Bowhunting spews benefits like jackpots from slot machines. The most obvious benefit? It’s a fun way to spend time outdoors with friends and family, especially when you harvest an animal bring home your own meat.
The benefits don’t end there. Bowhunting is also good for your health and the environment. Let’s discuss why.
You can cross-train for bow season’s long hikes and heavy drags by running and weightlifting. Photo Credit: John Hafner
Every time you draw your bow, take a scouting hike or compete in a 3-D shoot, you’re exercising and preparing for bowhunting. These activities work your entire body and boost your strength and cardiovascular health. You can even cross-train for bow season’s long hikes and heavy drags by running and weightlifting. Whether you’re climbing hills, carrying treestands or packing out animals this fall, you won’t be prepared if you spend the next few months sitting at home watching sports.
Did you know beef has 247 calories and 15 grams of fat, while the venison has 134 calories and just 3 grams of fat? By far, venison is a much greater option for the table. Photo Credit: John Hafner
Wild game is a natural, low-fat, high-protein, nutrient-rich red meat that fuels your body. In fact, eating venison instead of beef can help build lean muscle, regulate your metabolism, and reduce the risks of heart attack.
How? Let’s put a 3-ounce venison chunk against an equal-size piece of beef. The beef has 247 calories and 15 grams of fat, while the venison has 134 calories and just 3 grams of fat. Your cardiologist will appreciate that venison also contains one-sixth the saturated fats of beef.
If big-game herds are left unchecked, species like elk and deer can overbrowse the landscape and be more susceptible to disease. Photo Credit: John Hafner
The environmental impacts of factory-farmed animals concern many people, driving them to look for other options. Wild game is the better option because it provides the ultimate in organic, nutritious, free-range meat.
Likewise, bowhunting is a natural, sustainable practice that’s carefully regulated by state wildlife agencies to maintain healthy game populations. If big-game herds are left unchecked, species like elk and deer can overbrowse the landscape and be more susceptible to disease. Wildlife agencies depend on hunters to control wildlife populations while also funding states’ conservation efforts. That money comes from license sales and federal excise taxes on firearms, ammunition and most archery equipment.
Bowhunting’s positive impacts don’t end in the outdoors, of course. They also extend into your community. Through programs like Hunters for the Hungry, bowhunters and other big-game hunters donate millions of pounds of wild game meat annually to those in need.
For all those reasons and more, bowhunting is a great year-round activity for staying healthy and enjoying the outdoors. Spending time in the deer woods and in the mountains is a great way to reduce stress, and find satisfaction in providing your family delicious natural meat.
To make bowhunting part of your life, visit an archery shop to find the gear and expertise you need to get started.
