Does Bow Hunting change your Perception on Proper Game Management?

[tyson129]

Hi Everyone, I have been considering taking up bow hunting for several years now but have not made the financial jump if you will or been willing to take the safety course for it (Considering I already took Hunter Safety dealing with Rifles which have a much farther Range).
I am just wondering if once you get into bow hunting and you are not one of the fortunate hunters who gets to travel state to state hunting deer at hunting clubs/ranches (You know the pros) does your measurement of what a mature deer is get skewed? Is it a "get what you can" mentality due to the fact that it is much harder and more intimate to have a big game animal get so close to you that you are willing to harvest yearlings and the such or do you still pass on the young and wait for the big boys to come around?
Just wondering, I think this is a question that has not been asked, and I would like to know...Does the bar get lowered because the hunt is harder?
Thanks in Advance.

[tyson129]

This will be my second year of all of nothing bow hunting, no guns at all. IMO any animal legally harvested with stick and string is a "trophy". Sure I'd like to kill a P&Y buck but if I get a legal animal in range and the situation is right, he/she better be ducking.

I'm in a lease in Georgia, all of the members except me will be toting high powered rifles next weekend. They all think I'm slap crazy, which is fine. At this point in my life (200+ deer taken with gun/bow) I'd much rather take a 100 inch deer with a bow than a 150 with a gun.

Crazy sounding? Yep. True? You damn right!

Thanks for your insight. Very interesting..I almost feel like I am conducting a psychology/sociology test with hunters being the study group.
Continued answers are much appreciated.
DaddyPaul, this was actually an answer I was expecting...that the reward of an animal harvested with a bow is considered much more rewarding than an animal harvested with a gun due to the extreme challenges the hunter faces. Doesn't sound crazy at all. Sounds Rewarding.
Many Thanks for your Thoughts!
Happy Hunting!

[adamz]

I've yet to spank my does for the year, but I plan on a coupla does with the bow. I've had bad ass flu and a lung infection so today was my first day out for bow season. All I saw was the west side of east bound deer on my way out of the woods.
But, unless the buck's rack is half a hand past his ears and 3 years old, I'll let him walk all day.
I know antler restriction is a big hoopla but I'm choosing to hunt a certain way, I won't kill young bucks. Maybe because I'm fortunate enough to hunt enough and see enough (and hopefully shoot enough) does for meat in the freezer I can pass on little bucks. Last year I did shoot a spike buck and was unable to shoot the monster my uncle was fortunate enough to shoot. I'll eat the tag before I use my buck tag on a spiker ever again...I can get up to 4 doe tags. That's plenty of meat for me and everyone I can give it away to.
"Ya can't eat horns" ...I know but you can eat does. Horns go on the wall...
Z

[tyson129]

Yeah, I am a big doe guy myself, I am nuts about venison! Does are just soooo much more tender! Thanks for the feedback and honesty.

[palmettoswamp]

If its legal and I have a good shot, I'm loosing the arrow.

[sinkingcreekbowhunter]

If you want to get bigger bucks in your area you gotta take out them big does plus they make for some awsome table fair.