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-   -   My first season for bowhunting is coming up, any tips? (https://www.huntingnet.com/forum/bowhunting/382572-my-first-season-bowhunting-coming-up-any-tips.html)

BRVRY 06-29-2013 03:25 PM

My first season for bowhunting is coming up, any tips?
 
Welp... Title is self-explanitory. I'm 16 and a really big fisherman. Love love love to fish. And my friend (who's been bowhunting for about forever) introduced me to bowfishing. So lately I've been nailing carp with his right-handed recurve (I'm left handed too :P) and he suggested to me to get a bow so we can go hunting this next season. So I put a Bear Element, from 07 I believe, on lay away at a local shop. I know brands like Bear, Hoyt, Parker, Diamond, etc... But not sure which series' of bows are good... Is the Element?

Also please offer any tips/tricks I should try while out on my first hunt? I believe I will be "still hunting" and in a treestand for most of this season.

-Thanks.

AR Bowhunter 06-29-2013 03:30 PM

Practice a lot an be patient an your time we come.

VTBoneCollector 06-29-2013 04:49 PM

Make sure u pay attention to the wind. Also take a scent free shower and make sure your equipment and clothing is scent free as possible.

OhioNovice 06-29-2013 06:25 PM

Element is a great bow. Its an older model which I believe was replaced by the Mauler. I personally shoot a Bear Encounter and love it.

Im a firm believer the bow is only about 10% of the equation when it comes to hunting. Practice, know you bow and you wont have any problems.

BRVRY 06-29-2013 07:05 PM

Thanks everyone so far with the tips. Never thought about the scent free shower! Even though it's probably a no-brainer knowing that. I am however well aware of wind direction and using scent cover :) friend always reminds me.

Wilcam47 06-29-2013 08:23 PM

I usually go solo on deer hunts...I also learned a lot by making mistakes...bow hunting takes patience and skill...patience waiting for the deer to come by where you can get a shot and skill to execute a good shot! Heres some pointers from my experience...

if you have lots of leaves in your area clear some paths 40 to 50 yds with a rake, foot, leaf blower whatever so they go in front of where you will put your stand...deer will get used to walking the trails because they are quieter...

get proficient at 20-30yds.... you can shoot out to 50yds and some even go to 60+yds but I don't feel comfortable after 40yds...too much adrenaline going for me to shoot that far. also make sure your bow is tuned/sighted in and you wax your strings often especially when you are practicing. keep target arrows and hunting arrows separate. I use the same target arrows. the hunting arrows are the same brand but I never use them for target practice.

if you are in a tree stand try not to move around a lot, bring some quiet snacks and water. if you have to stretch do so slowly, stand up slowly etc. get set up a couple hours before dawn and at least 3 to 4 before dusk...

if you have deer in "range" don't try to draw your bow right off the get go...one you will tire out...two you will prob get busted by the deer. best thing to do is wait for your adrenaline rush and heart beat to fall...then wait for the deer to go behind a tree and then draw your bow. if its the one you are after. I get amped up even seeing one when Im bow hunting! but that's just me...

once you take your shot try to visualize where you shot the deer and if you made a clean shot. If its a clean shot and you hear the deer fall give it 10-20 min . If you think it was a bad shot give it 30 min before you look for blood trail. if it doesn't look like a mortal wound its best to back out and look the next day...that's reason why some like to hunt later in the fall when temps are cooler...you can save your deer that way if nothing gets to it first...

get a decent range finder. range your area where you are hunting so you know the distances...I try to remember where 20yd trees are. that way you aren't fumbling with a range finder when you need to shoot.

also practice shooting from an elevated height...

clear shooting lanes...branches etc may not look like they are in the way from the ground but from elevated position it changes.

turn off alarms...silence phones etc..

wear your safety gear up and down a tree.

get a deer cart...its better than dragging a deer out...unless you cant get the cart in there...me I choose to get a good place where I can get a cart in...dragging 100+lbs of dead weight is no fun!

Murdy 06-29-2013 08:39 PM

Think about what you are going to do if you put one down. There are Youtube videos about how to field dress a deer. Decide whether you will butcher it yourself. If so, be prepared to do it quickly in warm weather. If not, figure out where you are going to take it for processing and find out what you need to do. If its warm, you want to get it someplace cool pretty quick.

Also, be sure you know where to aim at the deer to hit vitals at different angles, and remember that its a little different shooting from a tree stand.

Okefenokee Knives 06-30-2013 04:10 AM

Whatever type of broadheads you decide to use take one or two and shoot your bow with them. Most broadheads fly a little different than practice tips. Also when you start putting broadheads on your arrows spin them, and look a the tip if they wobble switch them to a different arrowuntil you find a head arrow combo that spins true. This really helps cut down your group size. Also read some books by Chuck Adams or the Wensel brothers these guys are serious Bowhunters and you will learn alot from them.

Western MA Hunter 07-01-2013 06:38 AM

be patient... take your time and aim (aim small) ... don't get frustrated... put all the time you can in and learn from each mistake.

MZS 07-01-2013 08:27 AM

Don't let them see your movement. Don't let them hear you. Don't let them smell you. And try to figure out where they will be before they get there. Be ready to shoot - can you shoot comfortably from your tree stand seat?


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