Since it appears we have quite a collection of gun enthusiasts here, I'm curious to know. Which do you spend more time shooting for pure recreational purposes? Your guns or your bows? For me, I spend way more time shooting my bow for convenience and cost. There's no cleaning after the shot, it's quiet (can do it on my 2 acres much easier), and it's convenient. However, I really enjoy shooting guns, and I think I even have more fun just plinking with a .22 that I do shooting my bow outside of something specific like 3D. Sort of interesting that I spend more time doing the least "just have fun" activity (don't get me wrong...I enjoy both). How about you?
I spend a lot more time shooting my bow. Much harder to keep consistent, and just get more enjoyment out of it. I do enjoy shooting my guns as well, but with everything going on with our economy, its not really practical right now.
i shoot my bow 4 to 5 times a week i shoot it behind my house in the summer i shoot 3 rounds of skeet every other sunday all other guns once every 6 months
I spend more time shooting my bow but only because I wouldn't feel right heading in the woods if I didnt shoot a lot. And its a lot cheaper to shoot. But, i have a lot more fun shooting guns. Especially back when I shot a lot of trap. I miss them days. But heck anything from taking the .22 out and burning through brass, or talking a slug gun out and making my shoulder hate me, its so much more fun then shooting a bow to me.
I shoot the bow more because I have to. In the sense that I dont feel prepared if I go into the woods without the constant training. Dont get me wrong, I do enjoy shooting the bow. However it will never be as much fun as popping off rounds in my opinion.
These days I shoot guns a LOT more. I don't recommend this to many people but I can pick up a bow with a day notice and be shooting hunting acceptable groups out to 40 yards pretty easily. 6 years ago, I was shooting 1000 arrows a week and maybe 20 rounds of gun ammo in a year. These days I shoot maybe a couple hundred arrows a year, and a few thousand rounds of gun ammo in a year.
It's much more work mastering the shooting of the bow and therefore gets more action. It's also much much cheaper to shoot.
Yep. Once you start competing in open or semi-pro at the national level those guys are looking at targets every day. It hit a point where I had a real job (many of the guys successful in these classes work in the archery industry), and I didn't have the time to dedicate that they did. When I wasn't winning it wasn't fun, too much pressure and too much pride to step back down to hunter classes, plus most guys in hunter class don't want you there after being competitive at a higher level. It just wasn't fun anymore and I burned out. Now I try to spend my spare time and $$$ doing things that are fun that don't burn me out.
I don't shoot either as much as I'd like to anymore. Too much other stuff occupying my time. One of my goals this years is to shoot everything more. I probably enjoy shooting my muzzleloaders the most these days. Fun toying around with them, though I don't shoot them as much as I want either. I do agree with Rick to a degree...when you've been at it a long time, and your bow is tuned...its nothing to let it sit for months at a time and go out and shoot well. I shot mine for the first time in a few mos this week. First 5 shots @ 20yds were in about 2" group, with a couple touching each other. And I'm by no means an expert archer, nor have I shot competitively at a high level. 25yrs of shooting combined with today's technology makes it pretty easy.
^^^This applies to me as well. I used to shoot my bow ALL the time. That was when I lived in an apartment and was a member of a local archery club. Having a house (as you know) and constantly doing home improvement projects eats up that time too. Nowadays, I pick my rig up a couple weeks before spring gobbler and casually shoot and 3-4 weeks prior to deer season. I don't shoot my guns near enough either. I'm a member at a gun club that is about 10 minutes away. We have a 500 yard range that I've only shot out to 100 yards. My goal this year is to get every rifle dialed in and to see what it's capable of. I do think that having a baby will allow me to shoot MORE. I'll be at home more and will need to be close by to the house. I'll spend what free time I have being quiet (outside) in the garage or shooting my bow. We shall see!
I enjoy the challenge of the bow much more than the guns It's also more practical, financially. Though, being a city dweller, I don't get the opportunity do shoot either as often as I'd like.
We shoot clays a decent amount at my house, but I still shoot my bow more. I probably would shoot guns more though if it wasn't for the cost. I enjoy both a lot, but it's easier to add variety to shooting clay birds.
My guns are rarely taken out of the cabinet these days. I haven't rifle hunted in years. I practice enough with my bow to be proficient. I start shooting about 6 weeks before the season starts and throughout the Fall
More bow then guns but we are shooting guns more now then years past. Alot depends on my kids. My oldest daughter likes shooting pistols when she comes back in the summer for visits. Britney likes shooting everything. It will be another summer of shooting bow a lot for her and me. We will also get in more rifle shooting then last year to get her ready for next year's hunting season. Looking forward to it. Tim
Right now the guns are winning over the bows. It used to be like that way back in the day, then I got HEAVY into my bows for a while. Practicing very far ranges, trad bows, I really put hte time in for a few years. But now the swing is back to my guns, I still dont shoot them as much as I want, but its more than the bows.
