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

[hunter rich]

You should avoid all the mistakes.

Glad I could help.

 

[Hillbilly stalker]

Bowhunting rule #1........your release is either on your wrist or attached to your bow. Nothing else, nowhere else. If you don't, you will forget it sooner or later.

 

[Deerhunter12454]

Practice from a stand and remember to BEND at the waist. Shooting from the ground your form is straight on. I draw and then bring the pin down by bending at the waist. Dropping your elbow can throw your form off.

 

[Otisman]

Don’t lay your new bow on the front rail of your summit. It will fall right to the ground for no apparent reason after laying there still for an hour. And be patient. Don’t rush a shot, wait for the shot you want.

 

[Thunder Head]

Man i could write several chapters of a book about all the mistakes ive made.

Alot of them are just general hunting mistakes. Some only apply too the bow.

One danger from the posts above.

I set up a stand in my back yard. I mounted 3D targets on sleds. My buddies and i would position them while the other shot. This soon became a game of can you make that shot. I could. This led me to take alot of shots on game, that i shouldnt have. I made most of them. Some led to heartbreak.

So ill say it again. Only take broadside or quartering away shots. Preferably at calm deer.

Never shoot at a deer thats looking at you!

When you scout and find the spot. Resist the temptation to put your stand too close. The deer will end up right under you. The closer they get to you the smaller the kill zone gets.

Poundage,
Im a small dude. I shot to much draw weight to start with. Try this. Wait to your cold and stiff. Take your bow, bend at the waist like a deer is almost straight down. Try to draw your bow. If you have trouble, your shooting to much weight. Ive had pass thrus on elk and 200 pound boar hogs. Shooting 57 pounds.

 

[StikEm]

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!

BAHAHAHA...sounds familiar

 

[Nicodemus]

When you have game in sight, don`t stare at it. Prey has a sixth sense that can detect the gaze of a predator.

 

[Stephen2110]

When you have game in sight, don`t stare at it. Prey has a sixth sense that can detect the gaze of a predator.

I've not met a single person face-to-face that agrees with me on this. I've preached this since I was a teenager, my grandfather (with decades of rifle hunting) did not believe it either. Granted, he also didn't believe wind or scent control were very big factors.

Now that he's passed I've had to rearrange his old ladder stands to account for the prevailing winds. At the age of 83, he easily had forgotten more knowledge about hunting than I can ever hope to learn.

 

[Stephen2110]

Poundage,
Im a small dude. I shot to much draw weight to start with. Try this. Wait to your cold and stiff. Take your bow, bend at the waist like a deer is almost straight down. Try to draw your bow. If you have trouble, your shooting to much weight. Ive had pass thrus on elk and 200 pound boar hogs. Shooting 57 pounds.

I appreciate this and I agree 100%. Luckily, I was given an old PSE Nova the year before last that was 70#. I am a small guy as well, but I tried to make it work. Sadly, I'm positive it led to some terrible form-related habits I'm still trying to break. But to my point, when I bought my first bow (Diamond Infinite Edge Pro) I made sure it was highly adjustable. The pro shop helped me get it setup and we decided on ~60lb draw weight. I am so thankful that I didn't give in to temptation and try hunting with the PSE. No telling the mess I would have made if I took a shot

 

[puckett181]

Always draw your bow back when you first get into the stand aiming towards potential shooting areas. I’ve had my bow hit limbs above me that I thought were out of the way. I’ve also found issues with my bow - like a small stick in the cam I picked up walking in, I’ve had my release strap Velcro make noise,etc. the main thing is it gets you accustomed to drawing back in a stand and stretches muscles too! All previous reply’s are good info also.

 

[Stephen2110]

Always draw your bow back when you first get into the stand aiming towards potential shooting areas. I’ve had my bow hit limbs above me that I thought were out of the way. I’ve also found issues with my bow - like a small stick in the cam I picked up walking in, I’ve had my release strap Velcro make noise,etc. the main thing is it gets you accustomed to drawing back in a stand and stretches muscles too! All previous reply’s are good info also.

Good point on this. I have drawn back the first time sitting in a stand so far, but will start practice drawing each sit. I'd rather find an issue then rather than while aiming at a nice buck or fat doe. Appreciate it!

 

[kmckinnie]

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!

I got about the same story.
I used a recurve. 1982 about. Bear cane out with the whitetail II
I got it. No sights and no release. Just good Ol fingers. ?
I killed deer. Used that bow til the Mathews DXT came out.
I changed my own strings. Put the sight on. Got a new rest and used a release. Put sights on it.
Gave it to my nephew.

 

[kmckinnie]

Ok for what I learned. 45 pds will kill a deer. It’s best to use low poundage to where it’s easier to pull back and hold. 35 yds is a long shot hunting. Get to know short yardage.
Expect the unexpected!

 

[kmckinnie]

If your young and strong heaver pounds it great.

 

[TomC]

First year bowhunting was around 1984. Shot a little one in the rear end, thank goodness the femoral artery got in the way of the arrow. Avoid that arrow placement if possible Remember that day like it was yesterday. Twas a happy camper admiring my 50lb prize!

Hardest thing is to avoid anxiousness and rush the shot. Be patient, wait for the right shot and move / draw if possible when YOU can't see their EYEBALLS! Also, drop your draw weight if that allows you to draw smoothly and hold longer. Don't feel like you have to shoot 65-70lbs to kill a deer. I've killed a boatload shooting 50-55# Good luck!

 

[Nicodemus]

Ok for what I learned. 45 pds will kill a deer. It’s best to use low poundage to where it’s easier to pull back and hold. 35 yds is a long shot hunting. Get to know short yardage.
Expect the unexpected!

The best hunter on this forum uses a 45 pound bow for most of his hunting. A traditional recurve at that. He might use a longbow from time to time.

 

[rutnbuk]

30 years of "mistakes" have humbled me from time to time but made the successes all the sweeter. I have learned a ton, but one thing I believe in is more important than how much you practice in the summer, what bow you shoot, what stand you are in, what camo you have, etc... is that last 1/2 second BEFORE you squeeze the release trigger. A half second you will not get back to correct- SETTLE THAT PIN on a hair, breathe- release =CELEBRATE! Good luck to ya!

 

[jiminbogart]

Carry two releases. It sucks when you are set up in the tree and drop your release.

Take your quiver off your bow and bungee it to the tree.

Buy a safe and comfortable stand.

Shoot the first deer you legally and ethically can. You have got to break that ice. I bow hunted 10 years before I got a shot. My first shot was a 40 yard heart shot on a doe. That evening I killed another doe out of the same stand.

After that I was always covered up with deer for some reason.

 

[Otisman]

I also range some trees at 20 and 30 yards before I see a deer. That way if one sneaks in and I don’t have time to range it, I can make a better guess of yardage.

 

[Hillbilly stalker]

Never pass up a shot on a coyote. Always try him.