Monkeyball defines it properly.

A "sport" would be an activity where you are competing either as a team or an individual against others. I think in all reality bow "hunting" would not be a sport for most of us.

It's what I like to do.  It doesn't have to be any more than that.

To attach a "label" to it seems like so much fluff about nothing.

It's like arguing about "instinctive" shooting.

In the end....it means squat.

QuoteOriginally posted by el greco:
It is not a sport. Words are beginning to lose the true meaning these days.Archery is a sport. Bowhunting is not. Bowhunting is...well .hunting with a bow.

+1

It's not a sport if only one team knows it's playing.
Hunting is hunting. Maybe there's to much emphasis on goal or point scoring in hunting projected through mass media/internet. For me you can't score a great hunt or day out whether you shoot something or not.

I concur with El Greco...exactly.

To me, 3D shooting is a "sport".  (I love 3D shoots.)

Target practice is a "sport".

Teaching someone to shoot a bow is a "sport".

Bowhunting is hunting with a bow.

Bowhunting is a method of hunting,"traditional" bowhunting is a way of life as said by R.W.

QuoteOriginally posted by R. W. Mackey:
Bowhunting is not a sport my friend, it's A Way of Life. For those of us that have stood the test of time, it has consumed
Us, it is on our minds constantly, it is something we do in the best
Or worst of weather, it brings us great joy in way you can't put into words. It's not the killing although that is part of it, it's being one with nature, enjoying what God has given us, it's inner pease..... I could go on and on....

RW

Of course this thread was surely just meant to give folks a way to describe how they feel about archery/bowhunting. And to read how others feel. We all know it doesn't matter what we call it.

For some whether they call it a sport or  not might depend upon how serious they are about sports? When I was active in sports I never spent time daily thinking about running, baseball, or softball. A sport too me then would be something I could take or leave. Archery doesn't fit that description at all.

RW hit a lot of the things that make it tick for me!

If you meet and talk to folks that are extremely passionate about their endeavors like:

running
sailing
swimming
biking
fishing
rock climbing
softball
rugby
etc....

they will all tell you their endeavor is an all consuming way of life that goes beyond the physical aspect and in to the realm of meeting a psychological need as well.


Which of those do you classify as a "sport"?  They too, would tell you it is their "way of life".  To some, they can take or leave running.  To others, they "need" it, they study it, they are active on internet running forums, they read about it, their entire daily regimine is built around it.  For others they feel the same for rock climbing etc...

Per the dictionary (thanks to Centaur on page 1):
Merriam/Webster says;
a physical activity (such as hunting, fishing, running, swimming, etc.) that is done for enjoyment
Certainly, bowhunting definitely meets that definition., our endeavor meets the definition of "sport".  

Obviously, the word carries different connotations in it's application and there are many opinions on it.

Yes, I feel that it is a sport, at least in broad terms. We compete in a different manner from other sports, but we still compete with nature and ourselves. To me, there is no negative connotation to the word sport, but I can understand that some might find it derogatory. Basically, I don't much care how it is referred to, but I enjoy it and do it for my own personal reasons with no real concern for how others define it. To me, it is just fun.

In my post I forgot to mention that, on several occaisions, when referring to someone's endeavor as a "sport" (be it running, hiking, soccer....) a discussion ensued of the endeavor being "much more than a just a "sport""

It is my experience that many people construe the term "sport" to be insufficient in describing the passion they have for their chosen endeavor.

When I was hanging three stands this summer it was hot, I was very sweaty with tree trimming shavings all over me and on the way to the third wanting to quit I had to push myself to go further. The top third of my pants were wet from sweat when finished?

When we are about to get a shot on a deer we have to fight an adrenaline rush to make a good shot?

If this is a sport does that make us athletes?