Beginner Bowhunting Tips

[MikeOGNR]

Hey guys im just wondering if you can give me inhformation on bow hunting im just starting this fall to go bowhunting and i really need some help learning the basics and if u could put down some websites down for info that would be great

[Bridge buster]

Hey guys im just wondering if you can give me inhformation on bow hunting im just starting this fall to go bowhunting and i really need some help learning the basics and if u could put down some websites down for info that would be great

Start by going to someone who really knows what they are doing and is truly interested in helping. A reputable bow shop can save you many problems so long as they are not just pushing their product. Check to see if there are any archery clubs nearby as you can meet many good target archers who are excellent bowhunters. Ask for their help and rely on their experience. Read articles and listen to other bowhunters and you can jump-start your learning process from the experience already learned by others.

Above all else, do not let someone sell you a bow that you can not easily handle. Shooting a bow requires the use of muscles that you may not have been using. If you get "too much" bow (poundage wise) you will not develop as quickly as you can by using a bow of lesser poundage. You see many "Rambo" archers who try to impress people with the poundage they are shooting yet when they put on proper clothing they may have difficulty pulling the bow back. If you have the bow properly tuned, correct arrow size, and sharp broadheads a 50# bow will shoot through a deer the same as an 80# bow. Normally, if you can hold the bow out and pull it straight back without tilting the bow heavenward you'll be ok. The game that you'll be hunting will dictate the poundage that you will need to work up to. An elephant requires a different setup than a deer.

Practice as much as you can with the equipment you will use for hunting. You can practice longer with a lesser poundage bow and this will speed up you learning process. Proper shooting form can be learned at an archery club but shooting from a tree stand is different. I know of no true bowhunter that would not help someone who is interested in learning. It will be an enjoyable journey if you can find such a person. Learning the basics will come in steps. Good luck!

[fishingkidPA]

bridge buster said alot. of what i would say. set up trail cams or start going where you will be hunting now and see what trails the deer are using, also see what kind of bucks are there. you HAVE to be scent free or have the wind in your favor. one of my favorite ways of bowhunting is still hunting, which is sneaking through the woulds stalking your target. that is how i got my first bow buck when i was 12. i was smiling from ear to ear . and practice practice practice! start now and find some good broad heads. if you'll be shooting more than #50 you can use expendable broadheads. i used rage. but now use some fixed blades just because the extra security knowing the will do the damage. good luck!

[RoryO]

If you really want to learn a lot, go to bowhunting.com and read the articles and read through the forums.. Don't be afraid to ask questions either.

[RoryO]

Also Bridgebuster gave a bunch of useful info there.. I worry about scent when I'm hunting, and try to get as scent free as possible, but there is no way to be completely scent free. That's why you want to hunt with the wind in your favor also.

[Bridge buster]

MikeOGNR,

Just curious but what kind of bow will you be using - compound, recurve, longbow? Fishingkid and Rory brought out a very essential part of being successful in bowhunting. As this hopefully will be up close shooting opportunities scent control will be paramount. As mentioned, you can't eliminate 100% of human odor but you can use certain products that will help in this area.

Attractants and cover-up scents work but they work differently as their name implies. If you use an attractant (deer looking for scent) be certain that it is in balance with your hunting area - acorn in an oak section, doe urine where does are present, etc. Cover-ups do not have the deer coming to find the source of scent but make it harder for them to smell you - fox urine, pine oil, etc. Probably the most important consideration is to place your stand/blind on the downwind side of where you expect the deer to travel. This will give yourself maximum concealment so long as the wind doesn't shift. Mature bucks will normally travel downwind and parallel to an established trail while does and young bucks will use the trail. By so doing, they can scent to see if a doe may be in season and use the other deer to warn them of danger. Become familiar with the prevailing wind direction and pay close attention to thermals as scent rises in the morning as the earth warms and drops in the evening. Wear rubber boots as they do not retain odor like the leather boots do.

The best chance to take a deer is the first time you sit a stand. Approach your stand from downwind. Deer are creatures of habit and can be patterned. Mature bucks/does will not hesitate to become nocturnal or leave an area if they are pressured. Scout at times when there is less of a chance to bump into them and pay close attention to the scent you leave behind because they can/will pattern you. Once they do it becomes Mike - 0 and deer - 1; meaning you lost.

[MikeOGNR]

thank you guys for all the help i most likely will be using a compound bow since i can get all of the attachments and what not on it also i so general questions

1. How do you scout for deer and how to find good spots of where they could be

2. what does down wind mean exactly and how does this affect hunting for deer

3. what should i get for my first bow and how shuldi practice for preoing for the upcoming season

4. what gear shouldi bring i have found a camoflage bag by redhead and my uncle says that should be fine but what should i pack

[Bridge buster]

thank you guys for all the help i most likely will be using a compound bow since i can get all of the attachments and what not on it also i so general questions

1. How do you scout for deer and how to find good spots of where they could be

2. what does down wind mean exactly and how does this affect hunting for deer

3. what should i get for my first bow and how shuldi practice for preoing for the upcoming season

4. what gear shouldi bring i have found a camoflage bag by redhead and my uncle says that should be fine but what should i pack

1) Find a food source and you will find deer; acorns, persimmons, etc. They will visit these areas often but they also browse as they move about. Look for trails where they cross roads/ditches, along creek or river bottoms. Check with your local game warden, land management maps, and certainly other hunters that will be willing to get you started.

2) Here the prevailing wind is from the west so downwind would be on the east side of a line drawn south to north. Let's say the local weather station tells you there is a northern wind. They always tell you from which direction the wind is coming. Therefore, where the wind is going is downwind.

3) A deer doesn't care how much money you spend of your equipment and will be just as dead if shot with a $200 bow as if shot with a $900 bow. I have shot compounds for many years but now use a custom recurve. That is a pp (personal preference). You don't need a lot of bells and whistles on your bow but it certainly would look impressive to other archers. Imo, for hunting, the less the better. A standard sight with at most 2 or 3 pins will be fine (the more pins the greater your chance of using the wrong pin during the excitement). A good quiver that is easily detached, secure, and completely covers the broadheads is a must. If necessary, use silencers should the bow be noisy. The list can go on - such as arm guard, finger tab or release, etc. Practice with the equipment you will be using in the field; this includes clothing.

4) Take a good compass (not GPS). Sometimes you will shoot a deer and the blood trail will be very scant if not impossible to see. Take a reading at the last place you saw the deer or heard the deer. If you can't find a good blood trail go back to the stand and use the compass to take you to the last sighting or noise. Sometimes this will take you right to it or a sign that you can follow. Small pruning shears to clear a branch out of the way. Paper tissue to use when tracking the deer. Good flashlight with extra batteries. Certainly safety equipment. As before, the list can go on and on. BTW, seldom will you knock the deer down in it's track unless a spine shot so be prepared to learn how to track the deer.

[MikeOGNR]

is there any site that has everything i need to know about scouting deer and like what determines a good spot from a bad spot and also how i should plant my tree stand but i have one question say i have my tree stand in a tree and the wind is coming from the west i would want to be facing the east right and what happens if the wind shfits the next day?

[Bridge buster]

There are several hunting sites on tv that give good information but for the most part are selling a product. Also, several magazines are dedicated to the bowhunter and take you through different steps that will point you in the right direction. As far as one site that covers all you'd have to sit through many hours whereas a book/magazine is with you at all times. Do a search on-line for material that covers your needs.

If the wind is coming from the west you should place the stand somewhere on the east side of a trail or food area - downwind from where you hope the deer appear. It should be placed far enough from the food source or trail in hopes that the deer will not sense your presence yet close enough for you to make an accurate shot. When wind changes direction, not if, you will have to make a decision on whether to relocate the stand or sit and hope that a deer doesn't scent you. If it's a really good area you can invest in another stand a have one for either wind direction.

[MikeOGNR]

ok so when im in the woods i wanna look on the ground for acorns and what do u mean by trail so say i walk into the woods the place that i feel comfortablt walknig woud be considered a trail not like a place where tress are wacking me in the face but whats comfortable for me would be good but also what about marks and stuff for deer like what would they look like if i was looking around

[jiggerpole]

1. Learn to shoot your bow 1st. Go to a Proshop, 3-d shoots or find a friend that shoots better than anyone you know. Shoot with them. Shoot standing, sitting, from an elevated position and at different distance. Know Your effective range. Learn where your broadheads hit vs your target tips. Tune if necessary. Learn what that is.

2. Learn what deer eat? Get a small guide book on trees and learn to identify the different types of Oak trees that drop acorns. When and where they drop typically.

3. Look for those trees in your area and pay close attention to the ground under those trees to see if you can determine deer are feeding under them. The leaves on the ground may be slightly scuffed up and you may see acorn caps but no acorns. Look for fresh droppings and tracks. Rake the leaves back if necesary to see tracks. Learn what fresh deer sign is and hunt the fresh sign. Other critters eat acorns to.

4. Notice the trails where the deer travel and see how they connect with each other and figure out where they travel. Walk them. The more you walk (scout) and the more you hunt this will become the best way to learn what deer do. One day, (years later) you will be able to read the land like a book and just know where the deer are and what they are doing with only a short scouting trip.

5. Learn what a rubline is and why scrapes are strategically place near doe groups or in a spot that marks territory. Learn the difference. Scrapes can tell you when the rut is in (the buck is with a doe) or when he is not. If it is fresh then he is looking for a doe. If it is cold or old then he may be with a doe.

6. Learn where deer like to bed. You can see the oval shaped flattened out spot where a deer has been laying. Look for hair in the bed if your not sure. Sometimes you will find lots of deer droppings that are clumped together near a bed area. Deer like to bed near each other for safety.

7. Most important thing to remember is, You can get allot of tips on the net and from books but you can only learn how to hunt by getting in the woods and doing it. The more time you spend in the woods looking for deer and the sign they leave behind the better you will get at it. Scout hard, Sit still, Be patient, Stay downwind of where you expect to see your deer. Have fun. Go to Bowsite.com I'm DC on the Alabama forum. Good Luck.