This year is my first bowhunting season, what was your first bowhunting season like? What mistakes should I avoid??

[Stephen2110]

I've been consistently shooting my bow since before gun season last year and I've sat in the stand twice so far this season. I was thinking about everything I've learned and worked on prior to hunting. I know I've missed something important or overlooked an issue somewhere. I'm just curious to hear from experienced bowhunters on what their first season was like and any mistakes I may be able to avoid.

 

[formula1]

Started bowhunting in 1976 with a recurve. Hunting from the ground and getting that 'buck fever' really bad is what I remember the most. It was 1983 before I got my first deer. It's a bit easier with today's technology so I imagine you'll get good at it real fast. Good hunting!

 

[Stephen2110]

Started bowhunting in 1976 with a recurve. Hunting from the ground and getting that 'buck fever' really bad is what I remember the most. It was 1983 before I got my first deer. It's a bit easier with today's technology so I imagine you'll get good at it real fast. Good hunting!

Couldn't imagine hunting with recurve from the ground! Were you hunting in Georgia or somewhere else? I feel better about my struggles now, thank you!

 

[ddd-shooter]

The biggest mistake I make to this day is trying to make the hunt about success. I've tried to re define my definition of success to be a safe hunt where I enjoy the journey.
The best tip I can give is learn every time you're in the woods and don't give up.

 

[1eyefishing]

Multiple climbing stands upped my success ratio immensely. Some I would leave set. 1 or 2 I would hold back for portability. But today's ladder stands and bow hangers I think could be a good substitute for the set stands, but not as easy to relocate My stands had sawed off pieces of quiver attached to them so my bow would attach directly to the piece of the quiver mounted on my stand. Having the bow accessible quickly and silently and nearly motionlessly is important.
It's been a while, but I'm looking for bow-kill #26 now...
Good luck!

 

[Sixes]

Don't let the deer get you tore up. I remember shaking so bad that I could barely draw the bow and sometimes couldn't (but now I am talking about 75 LB+ pull with 50 or less percent let off). The good ol days..

If you are new, consider a single pin setup and practice to learn your ranges.

Contrary to some, you are not shooting dots on a target. A deer hit 4 inches higher or lower than perfect is still a dead deer. A bow sighted dead nuts at 28-30 yards has a broad range of actual yardage that you are deadly. It's just a matter of practice.

I missed a lot of deer until I went to a pendulum and learned to use one pin and after I didn't have to mentally pick a pin, I started killing deer.

Another thing is, always aim for the off side of the deer where you want the exit wound and the closer the shot, the easier the shot.

Hunt a lot, experience is the key. learning why and where a deer wants to be is one of the key success factors.

 

[Taco4x4]

My first year I shot my bow all summer. I was hitting all my holding points without thinking about it. First morning in the tree a nice 8 walks out at 20 yards in front of me. Ok I have been shooting all summer standing up and shooting to my Left. Now I am setting in a Loc-on trying to shoot straight ahead of me. I could not pull it back in that position and wound up spitting the arrow out to the bottom of my tree and running him off. I never once thought it would be that much different. From that day on I stand up at any sound I hear. After that I cranked my poundage down a little to adjust for those awkward positions.

 

[formula1]

Couldn't imagine hunting with recurve from the ground! Were you hunting in Georgia or somewhere else? I feel better about my struggles now, thank you!

Starting bowhunting in GA in 1976 before compound bows were legal. When they became legal (don't remember what year that was) I bought me one. Killed my 1st deer at Rum Creek WMA in 1983. It was a big doe. Grateful for it to finally work!

 

[DSGB]

Wait for a good shot opportunity - don't rush it.

Pick a spot and bear down on it. Like Sixes said, aim for the off side or where you want the arrow to exit.

Practice with your harness on, from the stand, sitting down, turned to the right, etc.

 

[Stephen2110]

I appreciate all the input, keep them coming! My first hurdle was getting a rangefinder after assuming I could judge yardage without it (cheaper!) I actually had the opportunity to draw down on a 6pt opening morning, but he was nowhere near my fluorescent tacks (for marking ranges) and I wasn't confident in which pin to use.

Some of these points I've been working on, but I've got a few things to improve. I've never heard of aiming for the exit, but it makes sense.

One mistake I think I've made is not practicing out of a deer stand. I've practiced sitting, standing, and with my heartrate up. Never even thought to try shooting out of the actual stand. I may just hang a back up stand in the yard and shoot a few this evening.

 

[1eyefishing]

Remember to judge your distance by horizontal distance only. I range a tree trunk level with me over my target.

 

[1eyefishing]

As fast as most bows are today, if the target is at 20 or 30 yd. Both the 20 and 30 yd pins will probably be in the kill zone. If I think he is at 25, I will bracket the 20 and 30 yd pin over the kill zone and let it fly. It's a lot faster than being real particular with a rangefinder.

 

[1eyefishing]

To me, being good enough at woodsmanship, reading sign, and stand placement to put me at 25 yd or closer to deer was much more important than being an excellent shot out to 40 yd.

 

[Stephen2110]

To me, being good enough at woodsmanship, reading sign, and stand placement to put me at 25 yd or closer to deer was much more important than being an excellent shot out to 40 yd.

I agree, without experience and knowledge in those areas, you can be Robin Hood all by your lonesome out there. Have to locate and setup before you ever get the chance at shooting. Luckily I've been obsessed with hunting my entire life and only started bowhunting at 29 to add some limitations and obstacles. Having hunted with a rifle, I have experience in those areas. I still love rifle season, but so far I'm enjoying the extra month of hunting as long as it's not sweltering and swarming with mosquitos of insects!

 

[1eyefishing]

I started bow hunting in order to increase the length of my dear season by double. But I more than doubled the amount of deer that I saw and the amount of deer that were close to me. And I learned way more about deer by bow hunting because I wasn't shooting them as soon as I saw them with a gun.

 

[Stephen2110]

This is something I realized opening morning. I have been close to deer (within 5-10 yards) a handful of times before. But I've put a limit on the max distance I will consider taking a shot at a deer (30 yards). Seeing it in the field really made me realize just how close even 30 yards is. Also how unlikely it is to have a deer walk and stop broadside that close IN a shooting lane. There is so many things against you with bowhunting in particular, not mentioning hunting in general. I love it!

 

[Jim Thompson]

Man all the mistakes I've made over the last 31 or so years with a bow in hand. The most mistakes were in the 1st 3 years before I finally killed something with a bow, but of course I still make some every season.

1. Figuring out stand placement and how to get deer inside that magical 25 (or even better at 20) yard distance. Dont be concerned with shooting deer outside of that range. Not only will you miss less often, but you will wound less often too. You will also learn much much more about deer by watching them at 40 yards than you will by slinging an arrow at one at 40 yards.

2. When deer are within range that you dont plan to shoot, learn what movements and sounds you can get away with when they are that close. Practice standing up and turning around or shifting to one side. Yeah you will spook some deer, but you will learn quick.

3. Dont force the shot. If the deer aint broadside or quartering away slightly, pass on it. Use patience and wait on the right shot. Yeah some deer are gonna slip past, but again you will learn a lot by watching deer.

4. I can shoot sitting, but would always prefer to be standing. You never know when one will get thru a lane and around behind you or on your off shoulder. Standing allows me to adjust in the heat of the moment. With that being said, I suggest standing as often as possible especially if you hear or see something coming at a distance. Nothing worse than trying to get situated for a shot with a dozen eyes inside of 30 yards.

 

[Stephen2110]

Really appreciate all 4 of those points. Never thought about practicing the motions on spikes, does, and other deer I'm not interested shooting atm. I'm stealing that!

You have found a current mistake I made with the last point. I've assumed that I could shoot while sitting in my ladder stands, so I recently purchased a cheap 1 man with a very small platform. I set this stand up at what I think will be one of my best spots. Now I'm worried, because my feet barely fit so I don't feel comfortable standing. But as you said, I'm severely limiting my range of potential shots.

 

[1eyefishing]

Shooting standing out of a tree stand is 190% easier if you have a safety belt attaching your waist to the tree behind you. Not one that is loose and gives you freedom of movement from 3 or 4' above. That point of attachment at your belt line gives you a 3rd point of contact and makes you really solid in the stand.

 

[Stephen2110]

That makes sense, I'll have to add that to my shopping list. My wife will be absolutely thrilled at my 16 page "graduate thesis" of a shopping list!