Archery or firearms?

Question

in your opion what do you think is better and why archery or firearms. (this is for deer and turkery hunting)

also what is the minimum draw weight for deer hunting or turkey hunting?

i'm looking for the minimum draw weight for NH thanks

Answer 1

I prefer firearms, but if you need a better challenge then you would go for archery, you have to get quite a bit closer to the game.

Answer 2

The majority of States require a draw weight minimum of 40 lbs, but there are a few exceptions to this general requirement. You should check with your individual state Game & Fish Commission or Dept of Wildlife to find out what weight is required in your state of residence


The choice each hunter makes as far as what is better is controlled by individual preferences. Personally, I think Bowhunting is the more difficult and the most challenging.
It requires a lot more skill to hit a Deer or Turkey with an arrow, then it does with a Shotgun or Rifle. I hunt both ways and have been successful at both for over 40 years now, but I do prefer Bowhunting over firearms.Bowhunting, Black Powder hunting then conventional Firearms hunting in that order.

Answer 3

Rifles for large game or shot guns for birds are easier to bag animals.

However, archery is a bigger challenge because you need to be closer to the animals and an arrow is not quite as forgiving as a more damaging bullet.

Archery also has the whole man vs nature thing where you don't use gun powder technology. I would be more proud if I got a nice elk or deer with archery because of the challenge and because of the extra coolness of a bow.

However, in the real world, it is a lot harder to get deer and elk with archery. When I hunt with rifles, I shoot at deer that are 400 yards away. Those bucks would most likely run away before an archer can get close enough.

My personal choice- rifle or shot gun because I have a hard enough time with success as it is. I don't need to give myself a handicap quite yet.

Answer 4

I guess Hannah73 does not understand ecology and the fact that overpopulation of wild turkey and deer is a big environmental problem in many rural areas.
Its not for everyone, but responsible, law abiding hunting is a good thing for population control.
As far as hunting goes.. bow and gun are different.. I personally think Bow hunting is more difficult and you have 1 shot to get it right.. gun is a bit easier and you can squeeze off 2 shots quickly if you need to...
a 12 gauge shotgun with some good buckshot is perfect for deer hunting and birdshot for turkey... but a powerful compound bow is great for both too.... its just a matter of which type of hunting you personally prefer.

Answer 5

First, for those who say buckshot is okay for taking deer: BS! For one thing, buckshot tends to tear animals up - and at longer ranges, it is extremely ineffective. Plus, in New Hampshire, wher the person asking the question lives, buckshot is NOT ALLOWED for the taking of any animal... I cannot find any reference to a minimum draw weight requirement for bows.

Firearms are best for any situation where the deer are going to be more than 30 yards distant from the hunter, and where the hunter's aim with a bow is not precise enough to hit an eight-inch area from a distance of 30 yards. With a bow, if you don't hit the deer in the right place - you merely wound the deer.

If you prefer to use a bow, and you are not able to pull back a draw weight of at least 35 pounds on a "traditional" bow, you should use a compound bow; compound bows allow higher draw weights, while the archer holds only a percentage of that draw weight at "anchor", or "full draw" - with "traditional" bows, the archer must hold the total draw weight at "full draw".

In my view, bow/arrow is better for hunting deer, because it requires more actual skill. With a rifle, all the hunter has to do is sight on the deer and pull the trigger; there is no need to stalk a deer when you use a rifle, as you can kill the deer from a distance of up to 1500 yards with most modern rifle loads....with bow and arrow, you have to get "up close and personal" with the deer, at an average distance of 20-30 yards, for a clean, quick kill. Most bowhunters will tell you that it is the "up close and personal", the actual stalking portion of the hunt, that they enjoy the most - outside of filling the freezer with fresh venison steaks. (One of my cousins uses both rifle and bow to hunt. He says that he prefers the bow - "More satisfying", in his words.)

For turkey, a shotgun would be best if your skills with the bow are not as close to perfect as humanly possible. Hitting the "kill zone" on a turkey with an arrow is like shooting a dime out of the air with a rifle - nearly impossible when you are trying to be quiet, fast and accurate all at the same time (with the way those feathers "fluff out", turkeys look deceptively huge...). It can be done, but you need to be durned sure of yourself to do it. If you are not sure you can do it - don't even try with a bow.

And to all those who think that hunting is cruel to the animals: It would be far more cruel to allow them to over-populate an area, causing a shortage of food for the total population of animals - and causing them to starve to death. Not to mention all the human deaths and maimings caused by deer and such being hit by motor vehicles, as the deer and other animals cross highways in search of food... Yes, food is available in grocery stores, but some people are not able to afford to buy meat all the time - they stretch their food dollars by hunting.

Or would you have people injured, countless animals die of starvation due to over-population, and some families go hungry during winter, just so you can say "I saved Bambi..."?

Answer 6

in nj the min draw weight is 30 lbs but it varies per state... also in nj, rifles are illegal- only shot guns/muzzle loaders are legal... compound bows are illegal in nj as well unless the hunter has a special permit and doctor's letter. i do not hunt, but my friends do and they prefer firearms. i skeet shoot but that's about it... and to Hannah 73: hunting is not only for population control but a food source as well. most hunters eat their kill- haven't you ever eaten turkey at Thanksgiving? where did you think the turkey came from? it wasn't grown at the grocery store... also, in nj, more deer are the cause of automobile deaths per year than drunk driving- therefore, the hunters are helping save human life by controlling the animal population...

Answer 7

the minimum draw weight depends on the state. In wisconsin i know its like 35 lb

Answer 8

Both of them.* One is just as lethal as the other.* I recommend nothing less than 45lb for hunting with Bow & Arrow.*