Started about 60 years ago.

This right here in spades and I've bow hunted for 55 years.....

well said

My idea of excitement is to see a buck show up on a trail you scouted, knowing he wasn't lured there within a one-hour window identified by a game camera, by food you've been providing him for months or even years. It's the excitement that hits you once you realize that it wasn't your knowledge of feeders and food plots that led to success, but your ability to overcome the senses of a wary buck in his own, natural element. Albeit with either a rife or bow, anything less and you're just getting excited over the chance to shoot one.

Whatever, Dan.
If you really want to heighten your challenge, pick up a bow and hunt. If you don’t, don’t. It’s fine either way. But your “DNA” is not stopping you.

Some people just like new challenges, some states don’t allow rifle hunting for deer, it’s fun to learn how to master new things, adds an extra month of hunting to deer season in Texas on non MLD land. That’s just a few reasons to give it a try.

Texas Dan, Texas Dan, if you're looking for a purist then he's your man. Doesn't use corn, doesn't use bait, crawls in on his belly and lies in wait

its like everything else, I like archery, my daughter loves it and would rather bow hunt than rifle hunt. I get it but i'm just not that into it, probably cuz it takes too much work to hunt, scent hiding camo, face paint, ozone scent toys, you got to be still and quiet, plus, as I found out its VERY expensive to get in to, especially if you buy all the top o line stuff.

sour note: I think all compound bows, cross bows and black powder rifles should hunt the same seasons as centerfire rifle shooters. not much sport hunting with them, why get a months head start on the big bucks? old fart thinking.

Your first paragraph 100% contradicts your second paragraph. "Not much sport".

I have bow hunted a handful of times and shot one pig. It was about the most exhilarating hunting experience I've ever had. Heard the pigs coming long before I saw them. Could hear them breathe and crunch on the corn they were eating. I saw my arrow pierce the pig right behind his shoulder, then heard every footstep of his 60 yard run, including him narrowly miss a tree but snap my arrow in half.

I hunt with kids right now so we sit in a stand. I gave my bow to my nephew who is old enough to hunt by himself and has the energy and desire to hunt with a bow.

When my kids get older, I'd like to get another bow and learn it again and I'd be willing to get my kids bows if they want to give it a try.

I still set up a bow stand every time I set up a new stand/feeder. When I'm there without a kid, it's nice to sit in it with a blackout or my wife's grandfather's 30-30.

I just wanted to get a comment from u

Started out rifle hunting years ago, then went to black powder, and then to bow. Seems I like watching a lot more now that just harvesting. You get to be more upfront and personal with your game. Like said earlier, there are a lot more sights and sounds and smells that you are a party of that others are not aware of harvesting at much longer distances. Nothing negative about rifle hunting, I still do it myself but I much more enjoy bow hunting though.

And Buzz, yes bow hunting is much more challenging than black powder or cross bow. Lot more movement associated with bow hunting. And yes I enjoy getting a jump on the hunting season. As far as including black powder or cross bow in early season hunting, I guess I will leave that up to TPWD.

I like guns and reloading so rifle/gun hunting is natural to me. I also enjoy bow hunting... and no, not for the challenge, but for the variety, if it was easier I sure wouldn't mind at all lol.

I also like fishing. I fish with rods and reels, with lures and live bait, with trotlines and juglines etc. because I enjoy it and its who I am and where I come from. I'd give damn near anything to have my opie back for a few days of running lines. I also love bow fishing, nothing better than hunting out of the boat.

I started out with a sxs with buckshot, then lever 30-30 and other rifles until college days when I got into compound bows, building arrows and tournament shooting. Spent years chasing WT, pigs, goats/sheep all over TX. Then my son was born and I immediately reverted back to box stands large and safe enough to take him with me with plenty of room for him to play & sleep on the floor. We continued until he was big enough to start sitting in home built double size ladder stands with me, both using home rigged safety harness and tied to tree. He learned how to sit extremely still, quite and listen to the woods. I picked bow back up with him during this time and the rush returned that I hadn't really thought I had lost.

As I age, I have become lazy and like creature comfort features. I enjoy rifles and watching deer more so than shooting them now but sitting in a tripod, in a ground blind or on an open ladder stand and having deer, hogs, bears within 20 yards with a compound or even cross bow in hand to me is just pure enjoyment. To each his own but get outdoors, take and teach a kid.

This memory was a real rush at 11 yards, amazing how quiet they are

bowhunting doesn't appeal to a lot of folks because they can't make the
less than optimal shots with a bow that they can with a rifle.
those same folks will scoff at a hunter that made a quick clean one shot
kill on a meat deer from close range with a 70 year old rifle that uses
a cartridge invented in the late 1800's-early 1900's.

and you don't need to invest thousands in state of the art bowhunting gear
to take a deer. you do have to put in your time on the stand and
pick and choose your shots more carefully than you do with a rifle.

those that get "bored" sitting out in a tree stand or blind out in God's
woods need to find another hobby that's more enjoyable to them and leave
hunting to those that truly enjoy it

Its just a person's preference. I've rifle hunted my whole life. I chased the long range game for awhile, still play with it. O got bored because if I could see it, i could kill it. I tried bowhunting for more of a challenge. I killed some deer and stuff with a crossbow and a recurve. What i figured out is I like to get close with a firearm. Doesn't matter what gun it is aslong as i get close, I'm happy.

Lmao

You bring up a good point. There are those within the rifle hunter community who are constantly chasing calibers and the latest new models, while others find tremendous satisfaction using some caliber that must be hand loaded because factory loads no longer exist. And then there's the ones who like using open sights simply because it too increases the overall challenge in filling a ice chest, no to mention the sheer nostalgia of hunting in a simpler, old-fashioned way. At the end of the day, it's up to the hunter to decide what brings them the greatest satisfaction. It's not about who's right or wrong in what they choose to hurl at a deer, but what they have come to value most.

I knew that even though my OP was made in the Firearms forum, it would surely draw the attention of bow hunters who are always quick to defend their ground. I guess they just couldn't understand how anyone could honestly find no interest in owning a bow. After all, there was nothing in my OP that attacked bow hunting, but only that owning a bow itself was of no interest to me. Simply put, it just doesn't suit my taste.

The rest includes those who just enjoy chasing my posts on whatever topic I choose at the moment for the challenge it provides them. Who knows, perhaps I should have been a talk show host.

Kind of like the American flag doesn’t suit your taste

Ha! Why on earth did it take you so long?

was just waiting for the appropriate time

Honestly, if my intention was to attack bow hunting in general in an effort to create a more heated debate, I would have focused on comparing the recovery rates between deer wounded with bullets and arrows. But we'll leave that one for another time and thread.

You all have a good day.

The great thing about Texas hunting is you can participate in most any way you enjoy. I think DNA has a bigger influence than most will readily admit. For some the primal instincts are still just below the surface. They are the intuitive ones who are natural born killers with great instincts. They are the minority. The majority of us, do to a globally urbanized civilization have lost a lot of what natural selection once ensured was strong. Now days many like to just hit the easy button. Some still enjoy mastering different weapons, taking their woodsmanship to a higher level, and gaining a greater understanding of their quarry. Bow hunting fits the individual who enjoys challenging themselves more so than just looking at the most effecient way to make the kill. For some, archery puts the thrill back into what has become too easy. For around 50 years I have spent most every weekend of open season hunting something. In regard to big game, I have come full circle. Open sights, scoped rifles at obscene distance, compound bows with sights, traditional archery, single shots, pistols, small calibers. Went from looking for any legal deer, to the best eater, to mature trophy hunter. I'm older now and don't have much left to prove to myself. The blood lust of youth has more than been quenched. I now trophy hunt with a very precise rifle and mostly just watch and hope to continue to learn. I enjoy the conservation aspect more now than in my youth and probably put more effort into that than actually trying to kill something these days.
So Texas Dan, it more than likely is your DNA.