How many here are bowhunters only?

[Trophyhunter01]

I don’t want to discriminate so I will shoot them with either option, rifle or bow. I enjoy both options.

 

[firehuntfish]

I still have my diamond black ice. What a great bow! I think i bought it around 2007. I did well in SA with it on my first trip in 2014. It is also very light (3.6 lbs) compared to my Halon 32, but still very quiet. Glad to hear you also shot as your main bow for a while.

That Black Ice was a classic for sure. It had the smoothest draw cycle and the most solid back wall of any bow I have ever shot. I would regard it as one of the top 2 or 3 single cam bows ever made. The original Mathews Switchback would be up there as well.

 

[BSO Dave]

I have been a bowhunter almost exclusively for over 40 years now.. Inspired by watching Fred Bear and Ted Nugent in my younger days, I became addicted quickly, and I love the fact that it's a sport like golf that cannot be mastered. There is always room for improvement, and new challenges. If you think you are good with your compound bow, pick up a longbow or recurve..

I have also become addicted to the physics and dynamics of the sport. I have always enjoyed working on my own bows and experimenting with the newest gear and equipment. So much so that I opened a neighborhood bow shop about 10 years ago as a hobby which has turned into a full time addiction. Helping other bowhunters get the most from their equipment and seeing that translate into their hunting successes is very satisfying.

I have heard it said before and I have to agree that I would rather take 1 animal with a bow than 10 with a rifle..

 

[CRowe]

Dave,
Uncle Ted was a big influence on me as well. I started playing guitar about the same time I started shooting a bow, about 1996 I think. Then in about 2001 I saw his Spirit of the wild show on TV and I was certain we were somehow related ha. I saw him shooting instinctively and I just thought that was so cool so I decided to take my sights off and give it a try. It was rough at first, and still is at times. I’ve been shooting instinctive for about 21yrs now and I’d fully agree, that’s something I’m never going to master. But I don’t think there’s a greater reward or feeling of accomplishment than sending an instinctively aimed arrow right where you want it to go. Especially when it through 2 lungs!

 

[SikaMDhunter]

My dad was into Nugent and influenced by Fred Bear. It seemed after them bow hunting only had influence within the hunting community. I grew up in California but mom and dad are from Wyoming so it was nothing but waterfowl at home and rifle on WY trips. When I was in the military I started getting influenced by Rinella and Shockey but even they didn't stray outside the community. But then Joe Rogan, who I was a fan of for years, started getting into it. It's pretty cool to see one of the most influential people in the world today promoting hunting and specifically bow hunting. I think he'll have a big influence on younger people today and I think it's great. On the one hand, more hunters means more competition, but it also means more people will vote down anti-hunting legislation.

 

[BSO Dave]

On the one hand, more hunters means more competition, but it also means more people will vote down anti-hunting legislation.

It's far better to compete for huntings spots than to lose them altogether! The more hunters we can create and sustain, the better!