Expectations when hunting with bows.

[Tartar Horde]

I've used a bow a lot, but for obvious reasons don't want to elaborate on location. I dissagree with some of Preachers points and would like to share my experience.
Small game and birds present no problem to the archer, as the real key is your skill in field craft to get you into shooting range. Shooting at small game 30yds or more is a waste of time and I agree with Preacher on this. The vast majority of small game I have harvested has been 15yds and under. It's the same principle for larger animals, you have to use your field craft to defeat the animals senses. If you just walk round with a bow hoping to get a shot you will be dissapointed. Find out where the animals feed, water etc, look for trails that the animals use and position yourself in ambush.
I have never used a compound bow, I shoot a composite Mongolian type bow, barebow with wooden arrows, 60lbs @28. It is not neccesary to have a compound bow with large draw weights to be an effective hunting weapon. Any bow with a draw weight of fifty pounds will kill any animal in the UK. If you are within range enough to be accurate and hit the chest, any large animal, sheep, cow, deer etc it will be dead within thirty to fifty yards if it runs. Many do not run and just expire on the spot. Small game does not go anywhere as the arrows tend to have so much energy at close range they kill very quickly. The majority of Hunting recurves and classical bow types are very quiet when shot. This is definately not the case with compound bows, they are hideously noisy.