Bowhunting Bias

[Mooseman]

No Offence, Greybark, but I can make any study look beneficial to any user group . stats and charts are great but the sad reality is that being profficient with traditional bow takes more practice and dedication than any other bow.
anyone wants to try this , go into your back yard and shoot one arrow a day at a 3-d target at a different yardage and see how accurate you really are, I think most people would be rather embarrassed.
Sad reality is on a tradional bows you are shooting off of assumption, you are assuming your arrow drop on an assumed distance,
Nontheless everyone should be working together to ensure that we have hunting rights in the future.
I have a 40 yard indoor heated range that I shoot at every day. everyday in 100 arrows or so , I make a poor shot or two.it happens even when we strive to make the perfect shot.

After 19 seasons of guiding traditional, compound and rifle hunters I have my own statistic. The person shooting is a "MUCH" higher wounding factor then weapon choice.
If you can hit a loonie at 100 yards with your bow 150 times a day, that does not mean that when taking a bad shot at an animal you could not wound as well!

3D shoots are for fun and practice but are not real hunting shots for traditional bowhunters for the most part. Even for compound they are often not ethical shots when the kill zone has an obstacle in front or the animal is quartering to the shooter.

Compounds are way more accurate on average then traditional bows but rifles are more accurate yet!

[houndogger]

I think all this talk about this is due to some serious cabin fever. Why don't ya'll get out and hunt some wolfs or something.

[Walksalot]

Hey Walksalot , Here are three studies done on wounding rates. Two of which are rather old but still give a definate number trend.
# Michigan - Recovery Rates - 1983
Deer hit at 0-10 yds had highest recovery rate
Deer hit at 10-20yds Had lower recovery rate
Deer hit at 20-30yds had still lower recovery rates
Deer hit at + 30 yds had 0 recovery rate
I realize this is one of the first archery studies done and is primative and basicly points out only shot and distance ratios.
#Missouri (sp) - Harvest Ratios - 1989
Deer Harvest Success Rate
Compound Unlimited----- 20.5%
Compound Fingers ----- 18.1%
Traditional ------------- 16%
Deer Wounding Per Cent
Compound Unlimited ---- 17.3%
Compound Fingers ------ 12%
Traditional -------------- 9.9%
OK , On to a more up to date report that took to years to compleat. This report was done in 1994 by Roy Marlow and the Lonestar Bowhunters of Texas involved 6000 questionairs and 4000 returns .

#BOW TYPE ------------MIM VALUE (yds) MAX VALUE (yds) AVERAGE VAL --
---------------------------------SHOT DISTANCE -(yds)
COMPOUND -----------------5--------------- 50-------------- 19.6
RECURVE -------------------10-------------- 25 --------------16.5
LONGBOW -------------------7--------------- 20------------- 12.2
-------------------------------RECOVERY DISTANCES (yds)
COMPOUND -----------------0---------------999--------------96
RECURVE -------------------0---------------300--------------75
LONGBOW ------------------0----------------70-------------- 58
---------------------------------RECOVERY TIMES (hrs)
COMPOUND -----------------0----------------16-------------- .7
RECURVE -------------------0-----------------2---------------.3
LONGBOW ------------------0-----------------1.1------------- .5

There is an excellant wounding study called The Camp Ridley Report which is more recent and should be read by all bowhunters .
I am now tired of all this and going to have a nap !!!!

REMEMBER -- Keep Your Fingertab On --

Greybark, I am truely flattered and God bless your heart and liver because you must have spent some time on the computer to accumulate this information I am sure your eyeballs must feel like they are bugging out of your head.

With all due respect the fact remains that reports can have a predetermined outcome before the study ever takes place.

When I am asked a questioned by a person interested in bowhunting and which tackle to use the first question I ask them is "how much time do you have to practice"?

[greybark]

Hey Walksalot , A good and gracious post , Take note Blacktail
I will certainly try to make it up to one of your 3-d shoots Walksalot , We should be well matched you with your bum leg and me with a bum ticker LOL . Merry Christmas Walksalot.

REMEMBER -- Keep Your Fingeertab On --

[Fred]

Maybe we could lean on each other since I have pee poor knees!! Fred

[Walksalot]

We will be a sight to see.
A Merry Christmas to you too Greybark.

[Jetboater]

Greybark, Is that you Ken, You miserable bear.

[greybark]

Hey Blacktail, You bet!!!!!! Take the sadness out of your posts (pun) and have a Merry Christmas !!!!

REMEMBER -- Keep Your Fingertab On --

[greybark]

Hey Blacktail , Is that you Roy ???? Missed seeing you at rock Ck the past frew years . Merry Christmas to you and your family. (even if you are not Roy)

REMEMBER -- Keep Your Fingertab On --

[ruger#1]

well grey you might of seen me in rockcreek, ive hunted there for over 25 years or more,Merry Christmas, and keep those arrows straight.