So I was thinking today, what is the one animal that was created for the traditional bow hunter? I’ve always thought the whitetail was or black bear. But that’s because those are some of the only big game animals I’ve had the chance to hunt. What are your thoughts?

If a hunter is consistently successful hunting free range Whitetail with a bow, IMHO that hunter can be successful hunting anything.

Hogs have to be in the top three. They are stalkable enough but not an easy target by any stretch. They present a good challenge but not an impossible one. Cheap to hunt too- down here anyways. And they are fine on the table.

Well that is hard because if it is about access. Then I think whitetail and bear, but I would say if you forgot about logistic s I thin moose

Simple. There's no such thing.

Since, every animal known to man has probably been harvested by a bow and arrow at sometime. They're all a challenge for traditional gear, but my choice would be any deer species, (Couse to Moose). They were created to allude predators, out smarting one in their own unique environment, on the ground with trad gear is one of the ultimate challenges that most of us can participate in.

I agree with the original Sawtooth about hogs - slipping up on sounder of feeding hogs with a bow in your hand is great fun. As far as being the ultimate challenge my vote goes to the grey squirrel. The number of whitetails I have taken with a bow is ten times the number of squirrels and I spend a fair amount of time trying to connect with both. I haven’t hunted much outside of the southern U.S. - an elk hunt out west is on my bucket list.

H Rhodes, after reading your post, I agree. Although I have killed my share of deer,carabou, one elk, and one moose. I've sure missed, and been out whitted by a bunch of squirrels, and spend several days each season zipping arrows at them!!

If there is anything more traditional (in the USA) than hunting whitetail deer, it would have to be squirrels and rabbits. But deer get my vote.

(Sorry, 'possum fans ;-) )

My vote is for elk. But for most people I'd say whitetail.

Any animal big or small,cleanly taken with a bent stick is a trophy

Ultimate.... To me this doesn't necessarily mean the animal I get to hunt the most. There is steak, and then there is the ultimate steak. When I think of the ultimate animal to hunt with a stickbow it's going to be something special and uniquely suited to my preferences. It most likely won't be a backyard animal in my case. I'll take my ultimate steak rare with a side of wilderness scenery and cup of cold creek water.

Whitetail Deer

Ultimate?

Not sure, but a stalked wild turkey might be one of the hardest.

For me, whitetail is my ultimate. Hogs are second.

The one animal that was created for the trad archer is the javelina.

Across most of North America it could be the Snow Shoe Hare. Sandy

The squirrel

Hogs or javelina.

"created for the traditional bow hunter?"

Whatever is within range.

Squirrel are easy, just get up a tree and act like a nut, they will come.

Ha ha ha love the answers and thoughts. I wasn’t meaning to kill or even harvest like most of you anything showing me side meat is usually (if in season) a target and great table fare. My thought was and I should have been more specific, what creature did god create just for the traditional archer? Yes I agree moutain man anything within range but what I’m asking is this: when you think of traditional bow hunting and the chase, what animal comes to mind first? Love the answers and input. Keep them coming in guys and girls

Javelina

I thought it started with the dinosaurs? :>) in terms of survival, all of them.

Whitetails. Are number 1.

Mastadon

For me I would have to say Jack Rabbits, I don't care much for deer meat and I much prefer spot and stock type hunting anyway.

In north America it has to be the Whitetail.

Can't be #1 w/out being accessible across this great nation: big game - has to be the wily Whitetail deer! Small game - the wascally wabbit!;^)

guess everyone thinks differently. if you want ultimate challenge or do you want fun/exciting or mix of both.

My personal ultimate trad hunt would be a huge bull moose at close range...but that is for the sheer size and awe of the animal that close and still keeping my composure.

For year round hunting it has to be the wild hog...no season on private land in most states...plentiful, unfortunately for landowners, but challenging to trad bowhunter and makes fine sausage.

Most challenging...to me is mature whitetail doe...or eastern wild turkey....shot dozens and dozens with firearms and compound...but a trad bow takes to whole another level especially in a high pressure state like South Carolina where the deer are hunted non stop from 15 Aug through 1 Jan...and turkeys for nearly 2 months themselves. :)

My personal choice though for perfect trad bowhunting animal...is black bear. Something about that just gets me wound up and excited. Just enough challenge and danger to keep you honest especially if hunting from ground blind or spot-stalk. Not terribly difficult to kill with proper arrow placement...great trophy, great scenery, pleasant weather usually without too extreme fluctuations....good time with friends in camp no matter if tent or cabin.

keep em sharp,

ron herman

very difficult question, You see deer mostly portrayed, but all game animals would definitely make the list, land or water.

I can't post a decision, because I haven't hunted all the animals, but if I had to post a decision it would be all animals rate equal they were put here to feed us.

Durnell x 2

I would have to go with Elk. They are big, fast and they don't stand around looking at you, unless you live in a state where they keep them as pets.

What ever you are hunting at the moment.

The traditional bow huntress.

Depending on where you live, you will likely have a different idea. But, nothing was made for bowhunting...there are so many animals that offer plenty of adventure and excitement. For outright fun, it's sure hard to dismiss small game. Squirrels and rabbits...etc.

I don't think where you live should have any bearing. How you were brought up probably has more. But I agree with George that the Good Lord did not make animals 'for bowhunting'.

I think we have to look a little closer at the word 'ultimate'. I think the term cancels out whitetails. If you said 200 inch whitetail, well that might be ultimate, but still everyone hunts them, so I have to think a little bigger.

Size might come into play. Moose are pretty big and usually in a pretty remote location. That alone beats whitetails.

Moose aren't hard to hunt though. Turkeys are. BUT they're also all over and most successfully hunted out of a blind. I don't think the ultimate bell rings anywhere near a turkey.

Elk are kind of like moose, big and nice location, but pretty many people do it.

Polar bear are pretty close. But I'm not crazy about bear meat and the hunt is part battle with the elements. Since they do it with dogs (nothing against this, but we're looking for 'ultimate').

I could go on...

Ultimate for me would be a stone sheep. I think it has everything. Beauty - color phases from grey to salt and pepper to fannin. Doesn't come to calls. If you don't have 'rubble' terain, you can't get in bow range. Great eyesite. I'll take sheep meat over moose. In reality they're only located in BC. Cost alone makes it pretty 'ultimate'.

Just to cement my case, there's only been two killed in modern times with a longbow. Here's a toast to Marv Clyncke and Nathan Andersohn.

Bowmania

I have to admit that I really can't come up with an answer other than the animal you are hunting. There are so many different game animals and methods of hunting. Add to that all the different traditional bowhunters with their own likes and dislikes. It is anybody's guess.

I have been known to pass on deer hunting just to go after squirrels with my bow. Just not sure there is an answer to this one beyond the individual hunter at any given time.

Woodchuck/Ground hog

I would say if you are testing your over all skills as an archer,squirrels, then groundhog.Squirrels move a lot hide behind tree branches and so on.Shoot at 10 of them see how many you bring home to eat.Ground hog hunting in open cut fields.Hard to get with in bow range to get the shot at them.Both are a blast to hunt, and if i kill them i eat them.JMHO

"... what is the one animal that was created for the traditional bow hunter? ...

Moose.

Caribou without a doubt!

If you can shoot whats in your woods your doing good because many can not!

Caribou can be easy and they can be hard. When I hunted them it was spot and stalk but the guide showed me spots that they place shooters when the migration is on. Seemed rather easy to me like that but that wasn't my experience it was hard and rewarding I loved hunting that animal.

I would say deer of any species where we live cause we don't all live in Whitetail bush.

Some guys get caught up in things rather than save their money and set up a trip to go pursue a different animal out of their range.

Once you go on your 1rst trip out of your range you either get the bug or you don't.

If it were me I'd say any animal that you could take a kid, that has practiced enough, out on any given weekend and they'd have success at seeing game and hopefully getting close enough to take a shot or two. Then ideally make a hit and learn to deal with that good or otherwise.

Hogs and small game come to mind in that regard

Anything that you choose not to hunt from a fixed position (stand/blind).

So spot&stalk or stillhunting, with or without calling gets my vote.

As to a particular species, Elk get my vote: they’re available to the Everyman without need for points, plots or private land to have a high quality hunting experience, and JMO they’re all “trophies”. I seriously doubt that you could show me ANYONE who gets as jazzed over a whitetail doe or a basket-rack as they do over a cow Elk with a bow.

Whatever one happens to be stalking,mine personally would be small game or Whitetail deer. If I lived out West probably Elk or down South probably hogs.

I personally have ::HUGE:: respect for someone who can consistently hunt squirrels. I'm hoping to be able to do that someday. -ted

The dodo bird.

An 18ft Florida Python

Spot and stalk Javalina hunting is bow hunting at its best.

Growing up in the 50s and 60s in Iowa, the most sought after archery game animal was the cottontail rabbit, to us the the white-tailed jackrabbit was big game. I would still rather hunt rabbits than deer, but rabbits mostly live in farm groves these days, Iowa has changed a lot.

"...what creature did god create?"

Not a single one... since gods don't exist. What creatures did the tooth fairy create?

Creatures, obviously enough, DO exist. And I'm an equal opportunity bowhunter. Each and every time I bowhunt, I hunt any opportunity at any creature(or useful plant, mineral, etc) deemed legal game by the lawmakers.

This is all just too subjective. The question shouldn't even be asked. Even just within the stickbow sect, our motives, values, goals, geographics, demographics, and personal preferences weigh so heavily and vary so greatly.... it's like trying to herd weasels for a beauty contest.

In biggame & given the availability of Whitetail to most this would be my choice & the Mule Deer for our western brothers. I have shot Elk, Bear, Hog & whitetails. In small game & I have taken a wide variety for sure has to be ANY Rabbit in your area.

Cottontails.

Important factors Easy access, Plentiful (lots of shooting), edible, Stalkable

Ground Hog Rabbit Hog/Havalina Squirrel

Hands down for me would be to take a wild bison with a bow!

Whitetail Deer,that's what Robin Hood hunted in Sherwood Forest..

Saphead, while I tend to like your choices personally... they support my point... conversely, some folks value very limited access, minimal shooting (great effort expended to justify a single arrow loosed, sometimes over the course of years of hard hunting), fair chase Dall sheep, wild turkeys without blinds, decoys, mass produced calls, etc comes to mind.... but it could be anything really.

No consensus will EVER be found.

No contest here. The whitetail is the most widespread, and it's big game. It's the most difficult to hunt. Elk would be at the bottom of the list due to stupidity. Sure, like moose, they're in tough terrain but are not widespread and with are dumb. An elk wouldn't stand a chance around me, as I cut my teeth on high strung whitetails! Of course, anything is easy from a tree stand, so I'm talking about hunting Ishi style.

Joe

and "both" are dumb. Sorry about spell check.

Joe

Pronghorn antelope would have to be an ultimate challenge for me.

Awesome love the answers!

I have had a lot of excitement ground hunting black bear with selfbow and cedar arrows. Ultimate, interior Grizzlies.

Tatonka is my choice

If I understand the question you want to know what animal pops in my mind when I think bowhunting. Too many but all are herbivores. I don’t think trad bowhunting and my mind goes “Grizzly”.

for me spot and stalk mountain goat or Dall Sheep. I am a huge fan of alpine areas.

ibex in the florida mountains in southern new mexico

squirrel or an alerted jack rabbit......

I’ll go by what I’m the most proud to take with a traditional bow. Turkey, to me, is the most challenging game in my woods. Not only because of their ability pick up on any movement. Your shots have to be so pin point. If I had to pick the easiest query, javalina. They are fun but I’m not out there for easy. Also I ain’t eating them so I don’t shoot em any more.

Cottontails in the snow is the most enjoyable because its challenging but can be done, the eating is fantastic, and affordable and accessible to any hunter. Carp in the spring marshes is the most shooting you can do at moving critters in a few hours of total chaos. Ridge running for tom turkeys in the mountains in April is a sublime experience, but darn is it hard! Four years and not a shot on a tom...but having fun sneaking up on lots of birds.

Flies. On the wing.

I'm curious - has any traditional hunter (aside from native hunters) taken one of these?

I think Bob Swinehart shot a Bongo

Thanks. My limited reading says they're very hard to find and hunt.

It depends upon how you define ultimate, for me it would be Rocky Mountain Goat, or Dall Sheep. A hunt for either will test you on every level.

The chigger

never know they are there until after you have been tagged

Also spot and stalk coyote

I’m surprised quite honestly with no one saying Sasquatch! No but seriously I was looking for the one animal that sums up your definition of traditional, or ultimate mine has been and always will be the white tailed deer with a close second going to the black bear. My opinion only but when someone says traditional bowhunting I just get this picture in my head of a broadside deer! Don’t know why I think it’s the regions we grow up in.

Skwirlz from the ground.

Skwirlz from the ground.

Rabbit

A 1 day limit of Penna squirrels (6)...Folks take deer, elk, moose, bear, etc. etc. etc. but how many of you have taken 6 fair chase squirrels in 1 day with a stick bow ???? If you have, you are my hero !!!! IMHO, the ultimate stick bow success !!! It is my top stick bow bucket list item....most I have ever taken has been 3 !!!!!

The question has been altered a bit but , if we are talkin a very worthy challenge, not very good eatin, the crow will humble you ..

Give it a rest Durnell . Just answer the question. That's all you had to do.

For shooting opportunities the tree rat offers loads of fun but for a tough challenge turkey without, a blind will leave you babbling in tounges and in a state never ending " what went wrong?"

I havnt taken 6 but took 5 here in Wv 2 years ago. Still much easier than spot and stalk coyote

If you have ever been blessed to call and work a bull elk and finally put an arrow in his side then you have no doubts about the ultimate experience. Also if you are a kid with a brace of Missouri cottontailss that are your first kill with bow then that is the ultimate. I will pass on Kodiaks and grizzlies though with a bow. Those can be someone elses ultimate. God bless, Steve

JR...Congratulations on your squirrel success....I am jealous !!!!

Its kinda off topic but my dream animal would be a tiger!Next on the list would be a interior Griz. Never killed a squirrel but have got a couple of rabbits.Also ground hogs are cool. Set up on a active hole and wait. I have got a few of those.

Easter Turkey

Duh EASTERN

Why limit to one. All are fair game!

I understand the question and intent but having taken Caribou, Bear, Deer, and Hog I could not honestly pick one over the other. All have too fond a memory for me and I am not done making memories.

Bill

oHHHHHH. I misunderstood. I thought you meant what's the hardest to bag with trad equipment. My answer to that is eastern turkey, but if you mean what's most fun...all of them from bullfrogs to bears, Sasquatch to Zombies, man.

weird question concerning which one did God create to be hunted with a longbow, that would be none. Which ones do I enjoy hunting/killing.... all living things are worthy to die by my longbow or recurve. Within the confines of the law of course.

Ultimate? Probably an African Cape buffalo. But most likely it’s small game and deer.

The Wild Turkey

What can we consider as the "ultimate?" Should it be based on size? Degree of difficulty in hunting the animal? Or how dangerous the prey is? Or the rarity of the animal? How elusive it is?

i met a guy once whod taken everything on the planet with a handgun. sheep slam,big 5, all the world ovis and goat species, really one of the the most accomplished hunters in the world. i of course asked what was his favorite hunt, without hestitation he said ‘archery elk’ and i cant disaggree.

my wife doesnt let me shoot lightning bugs, haha

A quail behind a pointing dog.

Grouse

Stramatolites!

Although not considered a game animal, the coyote seems an ultimate for my arrow...

I shot a flying squirrel lately, they are up there too...

In Oklahoma,it is a turkey my brother has a turkey watering with his cows that has an arrow hanging out of it.

anything in season standing facing away at 15 yards

Javelina

Jackrabbits and deer have always thrilled me.

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