Ask someone which weapon they prefer, a bow or a gun, and chances are that most people will vote for the firearm. This makes sense when we consider the lethality of firearms and their overall ease-of-use. In fact, firearms essentially replaced bows and arrows a couple of hundred years ago, right? While there are some definite advantages associated with firearms, bows may be a better option to have on hand during a survival situation for a number of reasons.
Bows are Sustainable
Striking down a target with a firearm may be fast and easy, but there are also a hundred and one different things that can go wrong as well. Despite their lethal potential, firearms are mechanical and prone to failure. Parts wear out, things need to be replaced and firearms need to be maintained on a continual basis. Some don’t work well in the rain, snow or cold, and debris can gum up the works and cause all kinds of problems.
Most importantly, your firearm requires ammunition, and this can be in short-supply in any survival situation. What would you do if you didn’t have any bullets to fire?
Bows, on the other hand, are simple weapons that require minimal parts and upkeep. They work well in almost every weather condition, and you can make a fresh supply of arrows out of a wide range of material that is on-hand at the time. Consequently, bows can be more-reliable over the course of time than a firearm.
Silence and Stealth
Bows are virtually-silent, even when the arrow strikes the target. This gives hunters a distinct advantage while stalking and firing at prey as they are less-likely to be startled. If you miss the first shot, you also have a better chance of trying again as well. Shooting a bow also helps you to maintain your cover and tactical advantage as there is no loud bang that can give away your position. While using a silencer can reduce the noise a gun makes, it doesn’t muffle it completely, and most shots will still produce more noise than an arrow as well.
Clean Shots
Arrows are not only quiet, but they are easy to retrieve, repair and re-use. Not only that, but most kills with an arrow are much cleaner when compared to bullets. All you need to do is pull it out and you’re good to go. Bullets can leave a trail of destruction inside the target that can render it inedible, and you also have to fish out the bullet while field-dressing your kill as well. While this won’t matter as much when taking down a human target, arrows will be worth their weight in gold when hunting for food more often than not.
Learning Curve
Many people are under the impression that becoming a good bow hunter takes a lot of skill and practice. While the techniques are different compared to using firearms, it really doesn’t take a lot of time or training to develop basic proficiency. In fact, chances are that you would spend equal time learning how to shoot effectively with a firearm as you would a bow.
We’re not saying that you should abandon the idea of having a cache of firearms available and using them when appropriate. Rather, consider using a bow as an alternative or for redundancy, because they can produce better results while helping you to conserve resources at the same time.
Take a closer look at bows and arrows, and see how you can benefit from incorporating them into your survival weapon collection. They don’t get the attention they deserve, and this is to the detriment of anyone who desires to maintain a tactical advantage in the midst of a survival situation.