New Bow Hunter

[MNhunterr]

Hey guys, last year I got myself a bow and basically all of my accessories that are included with a bow. New sight, heads, release, etc. I wasn't able to get out and even shoot my bow at all last year.

I was wondering if I could get some tips from you guys, I don't want to take a target out into the yard and start blasting away- More than likely lose my arrows. What do you suggest?

Also, my step dad and big brother both have areas of land I could hunt, but they live a long ways away. It's hard to travel 45+ minutes to hunt after school or work. I have to usually work on the weekends so that could be difficult as well.

How do I go about getting something set up for around my house, ask farm/land owners near me to scout the land and ask for permission to set up a stand? I have no idea how to go about setting up a stand either.

Any help would really help, if you want to help extensively just send me a private message or something. I really want to learn while I'm generally young so I can advance for the rest of my life.

-Sorry for the long read... I'm a novice.

[hungry hunter]

Practice, Practice, Practice. Concentrate on form and consistently anchoring at the same spot every time. I started at 10 yards and when I could shoot snuff can groups then I added distance. Work on that first and when your ready for the woods there is lots of excellent advice here with lots of folks who are willing to help. Heck I have been bow hunting for over 30 years and still get Jacked up.

[dbHunterNY]

There are some things will get you well on your way in quick order for learning how to shoot. go to www.whitetail.realtree.com then click on podcasts and down at the bottom continue to click on "previous episodes" until you get to the very first one. watch the several of them from T-Bone regarding bowhunting and it'll help a lot. another thing to do is to go to your local archery shop and ask for a little help. for example, one of the ones around here i go to has a prostaffer for hoyt. he knows his stuff when it comes to shooting. someone there will too. then practice shooting, while aways using those things you've learned. practice doesn't make perfect. perfect practice makes perfect.

so many hunting tips and tactics are out there, it'll just take time. search for shot placement stuff and other topics online and just read away. try to stick to written articles opposed to what some random guy posted on his myspace profile or something. after a while you'll be able to read the other stuff and decide if it makes sense or not. most importantly, get out into the woods and just watch deer where you can and discover what it is they do.

if you have questions about anything just make a post in here, the prostaff forum, or PM me or someone else that's willing to help. you'll get answers.

Good luck,

Dan

Edited April 7, 2010 by dbHunterNY

[earnhardts12000]

practice,practice,practice and about treestand question treestands are not for everyone i hunt out groundblind or build my own out of natural cover.yes as he said i would shoot 10 yrds get form and groups then move back 20 yrds after feel comfortable at that range. i've only shot 1 deer over 20 yrds last 1 shot on ground in open swamp 7 pointer at 8 yrds. so enjoy bow shootin.

[johnf]

There are lots of youtube video on proper archery form that helped me a lot. I started shooting this time last year and now I'm shooting out to 60 yards, though I wouldn't shoot a deer past 25 or 30. I did practice a lot last spring and summer, sometimes as much as 3-4 hours a day. Find someone close to you that you can practice with. I've got a buddy who I shoot with and we cratique each others form as we're shooting and it helps a lot, even with two guys who aren't that great. We've both improved a bunch. I started at 10 yards and shot there for probably a week before I went to 20 and it was probably another month before I went to 30 after about 4 months I was shooting 50 and that was all my pins would allow for. I got stiffer limbs put on my bow and now I shoot out to 60 yards about every day I shoot.

Before you develop bad habits take your bow to a good local archery shop and get it tuned to you.

1. Shoot every day possible.

2. Don't shoot further than you know you can untill you are ready.

3. Get a buddy (preferably one who can shoot better than you)

4. Watch videos of proper form.

5. Light draw weight with good form is better than heavy draw with bad form.

6. Keep asking questions. I've found that and doing are the fastest ways to learn

Good Luck

[RangerClay]

First let ask, where did you buy your bow? If you got if from a sporting goods store they probably will give you free set-up and range time. That will get you stared.

When I got started in archery I got involved in an indoor league. It allowed me to shoot plenty of arrows, help develop my form, and ask advise from others.

[Wobbly_Alaska]

Congrats on getting into a rather enjoyable pastime ...

a few tips for not loosing arrows as a first time shooter

top pins for close in... lower pins for further away,

follow the arrow when adjusting your sight, if it lands high... raise your sight,, use pin raise lower for tiny adjustments,

read up on setting your center shot so that all your pins shoot the same line... this is a rest adjustment along with pin adjustment... most are relatively simple to do.

start CLOSE to get a feel for your bow, it is really hard to miss a big block target at 5 or ten yards even when using a 20 yard pin... at 10 yards most 20 yard pins are about 2-3 inches high.. a 30 yard pin is 4-6 high.. so a 24 inch target is easy to hit... most setups come close to the mark off the shelf IF some one paid attention while putting it all together...

get a mentor... some one near you shoots as well... a stop by a local range will get you more helpful advice then you may be willing to deal with.. but i have rarely walked into a new shop and not found archers ready and willing to part some sound advice especially to younger folks just starting out... and we learn things too... after 22 years i still need reminders on form, and how to... our body gets lazy from lack of service and practice is the only thing to cure it.. having a buddy or mentor shoot with you not only makes it more fun, but adds that hint of competition to make you try harder to excell...

good luck! enjoy

Vince

[redwing]

You just need practice, go to an archery shop and find someone that will give you pointers while you are shooting. Bowhunters are people who are usually happy to help a beginner succeed, so most would be willing to help you out. You are in the midwest, so you won't have a problem finding someone to help you out a little. Good luck and keep practicing, bowhunting is a year-round sport that entails scouting, shooting, and tireless effort.

[MNhunterr]

Wow thanks for all of the tips guys.

I'm trying to get a few of my buddies into it as well.

I actually got my bow as a present from my dad. He got it from a pawn shop for about 350 with everything equipped. I replaced the release, heads, and sight.

I have gift cards to my local archery shop as well as Scheeles store so I can get a block and get some tips from them. What do you guys think I should do as in finding land I can hunt? Just ask local farmers and such? Keep the feedback coming, really appreciate it guys.

[mallard_drake85]

Go to your county court house and purchase a county platt map. This will have all the land within the county on which is either names or numbers corresponding to said owners of that property (numbers are normally used for smaller tracts of private property). Once you've scouted these areas out on a platt map, then from the road with a pair of binoculars, find where the tenate lives and go knock on the door. Dress presentable, and rehearse what you're going to say before you get to the door. Give the owner a brief background of you and your intentions upfront. You'd be surprised how many people know of you!!

My twin bro and I say something similar to this when we approach a landowner:

"Hello Mr./Mrs.________, my name is Joshua and this is my twin brother Jordan, and we are here today to inquire if you would be opposed to allowing us access to your property at _______________(show location on a platt map) for this coming season for the purpose of hunting, trapping, and scouting ______________(said animals). We promise to leave your property in better condition than we found it (i.e. picking up garbage, making sure fences are closed or mended, etc). Here is our business card and a list of references can be provided if you wish."

The key here is to be polite, cordial, and upfront about your intentions! Don't hum ho around, as this portrays nervousness and lack of confidence. Show the LO that you have confidence will go a long way as to what he/she thinks of you. Some times they'll say yes, other times they'll say no or not right now, or let me talk it over with my other half. You may also inform them that you'd be willing to only hunt during archer season if they're leary about firearms on their property (hey its not the full boat, but its better than nothing at all!) Your first impression is crucial to whether you're going to recieve access or not. And neighbors talk, so a bad impression will haunt you for a long time...

A word for thought:

I refuse to contact a LO by phone (unless absolutely necessary). A face-to-face confrontation with a FIRM handshake shows you are sincere about your intentions and lets the LO know that you are willing to go out of your way instead of a cop-out phone call to gain his/her permission!

just my 3 cents

mallard_drake85

[redkneck]

Good advice from folks on here (as usual).

A mentor can help you more than you'll ever know.

[Tominator]

When practicing, get elevated if you can. That way, if you miss the target, your arrow will stick in the dirt and not get buried under the grass.

If you do get one under the grass, take a rake and go perpendicular to the shot angle. Rakes have found more than a few of my errant arrows, although, I have at least a dozen or so arrows still buried in various parts of Ohio.

When you're hunting, looks for trails, rubs, scrapes, food sources, etc. but the most important thing, set up downwind of all the sign if at all possible, and be wary of where your scent will be blowing walking in and out.

[camoman1]

Theres some great info given here to get you started, any kind of particular question or issue you find, someone here probably has the answer.

I would also recommend joining an archery club or start going to an indoor range if possible. Pretty hard to lose arrows at an indoor range and there is going to be someone on hand to point you in the right direction. Its a good place to meet a new friend or two also.

As far as getting permission to hunt places, Mallard has a good little script there. Offer to help out with some chores or projects, and not just that day, if you get permission always offer to help. Also, make sure to let them know who is going to be with you. They may not want 5 guys wandering around the place. If 'you' get permission, its usually not good to show up with a truck full of buddies to hunt there. Never hurts to leave a venison steak or two for the land owner and send a Christmas card.

Good Luck

[MNhunterr]

You guys really have a lot of advice. Thank you tons.

Mallard and others, thanks so much on the information. I think the hardest thing about getting started basically by myself is fidning/setting up a place to hunt. Rifle hunting is a totally different ballgame because you can be 100+ yards away and still be able to take the animal.

This is going to be an amazing year, I can already tell.

I was thinking of asking my girlfriends dads neighbor, I scouted that last fall and the deer have cow trails going through certain sections of the land.

[mallard_drake85]

As far as getting permission to hunt places, Mallard has a good little script there. Offer to help out with some chores or projects, and not just that day, if you get permission always offer to help. Also, make sure to let them know who is going to be with you. They may not want 5 guys wandering around the place. If 'you' get permission, its usually not good to show up with a truck full of buddies to hunt there. Never hurts to leave a venison steak or two for the land owner and send a Christmas card.

Good Luck

Well said. The majority of the time that we've been declined was because of previous events where the LO's property was abused...and the number one complaint was letting their friends and family come along who did not have permission. Now my bro and I do occasionally take a youngster or someone who has never experienced the outdoors before along with us, but only with written consent from the LO first. Written permission is something we obtain from each landowner we procure land from. Ours basically says that the LO will not be held liable for any injury which we sustain while on their property during the season of_____. Further more it's written proof to a CPO, neighbor, or an upset relative that you are allowed to be out there. Case in point, a few years ago, I was greeted by a hostile neighbor of one of the farms that I had access to. When I showed him the written permission from the landowner, his entire demeanor changed and he apologized for being rude with me, and went on to tell me about a major poaching/trespassing problem in the area. But had he called the CPO or County police, it would have been a long ordeal to explain my reasoning for being on that land without permission. Thats why we always keep muliple copies with us, one in the truck, and one on us at all times.

And the Christmas card is something that we've been doing for years, and that simple but strong gesture has secured us exclusive rights to multiple properties in our area...I believe at last count we had just under 10,000 acres that we had access to hunt and trap, about 1/2 of that we are the only persons allowed on that property. Small acts of appreciation go a long way.

mallard_drake85