quote:

Originally posted by Boss Kongoni:in another discussion

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I would really like this cleared up by experienced bow hunters.
How quickly and humanely does a bow kill animals when you are an experienced bow hunter?

Here's a link to the most well know study on Bowhunting sucess vs. wound rates http://www.nbef.org/ripley.html

It found the wound rate to be closer to 13% vs, the 40% as posted by our TROLL friend that started this thread.

The only shot that will cause instant death (if that is possible)is a brain shot. Which is NOT a Bowhunting shot. An arrow kills by hemmorage. So the prime target is the heart/lumg interface area. With the best results coming from hitting the heart arterys.

There is a study that a heart/lung shot from a bow and from a rifle round will cause death within .45 seconds of each other.

Thanks BOss Kongoni

Read the article. Was scepticle as the bow hunters funded it and the main basis was from hunter surveys. However they addressed this in the article and I see no other way of getting this data other than feild observers and chain seraches. Not very practicle.

Could you also post the link for the lethality of rifle vs bow.

thanks
robe

robe: I know a couple of guys who hunted Camp Ripley during this time. These particular two guys got deer and retrieved them the first year. The second year they recovered one, and did not recover a substantiated hit deer. The reason they did not recover that one is because they were only given a certain amount of time to recover it, and then they had to leave the base. They were both sure that they would have recovered it if they were given another day for tracking.

quote:

Could you also post the link for the lethality of rifle vs bow.

I'll see if I can find it for you. If I remember correctly it looked at tramatic shock(Bullet) vs. hemmorage(broadhead) and how long to appx. time of death.

I have way over 200 bow kills and from watching and timing them until they go down, a good hit will put one down in 10 to 15 seconds. Granted, they can cover some ground in 15 seconds, but most of mine go down in sight. It is very rare that one goes farther then 30 to 40 yd's. Too light of an arrow or too small of a broadhead will extend the time and distance they travel, as will a poor hit. The facts are, it can't be predicted. The super tiny broadheads in favor today are just not right for quick kills. The super light shafts that won't penetrate all the way are another problem. I would rather stick something with a large, heavy bayonet then a pen knife.

Yes, I agree bfrshooter. Not to mention, the study posted has too many flaws, thus the conclusions, albeit bowhunter favorable, are not even close to representing the entire population of bowhunters/bowkills.

I haven't been too sucessfull in my search. So I posted requests for help on the Bowsite.

If you are truly interested in learning about Bowhunting you might visit there http://www.bowsite.com/

I've done my share of bowhunting too I've made 4 "perfect" heart artery shots on a whitetail deer, a turkey, a ferral hog and a racoon. The larger animals die within 15 paces and didn't seem to realize they were hit. The Deer & Hog were complete pass through hits. The Racoon was shot was 15 ft. up in a tree and was died when it hit the ground. In terms of difficulty that was the hardest shots I've ever made on game as the kill zone is only size of a quarter and I was shooting up into a tree.

The Turkey was my last compound bow kill those others mentioned were recurve kills. The Turkey was also a shot I was very proud of. I hit the wing/ breast area and the Turkey fell forward on it's chest, flapped it's wings and died.

I killed a Wildebeest and Kudu in RSA, that ran 70yrds and 30 yrds respectively. Those were heart/lung shots.

All shots I mentioned were under 20yrds(my self imposed range) I examine all my kills for arrow path and effect of that particular shot angle.

Here in the States nationally Bowhunter's average shot is( I believe) 18 yrds. That is a important factor in being successful. Some seasons I've put as much as 80 hours in before having a deer within my effective range offring the proper shot angle.. Then there's the matter of if that animal is the one to be taken or not based on age & sex of the game. So, those factors also play into the process. IMHO, after all that effort I think most Bowhunters are pretty demanding on themselves and make true effort to make a good clean kill shot

Boss, the deer that took the longest to die was a large doe that didn't run. I put an arrow through her with a recurve and she jumped from the noise of the arrow hitting the ground. After looking toward the arrow for a while, she started to eat apples again. The blood was spurting out in gouts. In a few minutes she started shaking her head to stay awake but it was all over.

Thanks everyone
Haven't been in the bowhunting forum for a little while. And had missed all your replies. I used to make bamboo bows and arrows as a kid and have no doubt that in the future I will more than likely return to the challenge of a bow. Be that with a CONSIDERABLE upgrade in equipment.

Appreciated the frank appraisals of your own hunting experiences. Was especially supprised by the deer continuing to eat apples after being 'shot'. And the reference to the animals seemingly not realising they were hit.
I visited the bowsite website and picked up a lot of info that I may have overlooked had I rushed out to get a bow. I think I need to increase my skill as a hunter before I can really make a go of bowhunting. It is obvious you need to get close to game and also retain the cool head necessary to pass up a shot if he is a few yards further than my effective range.
I know I still have a few years of hunting to get that kind of buckfever resistance and deal with the knowledge that with the right rifle distance really isn't an issue.
But I flyfish as well so it isn't always the dead animal or fish that measures the success spent fishing or hunting

robe - If you think you'd like to bowhunt. I'd suggest find a local archery club to join. Spend a year or two developing you skills. Continue to enjoy your rifle hunts but attempt to reduce you range to get used to being close & relaxed around game. When the time is right you'll know and be ready.

I have a friend that "hunts" with a camera in the off season to hone his stalking skills. He's quite good at getting close....unfortunately, he still gets if fingers in the way of the lens.

Best of luck.

I like these sites.
Nice to meet other 'different' people who have the same understanding and philosophy.

Have already been thinking of camera hunting. Was watching my last deer for approximately 20mins before I shot it for meat. The animals are so mesmerizing when you finally get to find them.

No doubt I will take that advice in the future

I was emailed this last night:

Its the Natal Africa Study It was down by Tommy Tompkins & Spud Ludbrooke, then later a broadhed study by Dr ED Ashby

All linked find one- find the other

they did a study to see if Bowhuntign was ethical & quick way to Kill game

They shot 177 animals with bows & shot 177 animals with in the exact same place

Bottom lien a African Buck shot in the chest thorax by a bow runs 85 yards and drops and shot with a 30- 06 Springfield runs 58 yards. Lots so good ahrd scientif Data

it shows the bow is just as deadly as a rifle and on that basis Bowhunting was opened in South Africa( Natal) and other places

This is the study I refered to.

Friend of mine just came back from South Africa & shared his experience with a superb Kudu. Long story kept short.....Kudu, ~17yds, 60lb Yew Longbow, 850gr maple arrow, 2 blade broadhead. The Kudu traveled ~25yds after a quartering shot...that's not bad under any condition bow or rifle. I'll see if he gives me permission to post the shot.

Yes, Kudu are an excellent bowehunting quarry. IMHO They are one of most beautiful throphy mounts you can hunt in Africa. They are rather easy to kill.