Most challenging way to kill a whitetail ?

[Nomad]

Traditional bow on the ground,my hats off to those that can pull it off!

I find a handgun quite easy. Mine are all open sights revolvers too. My 4 inch .357 I group very well out to 50 yards my 8 inch DW .44 mag even further .

[Pygmy]

The longbow could be considered a lesser weapon compaired to a good compound.. all things being equal... but most trad bow hunters are highly practiced and considerably reduce their max shot yardage.. usually to 20 yards and under... with a good sharp arrow the deer probably doesn't know the difference when hit by one or the other... and most of the trad bow hunters I know would shoot similar groups as a compound at 20 and in. We really have to pull the unpracticed shooters out of the equation all together... they will be less proficient no matter what weapon they're shooting.

You nailed it there, Joe....

A couple of the deadliest bowhunters I know are trad bow shooters....

One of them kills BIG bucks nearly annually with his recurve..I'm talking bucks that would knock your dick stiff...130s minimum. This is in Steuben County NY, not Iowa or Ohio.

The other guy also kills bucks annually with his recurve and also kills 3 or 4 gobblers per year with it.

They both practice religiously and seldom take shots over 20 yards.

[nyantler]

You nailed it there, Joe....

A couple of the deadliest bowhunters I know are trad bow shooters....

One of them kills BIG bucks nearly annually with his recurve..I'm talking bucks that would knock your dick stiff...130s minimum. This is in Steuben County NY, not Iowa or Ohio.

The other guy also kills bucks annually with his recurve and also kills 3 or 4 gobblers per year with it.

They both practice religiously and seldom take shots over 20 yards.

I still have yet to take a buck with my recurve in 12 years... I am trying to get a P&Y from the ground at 20 yards or less... I have passed on some nice bucks that were just not 125"... and many young small bucks... I had my first P&Y buck at 20 yards this year, but couldn't find a spot to fit an arrow through before getting winded... I know it seems kinda nuts to go that long without taking a buck with a bow, but I really enjoy the challenge... kill or no kill I have had some pretty exciting hunts in th last 12 years... it will be a special buck when/if I finally get one... that's what its all about for me... I love a good challenge.

I have been trying to take a good longbeard in the spring with it as well... using just a natural blind (blowdown)... have yet to have one at 20 yards... 25-30, but nothing at 20 or less.. but again.. still exciting.

Edited December 30, 2011 by nyantler

[the blur]

some of the videos of a complete string jump are amazing. you see the arrow fly right over their back as they prepare for the jump. I was impressed by the deer, and said, WOW, he deserves to live !!!

[Pygmy]

I still have yet to take a buck with my recurve in 12 years... I am trying to get a P&Y from the ground at 20 yards or less... I have passed on some nice bucks that were just not 125"... and many young small bucks... I had my first P&Y buck at 20 yards this year, but couldn't find a spot to fit an arrow through before getting winded... I know it seems kinda nuts to go that long without taking a buck with a bow, but I really enjoy the challenge... kill or no kill I have had some pretty exciting hunts in th last 12 years... it will be a special buck when/if I finally get one... that's what its all about for me... I love a good challenge.

I have been trying to take a good longbeard in the spring with it as well... using just a natural blind (blowdown)... have yet to have one at 20 yards... 25-30, but nothing at 20 or less.. but again.. still exciting.

The fellow whos kills the big bucks in Steuben hunts from a treestand mostly, and my friend from Florida who kills gobblers yearly hunts them from a custom, portable blind, so you are imposing more limitations on yourself than they are.. Not exactly apples and oranges. The degree of difficulty is more for you than for them, no doubt.

But that's a great thing about this sport... It is a personal thing..You can impose as much challenge as you want.

I'm currently at the level where I just like to spend some enjoyable time in the woods and hopefully kill a deer or two for the freezer.