Spencer, First off, welcome to the site. Here is a chapter from a book I've been working up for a few years on and off. Hopefully you will find it informative and answer some of your questions.
Chapter 4 Archery
Ok folks this is where my main passion is. To me, archery hunting is the most basic and primal way of getting back to our roots as hunters. Now there are many types of bows. Longbow, Recurve, Long-recurve, Compound (several kinds of compounds as well), and crossbow. Now that last one, crossbow, is a topic of heated discussion within the hunting community. So we will brush against this topic for a moment. There are many "traditionalists" out there that feel that using a crossbow during regular archery is unfair as they feel that its too easy of a weapon to master and shouldnt be allowed into the beloved field of archery. I personaly feel that these people need to wake up and smell the coffee. Most of the nay sayers have never hunted with a crossbow. Im not saying they haven't fired one but I'm saying "hunted" with one. Hunting with a crossbow has many of the same drawbacks as traditional archery equipment. You have to get within 40 yards or so. You have to practice consistantly with it. Have to reload each shot (and a crossbow is a LOT harder to reload than a traditional bow). What they continualy rap on is the fact that you dont have to draw it on target and that you fire it the same as a rifle. What they dont mention is the fact that they are 3 times as heavy, a major pain in the rear to carry in thick woods, 5 times louder than most compound bows when fired, and last but not least a real major pain to reload in the tree stand. So my opinion is this, if its legal in your state to hunt regular archery with a crossbow, then by all means, if you wish to, then do so. I have found that many of the people fussing about it don't really care about the equipment, but the number of hunters getting out there. They feel that the crossbow is making it possible for more people to enjoy our beloved sport and getting in thier way. I feel like this, THE MORE THE MERRIER!!!!! In my own little opinion, the more people that we have enjoying our sport, the more people there are to pass it along to the next generation. Bow hunting is not only a long standing, basic way of hunting. It's a constant way of reminding ourselves that nature, in all her glory, will typicly whip your butt in the woods. What I mean by that is this, to get archery close, you have to be highly skilled, lucky, informed, and attuned to your senses.
Ok enough ranting about the debate of crossbows. Lets talk about bowhuntin!
Stick and string takes a lot of discipline. Not only in shooting the weapon, but also in the ways that you hunt. One advantage that the archery season does provide is that the deer aren't typicly as jumpy and all spooked up like they are after the rifle/muzzleloader season begins. One disadvantage, if you are a trophy hunter, is that the bucks aren't rutting and stupid like they are during rut, In most states. Some states, archery falls dead in the rutt and boy is THAT an exciting time to be out there with a bow!
First and formost you need to pick which type of archery weapon that you prefer. I.E. long, recurve,compound or crossbow. All have thier own drawbacks as well as pluses so you will have to make up your own mind as to which you wish to choose. For many years I hunted with a hand made long recurve that my Great grandfather made for me. Many deer and elk fell to that weapon (admitidly many laughed while running off too) and I loved it. About 17 years ago it finaly cracked irrepairably. I went to the archery shop to buy a new one and got introduced to compound shooting. Now I had seen them and I have to admit I felt like there was just too much junk on them to go wrong. But after a small bit of coaching from the pro at the shop (and a few cracks in the head by the same pro) I found that I was even more proficiant with this weapon. While yes there are some more things on the bow than there are on a recurve, the bows of today have very little go wrong with them. Basicly, if you keep them up like a recurve by keeping the string in good shape by waxing, or replacing if needed, and a few other minor maintenence procedures, then you have a fine weapon that will last you many good years.
Choosing the right bow for you will greatly increase your performance and confidence. Here is a great guide for shopping around for a compound bow.
Selecting a bow is a very personal choice and while one skilled bowhunter will pick one bow, another may purchase a bow entirely different. There are many different bows on the market and virtually endless accessories to go right along with them. Picking the right bow for you will be like picking the right pair of hunting boots; quality, fit, durability, and ease of use all come into play.
Because there is such a wide selection of bows on the market today it is a buyer’s market and as such the potential buyer should try out as many bows as possible. Getting a bow that feels good in your hands and is properly set up for your body type and shooting style will greatly increase your accuracy and comfort while shooting. Remember, your bow is an investment and when it comes down to the moment when you are drawing on that whitetail buck of your dreams you don’t want to lose confidence in your equipment or shooting ability.
There are quite a number of things to consider when buying a bow. Here are a few tips to help you decide which one is right for you:
Eye Dominance
You must know your eye dominance in order to pick a left hand or right hand bow. Most of the time a person who is right handed will be right eye dominant, the same with a left hand dominant. However sometimes a person will be opposite eye dominant.
To find your dominant eye point to a distant object with both eyes open. Next, close your left eye and if your finger is still pointing exactly at the target you are right eye dominant. If your finger is no longer pointing at your target, then you are left eye dominant.
If you are right eye dominant you will want a right handed bow and if you are left eye dominant you will want a left handed bow. For those of you who are opposite eye dominant and are hesitant about learning to shoot a bow with the "wrong" hand - don't worry about it. You will be able to learn easier than you think and your accuracy will thank you for it.
Draw Length
The length of your arms and the width of your shoulders will determine your draw length, which is difference between the grip and the bowstring when the bow is drawn is your draw length. It is best to go to an archery pro shop and let them measure you and help you determine your proper draw length. It is imperative that you get this measurement right as having a bow that is too long or too short for you will dramatically effect your accuracy and consitancy.
Draw Weight
Draw weight varies from shooter to shooter. As a rule of thumb the shooter should be able to comfortably draw the bow back without straining or lifting the bow up over his head in order to draw it back, and hold it back for at least 60 seconds. After all, you never know when you're going to get drawn back on that trophy of a lifetime and have to wait for the perfect shot opportunity.
Most bows in the fifty to seventy pound draw weight will work just fine for most shooters. This draw weight is sufficient to hunt the majority of North American big game animals. There are of course people who choose to pull more than this and that is fine depending on their ease of pulling it back smoothly and comfortably. Straining to pull a bow when positioned for a shot on an animal is a good recipe for a blown shot or spooked game, especially in cold late season weather.
Which Manufacturer?
Pick a bow that is made by a reputable company who will stand behind their product if you should have some problems with the bow, and preferably a company that can offer a measure of customer support. A good guarantee goes without saying, after all you are investing a sizeable amount of money and you should be assured that your purchase is warranty covered. The majority of high end bows come with an unlimited lifetime warranty, provided you are the original owner and fill out the warranty information upon purchase. Do not forget this very important step because if anything ever happens to your equipment you want to make sure it is covered!
Some of today's more popular bow manufacturers are Mathews, Hoyt, Bowtech, PSE, Browning, Pearson, McPherson, and Martin.
Axle To Axle Length (ATA)
The distance between the point at which the cams attach to each end of their respective limbs is known as the axle to axle length of a bow. As a general rule of thumb a bow with a longer axle to axle length will be easier and more forgiving to shoot. The reason for this being that as the ATA length decreases there is a greater angle placed on the string at full draw, resulting in possible nock pinch and inconsistent releases. This problem can be combatted with a string loop, however the vast majority of archers seem to prefer bows in the 34" - 36" axle to axle range.
If you will be hunting in conditions where you do not have a lot of room, such as from a ground blind or a treestand, you may want to look at a shorter hunting bow in the 32" - 35" ATA range. However, if you will be strictly target shooting or taking long distance shots in open country, you will want to pick a bow that is partial to that type of shooting. Popular ATA on target bows and longer range bows is anything 36" and longer.
Let Off
Let off is the amount of tension that is released on the string when the bow is at full draw. For example, a 100 lb bow with an 80% lefoff will only require 20 lbs of force to maintain at full draw.
Popular let offs today are anywhere from 65% to 85%. In the past many archers were hesitant about using a bow with more than 65% letoff due to Pope and Young requirements for entering animals into their records. However, their standards have recently changed and they are now accepting entries that were harvested with bows having more than 65% letoff - although they will be noted with an asterisk.
Brace Height
Brace height is the distance between the string and the back of the riser. It can be effected by the shape of the riser, the length of the bow's limbs, or a combination of both. Generally speaking, bows with a larger brace height are more forgiving, and therefore slightly more accurate and easier to shoot than bows with shorter brace heights. The reason for this is that the shorter the brace height, the longer your arrow stays on the string after you have released it, therefore amplifying any imperfections in form or bow tuning. Most archers today seem to be most comfortable with a brace height near 7 inches.
Silencing and Vibration Reducing Devices
Over the past several years few pieces of bow technology have advanced as much as silencing and vibration reducing devices. The introduction of Limbsavers by Sims Vibration Labratory revolutionized the industry and set a new standard for a quiet and vibration free shot. Many of today's bow manufacturers are including limb silencers on their bows directly from the factory. However, there are a number of aftermarket products available as well.
Another new feature that helps reduce shot noise and vibration are parallel limbs. This simply means that unlike conventional bows that have curved limbs going up and away from the riser, parallel limbs are shorter, straighter, and come off the bow at more of an angle. The science behind this new technology is that with the limbs moving in opposite directions of each other they cancel out excess vibration and noise that previously has been transferred into the rest of the bow. Companies such as Bowtech, Mathews, and Browning are all offering parallel limb bows.
Cam Design
There are three basic cam designs - single cam, dual cam, and hybrid cam. Each has it's own positives and negatives so it's up to you to decide which one feels best for your shooting style and ability. In general, single cam bows are smoother drawing and offer a very pleasant shooting experience. Dual cam bows tend to be faster, however they can be more difficult to tune and maintain, and can sometimes offer harsh draw cycles. The relatively new hybrid cam systems on today's market are tremendously popular and offer the best of both worlds with simple ease of tuning, softer draw cycles, and good speed.
Shop around!
The key to purchasing a bow that is right for you is to not settle for the first one you pick up. Shoot several different bows by several different manufacturers and determine which one suits you best. Every bow shoots a little differently than the next and it is important to be comfortable with the one you choose.
Utilizing these helpful tips and guidelines you should be able to find a bow that will maximize your shooting potential and prove to be a useful hunting tool for years to come.
Now as far as traditional style bows such as the longbow or recurve, there are many different styles of shooting (form) for these and are best shown by a coach or at least someone that is proficiant with the use of these and can help you get good with them. This greatly helped me when I was little and also greatly helped me when I switched to compound (Thanks Gordo!!). It just goes to show that you actually CAN teach an old dog new tricks! Most all compitent archery shops have an indoor range and also have staff onhand that will help you if you purchase the bow there. I have found many in my travels. This will be the only advertisment you will see from me. No other archery shop that I have found was more professional, helpful, patient, and willing to teach than Lancaster Archery in Lancaster PA. So If you are in Pa and want to buy a bow, they are, in my opinion, the best place for all around service. They have Olympic quality coaches, a huge indoor range, About every bow you can imagine and any accessory you will need for hunting or target archery. And before you ask yourself, no they have not paid me nor do I own any part of the company. They just did something that few places of business have ever done. They impressed me. Hard to do.
Now, you have picked out your bow. Now its time for arrows and broadheads. Again you have many products to choose from. Im going to base the rest of this info on compound since most traditional (long and recurve) shooters tend to either fashion thier own or have them custom made for them.First thing you will have to decide on is carbon versus aluminum arrows or the new hybrid aluminum core carbon arrows. I prefer the carbons for one main reason. They are either straight or broke. No inbetweens. With an aluminum you may miss a slight bend in the arrow that will severly affect the shot. Also carbons are a lot stronger and more resiliant. I have one carbon arrow that has been through 4 deer and still in perfect shape. I did refletch it but the shaft itself is fine. Carbons used to be much more expencive than aluminums but nowadays they are reletively even in price so this will be of a personal choice for you. One key thing to remember is that you have to match not only the length of the arrow but also the spine and weight of the overall arrow to the bow. Spine, simply put, is the flexability of the arrow. Heavier spined arrows have a thicker wall so they dont flex as much when fired. Your local pro shop will be able to guide you very well on this. Most arrow manufacturers have a formula printed on the box or in a book close to thier products thats relitively easy to understand. One of the bows I own is weighted at 70 pounds, with a 29.5 inch draw length and an aggressive style cam. This setup calls for a heavier spined arrow. Now for weight. Simply put. If you shoot too light of an arrow, then eventually, you are going to ruin your bow. The most common reason of riser and limb cracks are caused from people trying to get that extra 10 feet per second speed by shooting too light of an arrow. Your bow has to have some weight to transfer that energy to or it will backlash all the excess energy into the limbs. If you have never had a bow "blow up" on you then be thankful. A bow strung at 70 pounds blowing up hurts like the dickens if you get slapped. There are formulas out there that can assist you in the lightest arrow setup you can have. I tend to use 7 grains per pound of draw weight on my arrows with a 100 grain broadhead. This equals around 16 grains per inch at my 29.5 draw length. One little secret about using a heavier arrow is it will make your bow quieter on release. Another is momentum. A little bit heavier arrow will retain and transfer more energy into the target. You get on a 300 pound Canadian monster white tail and you will need that momentum to pass through. Simple physics is with a heavier object it takes more to slow it down than a lighter object. One of my rigs pushes this arrow setup at a nice healthy speed of 294 feet per second so I am getting both speed as well as plenty of weight of arrow for easy pass throughs at my limit of 40 yards. The great debate in compound bows is speed. Some of these speed burners are great, IF you have the ability to be consistant with them. Your faster bows are shorter ATA length and shorter brace height making them very unforgiving and best left to those with increadibly good form. I personally feel that if you have a bow that shoots at 275 feet per second with a good broadhead and properly weighted arrow, and you have the ability to put your arrow wherever you want it, then you have all you need to take down a nice deer or elk. As far as broadheads go, there are so many to choose from its rediculous. I used the expandables for a while with "ok" success but I recently returned to fixed blades. Broadhead technology has really stepped up to the plate, keeping up with the faster bows. There are some companies out there producing cut on impact fixed blades that will fly identical to your field tips (practice points). I have a couple of bows that shoot well over 300 fps and the fixed blades that I use fly right with my field tips. There are several companies with this claim. I have personally only tried a few. Montech and Rocket are the only 2 that I've been successfull with on deer as well as practice. Now I'm not saying that these are the only 2 that are good, just the only 2 that I have had really good successfull pass-through performance leaving a really good blood trail without having to spend time "tuning" the broadhead setup. There are a ton of good broadheads out there but one drawback to many of them is that you have to tune them. What I mean by this is, one you have to tune the broadhead to the fletchings. By this I mean you have to get the blades dead on line even with the feathers/vanes of the arrow. If you dont then what will happen is called "planeing". This is where the air flows over the broadhead in one direction and the vanes/feathers try to move it into another. This causes severe arrow whipping. Not good. With some of todays newer fixed blades, the manufacturers have made this a non point. They dont have to be tuned at all. And yes I have tried changing the blade positions to test this theory with the same result. No change in the arrow flight. Next in most fixed blades is you have to retune your bow, change your sights to another impact point. This is a pain for several reasons but one of the main ones is that to retune to match your broadheads, you will have to shoot them into a target which dulls or even breaks them. This costs time and money. The time I have no problem with as I try to practice 3 days a week all year at least. But shooting and ruining a broadhead costing money I do have a problem with. Yes you can resharpen most all broadhead blades but most people dont have the skills needed to put on a razor sharp edge. Also broken blades cost. So my recommendation is if you are going to shoot fixed blades then use the ones that fly even with your field tips. They are traditionally a bit more money. But they are worth it since you wont have to buy 2 or 3 sets so you can tune your bow.
You have made your decision on bow and arrows. Now its time for accessories. There are several questions that a good archery shop salesman will be asking you. One of the first ones will be (if you are shooting compound) are you shooting "fingers" or with a "release aid" ? If you have chosen a long axel to axel bow such as a 36 inch or more then you could choose either. Any shorter (and 36 inch is pushing it) and you wont be able to shoot fingers because of the severe angle created at the noch point at full draw. A release aid helps with a lot of things and I do recommend one. It helps with form, gives a cleaner release with no finger roll, and with the wrist strap style, makes drawing the bow easier. Get either a dual or single caliper release. String releases are a little more of a pain in the rump to attach, especially with gloves. Your sales pro will be happy to help you get fitted up with what you need. Just dont let him/her talk you into one of those 200 dollar jobs. You dont need those. A good Scott Archery or several others are just fine and will cost between 30 and 60 bucks. They will last you for many years and worth the cost. The elcheapo wally world specials are pretty much junk so avoid them. Next he will be asking if you wish to shoot with "sites" or shoot "instinctive"? What instinctive means, is shooting without sites. I've done both and in my aged years I prefer using sites. Im much more accurate with them as is most everyone. Now there are target sites and hunting sites. there are even scope sites for bows now (aint that a pip!!!). I use fiber optic pin sites with a tiny battery operated L.E.D. to brighten them up at dawn and dusk. This works great for me as well as most others. To put things simply, I am recommending setting up your bows basicly the same way as I have mine set up for the simple reason I have tried, tested, and hunted with about every kind of setup thats out there and have found what I use now to be the most effective and efficiant both in cost and useability. Not tooting my own horn here but I have learned through many years of experience that the best way to learn is to ask someone who's been there and has tried things. So I figured since I have asked already as well as tried them out for myself then this book will help save some time and money. Trial and error is expencive. The next thing is what type of arrow rest. For compound there are several types. For hunting they are reduced down to basicly 3. TM hunter style, Shoot-through (wiskerbisquit), and drop-away. I hunted for a lot of years with TM hunter style with a lot of success. I recently switched to a drop away and fell absolutely in love. What this does is when you release the string the rest drops away from the arrow. This eliminates several tuning issues as well as gives you a bit more speed on the arrow. I personally cant stand the shoot through styles. I dont see the use of a rest that is in contact with your arrow on the complete release stroke as well as your fletching makes contact. This slows your arrow speed as well as deforms your fletchings. You be the judge on that issue for yourself but go in informed and dont let someone talk you into a product that is designed to fail in a much shorter time than another type of rest. The only plus about the shoot through style is that you have no worries about the arrow falling off the rest when drawing the bow or moving it around. A few of the manufacturers have designed hold-down devices for the drop away rests and these work great. They hold the arrow down until you begin to draw allowing the drop away rest to release the arrow from the hold down device. I have no need for these as I have learned to habitualy keep my finger over the arrow until im at full draw. Never had an arrow fall off and probably never will but this is a personal choice. If you want one get one. Next on bow accessories is using a "peep site" or not. Your sales pro can assist you in this decision. There are a few other devices on the market that will allow you to align your sites evenly and in respect to your bow so definately try them at the pro shop. I use a hunters peep and have for years. It does have its drawbacks in low light conditions but I was gifted with exceptional low light vision so Im a little luckier than a lot and its not a problem. Next is what type of arrow quiver. You have types that attach to your bow and types that you carry such as a back or hip quiver. Either is fine. If you choose the attached then make sure of 2 things. One is to attach a noise dampening device to it if one isn't already. 2 is practice with it on the bow even if you have the quick detach style and intend on detaching it once you are in the stand. In all my years I have eased up on several deer on the way to my stand so you never know when you will have a shot on a nice deer. Practice with it on and off so you will be prepared. I personally use a hip quiver. When I get into my stand I take it off, belt and all, and hang it in easy reach for a quick reload. I personally never could shoot as well with a quiver attached to a bow but I know many that can so its more of a personal preference/ability choise. Next is a stabilizer. These offer 2 functions. They help to front balance a bow and also to absorb vibrations from the riser. There are many kinds on the market such as Limbsaver, QuickShot, BooDoodle, Vibrashock, and many others. Just make sure that you get a type that doesnt freeze in cold weather. Some of the cheaper brands utilize stuff that freezes and becomes a useless chunk on your bow. Well, we have pretty much covered your bow and arrow needs. Next on the list is a good range finder. Even those with tons of experience in the field can goof up on distance estimation. I go to a lot of 3-D archery compititions during the summer and early fall and this really helps to improve upon range estimation. But we all get buck fever. When I stop getting excited at the sight of a beautiful deer I will quit hunting. Excitement and adreniline can really mess with distance estimation. They have range finders out there for very reasonable prices nowadays. When I get into my stand I range out everywhere I think I may be getting a shot. Sometimes if I'm hunting in a place that I dont know well, I'll mark the closest tree to my shot possibility with color markers. Blue for 20 yards, red for 30, and white for 40. With my bows speed this is all I need. The yardages in between would make no difference in arrow placement and I dont take a shot past 40 yards. If you are hunting over a clearing such as a food plot and you will have nothing to mark, then I would suggest keeping the range finder handy and put it on the deer before you draw. This way you will make no mistake from a wrong estimation and miss or even worse just wounding a deer. There are a wide range of range finders both in cost and in types. Go with what you can afford and practice with it at known ranges so that you are confident with it as well as proficiant. There are even some that attach directly to your bow and are programmed to compensate for angle for elevated shots from a tree stand to give you the yardage you should hold for. Sometimes technology is a darned nifty thing isn't it!
Lets talk about camo for archery. There is a multitude of different brands and patterns out there and most are efficiant and work well. What you as the hunter need to do is a little research. First thing you need to look at is where you are going to be hunting. Tree stand hunting is the norm for most states when it comes to archery deer hunting. When scouting, take note as to what kind of tree/trees you will be placing your stand in. Also take into account the time of year and if there will still be conciderable foliage left in the tree. If there will be, then a good leafy pattern in the camo will be great. The same thing goes if you will be hunting on the ground. Match your camo patterns to your surroundings. In the winter when all the leaves are off the tree then you will want a really good tree bark pattern. If ground hunting and there is snow on the ground then a good white treebark or white grass pattern does wonders. Again the main thing that camo does is assist in blending you into your surroundings by breaking up your outline. Movement limitation is still a primary nessissity in remaining undetected. One camo that I love to use in early archery is a leafy netting. The netting is bug resistant and in early fall this is a Godsend. Them little critters are a pain in the rear and can actually cause you to spook a deer. I Don't know how many deer I have spooked because I was trying to get a gnat out of my eye. Whatever you get for hunting attire, I strongly reccommend you practice shooting your bow with it on. String slap is the cause of a lot of wounded and missed deer. What this is, is the string slaps your sleeve causing it to slightly, to severely, whip your arrow. There are 2 ways of preventing this. One is with an arm guard that will hold your sleeve in. The other is changing your stance to where you are facing the deer a little more when shooting. Ask your archery coach about hunting stances so that you are creating a little less angle to your arm. This is called an "open stance". This will eliminate the string slap but it is a little more difficult to create good form and consistancy in shots with this form. It will take a little more practice but it is masterable so do not get dejected.
You now have your equipment so lets talk about practice. One thing that is often overlooked when practicing with your bow is shooting from seated and wierd positions. I personally practice from every concievable position that I can imagine a deer walking in to my stand. Elevation does make a difference in your shots as well so if you are going to be shooting from a tree stand then make sure you practice from a height the you will be hunting from. If you plan on the method of "spot and stalk" then also practice shooting uphill at targets. Now there are a lot of people that knock the dust off thier bows a few days before season opens, shoot a few arrows to make sure thier bows are still on site and they think that thats enough. These are the people that mostly miss or wound deer. Muscle memory is one of the keys to good shooting form and repeatable shot placement. Practice all that you can and you will find that you will not only be a better shot, but you will also have much more confidence in your ability. Confidence typicly factors into good shot choice and placement. Dont over do it though. If you shoot 3 times a week but you are shooting even after your arms or back are tired then you are training your muscles badly. Dont over train. And don't do it so much that you start thinking of it as work and not fun. Practice as often as your schedule and physical condition allows. Also, even though I dont take shots in the field past 40 yards, I do practice at 50 and 60 yards. This makes shooting a 40 yard shot seem like a chip shot. Set a yardage limit to your hunting. Then practice well beyond this limit. This aids in confidence as well as proficiancy at your predetermined limit. Make sure that you are using the same weight practice points as the broadheads you will be using to hunt with. Also make sure that the arrows and fletchings match your hunting setups. What I am doing with this book is giving the most basic of needs and some starting hints that will help you be a success in the field. What you as a hunter will have to do is dedicate yourself to practice and further yourself in this art. Archery is a form of hunting that takes a special breed. Your not going to be able to spot a deer at 200 yards and snap off a shot with a rifle. You will have to learn the fine art of woodsmanship. Archery isn't about just going out for a bit, seeing a deer and cracking off a shot. It's about learning about your quarry and where it lives to get archery close. You need to learn the habitat and what the deer are feeding on.
Well, you have done your scouting and have found some really well traveled trails. Time to locate your stand sites. I, about 80% of the time, hunt from a tree stand or some form of elevated location. This does many things in helping you but the main 2 things are, you have a better view of the area and your up above thier normal line of sight. Now im NOT saying that deer do not look up because that is about the stupidest myth out there about deer. They most definately DO look up and will bust you quick but it does improve your chances of staying out of thier sight line. A deer's normal predation defence is ground based so they dont expect assults from high up in the trees but they will look up at a noise that doesn't belong in the area. Also keep in mind that deer see in a much wider field of view than we do and with the way thier eyes are located in thier heads they see in all sorts of different angles. In other words they will fool you. I set my stands up no lower than 12 feet off the ground and usually no higher than 25 feet up. If you have a climber stand and have some good straight trees in the area then you have a real winning situation. I always locate my stand sites, always remembering to have alternates in case of wrong wind direction, at least one week prior to my hunt. I do this so I can clear some shot lanes out. I rarely morning hunt in archery as I hunt food sources. Its really hard to get in quietly without disturbing deer in the mornings unless I am hunting closer to thier bedding areas, trying to catch them coming in from the fields. This is a personal choise for me and for the hunting situations that the areas I hunt dictate. What you as a hunter have to decide is what is right for you and the area that you are hunting. Location of your stand should not be directly above a trail but should be a few yards off of it. Right above a trail will more than likely not present a good broadside shot and shooting straight down on a deer is rough. If there is a creek close by and you find a well used crossing then you have found gold! If you see that this is a primary trail used going back and forth from a food source then this is where you want to hunt. This acts as not only a bottleneck but deer will most likely stop and take a drink so try to set up your stand so that it will provide you with a good broadside shot. If you get out there and the wind is blowing from the tree to the creek then unless you have a good tree on the other side of the shot then back out and dont hunt there. Once deer are alerted to danger on that particular trail they will change thier trail patterns for a while. Now of course these methods dont work everywhere like in South Texas where good trees for stands are few and far between but it is a lethal combination in most states where the whitetail is very prevolent. Texas has some challenges of its own but its also a state that allows baiting. Archery hunting isn't that popular in Texas, for deer, so Ill refrain from tactics in this section for that state and others like it for now and address them in the rifle section which is the primary weapon of choice.
Well you have your stand in and sitting in it now. A nice buck or doe comes in and you want it on the ground. Time for shot placement! Now we all know that a shot in the heart is the best shot to take right? WRONG!!! For a rifle yes its the best other than a head or neck shot that will drop it in it's tracks. But for a bow I have found that the absolute best shot to take is a dead broadside shot and straight through the lungs. There is good reason behind this. If you take out the heart then you will not have as good of a blood trail to follow. Get a good pass-through shot through the lungs and you have a very good spray on both sides of the deer. It's simple logic. If you take out the heart then the only thing you will have to leave a blood trail is gravity and that doesn't always work. Bullets work on shock from the bullet strike as well as the tissue damage that they inflict where as a broadhead only works with hemmoragic shock (bleeding). I once shot a nice buck on a heavy quartering away shot angle and the arrow entered on the right side taking out the right lung and the heart but didnt pass all the way through the chest because it hit the sternum. It took out the heart very well but had I not hit the lung I would never have found that deer. The only blood trail was from where it was coughing blood out of it's nose and mouth because of the lung hit. I've personally seen deer run for miles with no hearts left in thier chest but I have never had to trail a deer for more than 200 yards with a good clean double lung shot. They are an increadibly tough animal with a will to live stronger than anything on earth so take the most valuable shot that is offered for the lungs and resist any other with a bow. The deer deserve your very best for a quick clean humane harvest. One last thing to always try to do. That is to wait at least 30 minutes after you have taken the shot to come down out of your stand or move from your blind. Even if you are sure of your shot and know for a fact you nailed your target. The reason behind this is like I said earlier, deer are an increadibly tough animal and can very well fool you. What you are doing with this time is giving it the chance to lay down and expire. Even with a perfect lung shot or even heart a deer can spook and run very far very fast. Save yourself some serious time and effort by letting it run for a little bit and lay down. They most always stop within a 100 yards or so and if they aren't being pushed they will lay down. I've seen many deer that got away because of the lack of a little patience and not waiting. This will also help tremendously in the instances of marginal shots such as a liver hit. Just give it a half hour or so then proceed slowly to the place you hit it and then to the last place you saw it. Chances are it wont be very far. If you got a clean pass-through then find your arrow. This can give you loads of info on the type of shot you made. If the blood on the arrow is a light red, almost pink, and bubbly then you have made a good lung shot. If it's a bright red then that is either artirial or heart. If is a dark red, almost black, then its a liver shot. Any green or a pasty white then your in for a long track because thats most likely gut and you more than likely wont recover the deer without a lot of luck. If its a gut hit then stop right where you recovered the arrow and back out of the area. Let the deer go lay down. Even as long as over-night. Mark the last place that you saw the deer. Go back at first light. Most likely you wont find much, if any, of a blood trail. Gut shots tend to seal up. Now there are many myths out there about gut hit deer and one of them is that deer wont go up hill if gut hit. Trust me folks, a hit deer will go whereever the hell its legs will carry it to get away. One myth that I have found true about gut hit deer is that they will head for water. I've found several deer that were hit by friends with marginal hits in or at the edge of water. If you loose a blood trail then mark the last place you saw blood and look for the tracks. You should know the area well that you are hunting and should know where the nearest water is. If the tracks are heading in that general direction then head for the water and search the banks up and down. Look especially close around fallen trees. They like to lay down behind them for cover close to water. If you dont find it then head back to the last mark and start searching in a circle pattern. Keep your eyes open and sharp. If your lucky you can pick up a sign or even spot the deer this way. It's time consuming but the deer are worth every effort of recovery. I hear some say "well the other animals gotta eat to" and I just want to smack hell out of anyone with enough ignorance to say that. Exaust any and all resources to find that deer until you are convinced that you just hit it in no mans land or you just plain cant find it. Now in most states "HUNTING" for deer with dogs is illegal but you are well within the law to "RECOVER" with a dog. Check with your local game commision for the legality of a tracking dog for recovery. Most states will allow it as long as you or anyone in your party are not armed. One of the best dogs on the planet for game recovery is the mighty "Jack Russel Terrior". Nine pound dog with a ninety pound attitude! They are the most used dog in Africa for game recovery tracking so that says alot in itself. They are very easy to train for trailing, extreamly intelligent, and they make a great family pet as well. Last but not least they will make you laugh your ever lovin butt off too!! Ill admit it. I've used dogs for recovery and it's much easier. Most states will require you to have your dog on a leash for game recovery purposes. Each state is different about their state lands and rules so definatly consult with the local game commission for any rules and laws regarding this.
Well thats about all the basics for archery. Of course there is still MUCH you will have to learn but I feel the absolute best teacher on the planet is "experience" itself. These tips I am providing will give you a much needed jump start on equipment and some starting points. The rest you shall have to let Mother Nature herself teach you.