First year bow hunting


RJJ

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The biggest tip would be scent control. Remember to to hunt your area from down wind. Also Patience. Leaving a stand to early can be a big problem.

[/ QUOTE ]just remember that the deer are going to much closer to you. if you are not sure about the distance you can pick something out on the ground that is in your shooting range and wait for the big one to come in that line and put the arrow in him. good luck on yuor fisrt bow hunt.

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Re: First year bow hunting

The tips I try to impress upon new guys I am taking out is:

1. Be patient and quiet.

This means not only stay in your stand or blind longer then 30 minutes but dont be squirmy either.

If you have a cough or a sniffle then stay home. LOL (No need on getting more sick.)

Movement will kill ya faster then scent IMO.

2. Play the wind as best as you can.

If you have 1 stand and an east wind is wrong for it then dont hunt it. When an east wind blows no matter how little hunting time off you have do go there. If you do go to your 1 spot when the wind is not right your gonna see nothing anyways...

Unfortunately the wind does not play fair and will change things up. Try to be fluid with the wind and move if it changes your scent path towards the deer. This also means use the wind as a gauge to how fast you can move. If you have to move, then dont move any faster then the wind is moving the limbs and branches around you.

Never move fast even if its real windy.

3.Be clean as possible at all times.

Not only should you bath in scent free soap but brush those teeth too. Take extreme steps to prevent sweating by using scent free anti-perspirant. Dont hustle out to your stand if your late in warm or cool weather. Sweating will ruin a hunt in more ways then one. In warm weather you will stink and in cold weather you will freeze.

4.Dont over hunt a particual area.

If deer are around once legal light fails, then stay put until they have moved on then sneak out quietly.

You dont want to educate the deer of you hunting that spot.

Also you dont want to use only one spot as the deer will eventually pick up some human scent or activty no matter how careful you are.

The 1st time you hunt a spot is your greatest chance at success.

5. Do not field dress a deer near your stand site or anyone elses. The gut piles do not distrub the deer but the preditors that feed on said gut piles will. No need to drag them or there scent into your hunting area.

Those are the biggies, I am sure there are many more that will help but these are the core tips I try ti use and teach.

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Guest coop2564

Re: First year bow hunting

Aim low!!!!!!!!! The top 4 to 5 inches of a deer are hair and backstrap. If you aim in the middle your already aiming at top of lungs. Aim about 4'' from bottom of deer this will give you more kills I promise! As the others said watch the wind you cant give them the wind or your just wasteing your time. Good luck!

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Re: First year bow hunting

I have very few suggestions.

Enjoy yourself! , This is not a job and if you approach it like one you can get frustrated.

If you get frustrated you start to do stupid things such as forgetting to think about what it is that you have learned through practicing.

Second....Practice!

Dont just go out to the backstop and fling arrows.

When possable,wear your hunting clothes and face covering (if you use any) and shoot in the same conditions (elevated?) as you intend to hunt.

The worst thing that could happen is that you finally get the shot,you draw back and some thing doesnt work because your clothes are in the way.;)

Third...Mark your yardage before getting in the tree.

A range finder is not something your are going to want to be fumbling with as a deer comes in and not something you are going to want to drop from the stand.

Lets remember that you have alot of equipment up there to keep your hands on and you dont need to add to that.

Cutting the bark off a tree that faces your stand , letting you know the distance is all you need and will last for years and years in case you continue to hunt this area.

Lastly...If there is something that you always have to do to keep that arrow where you want it,write it on a posted note and tape it to the inside of your top limb.

Your mind will have alot of things pouring through it as the deer is coming in and you are already thinking of where that head is getting hung.

Most people who screw up do so because they forgot to shoot properly wink.gif

I hope you do well and I hope I gave you some x-tra ideas that may help smile.gif

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Re: First year bow hunting

all very good suggestions..

but practice isnt just enough.. you must make it perfect practice.. sometimes guys get into i guess i will shoot 50 arrows tonight.. do noot do this. i would rather see you shoot 20 shots perfect , than 50 just flinging..

concentrate on you grip , anchor , bow arm tension , and follow through.. then learn how to relax and let the pin float on target...then squeeze that trigger...

also if you use a range finder , then use it while in the stand . when there arent any deer coming in use it on landmarks that you can identify easily... after that only use it to confirm one you might not remember.. i have used one several times while deer are coming in , but i have used mine for 6 years now and im very familiar with it..

know your max range you can shoot accurately at and DO NOT GO BEYOND IT . no matter how tempted . if the deer is just out of your max range , then its just one where they won that day..

have fun , be safe , wear your safety belt , and enjoy a lifetime of bowhunting.. i promise you theres nothing better .

Good Luck...

Shoot strong

Tony

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Guest Bowhunter2114

Re: First year bow hunting

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PATIENTS!

[/ QUOTE ] DITTO!!!!! Don't rush the shot...That has got me many times

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80 arrows a day

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whoa!!! thats overboard!!! try atleast a dozen and focus on your form.

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Re: First year bow hunting

hunt smart, hunt often and keep it simple. success builds confidence. If you can get as many doe management tags as possible. pick a spot, don't ever push a arrow shot deer. marginal shot, wait.

gut shot give at least 12 hrs. if the deer is down he's down for good, but if he's not he could go a long way.

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Re: First year bow hunting

I like the suggestions about scent, movement, and noise. The deer will be within 30 yards likely. scent, movement and noise is much more important while bowhunting than with a shotgun or rifle.

I have a friend that filled up his gas tank and spilled gasoline on his gloves the morning of the hunt. He still shot two deer within 30 minutes of opening day. Probably wouldn't have happened if he was bowhunting.

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Re: First year bow hunting

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Thanks everyone for their info. I'm gonna use all the hints i can and good luck to everyone this year.

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I have been hunting for 30 years! This is also my first year bow hunting. I can not wait for October 1st! All these tips, wow! Arent these guys great! I want to thank you all as well, because I gained more info here as well!

Thanks guys! grin.gif

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Re: First year bow hunting

Remember that in most states, bowseason is the first season you have, and this means warmer weather.....take your time entering the woods. The last thing you wanna do is sweat.

You also need to set up closer to where the deer wanna be, so you also need to show great patients while you walk, because you never know what might be there WITHIN bowrange.

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Re: First year bow hunting

Remember shot placement is different with gun and bow.No bone busting shoulder shots with the bow.

Deer also react to a bullet a little slowler then a arrow.Pick your shots carefully.A relaxed deer is less likely to jump the string or drop then an alarmed deer.

Good luck your first year!! wink.gif

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