utmstudent

I love being in the woods BUT, I've been bow hunting a few times and liked being in the woods but was very discouraged at not seeing anything OR seeing deer but they were too far away. What makes it so discouraging? Well, the drive out to the place were I hunt is about a 30 mins drive. The walk, carrying a stand and bow is about a 2 mile walk. I know that with a gun I would have a better chance but with a bow, I feel like I should be using a sling shot or just throwing rocks and have a better chance. What’s really bad is I spent quite a bit of money for bow season, tuning, new bow, new arrows, target practicing etc. Any advice?

Arthur P

Patience, experience and just plain ol' guts.

Have the patience to not get discouraged until you have learned a few tricks of the trade.

Try your best to learn something that will help you next time you go out. Every trip to the woods should build your experience, so it's never a waste of time to go.

Have the intestinal fortitude to actually go hunting when you've got the chance, even though you might be feeling down and discouraged. You never know when the RedGods of the Hunt might just smile on you and let you get lucky.

And there is no rule that you have to hunt deer. Small game is usually abundant and, frankly, I think hunting small game is a LOT more fun. It can also help you build that woodswise experience that will eventually help you put a deer in the freezer.

utmstudent

well. What are some tricks of the trade?

I think my biggest problem is I don't have any faith in my bow. I shot a big deer 30 yards away, with some very small limbs in the way. If it where with my bow, I wouldn't even attempt it. But maybe it would be ok. Heck I don’t' know, I just need to shoot more I guess. What about the actual getting ready for the shot? I have had a spike come up to my stand when I was bow hunting, I never knew he was there, so I had to stand up to shoot and get situated, when I did, he seen me stand up and ran off.

nubo

I don't think any time that I spend in the wood's is a waste of time ,I love being there in my own little piece of solitude ,and regardless whether I see deer or not I usually take something home with me ,whether I learn a little about deer's pattern's or the weather they like to travel or if it's just plain quiet ,there's alway's something to remember .You can't garauntee sighting's every time you go out ,it's just a big plus when you do.Sooner or later you'll be the lucky one in the bush and you'll tag that big ole buck that you've searched for for year's , it's all worth the time and patient's if you ask me ,I don't worry about the cost of my gear because it doesn't matter what sport your into ,you have to pay to play.

nubo

TFOX

You are learning the heartaches of bowhunting at the moment but like Arthur said,when you get the experience and/or luck.Things will come together and then you will understand the thrill and excitement,along with a sense of accomplishment that comes with taking an animal with a bow.



Don't give up and don't get discouraged.


Also remember that you are not hunting with a gun and your setups need to be so that you are close to the game and you are able to take the shot once the animal is close enough.

Canoeboy

In response to the spike, one thing I have done that I think has helped me is in the positioining of the stand. I try to hang to stand so the deer (if they do what I think they will) will come way off to my left and just about behind me, this leaves me a shot without standing up. It also allows me to stand up with the tree between me and the deer if I miss them coming in. Then once up I can shoot with a quartering away shot.
Also with a bow I would never shot with small limbs in the way, will totally mess up my shot. I have a bigger problem sometimes not seeing the little briars and such that are high enough for the arrow to hit them.
This is only my second year but I learned alot the first year on what I can and can't do in the stand. It takes alot of patience, heck I never even drew back on a deer my first year, I always had them spooked while trying or well before.

Finch

Did you try any types of call this season? I have randomly picked a spot a few times this year and called. I killed two does and had a little 6 pointer come but stayed in the brush this way. No scouting invoved w/ that game plan. I do scout but not to the extent of some of these guys on here. Thats one thing that is going to change come next season. Might break down and buy a trail cam too. Good luck and don't give up. It will happen!!

mobow

That's what makes bowhunting so much more challenging. Everything has to be perfect for it all to fall into place. Getting deer close enough is the biggest challenge. The best advice I can give is to keep on pluggin, and set up in bottlenecks that pinch deer down to a manageable range. This could be a saddle, inside corner, the top of a deep draw, just about anything that will force the deer to move into your majical 30 yard kill zone.

I will also say this. These same challenges are also what makes bow hunting so much more rewarding. Believe me, when you do finally connect, there will be no better feeling in the world!!

utmstudent

Oh geezz LOL, what are bottlenecks? You just blew my mind. I didn' tknow there was this much strategy involved.

The only thing I know to tell you and without a pic of the place, its going to be a little hard but here goes. I hunt in a SW corner of a field. The field, on all sides except the north side. Is surrounded by THICK wooded areas. In the SW corner of the field is where I've killed 5 bucks in the past 5 years, 6 counting this year. Its all been in the afternoon. I am about 5 yards into the woods. On in the woods about 40 yards is a river. The deer come out at night in this corner. In the mornings, I have no idea, and I don't have an idea where they bed at. Need more info? Or am I lost totally?

mobow

My deepest, most sincere apologies. By posting this question, I assumed you were LOOKING for advice, not GIVING it......I didn't mean to step on the toes of an expert.