Bow hunting is a sport that encourages you to go out and be active as you chase deer, elk, and other big game for sport.
Compared to lazily sitting back on your tree stand with your rifle and waiting for a suitable target to enter your scope, bow hunting rewards those who enjoy moving about with the thrill of the hunt, coupled with a completely fulfilling experience upon the success.
While unlikely to get as many kills as a hunter with a gun, bow hunting instead provides a different experience, one filled with adrenaline. If you are one who prefers the experience more than the efficiency and how many bucks you can bag, then going for the bow might be for you.
However, bow hunting isn’t easy. In fact, it’s considerably much more challenging to pull off right than hunting with a gun is, which is why beginners need to take a lot of time honing their skills with the bow and arrow before they can even get to hunting right.
For those who are more experienced, here are a couple of things you should keep in mind while bow hunting:
Scout important spots…
Getting a grip on the area you wish to hunt on is basic, yet important information that any hunter should always keep to heart.
The most important places to scout out would be places that game animals would find important. This would include feeding grounds, bodies of water, and bedding for them to sleep at night. Being that these are animals with their own needs as well, they will eventually have to go to these places, giving you an opportunity to strike.
Make sure you scout early, preferably a few weeks before hunting season begins. This allows you to place your stand to let the deer get used to its presence, lets you scope out the best spots where deer are likely to gather, and just gives you a sense of direction on the forest itself.
…But don’t scout too much
But despite all that, scouting too much isn’t always a good idea. Why? Because you might spook the deer with your presence too much.
Yes, it’s important to gather as much information as possible in the area but try to be inconspicuous as much as possible and don’t draw attention to yourself. The reason why deer consider the place safe is because of the lack of other animals in the vicinity, so if they notice some random human wandering around, they’ll feel pressured and may take off for a different area. Not good, as it will make all your efforts go to waste.
The best thing you can do is use things like game cameras to remove your presence, or to practice camouflage by hiding yourself and your scent from deer. Plus, it provides great practice for when you have to do the real thing!
Practice your deer calls
A deer call is a well-known tactic for catching a deer’s attention and drawing it to you by putting it at ease, before taking advantage of its curiosity.
There are many types of deer calls, but the most common one is the grunt call.
As they are used as a way for deer to communicate, the way they are used is contextual as well. It can be anything from a buck looking for a challenge, or a deer who wants to breed. The grunt call is universal and is the most effective call to attract a deer to you.
Hide your scent as much as possible
As mentioned earlier, you want to hide your presence from deer as much as possible.
Humans have a very telling scent and considering that a deer has one of the strongest noses of all animals on earth, it is quite easy for it to pick you out of a crowd of trees, bushes, and other foliage from scent alone.
This means that you will need to eliminate your human stench one way or another. Using camouflage that masks your scent is one way to go about it.
Another strategy you can use is to stay away from winds and drafts that push your scent to the deer. This means that you will need to keep an eye out on wind direction – if it blows in the wrong place at the wrong time, you will be in trouble, as the deer is likely to catch on.
Be patient
Bow hunting requires a lot of trial and error that requires a lot of thinking about your shots, whether you’re a beginner or experienced on the field. You can’t just shoot your shots in the hopes of getting one in, you need to make sure that your shots actually connect.
This means that it might take a while for the perfect opportunity to present itself, especially if you are out on the field, so don’t be impatient. Using a gun or bow, both hunting styles require patience for the deer to approach.
Tune your accuracy
Practice, practice, practice. You want your first shot to be your best shot. While you will have more opportunities to shoot at a deer that you might have missed, thanks to the quiet nature of the bow, that arrow might have quite the price tag attached to it.
Make sure your shots count. The best way you can train yourself is to keep practicing at the archery range.