Help an amateur archer

[DS.deerhunter]

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!

[58thecat]

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!

[Lefty-Canuck]

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

[Passthru]

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

[tracker]

Originally Posted by Passthru

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.

[jcrayford]

Originally Posted by tracker

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.

[58thecat]

Originally Posted by Passthru

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

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

[crownb]

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!!!