V8Ranger

Again I will say, you can be a great shot with a bow, but if you cant judge the yardage right, you will wound or miss, over and over again.... JMO

sproket

IMO He needs more than one week to be ready. My girlfriend will be hunting this season and she got her first bow in February. We shoot just about every day and she shooting nice groups out to 25 yards. That being said I feel comfortable taking her in the woods. Now here is the BUT. She is not ready to hunt out of a tree or on a steep grade up or down and anything more than 25 yards is to far. I have told her what I thought her skill level was and she aggrees with me. I have her set up in a ground blind with a max shot of 20 yards on almost level ground and yes I think it is a good spot. Three trails come together. I cut Three shooting lanes for her with brush at the ends and marked the trees at 10,15 and 20 yards with the same colors as her sight pins. So IMO if you like the guy help him out. He may need more than a week but I think that if he works on it he can still make it in the woods this season. But make sure he knows his skill level. If you don't like him tell him he can't hunt on your land.

brucelanthier

IMO There is a difference between good/great bow shooters and good/great bow hunters.

Yes. most folks can pick up a compound bow and get good groups on a stationary target at 15-20 yards but, as you well know, there is a huge difference between knowing when and how to shoot at an inert bag at 15-20 yards and knowing when and how to shoot at a live animal at any yardage.

If all it took to be a good/great bow hunter was good groups on a bag at 15-20 yards then there would a whole lot less:

LittleChief

Great post. I'd like to add that I haven't yet encountered any "target" that makes my heart start beating so hard that I would swear the shooter next to me is going to hear it, makes me have to fight to control my breathing so I don't pass out or makes me struggle to keep my legs from shaking as I get ready to draw. It just reinforces the fact that shooting at a target and shooting at a deer are two totally different things.

In response to the original question, I don't think that you're wrong at all. Strangely enough I'm pretty much in the exact same situation. My brother-in-law from Arizona is on a construction job in the area and will be staying with us every weekend for about the next year. (Yippee.) He's a gun enthusiast and he's a great shot, but he's never hunted big game and he's never shot a bow. He wants to buy a bow and bowhunt with me. I would have no problem putting him on "a decent" stand once he's gotten some practice under his belt, but as to whether or not I put him on my best stands would depend on quite a few factors. For instance, he smokes. I don't want any smoking on my stands and I don't care how many deer other smokers have killed. Also, even if he is a good shot within a week or two, what kind of hunter will he be? Is he going to constantly fidget, move, stand up and stretch and get busted by everything that enters the area? I don't want someone that does that in my best spots - I've worked hard to find those spots and get set up. How will he perform under pressure? There are so many factors and in the end it would be totally up to me. There isn't really any "right" or "wrong". If he demonstrates what I consider to be good hunting practices then I'd have no problem putting him on my best spots, but not before that. Is that selfish? Maybe, but I won't have any trouble sleeping at night.

Ranger77

you never know how a great shooter will react when in a hunting situation, or a good shooter or a novice shooter either

therefore YOU shouldn't judge someone else based on nothing more than he hasn't shot long

there is your problem

LittleChief

I don't know about everyone else, but I'm not saying that I'm going to judge someone based on the fact that he or she hasn't shot long. What I AM saying is that I'm not going to put just any first time hunter on my best stands until I HAVE had a chance to judge them. I've put a lot of effort into those set-ups and I have that right.

Ranger77

expect people to do the same to you - and seriously I mean that, because I'm certain you know what it feels like to be on the ass end of that statement

UPHunter08

Yeah, in hindsight, you're right. Even if the guy demonstrates that he'll take any shot at any range and has almost no experience, there's no reason he can't hunt my best spots with my blessing. I think I'll take the janitor from work out bow hunting next weekend. Hey, he's never picked up a compound bow before, but there's plenty of time to get him ready and get him out on my stand.

LittleChief

I have no problem with that. I would expect them to do the same where I'm concerned. I don't know you from Adam and before I'd put you in one of my best spots I'd have to know more about you. Frankly, before I go hunting with someone at all I want to know more about them. I am friendly to everyone that I meet, both in person and on the forums. I am, however, very particular about who I spend personal time with and especially who I hunt with. If that offends you, well, okay. Like I said, I can live with that and I'll sleep just fine at night.

*twodogs*

Everyone assumes the brother-in-law is going to be a terrible shot...let him pick up a bow and see how he does. It may come natural to him, you won't know until he is in a stand drilling arrows into a 3D target.

I agree, you've done all the work, so if you put him up wind of you then I would tell him what you are doing and why. It may provide the motivation your brother-in-law needs to get out in the field with you and work together increasing your hunting spots.

Unfortunately, to me this thread is beginning to smell of the "bow hunters vs the orange army" complaining I hear all the time. Some really elitist comments from some of you that in my opinion, further divide the gun hunters from the bow hunters.

We are all hunters, so help each other out.....get a bow in his hand as soon as you can and help him understand the differences between the two. My dad quit hunting last year and a buddy I bow hunt with all the time is calling it quits as well. Don' turn away those that are interested and don't use them for your benefit as well, be upfront with them and I'm sure things will work out in everyone's favor.