My arrowheads work!!

[dwardo]

From a hunter gatherer point of view it makes much more sense to find a good spot to wait and let the game come to you. It conserves energy and is the most effective way of getting close to game, so don't knock tree stands too soon. I've successfully stalked wild boar and waterbuffalo in Australia but try as I might I only rarely stalk deer close enough to get a shot off they are the ultimate quarry if you want to test your skills. So I use tree stands, ground blinds made of natural materials, gillie suits and my secret weapon....the pit blind, I've also simply sat on a hill side in an appropriate spot and waited. Tree stands are just a modern convenience an alternative to climbing a tree and lashing a platform together. I've lashed platforms for bear hunting but only because I was in an area where cutting trees was ok.

Gonna be a bit devils advocate here but we are not hunter gatherers any more, we are farmers more than anything. The blind does make complete sense as does shooting to wound if not kill and then track because if you dont your family will go hungry. Luckily most of us are not in that position any more.
When I pointed out platforms I meant in the context of a baited trap sorry if that was not clear. I guess its all a case of we are all comfortable with but given the choice of ending the life of any animal I would choose the best weapon to hand. If it comes down to the choice of eating or starving i would run over and clout it with a rock if need be. If I am off out to score a bunny in the woods I will use a rifle as its much more accurate and with a much smaller margin or error compared to a bow.

 

[fishfish]

As far as i remember bow hunting was banned sometime in the 80's with the introduction of The Wildlife and Countryside act, though don't quote me on that.

i think it was in the 1963.

 

[fishfish]

their silence would allow poachers an easy time of it.

shocking!:yikes:

 

[dwardo]

shocking!:yikes:

Daft, should we ban silencers on 22 Rims then?

 

[Silverback 1]

i think it was in the 1963.

Wasn't sure when i posted, but according to Wiki it was in the 80's when banned, for the wrong reasons of course.

 

[Rod Paradise]

Wasn't sure when i posted, but according to Wiki it was in the 80's when banned, for the wrong reasons of course.

My understanding of it is that bows were lumped in to the legislation, the MP who was going to object slept in, bows weren't removed, the legislation passed and none will risk getting slaughtered on the press by the Animal Rights lobby trying to re-legalise bow-hunting.

 

[Silverback 1]

My understanding of it is that bows were lumped in to the legislation, the MP who was going to object slept in, bows weren't removed, the legislation passed and none will risk getting slaughtered on the press by the Animal Rights lobby trying to re-legalise bow-hunting.

Sounds about right, and legitimate hunters, the people who actually care about their quarry and how it may get onto their dining room table, get shafted (no pun intended) by the usual suspects, thanks for the info, i was not aware of the build up leading to the ban.

 

[Rod Paradise]

Sounds about right, and legitimate hunters, the people who actually care about their quarry and how it may get onto their dining room table, get shafted (no pun intended) by the usual suspects, thanks for the info, i was not aware of the build up leading to the ban.

That's how the people who taught me archery explained it anyway, every time they stopped me taking a shot at the cock pheasant that insisted on walking between the targets.....

 

[dwardo]

That's how the people who taught me archery explained it anyway, every time they stopped me taking a shot at the cock pheasant that insisted on walking between the targets.....

Its like the opening scene to Ace Ventura pet detective when I am wondering the wood with a bow. I am certain they are well aware of the legislation.

 

[Rod Paradise]

Dumb Animals? Aye right!!!!

 

[Harvestman]

Dumb Animals? Aye right!!!!

Oh I don't know. Some archers are ok. I've met a few that approached actual intelligence.

 

[Silverback 1]

That's how the people who taught me archery explained it anyway, every time they stopped me taking a shot at the cock pheasant that insisted on walking between the targets.....

Its like the opening scene to Ace Ventura pet detective when I am wondering the wood with a bow. I am certain they are well aware of the legislation.

Was once on the range at Strensall (York) with my new and shiny 30-06 rifle, shooting OK and zeroed bang on at 300 when a group of Roe deer decided to walk across the front of the butts without a care in the world, now if they lived nearby they would almost certainly be hard of hearing but definately not stupid, if only they knew how hard the dinner bell was ringing in my ears!

 

[santaman2000]

Gonna be a bit devils advocate here but we are not hunter gatherers any more, we are farmers more than anything. The blind does make complete sense as does shooting to wound if not kill and then track because if you dont your family will go hungry. Luckily most of us are not in that position any more.
When I pointed out platforms I meant in the context of a baited trap sorry if that was not clear. I guess its all a case of we are all comfortable with but given the choice of ending the life of any animal I would choose the best weapon to hand. If it comes down to the choice of eating or starving i would run over and clout it with a rock if need be. If I am off out to score a bunny in the woods I will use a rifle as its much more accurate and with a much smaller margin or error compared to a bow.

True, it's what we're comfortable with. But my weapon of choice for a rabbit would be a shotgun.

 

[calgarychef]

Smaller margin of error, I suppose you must mean that the air gun is more accurate and I wouldnt argue that. I'd Say that a rabbit shot in the leg withi an air gun would just be wounded. A bunnie shot in the
leg with an arrow will be totally recoverable and so I'd suggest that the bow is indeed a more sure way of killing the bunny. Usually when I make a shot with a bow it's either a good hit or a total miss so wounding isn't too much of a worry. I did once in Canada go gopher shooting with my longbow (big gophers are about the size if a small rabbit) I shot over 70 gophers in an afternoon, so that suggests that on rabbit sized game the bow is incredibly effective. I think that out of the 70 gophers I might have lost 2 or 3. It's interesting to hear that the bow is thought to be such an effective poachers weapon whereas the suppressed rifle with night scope isn't? Also for those who know the history of air rifles some of the first were 50 caliber monsters that were indeed used to poach the kings deer.

I have no dog in this fight and it doesn't matter to me what happens with hunting laws in the UK I'm just throwing these tidbits of information out there for general discussion and to cause folks to reconsider their opinions regarding archery. Oh, another thing. It's bordering on shameful that the British archery association won't support bowhunting they are in fact usually quite anti bow hunting. The thing is that some day the law might be changed to outlaw archery in general, not likely but with the way things are going in society it's a possibility. I'd think it makes séance for all of the shooting disciplines, archery, rifle, bowhunting and yes even air rifle hunters to band together and support each other. There truly is strength in numbers but as individual disciplines our numbers are diluted and so is our political clout.

 

[santaman2000]

...I did once in Canada go gopher shooting with my longbow (big gophers are about the size if a small rabbit) I shot over 70 gophers in an afternoon, so that suggests that on rabbit sized game the bow is incredibly effective. I think that out of the 70 gophers I might have lost 2 or 3...

I'm guessing you're not talking about these: www.myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/managed/gopher-tortoise

 

[EssexMonk]

This what the locals call a "Gopher" here
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richardson's_ground_squirrel