So, I have been a huge fan of hunting ever since I can remember. As soon as I could walk, I was sitting in the stand with my dad, and as soon as I was able to be trusted with a rifle, I was sitting in the stand by myself. Now, every chance I get, I am out in the field, setting up, scouting, or hunting.

I have always had an interest in Bow Hunting, and would like to give it a shot, get a bow, and at least shoot it around for fun. My wife has a big issue with me getting a bow. She says that bow hunting isn't as ethical as gun hunting. (I would say I am a pretty good shot with a gun) I guess that she thinks that the gun will kill the deer/hog/whatever faster than a broadhead will (with my skill level of shooting). Keep in mind she is not a hunter.

Does anyone have any counter arguments, or has anyone else had this issue?

A well placed arrow will kill very quickly. The appeal of bow hunting is in the challenge. Getting a good deer within 20 yards of you without them turning inside out is a huge rush. Its all about the hunt and not the kill. Other then that just tell her that you are going. For my 15th wedding anniversary I was hanging off of a tree in a swamp in Mississippi hunting deer. We will be married 20 years on 1/5/08. For her 39th birthday I was in Harper killing deer. Hell there is no need to spoil them.

-john

I say try getting her into it and I have to disagree the bow is a more ethical way of hunting because it doesn't scared or frighten other animals and a good shot with a broadhead will have an easier and more ethical effect than a rifle in the guts. Just because a rifle has power and more speed does NOT mean it is more ethical. Try your best to get her into it and she will start to understand and even if she won't let you hunt with the bow just shoot it in the yard or around the place and let her experiment with the new "toy". GOOD LUCK.

Can't say that I disagree with your wife.

Practice! Practice! Practice!

I think most bow hunters don't feel the need to practice. At least, most of the ones that I know. And every year, it's "I missed another" or "I made a bad shot" or "I hit it, but can't find any blood or deer" or "I hit it high" or "I hit it low". In fact, a neighbor of mine who hunts in San Saba says that their land owner will no longer allow bow hunting because they kept finding carcasses that had been shot and not found.

About all you can tell your wife is that you intend to practice enough and will avoid taking the so-called "unethical" shots. By that, I mean 40+ yards away, or through brush, or shooting a moving deer. And then, when something bad does happen, have the courtesy to not discuss it around your wife. For example, opening weekend, my son made a bad shot on a doe. He grazed her back, only enough to leave a cut and remove some hair. There was a little hair on the broadhead, but no blood. Last week, he said she returned to his feeder, and appeared to be fine. He could see where he hit her, and it didn't appear to bother her at all. He said he tried to take another shot, but was busted by another deer with her. Both my son and I practice way more than most, and he still made a bad shot, but didn't discuss it with anyone except his hunting partners or friends he knew it wouldn't offend.

Quote:

---

a good shot with a broadhead will have an easier and more ethical effect than a rifle in the guts.

---

You got to be kidding me! You call that a fair comparison?

Quote:

---

If saginawhunter is shooting it is

---

If sag's shooting, it's the norm. I expect he'll get better when he grows up.

Dont get me wrong, I have no arguments with the ethics between a rifle shot and a shot from a bow. Unfortunatley the wife doesnt see it the same way. I woudnt expect to be a decent shot with a bow unless i had quite a bit of practice.

is divorce an option???

no, she still lets me hunt.

I figure if i just went out and bought a bow, she probably wouldnt kick me to the curb. I guess there's only one way to find out!

Quote:

---

Unfortunatley the wife doesnt see it the same way.

---

Well! to be honest she has a point. There is no knock down from a bow, unless like me this year and last, you hit the spine, but that can be said for a bullet as well. Both were bad shots but both put them down immediately. But a well place arrow in the pump section is just as effective as a well place bullet. Both will end up with a deer expiring within very few yards.

tell her its more ethical than the way they kill those animals all her shoes are made of...

I have more confidence in my bow than in a rifle. I'm just not a very good shot with a rifle. I keep all my rifle shots under 100 yards because of this. Off the top of my head I've harvested four deer with a rifle, one deer with a shotgun slug, one hog with a lever 30-30. I've completely missed one deer with a rifle and wounded never found one. I've harvested eight deer and five hogs with a bow. I can only remember hitting and not finding two deer and a hog. No form of hunting offers a 100% guarantee in a swift, clean kill.

Unless you're going to take her to the stand with you I don't see why you need to prove anythi...............I'll quit now before I say something, oh, I don't know, honest. The facts are these: If you practice(and I mean practice, not just pull it out of storage a week or two before the season)and make sure you only take close(whatever that range is for you) broadside or slightly quartering away shots you can kill anything walking the North American continent with a bow. I've been bow hunting for over 20 years and in that time I've shot,killed and found over a dozen hogs, over 20 deer as well as rabbits, goats and birds.The only thing I've lost was one deer. I don't know of too many gun hunters that can tell you that they've never lost an animal. If you bow hunt it's gonna happen but if you respect the animals you will practice and become the best hunter you can. If you're not going to take the time then don't pick up a bow. As for what you tell your wife, tell her your going hunting.

A rifle kills with hydroshock

A Bow kills by lack of oxygen supplied to the brain. The deer just goes to sleep. (Dirt Nap)

Here's my problem and hope nobody takes it personally or gets offended. Most hunters just don't take enough time afield to become woodsmen or to become expert with a bow. They buy a bow to extend their hunting season but couldn't track a gutshot elephant through a fresh snowbank. Please understand that I'm not picking on bow hunters or holding myself up as an example of being a tracker or woodsman. I try trailing and backtrailing deer tracks a lot and always lose them. I've also lost deer when I've used a 30-06 on them. I do believe that more deer are lost to die later when shot with an arrow. Not a fatal shot? Wait until the flies get to the wound. Mama Nature is a mean lady and any kind of injury can have fatal consequences.

I think you make a good point. It seems that these days we define someone as a "hunter" or "woodsman" if they can simply pour corn in a feeder and pull a trigger.Or worse than that, someone who can simply write someone a check so they can ride around to "scout" that trophy buck on that game ranch.That's why 20 years ago I put my rifle up and only hunt with a bow now.It forces you to be a more aware hunter.It teaches you patience. Now I'm not preaching and I am surely not putting myself above people who choose to do these things but for me ,personally, it was simple. I am shocked at how many people I talk to who don't know the first thing about reading natural funnels,tracking,reading blood sign or even doing something as simple as smelling your arrow(most times,it'll tell you where you hit the deer)That's hunting! Releasing that arrow is just a part of it.

Clearly, the issue here is not bow versus gun..but who really wears the pants in your family? Conversation in a marriage is fine, but it should be a one way conversation. If she has enough time to engage in conversation, perhaps doing another load of laundry, getting the dishes done or a backrub for daddy would be a better use of her time?

Bob77, if I ever decide to swap out my current wife, I think I'll go to Nebraska to pick out my next one. Or maybe just get you to pick one out for me.

A-FREAKIN-MEN!!!!!! My first wife hated it when I went hunting.(she said she missed me soooooooooooo much)By the time we'd been married a couple of years she was begging for me to be gone by March.(God, I hated that woman)As I said, that was my first wife. My second, and final, wife grew up around deer hunting and gets upset when I come home from deer hunting empty handed. The joke around my house is "don't come home unless you bring me a deer" (GOD, I LOVE THIS WOMAN)The point is, if it makes you happy to hunt(with rifle,bow or a bag of rocks) do it. Don't sweat her not understanding or agreeing with it. Life is too short.

Get those women out and get em huntin and you will have a blast the only problem is it costs double!

Well, this year is a year of firsts for me. I married a non-hunting, non-wildgame eating woman, "besides that she is a great woman". the next thing is i just bought my first bow last month and have been practicing everynite and my wife is with me when i practice, so she sees how my shooting has gotten better. SO when i go hunting in December, she knows that i have taken the time to make a good shot. and if i wound an animal i sure as heck will keep my mouth shut

Everybody needs a Tiffany Lakoski ; and she bow hunts!

tacosmell that is the best answer i have heard so far.