Muskratpete, these posts were also helpful to me and this is my 5 season without guns at all. I've been busten many a time and have developed my method for success just as you will develope yours. Each of us hunts different terrain with different cover and food sorces. What works in a forrest may need adjustment on the great plains or the brush of south texas (think the words to God Bless America).

One thing I didn't read that is important is your bow needs to be silent when drawn. Some arrow rests make noise when the arrow is drawn back and over them others make much less. Draw you bow with your eyes closed and listen for anything. If you can hear it they can too. I use a dropzone which has a foam pad that the arrow is cradled in when at rest. As I draw, the arrow made some light friction noise that I could hear. I smeared a dab of vasoline on the foam and worked it in and now it is silent. My old Hoyt would creek the first time it was drawn in the morning. Having that first draw/creek take place while making a move on Mr. Buck is a bad thing. By drawing a couple times before I made my way into my stand it was not a problem at crunch time. I did finally source that creek to the split limb style limbsavers being too tight. Some like to have mole skin on the riser in the ledge area. Just in case an arrow falls off the rest and hits the risers.

If your draw requires you to struggle and raise the bow up and wiggle around and make grunting noises, turn it down to what you can handle. A 70 lb. bow set to 64 lbs. will make the draw effortless and still take care of business. You will need to check your shaft selection if you make a big change to the power but a few pounds will usually do the trick and help you make a stealthy draw. The good news is once you are at a full draw and anchored, that deer is just about done for. Also, practice letting your draw down. There will be times when a silent letdown will allow you to keep the deer close and offer another shot. I once held so long that flames were coming out of my shoulder. When I let down the arrow unknocked and fell off and scared the deer away.

Every trip will offer lessons to be learned. It's your job to learn the lessons and apply them each time out. When you get your first bow deer post the story. I want to hear about how your pounding heart was alerting the deer and how after the shot you just about fell off your stand due to the shakes!