bow vs. gun

[Muleys24Seven]

Do you guys lower your standards on bucks when hunting with a bow vs. gun?

I've been watching a 160ish buck thats tall, around 25" wide with crab claw fronts. I'm tempted to pursue with a bow although I would no doubt pass with a rifle in hand. I'm in Idaho so I can hunt with a bow and then rifle.

 

[powellpounder]

I have a bow tag in utah and a rifle tag in nevada and I have set standards for both weapons. and they are different depending on the deer in the area.

 

[BuckSnort]

Depends on where I'm hunting... I have passed on bucks in the Kaibab (archery) that would be an absolute trophy where I do most of my rifle hunting..

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[Edpre]

Definitely! Taking into consideration where I am - 3 weeks I'll be in the Breaks of eastern MT - 140 4 point and I'll have a taxidermy bill. Any good-looking 3 point and I might also... I'm dam^^ proud of every archery kill I make.

edpre

 

[eldorado]

Depends either on the tag you have or the area your hunting.

Eldorado

 

[swbuckmaster]

raise my standards when hunting with a bow. lower my standards when hunting with a rifle. have to take into account the area though.

 

[appleman]

depends on tag but should be same standards!

 

[Muleys24Seven]

If you take the area and hunt quality out of the equation I'm thinking a 10" handicap for using a stick & string!

 

[velvetmonster]

For me it depends on whether the archery hunt is early enough to hunt bucks in the velvet. Since I'm a fan of velvet (see screen name) I would take a smaller buck then with a rifle because I value a velvet rack. Later in the season when their all hard horned my standards are about the same. Now give me a rifle in August and I'm a happy camper (Unit 39-1 in Idaho for example)

VM

 

[travishunter3006]

Rifle= Monster
Archery= 24 wide+ and 140+

Although Those are my standars... I get alot more trigger happy or release happy when any mature buck walks in front of me.


It was a big bodied 2 point.

 

[AZWALKER]

I hunt archery during the rut so my standards are way up, 170" or better. Early archery and rifle depends on the day of the hunt, first day 4 point, last day... MEAT!

"The deadliest weapon in the world is a Marine and his rifle." General John J. "Black Jack" Pershing, US Army
"Most men go through life wondering if they made a difference, Marines don't have that problem." President Ronald Regan

 

[sageadvice]

Way back when i hunted with a bow, anything legal was hunted hard. My first Bow killed buck was with a 45# Ben Pearson recurve and no sights. That blacktail buck had a 13" spread and forks about like spreading my first two fingers. Hella trophy in my eyes, i worked my azz off for that buck!

Come rifle season, that same buck would not have gotten a second look...even by the guys i took out in hopes of them getting their first buck.

Joey

 

[littlebighorn]

It is obviously a personal choice, but if you have never killed a buck with a bow, you never will if your standards are too high "for the area".
I used to fling an arrow at any legal buck, but now, in my old age, I am much more selective. I would say you need to do what feels right for you!

 

[NONYAMT]

Yep,any decent buck is a trophy with a bow IMO,Id rather take a decent bow buck than a larger rifle deer,just so much more of a challenge where I hunt.

 

[AWHOLELOTTABULL]

Don't listen to SWB. He's always lowering his standards when he comes on here and teases us bottom feeders with pictures of his assortment of bow kills!


It's always an adventure!!!

 

[BigPig]

I don't hunt too much with a gun anymore, but have no problems breaking it out if I need to. For me it depends, I've killed a couple big mulies with a gun. I have not with a bow, so any decent buck is going to get an arrow, even if it's one I wouldn't think twice on with a gun.

A variation of your question.. Are there any animals that you wouldn't even consider using a gun on?

For me I have no desire to hunt elk or mule deer in the rut with a gun, or bears, or turkeys, or wild pigs, or antelope, or whitetails. That's just me and my beliefs. IMO, those critters are too easy to hunt with a gun. not saying I haven't done it in the past, I have and enjoyed every second, I've just changed my preferences over the years.