Elkcrazy8

We all have had those experiences where we look back into time and laugh until we cry at some of the mistakes that we have made along the way. Lets share with those who have a new found passion so they HOPEFULLY will not make the same mistakes.

It was my first year of bowhunting and I was all ready for action, I had been practicing all summer, shooting off ladders, shooting from the roof of the barn, and even went to the extent to build treestands in my yard in the middle of suberbia.

The day had finally arrived and I was ready to take my skills to the woods. I had carefully selected a trail off the edge of a well used clover lot that had a nice big oak tree in it. The morning was wearing on when I looked to the right of me a saw a doe working her way towards me. The time was now.

I nocked an arrow and pulled back when she was within my comfortable range. I let the arrow fly only to watch it hit at her feet. She jumped back and stopped.I nocked another arrow and let it fly, right over her back. Several arrows later my quiver was empty and the deer was untouched.

With all of my arrows gone all I could do is watch her walk up to the tree that I was in and lay down. Several hours later she moved off. I climbed down to pick up the arrows that I could still see from the tree. I caught another movement and here she came again. My first reaction was to lay down. The deer kept walking towards me and was a meer 10 feet from me with me having no way to shoot. All I could do was watch her walk away. I would have given anything at the time to kill that deer, but it began the tempering of my patience in the field.

Lets hear of some of the blunders that led to a long ride home!!!!!

I have a heck of alot more blunders, but won't share until someone else spills the beans too!!!!

Dubbya

Man,I have a couple. The most obvious of which, was my first ever "bowhunt." I had my dad's old Bear compound bow that was older than me. I climbed up and sat in a tree (literally) about 10 feet off the ground. My frist goal was to get comfortable because I knew I would be there for awhile.So I layed back on a giant limb and kicked my feet up with the bow in my lap.

About 45 minutes later I heard something coming. I looked up and saw a doe walking towards me and she was about to walk broadside to my right. Well in my effort to get comfortable I had neglected the deer trail on my right side as well as not considering the fast as to whether or not I could get into shooting position easily. As the deer came closer and closer I struggled endlessly to sit up quietly. After I had achieved that and got myself turned on the giant limb, she was waaaay out of range. I was furious with myself, but I learned a lesson for sure.

bowtech die hard

My first mistake in my rookie year was to shoot at a moving deer. DUMB DUMB DUMB DUMB DUMB!!!! I was so ready to kill a deer that I shot at a moving deer. I have not done it since and never will. Bottom line is I got lucky, got a femeral artery shot and the boy died within 60 yards. Purely luck shot, wasn't aiming there, nothing. It was my first bowkill, I was 12 and was way too excited to shoot. I won't EVER do that again. Lesson learned.

Red Hawk

I have yet to get a deer with my bow


(hard to find a place out here)

bowtech die hard

don't worry brother, it'll happen. Keep that head up and keep plugging away. We're all here to help!

BowHuntND

This passed season was my first season bowhunting.

I had scoped out some WMA's and found some good spots to sit. I went to these areas quite frequently. And I never saw a deer.

I also hunted with a buddy of mine at his aunts place considerably closer to town. First time I had a little button buck walk right under neath my stand.. I let him pass, "you don't shoot him this year imagine what next year could bring".

Then on the last day of the season here, I checked both my WMA's in the morning, and as usual saw nothing... I called my buddy up and we went to his Aunt's place... I sat there for a couple hours and finally saw a couple of does coming up from the river.

There was a large pile of trees, and the deer were walking to the other side of it, I figured my chance was gone.. BUT WAIT, they circled back and decided to walk on my side of the trees. As I was getting ready to draw back and make a noise to get them to stop, my arrow comes unnocked and they walk on by...

I too have yet to shoot a deer. [:@]

GMMAT

I had the biggest bodied buck in my woods directly under me and then slightly quartering away at 12 yds. I was shaking like a leaf.....and got caught up in the moment. I aimed right behind the shoulder and let if fly. I know where I hit the deer, NOW. It was a flesh wound....as I've seen the deer a few times since then....no worse for wear. I didn't aim for the exit hole....and I think about that every time, now. I spent a lot of tough nights over this VERY rookie mistake. I honestly don't think I'll ever consciously make that mistake again.

Copper31

My firstcouple years of bowhunting were the longest. I can not count the number of times that if I were patient enough I would have seen deer. I got picked off by so many deer because I would stand up or sit down thinking nothing was coming. I never even gave thema chance to wind me. The lack of patients didn't stop there. Twice in the same year I rushed at shot at 2 bucks only to come away with a birch, popal, 2 broken arrows, and 2 bucks just looking at me. Niether one ran, they just stood there. The biggest mistake I made was thinking that I was the next "great one" of hunting. Without ever shooting a deer I thought I was good enough to pass ondoes and little ones. Still wet behind the ears and more full of myself then ever. Hey it was what they did on TV. I havesince learned many more lessons but those are the ones that stick out to me.

monsterbucks2011

this past season was my second year bow hunting i have shot 1 deer with my bow and missed 3. i dont think i did anything bad my first year other than i needed to sit sit better.

hardcorehunter

My old mistakes years ago were basically misjudging distance( bow speeds were slow so it was crucial to know your yardage), aiming at the whole deer instead of picking a spot, and not realizing how important the wind , your scent, and the ability of a deer's nose determined your success.(We didn't have stuff to wearthat letus"just forget the wind and justhunt")