Any Bow Hunters?

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41

[quote]VanderLaan wrote:
hedo wrote:
dirtbag wrote:
hedo wrote:
I don’t take a shot over 25 yds. or so and only frontal or clear angle shots.

Smart advice, Any reason for not taking the frontal shot? From my reading there is a good target area on the front of a deer that gives a great shot of the lungs.

My writing may have been confusing. I try to only take frontal shots. I only take the side angle shots when it’s very clear w/ a good chance of striking the frontal areas (lungs).

I find that anything behind the lungs takes a long time to track and is not a quick kill for the animal so I pass on it.

I commend you for not taking a shot over 25 yards. Deer can be pretty skittish and at long ranges, they can duck under the arrow. However, I question your recommendation of taking frontal shots. Hopefully, you mean broadside and not frontal. While a frontal shot (ie- the deer is facing you) is an excellent shot for a gun, it is an extremely low percentage shot for a bowhunter. The margin of error is too high to consider it an ethical shot and the deer is looking right at you. Best to stick to broadside and quartering away shots, as they offer the highest odds of a successful shot (into the lungs, heart or liver) and a quick kill. Nothing worse than tracking a deer with a marginal wound.

[/quote]

V-

I have found frontal shots to be quick kills but to each his own. Agree the shot must be accurate however so maybe the margin of error is higher when considered in that perspective.

42

Much thanks to everyone who helped me in this thread.

It has been a great season and I have had a lot of fun. I have been out bow hunting probably 50-60 times and drew on one a doe a couple weeks ago but did not take the shot. She was at forty yards and the the grass was too tall and she was quartered away very poorly.

It’s cold now and I have freezer full of meat from two nice does from gun season but damn it, I paid good money for a bow and I will not let the last few days of this season slip by me. School starts on Monday and bow season closes on Thursday. This is my last chance until the season opens again in October. A cold front is hitting so I’m hoping between that and the full moon tonight that they will be moving and I can finally take a shot with my bow.

Early afternoon I head out. I want to be in the blind a good three hours or more before sunset. I get out there and get set up like usual. It’s not too cold yet, 28-30f. Sitting there like usual the time just kind of drags by. I hear some crackling bushes that didn’t sound like the usual squirrels, I slowly shift my weight and look. It’s just an opossum walking by. Aren’t they nocturnal? Why is it out now? It the little rabid bastard going to charge? I don’t know but it walks on by. A few more hours roll by uneventful.

It’s the same old story again. My ass is sore, my legs are asleep and I’m frustrated, disappointed and completely content with that. Then some rustling comes from the bushes behind me. I look and I see the outline of a deers back. I check my bow, everything is good to go. It’s head is down and it’s walking slowly. How far is it? It’s a buck too I see, at least six points probably a couple more. I check my landmarks and decide it’s about twenty yards. It’s out in the open now, twenty yards away at my 10 o’clock position, absolutely perfect. I draw on it, looking through the compound’s sight, where is it? I pull my head away and relocate it. Practicing on a bright yellow target and drawing on a tan deer with a tan background is night and day difference. Ok, I have it in my sights now, it’s twenty or so yards away and a perfect broadside shot and I release the arrow! I hear the impact, it jumps up a little, kicks its’ rear legs out and runs off.

My adrenalin is rushing now, nothing at like like gun hunting. I remember to to stay in my tree and recall the events and its behavior. I wait 20-30 minutes and climb down and walk over to where he was. I know I hit him but I see no blood here but my arrow is gone too. As much as I wanted to go look for him now I know it is best to wait until morning.

So here I sit, on my computer sipping beer and whiskey, still pumped up three hours later and waiting until sunrise to start tracking him! I hope I can post pictures tomorrow.

Thanks again everyone. I am now addicted to bow hunting.

43

You should still get a traditional bow to shoot. You don’t have to get a $1,000 Black Widow or Schaffer. A used Martin or Bear will do fine. I used to hunt a lot but don’t have the time to practice like I should. Get some flu-flus and practice at moving targets. Have friends throw balls in the air, shoot at ballons, roll tires and shoot through them, and try skeet. It’s a lot of fun hunting birds, rabbits, and squirrels. Use Judo points for small game. I could never snap shoot a compound and haven’t met anyone that could accurately.

websight for traditional bowhunter magazine

the name says it all

44

[quote]silverblood wrote:
You should still get a traditional bow to shoot. You don’t have to get a $1,000 Black Widow or Schaffer. A used Martin or Bear will do fine. I used to hunt a lot but don’t have the time to practice like I should. Get some flu-flus and practice at moving targets. Have friends throw balls in the air, shoot at ballons, roll tires and shoot through them, and try skeet. It’s a lot of fun hunting birds, rabbits, and squirrels. Use Judo points for small game. I could never snap shoot a compound and haven’t met anyone that could accurately.

websight for traditional bowhunter magazine

the name says it all
http://www.stickbow.com/ [/quote]

I agree with you and I plan to get a longbow or a recurve in the next few months and practice every couple of weeks. I decided to get a compound about two weeks before bow season started and I figured that had the shortest learning curve. I didn’t pay 1k for my bow and if I sold it now I would lose prob 200-300 bucks or so, well worth it to me for the extra amount of time I have had in the field and the fun and entertainment it has provided me.

45

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[quote]duece wrote:
silverblood wrote:
You should still get a traditional bow to shoot. You don’t have to get a $1,000 Black Widow or Schaffer. A used Martin or Bear will do fine. I used to hunt a lot but don’t have the time to practice like I should. Get some flu-flus and practice at moving targets. Have friends throw balls in the air, shoot at ballons, roll tires and shoot through them, and try skeet. It’s a lot of fun hunting birds, rabbits, and squirrels. Use Judo points for small game. I could never snap shoot a compound and haven’t met anyone that could accurately.

websight for traditional bowhunter magazine

the name says it all

I agree with you and I plan to get a longbow or a recurve in the next few months and practice every couple of weeks. I decided to get a compound about two weeks before bow season started and I figured that had the shortest learning curve. I didn’t pay 1k for my bow and if I sold it now I would lose prob 200-300 bucks or so, well worth it to me for the extra amount of time I have had in the field and the fun and entertainment it has provided me.

[/quote]
If you like the compound keep it. I know people that have both. Many prefer the compound for deer as they don’t have to stalk as close. The main reason I prefer traditional equip is simplicity and beauty. No sights, easy to replace a popped or frayed string, and a well made trad bow is just art. Not mine but if I start hunting again http://www.robertsonstykbow.com/