Help an amateur archer
 

Hey y’all! This upcoming season will be the first time I try bow hunting! I’ve done practicing at the range and my bow is sighted in. I’m looking for some tips and tricks for when I’m out in the field. YouTube videos can only help so much so if you have any helpful tips and reminders for out in the field that will help me succeed in ethically harvesting a deer please throw them my way!
Thank-you for the help!

Welcome....get out and scout your intended area....glass from a advantage point....ground blinds....stands in areas that you see them at feeding or transitioning from cover....don't go tramping around thier bedding areas....later on as the season progress closer to the rut...think rattling, buck grunts....set up near rubs and scrapes....watch the wind.....and set up well within your comfort range....these are not targets and many factors come into play when the actual time comes.....enjoy the journey don't rush it!

Know your max limit and stay within it. Archery hunting you really need to pay attention to the anatomy and angles of the animals body position. If you can’t get both lungs or the heart, don’t shoot. You can’t make something out of nothing archery hunting, so you have to have a shot before you take a shot. Practice with your actual arrows and broadheads, once you assemble an arrow it night behave differently than your “practice” heads.

LC

After you set up, and are not good at estimating distance, range different landmarks around you so that you know the range without trying to use it when the animal is close. When an animal does come in draw early or when cover is between you and the animal, getting busted on the draw is disheartening to say the least

I range as I walk. If I think an animal might show in a certain draw or around a bend I range the yardage of the area. You may not have the chance to pull out a range finder at the moment that matters most.

And that's why I'm saving my pennies for this: Garmin X1A

Just kidding - too expensive for me to place that on my bow.

^^ Tracker has some great suggestions above though.

My rule of thumb (And I have to remind myself of this every single time out in the field) is that if you think you're going slow enough, you're not. Slow down to 1/4 of the pace you're currently going, especially if you know an animal is anywhere within 100 yards. They will spot the movement long before they smell you. If you're sitting in a spot, move exceptionally slow when turning your head, scratching your nose, etc. AND!!!! Leave your noisy wrappers at home - repackage store bought food into Ziplock bags that are much quieter.

J.

Bow hunting advice for a newbie, when that first decent animal walks in your body and mind will react in a MUCH different manner than at the range, take your time and don’t rush anything. Watch the animal walk away if you have to, just so you know that feeling.

There was a whole lot of good advice posted here.

Only thing I can add is I know no matter what anyone says,
it just feels different the first time yourself.

We all who have done this before can offer suggestions..
I myself would add a suggestion like "Wait until it stops, dead in it's
tracks then wait till it looks away. Then draw and anchor, 3, 2, 1 squeeze
the release.

That takes years of trial and error to execute but it works every time.

Most offen what happens is you don't have the buck stop and look away
from you, it simply keeps on walking and sometimes looks up at you in
your stand. (not good).

These things happen, more often than not.

When they don't it's golden, it's almost garunteed.

Long storey short, if you have the time to sense the animals approach
as being relaxed and calm, browsing, unwary.

You stand a very good chance for a close, broadside shot at close range.

If the animal comes in fast and happens to look toward you upon approach
your chances are worst case for taking a shot.

Especially if it don't stop, as it passes by your stand.

What I'm trying to say here summed up is as a novice it is very
important to notice the body language of the animal before thinking
about drawing on it.

On another note if you don't have a range finder I use to mark areas around my set up....20 yards was my max so any critter in that range was or could have been shot at....then the arrow fell of the rest....or I got the shakes...or the wind swirled.....or a coyote showed up.....its bow hunting:sHa_shakeshout:

My tip would be when releasing an arrow at animal keep your bow hand arm up. My tendency was to drop my arm and try to see where the arrow hit. Trying to harvest an animal compared to a target is completely different, it’s not a controlled situation. Lastly as hard as it may be with all the adrenaline flowing, keep watching your animal and mental note the last place you saw him after your shot. Good luck, you are gonna love it!!!

Always watch the wind and try to get familiar with what it tends to do in your hunting area. Typically afternoon thermals will change wind directions. Watch out for intersections where winds can tend to swirl unpredictably. Its always worth taking the longer, harder way around to an animal if the wind isn’t right. I carry a wind indicator powder in my pocket at all times. If you are stand hunting, it is worth doing some research on ozone generators.
Also agree with knowing your limit. Myself, I will not take a shot at something that is more than about 50% of my comfortable practice range.

If you have any doubt don’t shoot your time is better spent trying to get another shot opportunity then it is trying to track a wounded animal you may never find. If you hit an animal give it time don’t rush it or you risk pushing it farther. I personally wait an hour