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Brownbear
Joined: 28 May 2007
Posts: 14929
Location: South West
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matt_hooks
Joined: 01 Aug 2010
Posts: 312
Location: Lambourn(ish) Berkshire
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Brownbear
Joined: 28 May 2007
Posts: 14929
Location: South West
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Jam Lady
Joined: 28 Dec 2006
Posts: 2573
Location: New Jersey, USA
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 Posted: Sun Sep 26, 10 4:24 pm Post subject: |
 
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I don't hunt, so cannot speak from personal experience. Issue with rifle is, I believe, the carry distance of bullet compared to shotgun shell. Most deer hunting in NJ is from tree stand so hunter is aiming downward. But accidents do happen.
Black powder - the concept of traditional techniques. If you look at the NY Times pictures there's a fellow who not only made darts for an atlatl, he apparently chipped flint points for the darts. Now that's traditional!
People are interested in reenactment in different periods - Revolutionary War, the War Between the States.
If DS is the encouragement of smallholding, raising our own food, making our own preserves and pickles, spinning and weaving - why should hunters only use the most modern techniques? What's more enjoyable - fly fishing or going out with a powerful boat, fish-finding sonar, and other more "advanced" techniques?
Chacun a son gout. |
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matt_hooks
Joined: 01 Aug 2010
Posts: 312
Location: Lambourn(ish) Berkshire
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| Posted: Sun Sep 26, 10 5:29 pm Post subject: |
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I guess it's down to wanting to ensure the fastest, most humane death possible for the prey animal Jam Lady.
As a hunter, my goals, in order of importance, are firstly safety for me and other people, secondly the quickest, most humane possible death and third meat quality. I would not consider using an older, more outdated method if that increased the risk of injuring the animal, or increased the amount of time to death and hence caused the animal to suffer. I want to use the best tools at my disposal to ensure the animal suffers as little as possible.
A black powder rifle is not likely to be as accurate at range as a modern rifle, and a bow and arrow is certainly likely to cause the animal to suffer, even if the shot is well placed!
It's horses for courses, but for me the method is less important in the enjoyment than the hunt itself.
As far as fishing goes, the fish doesn't suffer any more if you catch it on a fly or with a modern net and fish finding sonar, so the comparison doesn't really stand! |
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Jam Lady
Joined: 28 Dec 2006
Posts: 2573
Location: New Jersey, USA
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| Posted: Sun Sep 26, 10 6:23 pm Post subject: |
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That's it, matt_hooks. It's sneaking up on a deer to get close enough for a safe, quick kill. The man who still-hunts (shotgun) on our property stays out there until I think he must have frozen solid, waiting until a deer is close enough for a clean kill. He's here again, again, again, and again until things are right for a good, clean kill.
A rifle might even encourage someone to take a long shot - after all, it's a rifle - where someone using black powder or bow should of necessity understand the limits of his weapon.
There are many vehement arguments pro and con about gun vs hunting bow. If you've ever seen a compound hunting bow and the quarrels used, it sure looks to me a quickly lethal method - when used by someone who understands what he's doing.
Surely the same is applicable to a rifle?
Around here at this time of year I see life-size plastic deer set up in people's backyards (with a back stop) as they sharpen their bow technique in advance of opening day.
As with anything - it is the person using the - gun, bow, camera, knitting needles - that is responsible for a great, good, mediocre, or poor outcome.
BTW, local hunters all tell me that they find wild turkey a wilier, more challenging critter to hunt than white-tail deer. |
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matt_hooks
Joined: 01 Aug 2010
Posts: 312
Location: Lambourn(ish) Berkshire
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| Posted: Sun Sep 26, 10 8:30 pm Post subject: |
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I have used all sorts of bows, crossbows, modern compound and recurve bows right through to the oldest types of bow, longbows and some pretty nifty composite horn bows. Yes, they are very powerful, and deadly accurate in the right hands, but they just don't have the energy to impart that a modern bullet does.
A modern bullet kills quickly and painlessly by causing massive tissue trauma along the track it takes through the tissue. An arrow or bolt from a bow, on the other hand, does not impart as much energy. The bullet causes massive blood loss and rapid unconsciousness and death, whereas a bow shot, even a well placed one, is likely to lead to slow blood loss and a slow death. |
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sgt.colon
Joined: 27 Jul 2009
Posts: 7380
Location: Just south of north.
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Brownbear
Joined: 28 May 2007
Posts: 14929
Location: South West
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sgt.colon
Joined: 27 Jul 2009
Posts: 7380
Location: Just south of north.
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Katieowl
Joined: 01 Jun 2006
Posts: 4317
Location: West Wales
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Slim
Joined: 05 Mar 2006
Posts: 6614
Location: New England (In the US of A)
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dpack
Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 46249
Location: yes
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Bodger
Joined: 23 May 2006
Posts: 13524
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dpack
Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 46249
Location: yes
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