I know some people are against hunting with guns, and that you should hunt only with bows. I think in one of Tom Brown Jr.'s books he talks about that. I've been thinking about starting to hunt, I took a hunter safety course. I've been looking at some muzzle loaders, some of them are good quality and don't cost much. What do you think?
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Hunting with bows and guns
- Thread starter grant4353
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I think that if you would like to learn to hunt, then go for it. As far as a weapon, the one you are proficient with is the one you should use.
I hunt with longbow and recurve, but I also carry a sidearm when hunting hogs and I like to tote a shotgun every now and again. I think the muzzleloader is a great way to hunt. I hunted with one that a friend of mine owns and it's a good weapon.
Of course, being able to shoot is about 1/10th of the hunt and if you havn't been helping others to track wounded game, you might want to get a book or two on tracking and what to look for. As a matter of fact, if you go to The Stickbow , they have bloodtrail exercises on their site. You can go in and do several of them and learn what to look for when tracking game under a bunch of different circumstances and conditions.
One thing to keep in mind when hunting with the muzzleloader is that you'll only get one shot unless you're carrying two of them, so you're not likely to get a follow up shot if your first one isn't quite on mark and you get a bad hit on the animal.
Another aspect of the hunt is care of the animal after it's recovered and if you happen to get a real bruiser and want to get it mounted, then you'll have a new set of rules as far as caping the animal.
Have fun
I hunt with longbow and recurve, but I also carry a sidearm when hunting hogs and I like to tote a shotgun every now and again. I think the muzzleloader is a great way to hunt. I hunted with one that a friend of mine owns and it's a good weapon.
Of course, being able to shoot is about 1/10th of the hunt and if you havn't been helping others to track wounded game, you might want to get a book or two on tracking and what to look for. As a matter of fact, if you go to The Stickbow , they have bloodtrail exercises on their site. You can go in and do several of them and learn what to look for when tracking game under a bunch of different circumstances and conditions.
One thing to keep in mind when hunting with the muzzleloader is that you'll only get one shot unless you're carrying two of them, so you're not likely to get a follow up shot if your first one isn't quite on mark and you get a bad hit on the animal.
Another aspect of the hunt is care of the animal after it's recovered and if you happen to get a real bruiser and want to get it mounted, then you'll have a new set of rules as far as caping the animal.
Have fun
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Why would you woory about what others say?
Also most states and Canadian Provances require a valid bowhunter safety course to go along with your hunter safety course.
DO WHAT YOU WANT TO DO! Don't worry what others think when it comes to hunting use the implement that's legal in your area and enjoy.
as for bows check this out:
Look at the torture test Trevor put the bow thru!
You've got to go to the movie section and watch him throw it in the pond, then dryfire it.....
Drop it from a treestand and dryfire it....
THEN DRIVE OVER IT WITH A FRIGGIN TRUCK!!!!!!!! NOT ONCE BUT TWICE!!!!
Then dryfire it!
And all his bows are covered for breakage for 5 years!
here's the link:
http://www.discoverybowhunting.com/movies.php
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- Oct 15, 2003
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- 605
That is freakin impressive,I have a Hoyt and would NOT do what he just did,plus I like the idea of no cams,It looks like there is a "let off" but how does that work with no cams.
Either way im going to have to look into one of these
Thanks for the link.
Either way im going to have to look into one of these
Thanks for the link.
- Joined
- Jan 7, 2003
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- 2,373
As far as survival hunting goes you really only need a .22 rifle. Centerfire guns are great for big game but the lowly .22 is what will feed you if you have to eat what you hunt. If you are just starting into hunting then buy a 12 gauge and a .22 that is legal to use in your area. With those two you can do 90% of what you want to do in North America.
Stickbows are the way to go in archery. They weigh next to nothing and you will learn how to shoot correctly. Just keep your expectations in check at the beginning, the bow takes lots and lots of practice. Expect to spend a good bit more on arrows, you have to treat them as a consumable commodity.
Remember, just because you have the gear does not mean you have the skills. If you wan to learn how to hunt you will have to spend the time hunting and getting skunked and set up realistic practice sessions. Mac
Stickbows are the way to go in archery. They weigh next to nothing and you will learn how to shoot correctly. Just keep your expectations in check at the beginning, the bow takes lots and lots of practice. Expect to spend a good bit more on arrows, you have to treat them as a consumable commodity.
Remember, just because you have the gear does not mean you have the skills. If you wan to learn how to hunt you will have to spend the time hunting and getting skunked and set up realistic practice sessions. Mac
Why are they against hunting with a gun
? I wonder if they throw away their knives and replace them with a rock when wandering in the wilderness.IMO one should use the most effective tool to bag the meat. I think it`s all right to hunt with a bow, but not out of principle.
I wish people would only hunt with bows for safety reasons. Every year I watch guys who are ordinarily responsible turn into complete freaks for hunting season. There is this brainless fog that comes over them. They shoot roadsigns in front of people's houses, tear down fences for access, take shots at sounds, and generally take no care to check what is behind their targets. And then there is the poaching. . . This is all based on first-hand experience, watching these guys through 20x binoculars from my kitchen window.
Very, very rarely will a bowhunter behave this way.
It would be a lot safer FOR ME AND MY DOG if hunters would only use bows. I will not vote to restrict the rights of gun hunters, but you won't catch me sticking up for a group who so badly abuses their rights, either.
Many rifle hunters are just fine, and there are bad bow hunters too. I am just saying that, in my area, a major fraction of rifle hunters go brain-dead during the 15 (10) days a year they have to kill a single deer (elk).
Scott
Very, very rarely will a bowhunter behave this way.
It would be a lot safer FOR ME AND MY DOG if hunters would only use bows. I will not vote to restrict the rights of gun hunters, but you won't catch me sticking up for a group who so badly abuses their rights, either.
Many rifle hunters are just fine, and there are bad bow hunters too. I am just saying that, in my area, a major fraction of rifle hunters go brain-dead during the 15 (10) days a year they have to kill a single deer (elk).
Scott
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I don't know about others opinions on why hunting with a gun is a bad thing. True, there are a lot of slob hunters out there that have no respect for anything or anyone. But for the most part, I think that most gun hunters are responsible people.
My thoughts are, that if you're only after meat, a gun is the way to go. However, hunting with a simple stick and string, or a compound, makes a man a better hunter. Especially if he hunts from the ground. It also makes you deadly quiet when the shot is taken instead of alerting everyone to your presence and if you are in a survival situation, silence is your trusted allie.
My thoughts are, that if you're only after meat, a gun is the way to go. However, hunting with a simple stick and string, or a compound, makes a man a better hunter. Especially if he hunts from the ground. It also makes you deadly quiet when the shot is taken instead of alerting everyone to your presence and if you are in a survival situation, silence is your trusted allie.
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I'd master all your available weapons. Hunt with them all as well. Who cares what Tom Brown says. I'll hunt with whatever I can find if I need to. If you can master all the weapons you increase your knowledge, and skill base. Why short yourself?
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Ignoring the limits placed on one by game and gun laws (very dangerous to do I might add) the best weapon available for "survival poaching" is the silenced, scope-sighted, .22 rifle loaded with subsonic .22 lr. With such a rig you can take game all day in suburbia, eat like a king and your Serria Club neighbor won't even know. This is just approaching it from a purely techinical standpoint. Silenced .22's are awesome for hunting, not sporting, not legal, but works like a charm.
Bows are also one of the preferred weapons for taking the kings deer but you have to develop a lot more skill. Mac (who got respectable and no longer poaches anything, anywhere, anymore... promise)
Bows are also one of the preferred weapons for taking the kings deer but you have to develop a lot more skill. Mac (who got respectable and no longer poaches anything, anywhere, anymore... promise)
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Originally posted by featherstone45
That is freakin impressive,I have a Hoyt and would NOT do what he just did,plus I like the idea of no cams,It looks like there is a "let off" but how does that work with no cams.
Either way im going to have to look into one of these
Thanks for the link.
The BEST BOWS OUT THERE!
This year I sold my .30 Carbine and used the funds to buy a new bow.
After 15 years of service my orignal Oneida Eagle H250 has seen better days. (it's still shootable, but in sad need of an overhaul)
What did I replace it with?
Considerations were:
Adjustable drawweight within my limitations (bad shoulder that needs to go under the knife)
O- 90% letoff NO CAMS!
Be able to take care of any breakage in the field.
Simplicity
I went to a well established archery pro shop armed with my own personal preferences along with an open mind to the advancement of tech stuff.....
I came away more than satisfied with the Firebrand Tech INTENSITY!
There is so much I could say about this bow.
First of all it's made here in NY by the family that invented the Oneida Eagle Bow
Second all repairs can be done IN THE FIELD!
there are NO CAMS or WHEELS
the bow can be DRYFIRED with NO DAMAGE!
And the bow out of the box is the quietest bow I've ever shot!
I went with the INTENSITY because that particular bow just fit me better than the DISCOVERY.
Here's their website:
http://www.discoverybowhunting.com/home.php
PS: grant4353 who cares if Mr. Brown doesn't like gun hunting, I truly love bowhunting, I'm a Sportsmen's Ed instructor, and a Bowhunter Ed. Instructor,
I hunt with EVERYTHING! from my 1972 mint BEAR Kodiack Magnum with wood arrows, Muzzle loader, centerfire rifles from boltaction to my FAL, and shotgun with fully rifled barrel and sabots.
Do what's right for you! I would also like to tell beezaur who knows all these slob gun hunters..TURN THEIR BUTTS IN! They give us all a bad name and it's your duty to police your buddies and make sure to rid the woods of these slobs! Pochers are steling from YOU! Slobs give us all a bad name, and threaten our hunting heritage for future generations.
Any of you have exprience with the CVA Bobcat? Doesn't cost very much and from a review I read in Backwoodsman it seems like a good gun. If I was to get it, should I get a synthetic stock or a wooden one? Synthetic cost less and I think it would require less maintenance.
I've done some of that. It isn't as easy as you may think, though. When the majority of your neighbors have always done it this way, and you have a problem with their style, well, things do get a little complicated.
What I do most of now is just ask them to leave. When they balk, I explain what I saw. They always deny it, and I allow them that, but the mortified looks on their faces are plain. Then they leave and aren't eager to come back. No fighting, and they are out of my hair. With any luck, it will cause them to think twice next time.
Scott
As an avid hunter, I recently took up bowhunting, and find it awesome. Like Longbow50 said, if all you want is meat, then use a rifle. bowhunting will teach you patience, and make you a much better hunter. With a compound, your longest wil be 40-50 yards, while a recurve, it will be even closer. I think archery is an indian word for vegatarian!!
Yep, archery has little to do with killing animals. Archery is "learning to shoot a bow" so you can bowhunt.
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Oh, my longest shot to date is a tad over 25 yards and my average shot is around 12-13 yards. I hunt on the ground, so ability to get close comes into play and we eat venison and boar every year.
Keep up your hunting practice. Even if you hunt from a tree, you need to learn to get the animals within 20 yards and preferably much closer. It all comes with experience and like you said, Patience.
Keep up your hunting practice. Even if you hunt from a tree, you need to learn to get the animals within 20 yards and preferably much closer. It all comes with experience and like you said, Patience.
I agree with the earlier statement of "Hunt with what you are most proficient with". Bow hunting is a skill that I have all the respect in the world for, but it is a tough one to master. It is ALOT easier to down game with a Scoped 300 Mag. than the best recurve or compound bow, and alot less chance of just injuring the animal.
After all, I dont think any of us would want any animal running through the woods with an arrow in his leg. So, hunt with what you are best with, if its a gun, hunt with a gun, at least until you master the bow.
After all, I dont think any of us would want any animal running through the woods with an arrow in his leg. So, hunt with what you are best with, if its a gun, hunt with a gun, at least until you master the bow.
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Add another vote for "use whatever you're best with".
I would like to add some thoughts to pict's post, if I may. Starting out, a .22 and 12 gauge are indeed a great combo. But, I think in a survival situation, the choice is very dependent on your particular area.
Around here, I swear we have more deer than squirrels and rabbits. It's common for me to go squirrel hunting with my .22, and jump up 3 or 5 deer, but never see one dang squirrel. I would personally rather have a good centerfire rifle for the deer. It will kill squirrels too, ya know. But I can shoot one or two deer, and eat well all week, which also gives me plenty of time to get another. With the .22, I'd have to kill a whole pile of those elusive squirrels every day or go hungry.
I would like to add some thoughts to pict's post, if I may. Starting out, a .22 and 12 gauge are indeed a great combo. But, I think in a survival situation, the choice is very dependent on your particular area.
Around here, I swear we have more deer than squirrels and rabbits. It's common for me to go squirrel hunting with my .22, and jump up 3 or 5 deer, but never see one dang squirrel. I would personally rather have a good centerfire rifle for the deer. It will kill squirrels too, ya know. But I can shoot one or two deer, and eat well all week, which also gives me plenty of time to get another. With the .22, I'd have to kill a whole pile of those elusive squirrels every day or go hungry.