NR. Meanwhile rifle hunting is down.

Every bro from Utah to Florida wants to fling arrows at elk from 80 yards and then talk about how hard their dry/warm September hunt was, and post cute little photos of their hot tent.

I have a longbow, it's a blast to shoot, have zero desire to be in the woods with Chad and Dylan bugling off of every ridge.

MA same thing... dudes everywhere in tree saddles during archery, not a person in the woods during muzzy season.

Seems like a lot of us want to go against the grain, so net net it's the same thing method IMHO doesn't matter, but I think for millennials it's 80/20 bow to rifle.

 

[rwc101]

Nope. I like the efficiency of firearms. To each their own though.

 

[JimQ]

My wife doesn't like deer meat only elk meat so it's no longer about filling the freezer except for me and our son. it's not even about that kill at the end. I find the purity of hunting with a stick and string to what pleases my soul the most and I leave the mountains feeling centered again. No more $200 sight or $150 release, no more worried about bumping the scope out of whack or a misfire from a reload. It's me, the serenity of nature and the spirit of the animal with only my abilities leading me through. I don't judge anyone for their choices on manner of taking an animal as long as it is fair chase and the least amount of suffering for the animal in the event of a kill. Yes, I have my 45 on my hip due to the grizzlies up here and I use my shotgun for the birds (except mountain grouse) but when it comes to deer and elk...it's me and them on their level.

 

[DouglasR]

I’ve just always been drawn towards difficult things.
And those pursuits led me to archery.

 

[MTLabrador]

Exact opposite for me... archery in a lot of CO units is up as much as 800%, some units are now 70% NR. Meanwhile rifle hunting is down.

Every bro from Utah to Florida wants to fling arrows at elk from 80 yards and then talk about how hard their dry/warm September hunt was, and post cute little photos of their hot tent.

I have a longbow, it's a blast to shoot, have zero desire to be in the woods with Chad and Dylan bugling off of every ridge.

MA same thing... dudes everywhere in tree saddles during archery, not a person in the woods during muzzy season.

Seems like a lot of us want to go against the grain, so net net it's the same thing method IMHO doesn't matter, but I think for millennials it's 80/20 bow to rifle.

That’s where I’m at. Not sure you could say it’s a rifle dominated hunting world at all and I get annoyed by the bro archery hunters.

That and I like killing elk without all the stress and drama of wondering if I’ll ever find them.

 

[jlong17]

When it comes to limited entry tags, I apply for archery hunts. As far as general or OTC I am starting to shift from archery to rifle. Like Will said, there is a lot of us millennials out there with a bow these days and I’m not interested in dealing with elkshape personalities in the woods. I have much more pleasant interactions with the older rifle crowd. Another major factor for me is the odds of success. Momma let’s me leave the family for weeks every year because she sees value in quality, organic meat for us to enjoy all year long.

 

[TOGIE]

yeah i have extremely little to no interest in bow hunting. especially because it seems like the dominant interest among the hunters i know that i have less respect for.

i bought one this year only for the time flexibility component of having a bow and being able to take a stab at elk or mule deer in september due to having a baby.

those plans didn't work out. wife is okay with me rifle hunting anyway. that bow may never get tuned or shot, at least for a while.

i have at least 7-8 close friends that hunt in colorado, i'd say the majority of them think bow hunting is the way to go. they also almost all have emptry freezers year over year. "but dude i had such rad encounters, it was so cool" that's just the consolation phrase for going on like 8 years of not shooting an elk with your bow. to each their own tho.

anybody want to buy an unshot left handed bear cruzer g2? i'll inflation adjust too so i can even profit

 

[mtnkid85]

I came into archery later in my hunting career. On elk I really don't think its any harder or easier than rifle hunting, its just different. Finding the elk is much easier, getting them killed is perhaps harder but my success rate has been about equal on the two methods, balancing them out.

What Ive come to realize is killing an elk in September opens up the upland season for me and my GSP. She is now 8 years old and I never really concentrated on putting her on birds because I was always concentrating on big game so heavily. Ive really been enjoying getting out with her more lately.