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I've got experience with a bow here in our whitetail woods and I will say that it takes better "woodsmanship", more patience, and more time on a per shot basis compared to our shotgun limited areas which take more of the same than our rifle areas.

I'm not so sure that wynwood has the cause and effect relationship between woodsmanship or skill and bowhunting or rifle hunting down. Most guys I know bow hunt because it gives them months more opportunity to hunt deer; always the desire to learn the skills and often the skills are already there. Guys who muzzleloader hunt do it for the same reason. Its legal here to hunt with a bow during muzzleloader season and with either a bow or muzzleloader during "firearms season" which may be limited to shotguns or open to rifles as well depending on the area. I have yet to see a fellow, who wasn't a felon, hunt deer with a bow during gun season and only during muzzleloader season because they didn't own one. Remember that just because the hunter is toting a shotgun or rifle doesn't mean that he's not shooting his deer at 10 or 20 or 30 yds; he may well be he just isn't limited to that range. Most of the deer I've shot in the last decade were shot at maybe 20-30 yds.

I've not yet shot buff but I've sure seen a lowly whitetail go a hell of a long way with lungs either cut to shreds or turned to jelly. More than plenty far enough to get to the shooter whether short distance with a bow or shotgun or rifle or middlin with a shotgun or rifle.

Also there is no such thing as the silent bow. They all make noise; some worse than others. If you haven't seen deer duck or jump the string you haven't done much deer hunting, at least whitetail hunting, with a bow. More often than not it seems the blast of a shotgun or a rfle reverberates enough the game doesn't know where its coming from. This fact is what began the debate over ejectors or extractors for DGRs about a hundred years ago and even over internal or external hammers before that.

One thing to miss or wound or graze a whitetail, another to do the same to dangerous game. I've dispatched three or four deer I've come upon during bow season that were wounded; some pretty mobile, all suffering miserably. What would have happened if it had been a Buff and some poor, unlucky villager or a tracker from the next safari group...

I hope my PH this Oct is a partner rather than a babysitter and I think it only pulling my own weight in that relationship to make sure that is what happens. I believe he will be equiped and prepared to do his best to pull my fat out of the fire if the need arises or the trackers or anyone elses. I know I will be equiped and prepared as best as possible to do the same for him or the trackers or...

I think its just an out of place ego thing to try to tackle dangerous game with an inadequate weapon. Can you kill any DG animal with a bow? Sure, but why would you try? Ego? Got something to prove? To yourself? To your wife or friends or me or... ? Hunt with what you want but don't expect any extra awe or respect from me and maybe just the opposite for not being in a position to pull your own weight if the unexpected "shit happens" happens unprovoked or god forbid because you blow the shot or your shaft is deflected, the bull moves...

On the playin' with the big tool comment about those with big bore bolts or doubles it sounds alot like its coming from the same crowd that needs to repeat to themselves "its not the size of the wand but the magic in it."

Same issues aply to shooting DG with a 45/70 which is something winwood lays claim to and supports with the same "for the guy with the skill.." arguement on another forum. Apparently he's shot three Buff in Namibia with a 45/70 and is going to post photos of those as well when he returns from Alaska(?) to his more permanent residence in Pa.

Seems weak in several ways to show up handicapped in such a manner that you can't hope to pull a member of the team's fat out of the fire if you need too, especially if you put it there to start with with an inadequate weapon.

JPK

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