For the guys who have not taken a buck with your bow, are you ever looked down upon by your peers? Even if you have hunted more years and killed more animals than they have. I know lots of guys who gun hunted for a long time and switched to bow. Now that they are bow hunting, all of a sudden they have little, to no experience killing bucks. Though there are differences in the 2 as far as setups and shot selection (at times), does the choice of weapon detract from one's experience in hunting and taking animals as far as you are concerned? I know some guys who think my advice/ideas in bowhunting are useless, yet I have way more experience in hunting, killing (bucks too), dressing animals, setting up stands, etc. than they do. What gives? Is this just bowhunter mentality in general? I would like to think not. End of rant.
I suppose it all depends on what kind of people you consider your peers. People I consider my peers would look down on me for not raising my children, not putting my family before hunting, being mean-spirited, rudeness, and more. Something they would not even consider looking down on me for is what I have killed with which weapon, how many, how big, etc. People I consider as peers understand that good advice stands on its own merits and may, or may not, be related to experience level.
As much as we try and say its not, the world is based on human interaction/competition. There is not a person out there who has not cared what somebody else thinks at one point or another (especially in the woods)
I do not really care what others think of me/my hunting experience. It's the Elitist attitude that pops up time and again that "I killed deer/bucks this way and you have not". To say that hunting is easier/harder in my woods than yours, to say that my accomplishments are greater than yours, to say my way is more commendable than yours, all smack of Elitism. It kinda makes me sick at my stomach to know that young people are being brought up in a world of competitive BS. To compete is to try and be better than someone at a given task. What ever happened to being as good as you can be for yourself, and not worrying about always being at the top of the heap. Oh, I guess that is just the lustful nature of man to try and be better than his neighbor, or "keep up with the Jones' " so to speak. Geesh.
It depends on what experience you have with each weapon... I mean a guy can down play big buck kills with a rifle or shotgun all day, but kill it with a bow and you're a master...I don't see how you can really think down on any weapon if you have never taken an animal with one...I have killed deer with ML, Bow, and shotgun, never even shot a rifle at a deer or hunted with one...not legal where I hunt. By far for ME, the bow is the most rewarding...I no longer ML hunt because I can bow instead.. I never really saw the excitement in ML hunting because they were always close enough for a bow kill...shotgun on the other hand has been a tradition with dogs here Va since Jamestown, and it can be really exciting to hear, but bow hunting is to me the ultimate...I say you really need to have killed an animal with a weapon before you can judge it..
Sometimes though, it's better then being pampered. I would rather go out and strive to actually "accomplish" something then just go out and "try" Call it lighting a fire under ones ass....
I do remember a time when hunting was not about competition...20 yrs ago when I began this journey, it was just about hunting with my friends and family....I just loved it, and I still do, I do not get involved in competitions of any sort when it comes to hunting...it's just a personal thing for me..I hunted long before it was as popular as it is now...bowhunting is very hip now, but I remember back in 1989 sitting on the ground over looking a ravine with a Bear Recurve and one arrow with swickey head day dreaming about just seeing a deer...no one in the area even considered bow hunting...I strive to kill deer for several reasons, but none are based on a competition...
I certainly do not look down on anyone that has had less bowhunting success than I. I would instead offer them encouragement and see if there is anything I can do to help them accomplish their goals. That being said...I suppose when I am looking for hunting advice I will generally seek out people who have had more or as much success than I. That is a big reason I frequent this forum…to learn from the experience of others.
Siman, I never said anything about "not being successful". Success is great. We should all strive for that. When people are successful and just have to brag about it and lessen others accomplishments in the process is what makes me sick. I don't want my children to ever develop this type attitude. Do our best. Be successful. Never look down our nose at others. Bowhunting is fun. Success is fun. The hunt is fun. Friends are fun. Elitism, bragging, pride, all suck.
I don't worry about what the other guy thinks. I am hunting for me. Heck we started out with just being able to hunt with 1 tag per year in my first 15 years of hunting. Jeff talks about experience. I am lucky to get 30 hunts in with work in a year. It actually use to be worse and I was happy to get 5 hunts a year. I only need 1 or 2 deer at the most for the freezer since the wife isn't big on venison and I am not big on cooking for myself. I would use the rifle tag to fill the freeze. My bow tag was for a big buck only and to enjoy the little bit of hunting I could get in by getting away from work. I've was looking more for the experience/kicking back then the kill. I've eaten a lot of bow tags. I know Jeff gets a lot of hunts in a year and shoots more deer then I could ever use in 5 years let alone a year. He hunts out of a tree and I hunt from the ground. He gets to bowhunt rut. I've tried it here and it is a disaster with all the rifle hunters since you are hunting on the ground. In all the land I hunt which is a lot... I can't get away from the rifle hunters. Jeff can if he doesn't count the Mad Dumper. How could you compare us ?? In the short time Jeff has hunted... he has probably has gotten more hunting in then I have in 20 - 25 years. Who has the most experience ?? Do you go by time or actual hunting time or number of kills ?? It really is pointless to compare. It really is pointless to worry about the other guy looking down at you. Hunt for you and enjoy it. That is what it is all about to me. Tim
Man by his own nature is a competative animal, otherwise why watch sporting events? You're not the one playing. We have our own bowhunting contests here! The standard is the team with the most points wins bragging rights. Don't look down on anyone, I'm happy for anyones accomplishments hunting. I do feel sorry for the ones that don't want to learn to bow hunt. They're really missing out!
It's all for fun,there is no prize but I agree, if you're not in this for competition, why join a team?
HUNT. When I started hunting, it took me 3 seasons to kill a deer. I felt by year 2 that I was already more skilled than some of my friends even though they had killed many deer. I was hunting on crap land and barely seeing a single deer. I would hike in a clean mile on public land an hour before dark, hunt ridges, and stay put for long periods of times...and still not see deer. Some of my friends and I am not judging them because they can hunt anyway they wanted, were driving their trucks out to hunt on powerlines on private property. They would sit in chairs in the back of their pick-ups and shoot deer with rifles....more power to em! But you get the point. I was "hunting" a different way and when you really look at it, I was learning more and more every hunt and they were not. So I hear what you are saying LA, killing deer is not the be all end all of "experience". But whatever...I just do not care anymore. Yeah I did feel self conscious for those years that I did not kill any deer when I started hunting, the same with bowhunting b/c it took me 3 seasons to kill a deer with my bow as well. But those lessons were priceless, for my ego and for my soul.
Just for the fun and friends. If I wanted to Compete, it would have to be for something more valuable than bragging rights. See above.
Absolutely, I agree. That's what the contest is for. But even if it's for "bragging rights" or honor or what have you, it's still a competition, the prize has nothing to do with it. Glad you are competing in this friendly game. Good luck on your season!
I don't think it would be a contest if there were no competition. They are keeping score. There is a winner, some losers and you are trying to help your team be the winners, right?
But in the grand scheme of things, it is for fun, to me, Bruce. Sure, it's all good to be on the winning team. I was, the 2nd year I bowhunted and joined the contest. Didn't have a buck to enter. I did get a neat little prize package and all was good. But as far as me losing sleep over it... never. I hunt and shoot whatever, however it makes me happy. Just for me. I never throw my accomplishments around for the lowly Non-buck killers to ogle over. (Lol) Have fun this season Bruce.
