How many of you both bowhunt and gun hunt? Have any of you attempted to gun hunt and realized you are not a good shot and decided to just be a bow hunter? Our rifle season opens up tomorrow. I've been rifle hunting for the past 5 years: however I am far from any good. Today I was siting in my gun (new ammo) and it took forever for me to get comfortable with it. If I'm not flinching, I am taking five minutes to shoot. Not really sure what I am afraid of. But I swear the minute I pick up a gun my heart rate is over 200, lol. The gun is a nice fit, no recoil (20 gauge shotgun). I get so flustered. Now I can small game hunt and waterfowl no problems. Bow hunting, love it. Rifle not so much. I've taken three deer by rifle, all lethal shots, so its not worrying about wounding a deer (though I am very picky about my shots). Just thinking rifle hunting is not for me. Anyone else?
I gave up gun hunting for deer many years ago. We are a shotgun state for deer, and I just don't enjoy gun hunting for deer. I think I'm just a bow hunter at heart, and I enjoy the challenge of getting them close, and making a clean, humane kill. Not everyone is cut out to be a bow hunter, and that is a big part of what makes it so enjoyable to me. It's a discipline and an almost daily commitment to get proficient and remain proficient. I think you can take just about anyone, and work with them for a few hours, and make them a reasonably decent shot with a long gun designed for deer sized game. They won't qualify for sniper status, but with proper instruction, they could kill deer. You can't say the same for archery deer hunting. There is FAR more that goes into it, and that challenge is why I love it. It's also what makes bowhunters a special breed.
I am a good shot with a rifle but have not hunted with a gun in over three years. I hunt public land only and bow hunt for deer and turkey. The gun just does not give me a thrill like bow hunting does.
I am a terrible gun hunter, I have had terrible luck and misadventures while gun hunting. I hunted for years with very limited success does only. I compare gun hunting to sitting at a slot machine luck is very random. I go to deer camp in Wisconsin to cook and hang out not to hunt.
I hunt both, bow and rifle, depending on where I am. If I know I can make long shots I will pull out the rifle. If I am shooting in a confined area I prefer to use my bow. Some people say it isn't hunting if you are picking off deer at 300 plus yards, but with the year I have had....... Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
