| | | Bow Hunting | Bow hunters make their shots from forty-five yards or
less, as opposed to the long distances (two hundred
yards or more) that rifle hunters can make the kill
from. Because of this short distance between hunter
and game, there are several factors that come into
play in bow hunting that are less important to
consider when hunting with a gun. For instance, a bow
hunter has to factor in the acute senses of his prey and make use of accessories like ghillie suits.
This close interaction between predator and prey is
what makes bow hunting so attractive to some
enthusiasts.
There are several types of bows. A recurve bow is
defined by the way the tips of the bow curve out from
the shooter when the bow is unstrung. Also the string
touches the bow limbs even when it is strung. Long
bows are long, sometimes as tall as a man when set on
their end. This is the bow form used by bow purists,
and the same design that was used by archers in
warfare in medieval Europe. Traditionally, they are
made from a single piece of wood. Compound bows use a
levering system of pulleys and cables to increase the
amount of kinetic energy in the bow. Today, compound
bows are the most commonly used for bow hunting.
Besides hunting mammals, bow hunting enthusiasts also
hunt fish. Bow hunting for fish is commonly called
"bow fishing" and requires a specially designed arrow,
as well as a strong fishing line attached to the arrow
at one end and a spool on the bow. When bow fishing it
it important to remember that, because the fish is
underwater, the water distorts the view, and the angle
of refraction must be taken into consideration. This
is usually compensated for by firing below where the
target appears to be.
|
|
