Should I Get Into Bow Hunting?

[Azdaja]

I'm thinking about getting into bow hunting. Does anyone here do it? I'm looking for recommendations on quality bows. I know I want a composite bow rather than a crossbow, but other than that I'm pretty much clueless.

[Stríbog]

Do you mean a compound bow?
If you are seriously into it for hunting efficiency and putting meat on the table, then get a compound bow. Otherwise, I would recommend a traditional (recurve or long) bow. They are much more aesthetically pleasing and have that more traditional feel. The first thing to do is determine your draw strength and draw length. You can do this at most outdoor/hunting stores. The draw weight ranges from about 50 to 65 lbs on most hunting bows. If you want to be able to draw the string back and hold it for an extended period, you would probably want a compound bow with a high let-off rate and dual cams. This greatly reduces the force needed to hold the arrow drawn. A traditional bow will require constant force being applied and cannot be held back nearly as long. Your draw length has to do mainly with your arm length, it's the maximum comfortable distance to which you can pull the string back, usually in the range of 26-30". You may also want to take your height into consideration when selecting bow height, as there is quite a range among traditional bows. Compound bows are much shorter and it's less of a factor.

[Scáthach]

stupid question,but what exactly do you hunt? here people hunt foxes and hares mainly but its becoming less and less acceptable.

[Stríbog]

In America, bowhunting is a big-game sport, which in most places means deer. In places where moose or elk live, they are bowhunted as well. Some people will bowhunt wild hogs or bear, but this is considered very dangerous, as these animals will fight when wounded, rather than flee like deer, elk and moose will.

I don't really hunt much but I am interested in archery. At one point I was considering bowhunting but I don't have the time, and I don't want to pay to have a deer butchered. I don't have any place to butcher it myself. I think hunting rabbits and hares is fine, as they breed in huge numbers, and are quite tasty. Fox hunting is another thing altogether. Chasing a poor creature through the woods with 50 hounds, a dozen men on horseback, and horns blowing is neither sporting nor humane. I've always had a problem with the way British aristocracy hunt. I'm not picking on them specifically, but in colonial days, they were the ones who would shoot tigers from the top of an elephant with 50 natives chasing the tiger through the jungle to tire it out. They used similarly unsporting approaches to rhinoceroses, antelope, etc. American rednecks are just as unsporting, just in a different way. They will sit with a scoped rifle that shoots 1" groups at 100 yards, spray all kinds of attractants all over the woods, and wear scent-blocking camouflage, then rant and rave about how skilled they are when they shoot a deer.

[Azdaja]

Yes, I meant compound bow, lol. Jesus Christ.
The traditional bows kind of freak me out. I've actually got one, but never liked the fact that the string COULD unhinge somehow. It'd probably snap my eye right out of the socket.

<< stupid question,but what exactly do you hunt? >>

I'd go after deer and wild turkey. We've got both of these types of animal running rampant over here.

[Stríbog]

It's much easier to kill a deer with a bow than it is a turkey. Turkeys have ridiculously good vision and it's very difficult to get within bow range of them and get a decent shot off. That doesn't mean it can't be done, though.

[Azdaja]

Honestly, you would be surprised how many times I've went out walking in the woods and practically stumbled right into whole groups of wild turkey.
They are all over the place. Same with the deer. I'm not really sure why, but think it may have something to do with some new developements being built in my area. The place where these houses are going up used to be all woodland. So woods come down, and deer & turkey run to my neighborhood (which is flanked by woods) for cover.

[Scáthach]

wild turkey?
that sounds so cute! eh...yeah we dont have wild turkey here

i completely disagree with fox hunting.the excuses made for it are ridiculous.the same with hare coursing,they are both acts of animal cruelty imo.

[Azdaja]

The idea of hunting hare or rabbit with either guns or bows sounds like overkill to me. Imagine some guy hunting rabbits with a shotgun...he'd blow the thing apart, lol.

Rabbit meat is really good though. I've got no problem with trapping them.

[perter]

A point about hunting is it's one of the traditions that has continued since ancient times.
And one could always train a wolfhound to hunt wolves.