Is traditional archery hunting unethical?

[MattB]

Hunting with trad gear is not unethical. Shooting beyond one's effective range is. It has been my experience that some people use trad gear as an excuse for exceeding their effective range. That is on the shooter, not the equipment.

 

[StupidLightweight]

Well said, MattB. Lest anyone think I'm anti traditional archery, my mission this year is to practice with an old recurve I was gifted and see how hard it is to gain proficiency. With two young kids, I don't leave home often, but I can practice in the backyard this spring and summer to see what all the excitement is about. I'm not saying I'll hunt big-game with it, but the passion for trad archery in this thread does intrigue me. Thanks to everyone who shared their insights into this ancient tool.

 

[1Canvas]

I have struggled with this a bit myself and waited two years of almost every day practice to be very precise at 17 yards and under.
Over that I will use a compound. That said, there is nothing like hunting with traditional gear and the reward after a good kill is nothing like any other hunting.

 

[Geytre88]

The question of ethics in this topic is relative to the effort being put forth by the shooter, confidence in themselves knowing they put in the work and the limitations of their gear. Be reasonable and respect the game you’re chasing.

 

[Beendare]

This thread is still cooking?

Dang after not shooting for a couple months..... I'm an unethical stick bow guy and I proved it on 3D animals today....

I can pick up my compound after not shooting for many months and be pretty accurate- it's like riding a bike. Not so with Stickbows...at least for me.

 

[cck311]

This thread is still cooking?

Dang after not shooting for a couple months..... I'm an unethical stick bow guy and I proved it on 3D animals today....

I can pick up my compound after not shooting for many months and be pretty accurate- it's like riding a bike. Not so with Stickbows...at least for me.

Yeah, I went and got my compound hunt ready over the long weekend "just in case". Blows my mind how easy it is compared to a stickbow. Feels like cheating haha.

 

[Beendare]

Yeah, I went and got my compound hunt ready over the long weekend "just in case". Blows my mind how easy it is compared to a stickbow. Feels like cheating haha.

Same here....compound IS like riding a bike.

I did start shooting a little and my form is starting to come back.

I set up a lighter bow-46# and that sure helped.

I'm starting to think;
Why I even shoot heavier than that is silly.

 

[cck311]

Same here....compound IS like riding a bike.

I did start shooting a little and my form is starting to come back.

I set up a lighter bow-46# and that sure helped.

I'm starting to think;
Why I even shoot heavier than that is silly.

You know as well as I do that little 46 pounder will get it done.

 

[Gun]

Last years Bull. 43# Bear TD. Down in 40yds

 

[Arizona_archer73]

Whew! Just read through this thread. Interesting opinions by all! Trad bows are ethical IMO. (I hunt with a Bear takedown recurve.)

But if one goes solely by weapon efficacy, and excludes reasonable self judgement of proficiency and restraint when needed, then:

The only ethical weapon is the best possible technology that exists, and is legal to use. A.270 with irons wouldn't be ethical for elk deer or elk when a .308 with a scope exists by that line of thinking.

And anyone who considers trad bows unethical would have to extend the logic to conclude all forms of bow hunting are unethical since rifles exist.

Hunting is a sport, and misses will happen, even with the best technology and intentions and judgement. Only the hunter knows if they were ethical; hunting within their ability to make the shot, and physically able to recover the animal.

 

[KyFried]

Yea, it’s ethical as long as you don’t shoot past your range of accuracy

 

[Nate L]

Not any more unethical than any other form of hunting if trying to do something outside of your ability.

 

[ZAK13]

It's an ethical way of hunting. I've tried it, and I suck at it. Definitely need to practice more, I'm good out to 15 yards right now. I have few buddies that have taken game out to 30 yards on a consistent basis, deer, bear, elk, they've taken them all. It's definitely a skill that needs to be kept sharp with practice, at least for me.

 

[mtfallon]

No more so than a compound or a throwing knife if you practice and stay within your personal limitations.

 

[HunterGatherer]

10 - It’s a lot more ethical than eating store-bought meat

9 - Not if you have a permission slip from your mom

8 - Only if you shoot ‘em up the butt

7 - Only if you don’t head shoot ‘em

6 - Only if it’s in Pennsylvania on a Sunday

5 - I’m busy, go ask your mother

4 - It’s a lot more ethical than veganism

3 - Did you just assume my ethic-nicity !?

2 - Not as long as the doe consents first



Tell me you’re from PETA without telling me you’re from PETA !

 

[Vaquero 45]

Not bitein the bait . And a poll too top it off .

 

[Beendare]

I can understand someone questioning this especially when you go to a 3D shoot early in the season.

Lots of guys ricocheting arrows through the woods....some terrible accuracy. I've been there myself when I'm out of practice.

The critical point here is this is PRACTICE....guys refining their skill and developing their shot. That practice also helps a guy determine his effective range. I know an 80 yr old dedicated longbow guy- terrible shot- but he tells everyone his effective range is 7 yards. ...and he is right....I've seen him shoot! Heck, in the whitetail woods a guy can set up for his effective range- even if its 7 yards.
I know my effective range varies a lot throughout the year.

Now if the question hinges on the lethality of the weapon itself...Ha, someone has been watching too many Bomar and Cam Hanes videos. The effectiveness of a low energy trad arrow is incredible. It's fake news that you need a 70# or 80# bow to kill critters. I rarely don't get a pass through......even on Moose and big hogs...and thats with a 46# recurve.

Someone questioning that is just showing their lack of knowledge.

 

[roosiebull]

Same here....compound IS like riding a bike.

I did start shooting a little and my form is starting to come back.

I set up a lighter bow-46# and that sure helped.

I'm starting to think;
Why I even shoot heavier than that is silly.

That’s the path I’m pursuing, my 2 bows are 52&54# and unless I’m shooting volume constantly, it gets hard to shoot volume with good form, so I think I’m going to sell my 2 bows and reinvest in ilf so I can have light limbs and hunting weight limbs on the same platform and have versatility, but I assume my heavier limbs will be under 50# regardless, just because it’s plenty for what I need, and lighter is always more accurate and more fun to shoot

 

[roosiebull]

I can understand someone questioning this especially when you go to a 3D shoot early in the season.

Lots of guys ricocheting arrows through the woods....some terrible accuracy. I've been there myself when I'm out of practice.

The critical point here is this is PRACTICE....guys refining their skill and developing their shot. That practice also helps a guy determine his effective range. I know an 80 yr old dedicated longbow guy- terrible shot- but he tells everyone his effective range is 7 yards. ...and he is right....I've seen him shoot! Heck, in the whitetail woods a guy can set up for his effective range- even if its 7 yards.
I know my effective range varies a lot throughout the year.

Now if the question hinges on the lethality of the weapon itself...Ha, someone has been watching too many Bomar and Cam Hanes videos. The effectiveness of a low energy trad arrow is incredible. It's fake news that you need a 70# or 80# bow to kill critters. I rarely don't get a pass through......even on Moose and big hogs...and thats with a 46# recurve.

Someone questioning that is just showing their lack of knowledge.

Another kinda funny thing about traditional gear and ethics are the trad gate keepers that think wood arrows and instinctive shooting is the only way, instead of people hitting where they are aiming

What draws me to traditional equipment is shooting the bow is way more fun, and beyond that it’s for personal satisfaction and challenging myself. I’m not going to hunt with something I can’t shoot well, especially for the sake of being trad, I don’t care what others shoot, and I think it’s absolutely awesome for people to hunt with selfbows and hand knapped heads, but it’s not my wheelhouse, but those who do it successfully have all of my respect and admiration, there is no more difficult way to fill tags… I have no problem saying I’m not that talented, I can’t imagine I ever will be

I took a break because I was not feeling I could control my shots good enough under pressure to ethically hunt with a traditional bow, I missed 4 bulls my first year with the furthest being 18yds, and the next year I told myself that if I miss, I was going to finish the season with my compound, and ended up calling a big black horned bull into 7yds and sent an arrow over his back… I was so disgusted with myself.

My shooting ability at home was good, it was not a factor, if I could shoot to my ability under pressure, it would be just as effective as my compound with the shots I take regardless, I could shoot very consistently to 30, and not terribly at 40 (would never shoot that far, but I don’t with my compound either)


Now I have worked on myself and feel confident that I can control my shots and have the desire once again, the only thing I’m going to change is my equipment, I’m going to get another ilf riser with 2 sets of limbs/arrows, and I’m thinking my heavier hunting limbs will be high 40’s# and then some 30ish lb limbs for working on my shot, or general off season shooting

Hunting ethics in general will always be dependent on the individual rather than hunting style…. Always!

 

[LostArra]

This reminds me of the question "Are handguns dangerous?"