What lessons have you learned?
04-22-2005, 02:48 PM
#1
Fork Horn
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Texas
Posts: 117
What lessons have you learned?
I’ve only bow hunted for 3 seasons now and have learned some valuable lessons. Like this year I learned to wear my safety harness under my shirt after missing a deer at 15 yards because my freekin string hit my harness and made my arrow fly 4 feet above the deer’s hind quarter[:@]. After that my buddy that got me into bow hunting said "oh yeah, I’ve don’t that before, should have told you". I’m just wandering what little tricks like that that can only be learned in the field you have learned. It would be great if we could all save each other poor shots or missed opportunities because of little stuff.
BTW I did practice out of my stand elevated with the harness on. It just didn’t hit the belt till that one time.
BTW I did practice out of my stand elevated with the harness on. It just didn’t hit the belt till that one time.
04-22-2005, 05:17 PM
#2
Typical Buck
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: VA
Posts: 687
RE: What lessons have you learned?
I had my climber portion of my stand up too high and it negated an easy shot at a doe at 15 yds. Being up too high. Compensate low for deer that are on edge. Wait awhile on marginal shots. Check your boots after walking through a neighbor's yard that has a dog. this one cost me a doe two seasons ago at 20 yds (brush prevented a shot). Be ready at last light. I had ten or eleven deer come out of a thicket at last light and I nearly didn't get a shot because they were all moving soooo fast. stand as much as possible. move as little as possible. don't hunt a stand with a marginal wind. and I am sure sooo many more, but I cannot think of them right now. so many of my lessons have turned into automatics.
04-22-2005, 06:30 PM
#4
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location:
Posts: 185
RE: What lessons have you learned?
Not enough room to type them all. I will list the most important ones I have learned and some my friends have as well.
Always wear a harness. Saved me from a sudden stop once. The stop would have been the dirt.
Always go with your gut instinct. Cost me a few nice racks and burgers by second guessing myself.
Always double check that you have everything you will need before you leave to go hunting and then again just prior to climbing the tree.
Always go to the bathroom where you can see what you will be touching/ standing in. Rash from poison plants takes a day or two to show up in the darndest places!!
Always wear a harness. Saved me from a sudden stop once. The stop would have been the dirt.
Always go with your gut instinct. Cost me a few nice racks and burgers by second guessing myself.
Always double check that you have everything you will need before you leave to go hunting and then again just prior to climbing the tree.
Always go to the bathroom where you can see what you will be touching/ standing in. Rash from poison plants takes a day or two to show up in the darndest places!!
04-22-2005, 06:50 PM
#5
Fork Horn
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: WI
Posts: 169
RE: What lessons have you learned?
The biggest are patience and practice. You just cant pick up a bow you shot twice all year and expect it to be dead on.
The more your in the woods the better your odds of seeing/shooting deer and odds of getting lucky!!
The more your in the woods the better your odds of seeing/shooting deer and odds of getting lucky!!
04-23-2005, 07:18 AM
#7
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Ohio
Posts: 7,876
RE: What lessons have you learned?
Here's one. Indians used to stand in the smoke of sweet grass burning to kill their scent.
Here's another. A climber is noisy. In small plots where deer are no more than a thousand yards away it's better to have several permanent stands that you can slip into unseen and unheard.
Here's one for life. There are people who hunt. They don't hunt for food nor for sport. They're not hunting for bargains or antiques. They hunt for ways to take what you have away from you. If they don't know you have something you will never end up in their sites. You'll never hear their safety click off, their pins will never line up on you. You'll never feel that sharp pain off their hook being set. It's very unfortunate that we cannot show outwardly the passion that lives in our hearts freely, but we cannot, we dare not.
Here's another. A climber is noisy. In small plots where deer are no more than a thousand yards away it's better to have several permanent stands that you can slip into unseen and unheard.
Here's one for life. There are people who hunt. They don't hunt for food nor for sport. They're not hunting for bargains or antiques. They hunt for ways to take what you have away from you. If they don't know you have something you will never end up in their sites. You'll never hear their safety click off, their pins will never line up on you. You'll never feel that sharp pain off their hook being set. It's very unfortunate that we cannot show outwardly the passion that lives in our hearts freely, but we cannot, we dare not.
04-23-2005, 09:37 AM
#8
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Almost Heaven,WV
Posts: 4,087
RE: What lessons have you learned?
- Never stop at a gas station on your way to a hunt.
- Always stay as scent free as possible.
- Stay in tune with your equipment.
- When in your tree stand stay as motionless as possible. In my opinion you're more likely to get spotted by deer from a distance than the closer ones.
- When it comes time to shoot, focus on the spot you want the arrow to hit and not the whole deer.
I learned most of these the hard way but like they say "Experience is the best teacher".
- Always stay as scent free as possible.
- Stay in tune with your equipment.
- When in your tree stand stay as motionless as possible. In my opinion you're more likely to get spotted by deer from a distance than the closer ones.
- When it comes time to shoot, focus on the spot you want the arrow to hit and not the whole deer.
I learned most of these the hard way but like they say "Experience is the best teacher".
04-23-2005, 12:02 PM
#9
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location:
Posts: 1,314
RE: What lessons have you learned?
Some that I have found the hard way
1. Always spin your arrow to make sure it is still not bent when you get into your stand.
2. When shooting from a tree stand always draw your bow and then bend at the waist don't just drop your shooting arm.
3. When shooting at wierd angles make sure your string is not going to catch clothing or your arm.
4. When the animal comes in never look into the eyes. Mike
1. Always spin your arrow to make sure it is still not bent when you get into your stand.
2. When shooting from a tree stand always draw your bow and then bend at the waist don't just drop your shooting arm.
3. When shooting at wierd angles make sure your string is not going to catch clothing or your arm.
4. When the animal comes in never look into the eyes. Mike
