Hunting with a bow

[Lee_shanahan]

I think hunting with a bow would be great and take us back to our ancestors, but practice would be required in order to get a clean kill.

 

[pothunter]

Hi Nobby

If you don’t know the difference between buying venison over the counter and harvesting your own you have no soul.

Pothunter.

 

[British Red]

Easy pothunter. To each his own. I agree I prefer to kill ( I hate euphemisms like "harvest") my own meat, but preferring someone else to do it is okay too - I hate doing my own plumbing!

Red

 

[pothunter]

Hi Red

I take your point, I’ve tried to become a little more ‘politically correct’ and never manage to get the right balance.

My reply was in response to the phrase ‘My local butcher sells venison why bother hunting’ To not appreciate the value of game hunted chosen killed, butchered and shared with friends is a concept I don’t understand.

I plan this year to hunt with my bow in France and Finland and regret that I will never have the opportunity to do the same here legally.

Pothunter.

 

[British Red]

pothunter,

I understand your frustration at not being able to hunt with your weapon of choice. However I, as a rifleman, could post "to use a vastly inferior weapon over the modern alternatives implies a wanton disregard for the potential suffering of your prey".

I wont because, despite not being a bowman, I have taken the time to understand the differnce in hunting and killing methods. I do feel that, even with a correctly placed shot using a modern broad head, that there is a certain slowing of the kill due to the reliance on blood loss as opposed to the traumu inflicted by a modern deforming hunting round. There is also the issue of range and inexperienced bow hunters getting "buck fever". That said, there are no absolutes in hunting whatever your medium of choice.

I'm happy to kill my own meat as I prefer it as the ultimate in "free range". I wouldn't bow hunt as I prefer the certainty my weapons of choice provide. I do however respect your choices. As we all must repect other peoples choices

Red

 

[nobby]

Hi Nobby

If you don’t know the difference between buying venison over the counter and harvesting your own you have no soul.

Pothunter.

True, true but then I've ate no farmed meat for the last twenty years.
Love your use of the word 'harvesting'.

 

[British Red]

Although most venison available from butchers is farmed of course

 

[Snufkin]

Although most venison available from butchers is farmed of course

Which is a foul practice in itself. Deer are game, not livestock.

 

[pothunter]

Hi Red

About five years ago I lost satisfaction in stalking with the rifle, I found that I was no longer ‘hunting’ it had become to easy, anything out to 250 m. was meat and beyond had I invested in a better scope. I donated the .308 and it now sports a barrel chambered for 5.6 x 57 that gives a friend much pleasure.

I had no interest in archery and was introduced by accident, the degree of practice to achieve a good level of proficiency easily exceeds that required for a rifle and this in itself gives me greater satisfaction.

That said I have not totally forsaken the rifle I still have .22 rf (no scope) and now a .45/70 that will not be scoped and proves more than adequate.

To return to the bow the emphasis is on hunting not shooting it’s a great leveler only the archer can decide whether a shot is on, my self imposed maximum range is approximately 20 m although with the compound bow this distance would be doubled.

Having spoken at length to people that have hunted in Africa and North America a well placed shot if it does not kill instantly will lead to death in a very short period. Regarding buck fever it’s something I’ve never suffered from and should I become aflicted then I hope that I can accept that the beast and I may meet another day.

 

[nobby]

Although most venison available from butchers is farmed of course

As you say: most.
I would suggest that there is a world of difference between quick fattening of cattle and deer farming although I except that there have been enormous improvements in meat production since the '80's.
As I said: I haven't ate farmed meat for 20 years, and still see no need too.
The fact is that, for fairly obvious reasons of safety, there never will be bow hunting in the UK. Also, as others have mentioned, creatures shot with a bow rarely die instantly. They bleed to death slowly in distress. Even the Hadze of Africa with their poisoned arrows don't expect a clean death. They track the dying prey sometimes for hours. I just cannot see that ever being acceptable on Cannock Chase.

Snuffkin raised the point that deer are game not livestock, but deer have been managed and therefore farmed in England at least since William of Normandy took the crown and set up royal hunting forests. Further reinforced by noblemen's personal deer parks. I remember camping at Knole in the '50's and '60's and the deer weren't exactly wild. More recently, Lord Burleigh's place at Stamford has similarly unwild deer. Even the 'wild' deer on the Arne peninsula allow you to within a few feet without the need for camouflage although a downwind approach helps.

 

[British Red]

Hi Red

About five years ago I lost satisfaction in stalking with the rifle, I found that I was no longer ‘hunting’ it had become to easy, anything out to 250 m. was meat and beyond had I invested in a better scope. I donated the .308 and it now sports a barrel chambered for 5.6 x 57 that gives a friend much pleasure.

I had no interest in archery and was introduced by accident, the degree of practice to achieve a good level of proficiency easily exceeds that required for a rifle and this in itself gives me greater satisfaction.

That said I have not totally forsaken the rifle I still have .22 rf (no scope) and now a .45/70 that will not be scoped and proves more than adequate.

To return to the bow the emphasis is on hunting not shooting it’s a great leveler only the archer can decide whether a shot is on, my self imposed maximum range is approximately 20 m although with the compound bow this distance would be doubled.

Having spoken at length to people that have hunted in Africa and North America a well placed shot if it does not kill instantly will lead to death in a very short period. Regarding buck fever it’s something I’ve never suffered from and should I become aflicted then I hope that I can accept that the beast and I may meet another day.

And there in lies the difference between us (which implies no criticism either way). I hunt to kill. I kill to eat. I prefer an animal to have the opportunity to live a natural, free, unfettered life. When its time to hunt however, then I will use all the advantages at my disposal to give me the widest choice of prey, the highest probability of a safe and instant kill and the least chance of failure. It still requires fieldcraft (although I tend to have to use more with my camera as the ranges are shorter - but thats different -I'm not out to take a life). In my head when I'm hunting, efficiency is the key. This does not carry any implicit criticism of you as a bowhunter, although I do worry about the wider issues in less skilled hands. Still, since I don't write or pass any legislation, my views are just my views
Red

 

[waynerck]

is hunting with a bow legal in northern ireland?

 

[andyn]

I voted hunt for permitted game for own use eg the pot.

This might have already been said - but there is a lot of replies to read through now.

But if it were to be made legal i'd want to see tight guidelines as to who was allowed to use a bow, eg show that you can use it safely and have enough skill to be able to dispatch an animal quickly and cleanly to ensure it doesnt suffer.

Personally i'd like to see similar rules in place for air rifles etc.

 

[swagman]

I think most people who bow hunt want to make a clean kill as people do with a rifle.
but you will always get the odd ideot as you do with rifle shooters saying that in oz
most people have a gun but ive seen plenty of injured pheasants and rabbits from
12 bore shooters. i dont think thats from people being dafft with a gun i think thats from
the game moving fast but remember this when deciding if something is cruel or not.

Just my 2 cent worth.

 

[Voivode]

but you will always get the odd ideot as you do with rifle shooters saying that in oz
most people have a gun but ive seen plenty of injured pheasants and rabbits from
12 bore shooters. i dont think thats from people being dafft with a gun i think thats from
the game moving fast but remember this when deciding if something is cruel or not.

Just my 2 cent worth.

"Game moving fast" is no excuse. If you aren't certain you can make the kill cleanly, you shouldn't be taking the shot. Buck fever is a problem, especially on day 7 of a 7 day guided hunt that cost you several thousand dollars; people start taking shots they wouldn't (or shouldn't) try out of a kind of desperation because they really, really don't want to go home empty handed. A real sportsman knows when to just let it go and walk away, whether they're out shooting rabbits for the farmer or on the Alaskan Wilderness Adventure Of Their Dreams(TM).

 

[MattW]

I voted not hunt and recommend its revocation.
I'm not anti-hunting, I'm an archer, I own three hunting air rifles and a shot gun which I use as often as possible to get food for the table. However, there is a good reason that bow hunting isn't legal and my preferred option didn't exist.

"Not support the right to hunt with a bow because regardless of their ego's, 99% of bow hunters cannot be sure of a clean kill"

In the states where it is legal, the ethos behind bow hunting is somewhat different - it is perfectly acceptable to wound your quarry and then stalk / track it until you can finish it off (often with several more shots). Some of the more gung-ho 'big game' bow hunters actually have a buddy with a big rifle to take care of that for them. I would not like the UK to end up in this situation.

Also the thought of a load of idiots with no training or skill running around woods popping at anything that moves makes my blood run cold - the chav mentality is bad enough with air rifles and crossbows - lets not encourage it with one of the last civilised shooting sports.

Matt

 

[swagman]

"Game moving fast" is no excuse. If you aren't certain you can make the kill cleanly, you shouldn't be taking the shot. Buck fever is a problem, especially on day 7 of a 7 day guided hunt that cost you several thousand dollars; people start taking shots they wouldn't (or shouldn't) try out of a kind of desperation because they really, really don't want to go home empty handed. A real sportsman knows when to just let it go and walk away, whether they're out shooting rabbits for the farmer or on the Alaskan Wilderness Adventure Of Their Dreams(TM).

That is my point alot of people on shoots with 12 bores dont mean to injur an animal but
as some one yells over or under the guns start going on an statisticly at some time a bird or rabbit is gona get wounded sadly it happens.

And what about fox hunting chaced in terror for miles then riped to pices is that fare.

Im trying to make the point that while judging wether bow hunting is cruel or not
no one is judging how many animals can be wounded in the persuit of a days phesant
shoot with 12 bores.

All the bow hunters i know take it very seriosly and will only take a shot if shaw of hitting
the kill zone.

 

[salan]

Interesting replies.
I voted forn vermin. The problem with (IMHO) is that 'joe public is a 'moron' (meant in the nicest way ).
I would not trust the average person with ANY weapon. But that is because they have never been taught how to treat weapons and how to use them safely.
Same with knives etc. So allowing joe public just use a bow to hunt would be bad. But with controls in place then i do not see it as any dif from shooting. I would not like to hunt large prey because I am not convinced that a 'clean kill' is as likely
Alan
I repects however other peoples views !

 

[dwardo]

Some great views all put across with out any

I have hunted with the rifle in the past and i also make an shoot my own bows.

So my choice would be not to allow bow hunting
Its funny though but i can hear a voice in my head saying..
"your mad! you love bows and hunting...WHY NOT BOWHUNTING!"

I just think the the rifle in average hands would be more sure of a quick clean kill than a bow and arrow.. Which is what matters to me most.

Strange that...

 

[skoper]

I have been a keen archer for twenty odd years,, its quite easy to become a good shot too,out to thirty yards,, its no mean feat with the equipment of today,,its not hard to get close to deer either,, 20- 30 yards with the wind in your favour,and a lot of patience,,but thats archery,, different skill than hunting with gun,s,, which iv witnessed in up in the Highlands,, and must say the deer does not always have a more humane way out with a bullet,, half the skill is to shoot a relaxed animal//i have seen deer run around a hundred yards or more with a perfect vitals shot,,,because it was spooked before the shot then adrenalin kicks in,,, thats stalking,, pest controll is another thing ,, the forestry guys, shoot and leave what they shoot where they fall run or crawl, because they have so many deer to controll within a given area in a given time,,,so the niceties if any of a clean kill go out of the window.,, the meat is then left to rot, the carcases of the deer that do get picked up get incinerated,