WMA

First of all, it's important to note that all forms of hunting, whether with firearms or "primitive weapons", have proven to be exceedingly safe, especially for non-participants. According to data compiled by The National Shooting Sports Foundation, less than 1 percent of accidental fatalities are related to firearms.

Because bowhunting is a close-range activity (generally 30 yards or less), and hunters have ample opportunity to clearly identify their targets, accidents are virtually unheard of. Also, arrows shed energy quickly, and rarely travel more than 50 to 75 yards when shot from a standing position on the ground. Because all WMA hunters are required to hunt from elevated tree stands, all arrows enter the ground within feet of the intended target.

Some hard facts provided by the Pennsylvania Game Commission:
1. There are 1.3 million hunters in Pennsylvania, with approximately 16,000 of them being archery
    hunters;
2. From 1992 to 2007 (A 15-year period!) there were only 17 hunting accidents during archery season.
    This amounts to 1.13 incidents per year.
3. There were no fatalities.
4. None of the incidents involved non-hunters.
5. None of the incidents involved non-hunters pets or companion animals.

And finally, one fact provided by Whitetail Management Associates:
1. Since the inception of the parks program 12 years ago, there have been NO ACCIDENTS OR
    INCIDENTS OF ANY KIND INVOLVING WMA HUNTERS.

This means that despite the alarmist rhetoric those opposed to hunting love to use, there has never been a single park user or non-target animal injured or struck by an arrow.

To the uninformed, the answer may appear to be a simple "yes"; after all, how can being shot with an arrow not hurt? However, when you stop and consider exactly how a razor-sharp broadhead works, it becomes apparent that a well placed arrow causes a swift death and very little pain to the animal.

Hunting broadheads are required to be razor sharp for one simple reason - to produce a clean, neat wound that will lead to profuse bleeding and death within seconds from loss of blood (hemorrhagic shock). While a bullet may kill by shock power and sheer destruction, a razor-sharp broadhead kills by cutting as many blood vessels as possible. Remember that time you cut yourself on something extremely sharp and were surprised to see blood (since you never felt the cut)? A broadhead works the same way. Since the internal organs of a deer possess no nerve endings to transmit pain impulses, any pain felt by the animal is limited to the near instantaneous moment when the arrow passes through the animal's chest cavity. If not spooked by the hunter or some noise, many mortally wounded animals do little more than flinch at the shot, then continue feeding or walking for a few seconds until hemorrhagic shock takes over.

That being said, a poorly placed shot (one that hits a shoulder blade, for instance) will certainly cause undue pain. This is why WMA strives to select only the best of the best, and is comprised of archers who understand proper shot placement, and will take nothing less than high-percentage shots. To the ethical hunter, humanely harvesting an animal is an absolute priority.