Hoytail Hunter

In efforts to reduce some of those "bad shot, uh oh, what should I do now" posts as well as achieve overall better bowhunting, I ask all the members of this board to share your experiences here. Quoting from this thread...
http://www.huntingnet.com/forum/tm.aspx?m=2457725&mpage=1

Quote:

As a token of my appreciation for the collective wisdom I've been graced with here on this forum, I will start a new thread where you can add your experience post by post. The focus of the thread will be "what to do before the shot." This will encompass everything that one can do to prepare him or herself for a safe, responsible, ethical, and successful hunt.

As a wise man once said, you're either part of the problem or you're part of the solution. The solution or goal here is instilling the right things into the new or inexperienced or even those humble enough to accept a refresher.

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I'll start this off by sharing some of my experiences.

I've learned the hard way how not to shoot a deer that is about 10 yards from your tree while you are 20ft up it. I was presented with a moderately quartered away shot as described and I put the arrow 1/3 the way down from the top of it's back and right behind the shoulder. In my limited, not so experiencedvision, the arrowshould've pierced to top middle ofthe nearlung and hit the bottom front ofthe farlung. Looking back now, I don't think that ever happened. This animal was never recovered despite hours and hours of searching.

*note- please don't discuss this shot scenario because it has already been discussed earlier this season. What I'm doing here is trying to put together a compilation of "what to do's" and "what not to do's" Thank you.

Other things I've learned afield, in my own judgment, or online:

- Don't trample all over the woods early in the morning leaving scent every step you take if you can't find your tree. Just sit still and wait for light. If you trample, you might've just gotten up all early and drove an hour for nothing.

- Polypropylene or synthetic wool can save your life because it wicks moisture away from your skin and keeps you dry. One morning I walked through tall wet grass and was drenched from the chest down. It was 45 degrees out with alight windand I stayed in the tree all morning unbothered.

- Always wear your safety harness and make sure you untether yourself before you jump off the stand after climbing down to the bottom of the tree. LOL, that gave me quite a surprise.

- Practice with your bow regularly because it keeps your form more consistent and your muscles developed.

- Respect all life. It wants to live as much as you do. Refer to my sig.
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.....I will think up more later. Please add anything and everything that will benefit the new/inexperienced or anyone for that matter. We're here to learn what to or not to do out in the woods. I don't think anyone likes it when we lose animals due to a lack ofdiscipline orknowledge. More importantly, I don't think anyone likes it when a fellow bowhunter is misinformed/uninformed and ends up hurting himself.

In no other kind of huntinghave Iseen or heard is camaraderie more standard than in bowhunting. That being the case, please contribute. However, if you don't feel this way, please don't muck this all up for those who approve of it. Thank you.

loogout1

Before ever attempting to release a arrow at any living animal, look that animal up in a encyclopedia, internet, etc. and know where the vitals are and which ones you need to hit. The goal is to take the shot that involves as many organs as possible to insure a quick and respectful dispatch of your worthy adversary.

USAF_hunter

I like to have everything in a perfect place bow, packs, antlers...etc for easy access and limited movement. Set it up exactly like your other stands so it becomes second nature and you know exactly where it is everytime. When setting up a stand envision where the animals will come from and make sure you can draw free of obstruction. I know this sounds like a no brainer but you would be amazed at some of the set-ups I have seen.

Also expect to see game. Try not to day dream, in my expieriences big deer come in quick and don't stay long. Very rarely have I watched a big deer for extended amounts of time before he presented a shot. Not counting a few deer in Oklahoma where you can see a long ways.

When you are presented a shot take your time, you have more time then you think. Human instinct is the oh crap, oh crap I need to shoot, I'll never see him again mindset. Slow down make sure you are steady, control your breathing and set the pin on him like a surgeon makes incisions. Remember everything you have done to get this critter in your house was perfect to this point, pick a hair and smooth release. Aim small miss small.

rybohunter

Wouldn't pretty much everything that is discussed in this forum except the tracking thread be what to do before the shot? We talk about equipment, ethical shots & distances, stand location & tactics, how to keep focus when a deer comes in, etc etc etc.

You can't completely cover every single aspect for every single scenerio. Guys have been hunting for 25+ years and run into something they've never dealt with before.

I'm all about being prepared and learning before going afield, but I think it is very niave tothink it can all befit in one thread.

USAF_hunter

You are correct, it's called adversity. But it is not an excuse not to try to be prepared.

mobow

I think the absolute, #1 thing we can do before the shot is be prepared. That means practice, and be competent w/ our equipment. With that practice comes confidence and repetiveness....with that comes a dead buck at crunch time. Usually....

Schultzy

Practice at home from a tree stand if thats what your hunting from. Practice with all of your clothes and camo on that you will be wearing when you are hunting. Take a few practice shots every time before you go out hunting, its a good confident booster!. Try shooting in different positons at home while practiceing just in case the shot may present itself in a different appropiateposition. Check your bow and arrows overbefore going out. These are just a few of the manybasic things i do everytime before i go in the woods.

jmbuckhunter

Practice with broadheads, and readjust your sights if they do not hit exactly where your field points hit. Don't just screw on broadheads and hunt. And only use razor sharp broadheads, not your practice heads.

Pick a small spot on the deer to aim at, don't aim at the whole deer. That being said, know exactly where to aim for different shot angles.

chris2216

Shoot your bow. I shoot all year long. I really shoot alot from July on. I practice right throughThe season too. Something I do is I have a preshot plan. It helps me stay clam. I make sure to Keep breathing. I realized that I hold my breath sometimes, (I don't know why) , when a big buck comes in. I have it by the numbers so to speak. 1. breath 2. hook up release, 3.pick a hair (aim big miss big aim little miss little) 4. smooth draw 5.anchor 6.AIM 7. squeeze it off. It sounds stupid but it helps to keepme fromgoing off the deep end and trying to remember the taxidermists number whenI should be making the best shot ofmylife. I think it helps to focus on the shot. I agree with Steve (above) to practice in your hunting stuff. I have always done that without regardtothe funny looks from my neighbors. heavy hats and face masks can change your anchor point.

Montyo976

Here's one that I learned this year. If you move your stand, check your ranges as soon as you get in it. Had a doe walk by about 5 minutes after climbing a tree, and I hadn't checked the ranges in my shooting lanes yet (I'm not good with estimating). Luckily, I missed clean!