What would you choose?

utahbigbull · Jun 20, 2011

Bow? or Rifle?

I am having a hard time deciding, here is my delema. I just started my five year waiting period for elk. I am 36 and want the best odds of drawing a lower end deer tag within the next five years which would be an archery tag. Also, when I can put in for elk again, I would hope to pull a tag sooner so I am not 60 and fatter and in even worse shape. There again, I would have the best odds pulling with a bow. Not to mention that I could release some stress flinging some arrows in the back yard where as I would have a 45 minute drive to shoot a rifle out here in Hooper. Those are some reasons I am seriously leaning towards trying a bow eventhough I have never owned one.

Now for the rifle. I should be pulling a Wy. antelope tag next year (2012) and all of my rifles are either too small (.22 .17HMR) or too big (7 Mag, 30-06)for an "ideal" goat gun. Between my hopefuly soon to be Antelope tag and a 11 year old son that can hunt deer next year not having a smaller caliber, I am thinking of getting a .243. Which I think would fit the bill for the Atelope tag and a deer hunting rifle for my son. Not to mention mabey using to go after some dogs.

So, my question would be, what would you choose? Bow or Rifle?

B_BOP_A_LU_LU · Jun 20, 2011

Was it you that pulled the Dutton Muzz Elk tag?

For GAWDS Sakes Guys,We Got Kids on this Site,Some of them are 65 years Old!

I don't care if they're big or small!
If they throw lead I like em all!

utahbigbull · Jun 20, 2011

LAST EDITED ON Jun-20-11 AT 10:06PM (MST)[p]
In 2010? Sure was Bess. I was hoping you might have some input on this dilema. I'm sure I know what you would say

B_BOP_A_LU_LU · Jun 20, 2011

Well!

I'm not sure?

Don't know of any real good Deer Tags you'd be able to Draw with 3-4 points?

The 243 is a sweet Gun!

I took a Buck last year with my Varmit Gun that is a 243!

My other Gun was so soaked from weather conditions I resorted to the 243,smaller than what I like to hunt Deer with but it was the Spare Gun I had with me at the time!

For GAWDS Sakes Guys,We Got Kids on this Site,Some of them are 65 years Old!

I don't care if they're big or small!
If they throw lead I like em all!

justr_86 · Jun 20, 2011

Nothing wrong with a 7mm or 30-06 for antelope. 22-250 would also be another caliber to look in to, a bit cheaper to shoot too.

Given you already have 2 rifles that will work great on antelope i would buy a bow.

B_BOP_A_LU_LU · Jun 20, 2011

One more thing!

I don't mind you becoming a Bow Hunter!

Just don't Whine like one!

(((RAZZIN YA!)))

Just had to throw that in for wiley & a few others,LMAO!

For GAWDS Sakes Guys,We Got Kids on this Site,Some of them are 65 years Old!

I don't care if they're big or small!
If they throw lead I like em all!

utahbigbull · Jun 20, 2011

LAST EDITED ON Jun-20-11 AT 10:23PM (MST)[p]Just give me a little cheese with the wine Bess.
I am far from expecting to draw a good deer tag. Hell, I think I would have to be lucky to pull a lower end CWMU tag. But I think it would be easier with a bow. Not to mention when I get back to elk apps. I should be able to shave some years off of the wait with a stick flipper.

But the 243 would be fun too. I know I love lobbing lead and the 243 would be good for my boy after I break it in on some Antelope, dogs and varmints.

B_BOP_A_LU_LU · Jun 20, 2011

Ya,I'm sure the Bow Odds are better but just not sure what you might be able to pull with just 3-4 points?

Maybe a General Tag?

For GAWDS Sakes Guys,We Got Kids on this Site,Some of them are 65 years Old!

I don't care if they're big or small!
If they throw lead I like em all!

utahbigbull · Jun 20, 2011

LAST EDITED ON Jun-20-11 AT 10:34PM (MST)[p]Thanks for the help Jstr. You don't think a 7mag would be too much for a Antelope? Never shot one of those stink'n goats but thought it would punch through before it thought of expanding.
Would the 22-250 be a legal Cal in Wyo.? I think I would want a bit bigger as far as a deer rifle for my boy.
I will let him get a bit more of an ass whoop'n to make sure it would do the job on a deer?

utahbigbull · Jun 20, 2011

Hold one hand out and crap in it.

Hold the other out and wish for a LE deer tag with 5pts.

I'm sure I know what would fill up first for sure

utahbigbull · Jun 20, 2011

Thats why I have the dilema

Throw money at a bow and pick up another hobby? Or keep building up the arsenal of lead lobbers.

TOPGUN · Jun 21, 2011

23 caliber is the minimum for big game in WY, so the 22-250 is out. I would take one step up from the .243 and go with a 25-06. You can go with the lighter bullet weights on varmints and up to the 117-120 grain weights for goats and deer. It will definitely flatten them and unless your youngster is very small will not notice the increased recoil if taught to shoot properly with the proper ear protection. A lot of folks don't realize that for a newbie the sound many times cause a flinch more than anticipated recoil.

30Hart · Jun 21, 2011

+1 on the 25-06 for antelope especially for a younger shooter.

Sniper1 · Jun 21, 2011

How bout you boy both moneybags. Go with the bow i think you will enjoy it a ton. Drive a mile south to the parents house i got a target set up out to 80yards there its been fun shooting every day. Then work another side job and get your boy a gun. We got plenty guns at the house he can come pick one to shoot this year if he wants.

HornyMan · Jun 21, 2011

Sounds to me like you are too fixated on UT hunting. All neighboring states have great hunting with better odds on some lower end units. You could still hunt with a rifle and sooner than you would in UT.

DoeNob · Jun 21, 2011

Get a bow, start traveling. You can go OTC for mulies and antelopes with archery tackle, drawing schmawing.

utahbigbull · Jun 21, 2011

Thanks Jas. I should have plenty of space in my yard to get out to 60 yds. If I get the bow, I am going to have to follow you on your stinky hunt and this big ol redwood is going to have to stick it for ya cuz you are going to Sally out HE HE!!

Elkhunter96 · Jun 21, 2011

Bow, not even a minutes thought. More tags opportunities.

By the way, I am from good old Hooper as well and still go down to my dads to shoot since it is against the law in Clinton...

wymoose · Jun 21, 2011

There's no reason why you can't use a 30-06 or a 7mm for antelope. I would probably choose the 30-06. There are so many factory loads that can do the job for you. Pick a lighter bullet, and practice with it. It's a great all around caliber. I would feel confident hunting any animal in North America with a 30-06.

Just pick a good bullet and you will be fine.

justr_86 · Jun 21, 2011

>LAST EDITED ON Jun-20-11
>AT 10:34?PM (MST)
>
>Thanks for the help Jstr. You
>don't think a 7mag would
>be too much for a
>Antelope? Never shot one of
>those stink'n goats but thought
>it would punch through before
>it thought of expanding.
> Would the 22-250 be a
>legal Cal in Wyo.? I
>think I would want a
>bit bigger as far as
>a deer rifle for my
>boy.
> I will let him get
>a bit more of an
>ass whoop'n to make sure
>it would do the job
>on a deer?

My utah antelope soaked up a 180 grain powerpoint for my 300 win mag like a champ! Made his ars and his head clap together and his front shoulder hit the ground first! 400 yds, 30 cal hole going in found the slug just under his skin on the opposite side. He didn't even kick!

My cousin thought his 7 mag was off after missing 2 other bucks. We saw another shooter buck so I gave him my 300. We snuck in to 100 yds, he didn't kick either but it did leave a golfball size exit.

I think hunting antelope you need a heavier wind bucking bullet, they're pretty tough animals, take the big guns!

Lots of antelope and muleys have fallen to a 22-250, I've taken 2 muleys with mine. Did a great job!

utahbigbull · Jun 21, 2011

Thanks for the input justr!

buglinbilly · Jun 21, 2011

Go with a bow all the way, and do your Wyoming antelope hunt with your bow too. Bow hunting is so much more challenging and in the end, so much more rewarding. It's the fly fishing of hunting. Bait fishing is good, but fly fishing is better.

Bowhunting requires lots of learning and lots of patience but in the end it trumps all the other modern hunting methods for many reasons!

Have a good one. BB

Zeke · Jun 22, 2011

Here are my random thoughts...... not at all original.

The two best pronghorns I've ever killed were with a bow. I'd rather hunt them with a bow than with a rifle.

Look at some other States too for your hunting opportunity.

Buy a 243 if you really are a varmint hunter but buy a 25-06 if you really want a great combo gun. I own some of both and the "2 bit-06" is a sweetheart. It works great with 87-120gr bullets. Bullet construction and performance varies so it's easy to taylor a load to the task at hand.

We all get a bit caught up in the points deal. I'm no different. I have 11 points for deer and should probably burn them so I can get an archery elk tag before I die. This is a real concern since I'm "long in the tooth".

Seems like hunting has turn into a points and score game rather than a hunting experience. You can always find something to hunt if you're not hung up on the B&C score sheet.

Too many dudes out there think there's only one right way to hunt.

OK, I feel better now I got rid of all those ramdon thought.

Zeke

elkantlers · Jun 22, 2011

>Go with a bow all the
>way, and do your Wyoming
>antelope hunt with your bow
>too. Bow hunting is
>so much more challenging and
>in the end, so much
>more rewarding. It's the
>fly fishing of hunting.
>Bait fishing is good, but
>fly fishing is better.
>
>Bowhunting requires lots of learning and
>lots of patience but in
>the end it trumps all
>the other modern hunting methods
>for many reasons!
>
>

>
>Have a good one. BB

x2

Get a bow now and use it to hunt your Wyo antelope. Once you hunt antelope with a bow, you will not want to use a gun again. Plus, you can start hunting in Wyoming on August 15 with archery gear. Then if you need you can use your rifle during the regular season.

Zeke · Jun 22, 2011

Also another thought,

I have not hunted Montana antelope in a few years but I think the archery tags are still unlimited. We really had fun with them for several years in a row. Almost a half dozen bucks and a few does were felled by my arrows and like I said, my 2 best all time bucks came from there.

You MT guys could either confirm this or correct me. Thanks

Zeke

utahbigbull · Jun 22, 2011

Thanks for all the input guys. I am kind of leaning towards the bow. Looking at the Mission Voyager XT (VXT). 31.5" draw length, 34" axle to axle with a IBO speed of 330.

I am starting to think I might want to statrt flinging some arrows in the back yard and if it is not for me, I have till next fall to scrounge up the money for a 22-250 or 243 to use for my Antelope or boys deer hunt.

Stoked24_7 · Jun 26, 2011

I really like bow hunting. It is a lot easier to draw tags. But it is harder to kill as we all know. and you usually end up spending more time out hunting. So if you don't mind maybe not killing or not killing the biggest animals then its great.

As for the gun I would go with a 25-06 they seem to be good for smaller game and are good for beginners. my 12 year old has been shooting his and it doesn't kick to hard for him. But don't feel to bad if you have to use your 7mm it will kill him just as dead.

tx_packmule · Jun 26, 2011

I would agree with some of the others on the 25-06. Most of our kiddos that hunt with us <13yo are shooting them and shooting them well with 110gr ABs. Bow hunting is a blast for a lot of people and was for me for the longest, it just got to where nothing extra (adrenalin) came from drawing back on an animal, so I may pick up my bow a few times a year to head out in the field. I don't wish that on anyone else b/c it flat out stinks!

utahbigbull · Jun 26, 2011

Thanks guys! I made the leap and got the bow. Been shooting and it is fun. I enjoy being able to shoot in the yard and be getting it dialed in. Should be putting in for a deer and elk archery tags for next fall. I figured that next fall will be my boys deer hunt and my Antelope hunt so I just as well get the bow now and practice up for a year and try to get the funds gathered next spring for the 25-06 or 243. Sounds like a lot of you guys are liking the 25-06 and will surely check them out. I apreciate all the help and input.