Take it from me, never doubt your bow, even during a rifle season. I opted to leave my recurve in the house while I chased bucks with a caplock muzzleloader. For the past week, the only fun I've had is when I took my bow out hunting.
The area I've hunted is a large (80 acre) plot of undeveloped land with enough houses on the boarders to limit (but not eliminate) shooting a high powered rifle considerably. Throughout the season I missed due to a hangfire, snapped a cap at a giant buck at 11 yards (misfire) and cleanly missed 2 easy fifty yard shots with the smoke pole, not to mention experienced a lead rounball failure upon impact with a big buck scapula at 100 yards...
The season would have left me in total disgust had I not taken my PCH out this evening. I cut some fresh tracks on the fence line at the back corner of the property and followed them slowly throughout the afternoon. 3 hours later I had run out of tracking/shooting light. It was alright, I was close to my truck anyways. Standing next to my truck was the buck I had been tracking, and he was a dandy. No shot, but seeing my tracking efforts come to fruition voided all the disappointment of the season. I was having fun again.
My bow does not generate enough energy to shoot a 350 grain lead slug 1500 fps but it has more than enough power to get a smile back on my face at the end of a rough season.
:thumbsup:
Yep, it is amazing how powerfull a bow is and its not only for killing.
2 seasons ago i was at my uncle's cabin foe buck season. I took 2 longbows with me and left the gun at home. Everyone looked at me and said i was a full. Well opening morning came and at 9:30 i had 4 does, a spike, and a big 5 pointer. They took another trail and were 30 yards away. They all walk off and the 5 pointer hung around for 15 minutes stoping to eatn acorns before he moved out of sight. I just stood there an smiled and the feeling i felt i could not explain. Well i told the gang when they returned and my cousin said, "hey i guess you wished you had a rifle" and i replied, " the thought never crossed my mind". The power of a bow is magical.
Yew, you get it.
:clapper:
Self doubt remains soley with the individual.
The stick has tunnel vision and remains keenly focused on nothing beyond placing the arrow on the mark. If the bow could worry,then it would concern itself with us in permitting it to fulfill its purpose.
I sold my guns to buy bows 20 years ago and have never regretted it.
A close encounter with a bow is more thrilling than a kill with a gun.
I believe my traditional bows are more effective on buffalo than my caplock / flintlock .54"s. But a flintlock is still heaps of fun. Hunting with either the bow-and-arrow or the flintlock requires a slower pace and a stronger connection to the wilderness and wildlife. But I also like my traditional / vintage centrefires! It's all good, and if we love hunting and love wildlife, we're on the same team!
Well said Benny.