Are Traditional Bows humane?

[oxybowon]

Hi- I am totally new to bow hunting, actually I haven't even started yet. Many years ago I shot recurves while in Boy Scouts and I was a decent shot. I just really entered into hunting as a way of putting meat in the freezer and on the table only in the past several years. (Just wasn't raised to hunt.) So, I was totally psyched to find the magazine and this forum. I am looking at a few kits so that I can make my first bow. However, as I was telling my brother about this last night and how I felt this was more connected to hunting than using a compound and if I could harvest something using something I had created that would be mind blowing. He said it was cool, but he wondered whether it would be more likely to just injure a deer or turkey than kill it. I was taken back as I had not really considered it and it seems like a relevant question. I would shoot target until I felt completely confident in hitting with the intent to kill, but I don't want the animal to die in an inhumane manner. I need to feedback and suggestions. Thanks a ton, Mike

[Justin Snyder]

Actually from the stats that I have read. Traditional bow hunters have a higher game recovery rate than even rifle hunters.  The pronghorn I shot went less than 30 yards before collapsing.  Lots of guys with compounds will shoot any distance, and rifles can be worse.  Traditional bow hunters usually know their limits and will not shoot beyond it.  I guess the point I should make is that the bow or any other weapon is humane. It is the shooter who makes a bad decision that USUALLY causes the problem.  Justin

[Coo-wah-chobee]

 .................There is no substantial evidence to indicate compounds  have an up on traditional bows. No  matter what madison avenue says and manufacturers try to tell you ! As Justin says facts indicate that recovery rate among traditional archery hunters is higher than even rifle hunters. Its "the loose nut behind the steering wheel" or bow in this case. Its not just shooting a game animal, theres a lot more to be competent and a humane hunter............bob

[Pat B]

A well placed arrow with a scarry sharp broadhead is a very humane hunting tool! The propellant makes very little differance. Pat

[NOMADIC PIRATE]

I shot several pigs that didn't even realised what happened, and just died in sigth, wood bows are soooo quiet compared to compounds and even glass bows.

...so to answer your question, wood bows probably will have much less animals running and pumping adrenaline in theyr sistems after they got shot than any other hunting device, .....and to me thats real good

[wolf among dogs]

 The weapon of choice isnt humane, the mature hunter using it is ! Know your limits and your guidlines and you will be very happy with the outcome.Traditional guys such as myself harvest very successfully and i guess im at that time in my life that i would rather let them "walk" than take a risky shot.If its not a clean kill its not an option for me Ive taken lots of people out with me and i think that frustrates them but they soon get it.
 Know what youre doing and what youre capable of and all will go real smooth.
 Be safe all and good luck !

[oxybowon]

Hey--thanks! You all reflected what were my general thoughts. It really is the hunter and the hunter's ethics.

[ratty]

Hi- I am totally new to bow hunting, actually I haven't even started yet. Many years ago I shot recurves while in Boy Scouts and I was a decent shot. I just really entered into hunting as a way of putting meat in the freezer and on the table only in the past several years. (Just wasn't raised to hunt.) So, I was totally psyched to find the magazine and this forum. I am looking at a few kits so that I can make my first bow. However, as I was telling my brother about this last night and how I felt this was more connected to hunting than using a compound and if I could harvest something using something I had created that would be mind blowing. He said it was cool, but he wondered whether it would be more likely to just injure a deer or turkey than kill it. I was taken back as I had not really considered it and it seems like a relevant question. I would shoot target until I felt completely confident in hitting with the intent to kill, but I don't want the animal to die in an inhumane manner. I need to feedback and suggestions. Thanks a ton, Mike

if you think its not going to hurt the animal when you kill it i think you may be wrong.


i dont know if killing any healthy animal is humane really,

but if you are going to use what you harvest ,and dont leave it dead to rot.

i cant see there being a problem.

man hunted.

its what made us what we are,

i think a respect for the animal killed should be a big thing.

just my opinion

[Agbowyer]

I started a reply to this last night several times. I can't really add to what's been said, but I did want to give an illustration. My oldest son is 17. He's been hunting with me since he was 5. Last bow season he had a 160 class buck (extremely big for my piece of hunting land) at 12 yards. Jared is a very good shot with his bow, but gets buck fever pretty bad sometimes. He drew his bow, but felt he was shaking too much for the shot. He let the buck walk. That's one of the proudest moments of my hunting life. He could have let the arrow fly to see if he got a good hit, but he didn't. Let me know that he actually listened to some of my talks. By the way he never saw the buck again.

[Pat B]

I believe that a well placed, sharp arrow from any kind of bow is more humane than a well placed bullet, unless it drops them in their tracks. An arrow kills by causing hemorrhaging and/or lung collapse. With a good sharp head shot through both lungs it only takes seconds for the animal to succumb. A bullet kills by shock and with that shock comes tissue damage and more pain.
Like Manny said, he has shot pigs that didn't know they were shot and if you shoot through a deer, many times he won't know he was hit. I have seen deer run almost 2 miles with their shoulder blown off and half of their heart gone from a gun shot. If you make a nonlethal bow shot, the animal that was shot will be back making his rounds in no time and with very little tissue damage. With a bullet, that is not always the case and the ones that do continue on will have severe tissue damage.   Pat

[jamie]

im a tracker and spend quite a bit of time looking for deer for other hunters in my area. as of yet ive never been called on to look for a tradiotnal hunters animal. yet several of the hunters i track for used to be guides and are very experienced hunters. using guns and compounds. peace

[mullet]

  As in Manny's case Ive also shot hogs with bows.They will sometimes flinch and continue rooting.And then they will just fall over.

[perry]

   I have been a bit busy recently and have only just found this post . Like everyone else says primitave /traditional bows and arrows in the hands of a competant and ethical bowhunter are humane and very efficient method of harvesting game . On an alarming note here in Australia a New South Wales judge a few weeks ago completly disregarded expert evidence that arrows are a humane , efficent method of harvesting game and went with a contrary argument from a anti hunting professor and found a mate of mine guilty of cruelty to animals for shooting a cat with his longbow [ feral cats are legal game ] on his large leased rural property .The cat travelled 4 metres after being struck , unfortuatly the cat proved to be a wondering pet from a neighbooring property . A very sad situation allround that a rabbit hunt on his own block proved to have such dire consequences .

[mullet]

   That suck's Perry.Tell your friend to use a blunt next time.

[D. Tiller]

What a bummer! What happened to your friend? I hope it was just a small find and he can plead his case again. Sound like the judge was extremely biased.