Is a bow part of your survival gear?

[teddy12b]

I'm not a big archery guy, but I was curious about how many people here have a decent bow for hunting if they needed one. Ammo runs out, but sticks and strings can always be found somewhere.

 

[Old Sarge2]

Crossbow. Wonderful weapon. Fairly silent, and deadly, up to about 100 feet. Some states they are illegal, but where they are legal, and in here they are, I consider it a viable back-up weapon.

 

[El Cazador]

70 lb longbow. 30-40 yds or less, I can provide nicely. No bells, wheels, scopes, pins, buttons, or unusual items on strings to deal with. And I have the makings for more strings and arrows. It's actually my main hunting weapon.

 

[csaws]

Parker trailblazer, compound 55 lbs.

 

[irishfan]

Not as of yet but I have been considering it and maybe its time to just do it.

 

[dwagner3701]

I never thought about it, I should find my bow and arrows and check them over.
Thanks for the Idea....a great one at that!!!

 

[Cpt Caveman]

I've hunted with primitive/traditional bows for years now and I can tell you theres no harder way to gather venison. Short of running them down and stabbin them with a spear! In a SHTF situation you're gonna want the easiest, most affective,least likely to attract attention, method you can find. I would suggest a crossbow and a couple dozen bolts, a dozen good two blade broadheads and spare strings. Get the non-compound variety so when the string wears out you can replace it yourself without needing a bow press.

Crossbows can be found on craig's list and hoosier free ads. Horton safari is a good model and relatively inexpensive if bought used. Watch out forthe kinds that sell for $150 new. They won't last too long.

 

[Sailor]

I've hunted with primitive/traditional bows for years now and I can tell you theres no harder way to gather venison. Short of running them down and stabbin them with a spear! In a SHTF situation you're gonna want the easiest, most affective,least likely to attract attention, method you can find. I would suggest a crossbow and a couple dozen bolts, a dozen good two blade broadheads and spare strings. Get the non-compound variety so when the string wears out you can replace it yourself without needing a bow press.

Crossbows can be found on craig's list and hoosier free ads. Horton safari is a good model and relatively inexpensive if bought used. Watch out forthe kinds that sell for $150 new. They won't last too long.

Agree, if I had to I would use my .22 first. Plus, by the time all the ammo is gone, the deer will be gone too. You better plan on picking off birds from the feeder.

 

[teddy12b]

Don't get me wrong guys, the guns are first on my list. I actually am very against using a bow to hunt deer for regular hunting seasons, but ammo & reloading supplies will eventually run out. Arrows can always be made with some time and TLC. The bow and arrow is absolutely a last resort in my book, but it may be needed.

I like the ideas of a crossbow. I've considered them in the past.

 

[Sailor]

I actually am very against using a bow to hunt deer for regular hunting seasons

Why would you be against method of hunting that takes so much more skill, and practice?

 

[irishfan]

Is a crossbow illegal now for hunting? I know that later on things may not matter in a crisis but I am curious about now. Also, is there a particular crossbow that is better than any other or does it really matter when it comes to a basic model?

Thanks

 

[Sailor]

There is a short season for it late. Avoid cheap ebay type models. If you are disabled and can not hunt with a bow, you can hunt with cross bow during regular bow season.

 

[teddy12b]

Why would you be against method of hunting that takes so much more skill, and practice?

I have a lot of reasons why I don't like bows for hunting. The way i understand the idea that bow hunting takes more skill & practice is because you have to get closer to the animal because the range and power of a bow is very limited. Nothing frosts me more when talking about hunting when guys say that it's more of a challenge to hunt with a bow. You can hunt the same way, just as close with a rifle. It takes the same amount of skill to get close to an animal regardless of what weapon you bring to the table. Most of the deer I've seen in my life have been within bow range. Does that make my hunting skills less because I had a rifle with me?

I don't like that bow hunting gets special treatment with a bow only season during the time when deer are still on a schedule going down the trail. How does it take more skill to be closer and ambush them on their scheduled trail? I don't think that's fair to gun hunters, and I wish the entire season was open for bows, shotguns, muzzleloaders & whatever. I don't like how they dice it up into sections. Doing this would even out the hunting pressure across all seasons, instead of just a couple weeks and I think there would be less accidents because of it.

My biggest problem with the bow is that how many deer are wounded instead of cleanly taken. It's absolutely unofficial but how many hunting shows do you see a deer drop on the spot from a bow? Most of the ones I've seen run off, or they "let it stiffen up over night".

Here's the article I was thinking about:
http://www.jstor.org/pss/3781397

This is another one, when I did a google search under scholarly journals.
http://www.springerlink.com/content/r225384339n48737/


For me, I feel a great deal of responsibility that if I'm going to kill an animal I owe it the courtesy of a quick clean kill to the best of my abilities regardless of what I think is the most fun weapon to hunt with. I don't let an animal suffer for minutes so I can brag about a one shot kill when I can ease the pain with another shot in a seconds time.

I've probably ticked off every bow hunter here, and I usually don't voice my opinion on this just because it goes against what so many others think. Having said all that, if I needed to provide food for the family and all I had was a bow, that's what I'd use. That's what made me think about a bow in a SHTF kit, just in case.

 

[Sailor]

If you have hunted with a bow, you would know that it is harder. Drawing and holding a 70lb bow undetected and at the same time trying to relax and aim properly while your arm is shaking, is different than flicking off the safety of your firearm.

For me the range is 20-30 yrds. Thats where I am comfortable placing good shots.

Most bowhunters are practiced sportsman. Rarely does the guy buy the bow the week before season opener and go out and try to hunt. Cant say this for gun hunters can you.

Deer shot with an arrow die from bleeding to death. A bullet causes death by the shock of the bullet. Shots placed in the boiler all result in a quick death. All deer run even when heart shot with an arrow. You are misinformed.

 

[El Cazador]

I've probably ticked off every bow hunter here,

Nah, it's just obvious you've never hunted with a bow. I run into this a lot, especially from folks who don't hunt at all.

The way i understand the idea that bow hunting takes more skill & practice is because you have to get closer to the animal because the range and power of a bow is very limited.

Because of the limited range of the weapon, and because of the movement required to draw the bow. That is a great advantage gun hunters have. The only movement often required of them is pulling the trigger.

You can hunt the same way, just as close with a rifle. It takes the same amount of skill to get close to an animal regardless of what weapon you bring to the table.

That's all very true. But how many do wait until the deer is less than 30 yds from them? Gun hunters don't have to gamble the wind won't swirl at the wrong moment, or that the deer see the movement of drawing the bow. I don't know many gun hunters who would wait for a deer to get very close, when they don't have to.

and I wish the entire season was open for bows, shotguns, muzzleloaders & whatever.

Each weapon requires a different skill set. To maximize hunter satisfaction (what the DNR places heavy emphasis on) and successful hunts, the seasons are separated out. Bowhunters are more successful when the woods are relatively quiet and the deer aren't as spooked by so many people in the woods shooting.

My biggest problem with the bow is that how many deer are wounded instead of cleanly taken. It's absolutely unofficial but how many hunting shows do you see a deer drop on the spot from a bow? Most of the ones I've seen run off, or they "let it stiffen up over night".

I'm not going to run an entire Bowhunter Education class on you, but your theories here are completely off base. Bowhunters wound (and not recover) at the same rate as gun hunters. I have numerous studies on paper to prove this. Secondly, bowhunters don't "let it stiffen up overnight". Because a broadhead tipped arrow works completely different than a bullet does on a physical body (pneumo-thoracic shock compared to hydrostatic shock, or a knife cut to a gunshot) deer often don't fall down from being hit with an arrow. But then again, neither do they from a gunshot, either. You leave deer alone to die peacefully from blood loss after being arrowed. Blood loss causes unconsciousness, then death. I personally have shot deer with an arrow, had them not even notice it, and fall over unconscious in moments to die in front of me. The few times deer are hit poorly, it's recommended not following them too soon to allow them to lose enough blood to lay down from loss induced fatigue, and expire.

Also, because of the way a broadhead works, most wounds that aren't lethal heal. Ask taxidermists how many broadheads are found in deer that are surrounded by gristle from long ago wounds.

For me, I feel a great deal of responsibility that if I'm going to kill an animal I owe it the courtesy of a quick clean kill to the best of my abilities regardless of what I think is the most fun weapon to hunt with. I don't let an animal suffer for minutes so I can brag about a one shot kill when I can ease the pain with another shot in a seconds time.

Ask a surgeon which he would rather have happen to him, and which is more painful. A knife wound, or a gunshot. Again, the physics of a bullet wound (hydrostatic shock) is a physical buffeting of internal parts. A knife (broadhead) wound is the severing of blood vessels, nerves, and puncturing of internal parts. Except for the initial puncture of the skin (ever cut yourself shaving, and not notice until you got soap in the cut or saw it in the mirror?) a sharp knife or broadhead wound will not hurt near as much as the physical "punch" of a bullet.

I can keep going A Bowhunter Education class is a minimum ten hours long, with usually only three hours or so in field and shooting work.

Personally, in a SHTF situation, and there is still wildlife available, I'm using a .22 until the ammo runs out. Bowhunting is fun and effective, but if I'm only out to "make meat", I'm shooting the darn things in the head with a .22. Ask any poacher.

 

[Remington1100]

If you have hunted with a bow, you would know that it is harder. Drawing and holding a 70lb bow undetected and at the same time trying to relax and aim properly while your arm is shaking, is different than flicking off the safety of your firearm.

For me the range is 20-30 yrds. Thats where I am comfortable placing good shots.

Most bowhunters are practiced sportsman. Rarely does the guy buy the bow the week before season opener and go out and try to hunt. Cant say this for gun hunters can you.

Deer shot with an arrow die from bleeding to death. A bullet causes death by the shock of the bullet. Shots placed in the boiler all result in a quick death. All deer run even when heart shot with an arrow. You are misinformed.

+1 and reps for saying it exactly how it is

 

[Sailor]

Thanks El for saying it better than I could

 

[teddy12b]

I really don't want to get into a pi$$ing match over bow hunting. I have a 70# recurve that I bought off of Ebay years ago and if a bow is too much for a guy to pull it back, he can use a lighter # bow and be just fine.

I'd agree that some guys go out ang buy a rifle the week before season opens, and I've also seen guys do it with a bow. Neither way is very smart unless that guy practices a lot that week to get to know the weapon.

Please read the links above before telling me I'm misinformed. If you can show me articles pointing out where I am wrong, I'd happily read them.

 

[Cain71]

For the small game that may be taken, how about a Gamo air rifle, pellets are cheap and many can be bought,work great on squirrels and rabbits,just a thought

 

[chraland51]

I have been considering the purchase of a good crossbow solely as a backup to my firearms to be used only in certain situations where stealth and silenct might be required or if I am all out of ammo. I used to have a good compound on my survival equipment list, but have changed me mind as the years went by. Even with the high let off rate of just about all of the compounds, you still have to hold it for whatever length of time which would get difficult for someone with arthritic wrists and shoulders. My first hunting tool in an emergency situation would be a high powered rifle or shotgun slug. If I am forced to put my own food on my table, I do not much care how it gets there as long as I do not have to take it from someone else. If it gets that bad, we would really be in a lot of trouble and had better be forming communities for mutual survival. With the current situation, I am getting much closer to actually going out and buying a crossbow with some repair parts and lots of arrows.