I had given up deer hunting and hunting in general for almost 20yrs!  I had quit hunting  because I lost my desire to hunt game with a firearm, I pretty much got a deer every year with a gun, Nov 15th would come, I go to my spot & usually got my deer within the first week, season over! I started shooting Trad bow with my son LimbLover, I was instantly hooked on the Trad bow but I really didn't plan on hunting with one! However my kid and I started stumping & chasing squirrels and such and my passion to hunt deer again was re-ignited, so far I have not killed one deer but  I have had many great learning expierances since my Trad journey started in my early 50s!  Now when I go into the field w my longbow I just enjoy what nature has to offer everytime I go in the woods! Sure I will be elated when I make my first Trad deer harvest w my longbow but I am never disapointed when I do not! I have seen my share of deer and have taken a few shots all clean misses, hit some branches, past up on many others and have been busted more times than not especially from those big ole smart does, but each time I gain more knowledge! Who knows maybe this will be my year looking good so far! But how can you argue with this scene, amazing!  

when your skills and ethics are your core, not your equipment and desire

For sure one who hunts with a bow is a bow hunter.  However, I'm older school than that.  Hunting with a bow and being a bowhunter are two different things to me.  

Neither do I believe all the important attributes of a bowhunter are limited to those who hunt with bows.

How I hunt is far more important to me than filling a tag. In fact, that was true of me when I started at age 16 (big game) and now at 58.

The bowhunters I like to hang with are:

1. Proficient with their equipment.
2. Have solid woodsmanship skills.
3. Respect and research their quarry.
4. Respect other hunters and the ethical choices of same
5. Understand their role in conservation.
6. Pause long enough to pass bowhunting on.

QuoteOriginally posted by wetfeathers:
A true Bowhunter is someone who not only accepts the added challenge of closing the distance to his quarry,  passing up less than perfect shot angles or obstructions,  making mistakes (often daily in the pursuit of his quarry) and often ends seasons with unfilled tags, but does it willingly with a smile.      

To me this about sums it up.

I think the majority of bowhunters are ethical in spirt. I think the real reason they make poor shots is that they aren't honest with themselves with their capabilities. We just have to find a way not to delude ourselves about making shots in the woods we know we can't during practice.

I like what Bowwild say in bullet #4. I love Maurice and Will Thomson, Pope, Young, Pearson, Bear....but many today would not welome their type of ethics as far as shot taking. At least Maurice and Will they considered it unethical to not give an animal a sporting chance not to limit shot choices. Not tying to stir the pot times have change and image is huge "I guess" but many today spout off about others ethics and without realizinng it are throwing our heros under the bus! Bowhunters like the extra challenge and gun blasts make my head hurt!

Lots of older hunters back in the day shot long shots but ethics were differentbthen

With more and more people going to crossbows there will be more run-n-gun 80 yard shots. I always liked the "What is a bowhunter" poem in Fred Bears Restless Spirit  DVD. It pretty much sums it up.

To me, a true bowhunter hunts only with a bow. Some guys in this town I live in call themselves bowhunters. But when gun season starts and their tags are not filled, they will go out and blow something away with a gun.

I call myself a true bowhunter, I will hunt until the end with my bow only. I have eaten quite a few tags over the years though.   :D  Even a Bighorn sheep tag. I will probably never draw one again the rest of my life.  

I have nothing against the "two" season hunters, just not for me.

(I kill coyotes with a gun for a living, and find shooting stuff a long ways out get's pretty boring after a while) Waaaaay too easy with a gun.

You're the guy I thought of when I read the title of this thread, Tracy.
You don't wear camo (although, you blend in very well) AND you mentioned before it's the bow or no.
Eating tags isn't so bad when a fella will stick to his principles. You inspire me.