If You Had To Choose ?

[BizCT]

The answer to your question is "NO"....I don't have a dog in this fight, since I no longer hunt with archery gear of any description.

However, I have hunted in several states plus a couple of provinces where Xbows are legal, and crowded woods due to xbows were not a problem... It's similar to the alarm voiced by many people when rifles became legal a few years back in parts of the Southern Zone that had always been shotguns only..

Lots of fretting and worrying and wringing of hands and rending of hair beforehand, and after it happened, it became a "non-issue".

+1. I hunted with xbow in archery season in pa on state land and never saw anyone, also hunted January late archery and saw nobody then as well.

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[Carbonelement]

i don't really see the difference between crossbows and bows. I am 100% compound and stick bow hunter, but I do own a crossbow(never shot a deer with it). I can shoot my compound out to 50 yds all day with 2-3 inch groups. and don't tell me there is not a bow hunter here that hasn't missed a shot. With a reg bow u can nock another arrow and most times get another crack at a deer....good luck doing that with n Xbow. I wish they would spend more time going after poachers than debating between allowing xbows or not. And I now n days i would discard muzzle loaders as a primitive weapon. you can kill at 100+ yds all day....that is a different level IMO. I can honestly say in all my years of hunting 90% have been under 25 yds, I dont think an xbow will make too much of a difference in archery season.

I have killed deer with a gun but nothing come close to the thrill of bow hunting.

[WNYBuckHunter]

I love both equally, as each presents a different set of challenges. I am not one of these guys that thinks gun hunting is a s simple as point and click. Each type of gun I have hunted with also provides a different challenge. Id say if I had to choose, Id choose to hunt with an Encore handgun chambered in 260 Rem. Its capable of reaching out there, but only if you meet the challenge of keeping it steady!

[Five Seasons]

bow. hands down.

[mtbuck]

bow

[phade]

bow

[moog5050]

Funny thing is that I started hunting because I liked shooting guns at the range so much.  Now I wouldn't trade bow hunting for anything.  I find it much more exciting than gun.

[sssurfertim]

I like to kill deer with a bow, shoot them with a rifle, and smoke them with black powder. Nothing like early season bowhunting, hunting the Catskills big woods opening week with the rifle. I am a deer hunter, and as long as I'm hunting I am happy.

[apoallo]

shotgun. Although I found throwing a spear from a tree stand a very interesting stradagy. However I think I would miss more then not so Im hands down with gun season

[tuckersdaddy]

shotgun. Although I found throwing a spear from a tree stand a very interesting stradagy. However I think I would miss more then not so Im hands down with gun season

We have a spear season?????

[TPhunter]

I'd have to say gun...I love my bow and really enjoy hunting with it, but I hunt to eat and would surely starve to death if I had to do it all with a bow...LOL

[Elmo]

I'd have to say gun...I love my bow and really enjoy hunting with it, but I hunt to eat and would surely starve to death if I had to do it all with a bow...LOL

Same here. Considering that I haven't gotten anything with a bow, I'll stick with the rifle.

[WNYBuckHunter]

I'd have to say gun...I love my bow and really enjoy hunting with it, but I hunt to eat and would surely starve to death if I had to do it all with a bow...LOL

Exactly. My family likes venison too much lol.

[Doc]

I'd have to say gun...I love my bow and really enjoy hunting with it, but I hunt to eat and would surely starve to death if I had to do it all with a bow...LOL

Lol ..... If I had to hunt to eat, I'd starve to death no matter which weapon I used.

 

Bow season is when I really "hunt". It's a time when I can rely on my own abilities rather than hoping that someone else accidently pushes a deer in my direction. I get to pattern deer instead of patterning hunters. It's a whole lot more rewarding when I am successful. The challenge of getting a deer inside of 20 yards with a bow forces me to rely more on knowing what the deer are doing, and why and when. Bigger challenge - bigger satisfaction with success. Generally speaking, a bow harvest is 100% my own doing and doesn't involve trying to position myself at some intercept point, hoping that somebody else will accidently push a deer out in my direction. But each season has its appeal, and I would not want to be forced to choose one or the other.

[WNY_Whitetailer]

I love them both but if I had to choose, archery would win.

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[TeeBugg]

Id have to say bow. But in all honesty it comes down to what puts meat on the table. Id prefer a bow but if the shotgun or muzzleloader does the trick then so be it.

[Geno C]

Huge bow hunter here... I love how hunting. I have even used the bow during gun season. Don't get me wrong I love hunting with the gun

[Doc]

I'll tell you one thing that is kind of good. Now that bow seasons are so long, and since I am retired and can use most of it, it really is kind of great to be able to change things up a bit by grabbing a gun. It puts a bit of variety into my deer hunting. LOL .... besides, if I get all the way through bow season and have not gotten my deer, it's time to pick up a weapon that will reach out and touch something. I kind of go into revenge mode to make up for all those times that the deer have made a fool out of me  .

[TeeBugg]

I'll tell you one thing that is kind of good. Now that bow seasons are so long, and since I am retired and can use most of it, it really is kind of great to be able to change things up a bit by grabbing a gun. It puts a bit of variety into my deer hunting. LOL .... besides, if I get all the way through bow season and have not gotten my deer, it's time to pick up a weapon that will reach out and touch something. I kind of go into revenge mode to make up for all those times that the deer have made a fool out of me .

Gotta agree with ya. When gun season comes around i sometimes say..."put down the twang and give me the bang"! Step out at 40+ yards now hehe

[Guns&ReligionCop]

BOW, Main reason, I like being close!

[MountainHunter]

I have been fortunate to be a consistently successful Bowhunter and I certainly enjoy it but I really like to cover ground in the mountains. I'm doing that with a rifle.

[jesse.james]

Bow hands down. I even use it during regular season. I bring the rifle out for 1 week a year and that's only because I feel guilty dropping 1400 on a gun and scope set up and not using it.

[josephmrtn]

Gun... ive never tried bow

[sits in trees]

If you had to choose between gun or bow for deer hunting ? Which would you pick ? I prefer bow.

If I really had to it would be bow..