Archery: Love it, hate it?

[pat riotic]

      This summer i decided that it would be cool to try out archery deer instead of rifle deer. I thought it would be great and that i would bag the big buck on day one  . the guy i hunt with said that it wouldnt be easy, but stubborn me took the challenge and decided i was going to get that buck. during the summer we set up our trail cams and to our surprise we had six great shooter bucks coming in i was so excited and knew i would get one of them!
      A week prior to opening day the deer werent coming in as much so i lost some cofidence but i knew i would get my buck in the first week. september 1st rolled around and we were in our stand not even an hour before the buck comes in, and of course im half asleep and am not ready what so ever. The buck is like 9 yards away and i have a slight chance to get my bow and take aim. i have my bow in hand and i nock my arrow, my buddy says my arrow looks weird but i say thats how ive always nocked it and so i begin to pull back and my arm hits some branches that i didnt clear !! So i pull back again and again and again for a total of four times and of course the deer knows somthings up and slowly walkes about 10 yards away and i pull back again,finnally, sucsessfull i am aiming down the sight, the deer is still i am aiming it the right place and i am aiming with the correct pin for the distance i let the arrow fly and it goes strait into the stinking ground and i miss by 8 feet easily!!! at first i thought i hit him because he jumped and i thought he was just around the corner dead on the ground but NO we get off the stand and we dont see him, the arrow, or blood so we begin searching and after ten minutes i find the arrow and i am so mad to see it without blood and so far from the spot i thought it would be at.
       at this point i am upset and discouraged and have no ideal why i missed so we went to go shoot my bows and my buddy sees me nock the arrow and says that i nocked it wrong which i did. i dont know what i was thinking  but i have learned that there is no margin for error when bow hunting. 

[Grizzly95]

**it happens! Chalk up the experience and keep on it. I had a decent whitetail at 20 yards a few years ago, when I pulled back I forgot to take my arrow out of the saddle on the riser, my arrow stayed put and I went full draw armed with only the nock on the string  oops! Top it off with my FIL sitting in the blind laughing his arse off. There is no guarantee until you are gettin out the gutting knife.

[npaull]

Take up traditional archery and hunt with a recurve or longbow! Way less BS like that can happen... Also, it's way more fun (as someone who switched from compound hunting to longbow hunting). The bells and whistles get old... AND can get in the way almost as often as they seem to help.

In all seriousness, it doesn't take much to create chaos when they're in close... sounds like you at least had a fun encounter.

[DBZona]

Wow!  This sounds Familiar.  I think I might have been there     I told you it would not be easy, didn't I?  Just remember Tristan, Archery hunting is about the challenge and the experience, not the kill.  I know you learned from your mistake, and we will work it hard late season. 

For those who don't know, This young man is 15 and in his second year hunting and wanted to try the challenge of bow hunting this year.  Bow Hunting is one tradition I will not hesitate to pass on.  He has had great success in the spring the last two seasons, even pulling off a double on his birds this spring.  Some day we will post those pics and story.  I just want to challenge everyone on this forum to pass on the tradition of hunting to a youth and keep Our Heritage alive for generations to come.

[Martinhunter]

Archery hunting can be very frustrating. The thing that bothers me the most is that I find a big deer or elk and just can't get into range for a shot before they bust me. I guess I need to learn to stock a little better.

[rasbo]

while it can be frustrating,I get a satisfaction out of it...I will be going back to it traditional longbow...practice practice practice,in the off season boning up on stalking skills is fun..

[bigbull94]

YOU WILL LEARN TO LOVE IT!!BOWHUNTING IS WORK BUT OH SO REWARDING!!!

[PolarBear]

Archery hunting is the best!!  You have to be in a different frame of mind than with other forms of hunting and have to be much more aware of what is going on around you and what you are doing.

[deerslyr]

Take polarbears advice...I finally caught on to that this year and I feel like im easily twice the archery hunter i was last year. You cant go about it like rifle hunting at all.

[pat riotic]

Archery hunting can be very frustrating. The thing that bothers me the most is that I find a big deer or elk and just can't get into range for a shot before they bust me. I guess I need to learn to stock a little better.

i have been figuring that out more as i go along, earlier in this years season i missed and i figured i would not miss next time but there was never a next time in the first part of the season, we never had anything next to our stand when we were there and so we tried some other land and there were 20 or so deer and none of them came within 40 yards of our blind but it has still been a blast and im looking forward to late season  because we saw some bucks even bigger then the one i shot at even though ill probably end up shooting the first thing i see

[pat riotic]

Archery hunting is the best!!  You have to be in a different frame of mind than with other forms of hunting and have to be much more aware of what is going on around you and what you are doing.

that is definantly true and i cant wait for late season

[Special T]

I LOVE IT! I like sitting quietly letting my sense tune to what is going on around me...  I love sneaking through the woods trying to be as quiet as a panther... I HATE IT when i get busted! and they HISS at me... I'm hooked on sneaking up on Back Tail.. I stalked some in the snow late season Battleground.... Moved too quick and the buck took off... the 2 does rose and i wacked one at 20 yards though a 12in hole in the vine maple.... I love it! 

[lokidog]

Don't feel bad Pat riotic, I hunted from age 13 to 16 before sticking my first deer.  I shot a lot of arrows into the ground....   

Archery hunting is challenging and addictive.  Good luck in the late season!

[pat riotic]

Don't feel bad Pat riotic, I hunted from age 13 to 16 before sticking my first deer.  I shot a lot of arrows into the ground....   

Archery hunting is challenging and addictive.  Good luck in the late season!

YES IT IS! thanks

[Digger]

There is something about stalking through the woods, longbow in hand, that makes me feel closer to the true nature of the hunt. It is a more complete experience for me, less hunters to contend with, less pressured game. I love it, and when I fail to connect because I hunt with a stickbow, it doesn't ever lessen those parts of the experience. If it was all about the meat, we all know it can be purchased much cheaper.

[BlackRidge]

LOVE archery. Like others above have said, its makes you address the hunt in a totally different way. Stealth, patience, and definitely more of a personal challenge. A lot of practice/muscle memory/etc have to come together to get off that perfect shot. I haven't downed anything yet with my bow (and I dont mind), but I'd be more satisfied with an archery tag-filled than MF.... easily

Good luck to everyone in the late season!

[boneaddict]

Archery hunting is the best!!  You have to be in a different frame of mind than with other forms of hunting and have to be much more aware of what is going on around you and what you are doing.

Exactly.   Very rewarding when you are successful ( actually when you are not successful its rewarding too, but thats not what I meant.)

[saylean]

I love rifle hunting, I love bow hunting...I guess you could take out of that, I just plain love hunting.

I think when I first took up bowhunting on advice from an old co worker, it made me a better hunter and still does.

There is something about being within a knats rectum close to an animal and using not much more than a stick and some string to bring it down. Bow hunting has caused me to hunt slower, be more observant, move the way a deer moves, watch my wind much more, have many very cool close encounters, and yes, miss a few times (missed an elk a few weeks ago at 20 yards {not sure if I released wrong, or what..it bounced below the elk and hit the ground}, I stalked him within a massive herd of elk, for over 3 hours...I was happy I got that close with all those eyes and noses....missed a bear last year at 25 yards, thought he was 35 yards, accidentally picked my 40 pin...right over the back..lol!)

Stick with it, took me 4 years to get an elk. I was blessed my first year archery season with a 2X3 blacktail (but not before I missed a buck twice earlier that season). Its a wonderful experience filled with lessons, triumphs and challenges.

Good luck in whatever you choose!

[scoyoc5]

Bone and Saylean said it best..It is VERY rewarding when you successfully harvest an animal. The amount of work, practice and skill it takes for it all to come together.....it's hard to put into words. Keep at it!

[Ray]

You still appear to have a good attitude. I think this topic is proof that archery hunting is not easy and just because the season is longer than a firearms season doesn't mean you're going to get oodles of opportunities. Keep it up.

[Elkrunner]

I love it!  There is nothing like the sound of an arrow smacking a deer and the feeling of success with a bow and arrow.  I finally was able to bag my first buck with a bow this year.  I will never forget that feeling!

[sisu]

I like archery. Bought a trad muzzy thinking I'd like that decided I don't. Will sell it at a gun show with all the accessories. We have one 1978 compound(Buckskinner) & a pile of recurves & long bows. Keep shooting eventually you might go trad. I like it for its simplisity. My tune up is tighten or loosen the bow string.

[jstone]

I love it. This is the first year not bow hunting Elk. The muzzy should be fun.. Probably go back to archery next year?

[yakimarcher]

Love it

[hunter-4-life]

Archery, its a love hate relationship. It has its ups and downs.

[pat riotic]

You still appear to have a good attitude. I think this topic is proof that archery hunting is not easy and just because the season is longer than a firearms season doesn't mean you're going to get oodles of opportunities. Keep it up.

i do have a good attitude  because i love hunting in general i dont need to get anything i just love to be in the wild close to nature, but it is still awesome to get a big ol' buck!

[jstone]

being a bow hunter has tough me alot. Made me a better hunter,and more Patience. I just love the excitement you get when your stalking on that animal and your within range.  Telling yourself to calm down, and going over whats going to happen next in your head.... AWESOME

[bearhunter99]

Love it 99% of the time but it does have its moments.  There is nothing quite like the feeling of being that close and watching it all unfold firsthand.  Haven't had nearly the success that I had before I switched from modern firearm but nothing gets the blood pumping like putting a sharp stick in an 8-1/2 foot brown bear at 37 yards!

[jstone]

That is one of the things on my bucket list. I want to get a big bear, a moose, caribou,. and much more. Some day. Not too far off though.

[bearhunter99]

I can't wait to go back, my brother lives in Anchorage so I can get by without a guide.  He is going out to the islands next week for a special permit looking for a 10 footer

[pat riotic]

Archery, its a love hate relationship. It has its ups and downs.

[Charlie]

I love each method for different reasons. Most of all I enjoy the total hunting experience. When I can't, if that day ever comes, hunt any longer I will still be in camp with my family and friends. I will always be able to sit around the camp fire and lie with the best of them.

[dc]

My gosh have I had to change my way of hunting since taking up bow hunting.  This is year 6, finally got my first elk this year.  A cow at 40 yds.  what a feeling.  I actually drew the desert deer tag with my bow the first year that I bow hunted.  FYI, there is some huge deer in that unit.  But I was a rifle hunter carrying a bow, and didn't have a clue.  Ate that tag.  Well as luck will have it, I drew the desert again this year and I hope I'm a little better at it now.  I will again head to the Moses Lake area and try my luck at those famed desert mule deer.  With a little luck I will connect with a nice deer and post a picture.

[EastWaViking]

Hunted with a rifle from 8 y.o. until 33, switched to archery and became a much better hunter. I have a safe full of rifles that haven't seen the light of day in 12 years, and no intention on using them again.  (or selling them)

[danceswitharrows]

I could never hunt big game with anything other than my bow   I converted from rifle 3 years ago and my first year I got deer and it was the most rewarding feeling I have ever experanced as a hunter.  It was a doe but I would rather shoot a doe with my bow than a monstar buck with my rifle.  I would feel I cheated myself by killling with anything other than my bow. BOW OR BUST

[blackveltbowhunter]

LOVE IT! This is my 12th year hunting with archery and I wouldn't hunt with anything but. I do one gun hunt a year, out of state deer. Only cuz the bros I go with are'nt as into the archery thing. But nothing gets my blood pumping like archery hunting.