I'm sure this has been a topic many times on this forum. Having said that.... I just watched a youtube video where a bow hunter got an excellent heart shot on an nice buck. Some of you may have seen the video. Some may not want to see it. This is the link to it: After the shot the buck runs about 50 or so yards and begins to bleed out a lot and is stumbling all over the place before finally going down. As you can probably imagine, some of the comments on the video (while most are not negative about hunting or hunting with a bow) are negative towards the suffering of the deer while bleeding out. My questions are: 1)Do you believe that it is ethical to take a deer with a bow knowing that most of the time it will suffer before it dies (obviously since we are all bow hunters this is a yes)? 2) Do you believe that this issue directly relates to how we as bow hunters should go about choosing the type of broadhead we use? 3)How does seeing the animal die out like this affect you in the moment and if it is sad to you how to you overcome it? Myself, I believe its no worse than pulling a fish out of water and it "drowning" to death. Jesus did that. I don't believe animals have souls in the same way we do. A spirit...but not necessarily a soul. I believe using a bow puts the hunter at more of a disadvantage....so that makes the kill more ethical. I try to research and select broadheads that will cause the most hemorrhaging at the fastest rate. And when the animal does have to suffer (even with rifle hunting) of course I'm sympathetic for that. I imagine we can all agree that its not ideal for the animal to suffer. But its a necessary evil of the hunt and it is no worse than a wolf or mountain lion or bear or coyote tearing it to shreds. That's just my 2 cents but I thought it would be interesting to hear from you guys on your experiences and some of the things you guys think that I might not have thought of before.
Well, on Dec 27th I shot a doe at 22yrds with a pass through. She ran towards me, got just past me by 10yrds, stopped, and dropped dead. Total time from the shot might have been one minute, tops. That deer didn't have time to suffer! A well placed shot with an arrow is as lethal as a gun. I do feel a certain amount of remorse after I kill a deer, as I reflect on how it lived in my woods. But, my remorse is short lived, as I remind myself what a cunning/alert animal whitetails are, and how tough they can be to kill.
I also believe Jesus as does the bible tells us we are all sinners and we should seek repentance and if we do it shall be granted. If that's not true and God holds me in disregard for murdering animals for sustenance then: 1: It doesn't bode well for the early Christians that sacrificed lambs at God's alter. 2: He can blame himself for creating me with a drive to hunt and fish and to consume cooked flesh. 3: If God appears before me and commands I turn vegan...I'll happy oblige. 4: The bible states clearly that animals are in man's domain and man has dominion over the earth and animals and all that creepeth. Genesis 1:26 I'm mandated to do so. 5: Are wild predators held to this same accountability? Hold on a second while I go ask a few lions, wolves, bears, crocodiles if they feel bad when they rip a living animal to shreds while it's alive and breathing and squalling and fighting for it's life. After that I'll go ask mother nature if she feels bad for ravaging the poor wild creatures with the cruelness of time, disease, genetic malfunction or the unrelenting exposure to the seasons. Is there truly a humane way to murder an animal for food? Let me know what it is. The animal is just as dead. How do we measure another being's "suffrage"? Is dying for a few seconds better or worse than a few more seconds? Is there any suffering from a head shot, I have no first hand experience to draw on to make any conclusions since that's kind of a permanent test to get a qualifying answer. I'm content in knowing that I provide shelter, food and some measure of care for all the animals under my dominion. I take one once in a while out of need not cruelty or dishonorable intent to inflict pain and suffrage. I try to make sure they have as good a quality of life as possible and one bad day if I have need of their sustenance in return.
That video is out of the normal for sure. I can see why outsiders would say certain things. 3 of my 4 dropped inside 40 yards this year with no more than a crash roll and that was it. 10 to 15 seconds for the whole thing. The other ran over a hill so I did not witness it. I hunt for a purpose of feeding my family. I actually feel closest to God/religion immediately following a harvest.
Pretty much on the same side as the rest of my fellow bow hunters. I think it is important to practice and give yourself the best chance to make an ethical shot on any animal. Now that may not always happen, but we should strive to do so. As for the broadheads I think most will do the job, if made sure they are sharp and placed properly. Lastly, as for watching the deer/animal die I am not really a fan of watching. However once I know the animal is dead I am good. I know I am going to use the animal for food and have respect for the animal that I have just harvested. I personally will never show on my hunts the animal actually dying, but will show it once it has expired. Why? It's just how I feel about it personally. Hunting is a situation that I look at as I don't want to bring any negativity to the sport I love to do, but I will not be pushed around and told what I shouldn't do or how I should feel by the anti-hunting community. That's just my short few cents.
the only thing I don't like about this video is how after the shot the hunter would rather mug for the camera than give the animal the attention and respect it deserves. Something about that is unnerving.
Anybody that says using a bow and arrow is not ethical, or they feel guilt about suffering has not watched an animal kill another animal.
I agree with y’all. I feel closer to the big guy in the stand too. I believe there is a reason that we all share that. I found that a little odd that he didn’t mention the buck in the video too. I get the consensus that we all pretty much agree that we love the animals and want to see them and the species thrive under regulated population. I also hunt for food as well. My family loves venison. I try to instill in my youngins a love and respect for the animals. Saw a video last night that I showed my boys of a decent buck stranded on ice and instead of killing him while he has no possible chance, the hunter rescued him. That’s what I want my kids to realize is that they will gain more pride from getting a deer from putting their wits against his and beating him at his own game rather than giving him no chance at all. I really appreciate the responses guys!
my porcupine buck from this season choked me up. Admiration for the animal and disappointment in myself for spining him. He was still dead in less than 4 minutes but watching him try so hard to live was a little haunting. Still is- I've watched the video a few times and it brings back all those feelings every time. But he is delicious.
I understand. I feel like as true hunters we have a sense of compassion for the animals we kill. But you are absolutely correct....they are delicious!
There seems to be a lot of emotion floating around here since the season ended/is ending. Sending you all a big internet hug
why stop at 2? https://forums.bowhunting.com/attachments/20181102_090759-jpg.88752/ apparently you missed this in the LFTS thread. It's why I refer to him as my Porcupine Buck.
I couldn't get past the mullet...still rocking that bad boy 30 years after it went out of style is pretty impressive.
I believe that when deer bleed out that fast, it is more like just going to sleep. Yes, they may stumble around before they fall, but I do not think that much pain in involved. Definitely a lot better than a shot where they are left over night to slowly die, which everyone seems to think is OK.
they're not feeling much if any pain at that point; their brains are shutting down due to lack of O2. Confusion and fear, probably.
Oh, I remember that now, my mistake. I've spined a few deer over the years, but always got the chance for a finishing shot. I hate watching them flail around.
It’s a hard pill to swallow. When I was 10 I made a bad shot with a shotgun on a doe I rushed the shot. My grandpa helped me track and we found her dragging herself. I was going to shoot her again but my gpa took the gun from me and handed me a knife. Made me slit her throat. I can’t remember ever rushing a shot after that but I have made a few more bad shots over the years. It shows we still have compassion. I think you should be more worried if it doesn’t bother you at least a little bit
The only time I never felt anything towards shooting an animal was when I lived in England growing up I would shoot foxes. Part of the family farming company is chickens for eggs, around 5-600,000 hens at any one time, ive seen the aftermath of a fox getting into one of the smaller sheds housing only 25,000 hens (they are free range organic so the doors are open more often) and in one night they will go in and kill 5-600 and only eat two or three, the rest are either dead or barely living and severely mutilated. Those things are sickening, never felt an iota of remorse for every one I shot.
