Idiots guide to bow hunting

[E-Town Hunter]

I'm still a NEWB at this bow hunting thing and I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions on a good book to get a guy started in the right direction. Something with a fair amount of illustrations would be helpful. Buying all these bowhunting magazines is getting expensive and cutting into my gas fund.

[archery288]

Backcountry Bowhunting - A Guide to the Wild Side by Cameron Hanes.  That'll get you started in the right direction and quite a few pictures in it at that!  (Most of you could have guessed I'd pick that book!!  )

[huntnphool]

E-Town, I'm betting anything you need answers for you can find on here.

[archery288]

E-Town, I'm betting anything you need answers for you can find on here.

I would agree - fire away!

[DeKuma]

Backcountry Bowhunting - A Guide to the Wild Side by Cameron Hanes.  That'll get you started in the right direction and quite a few pictures in it at that!  (Most of you could have guessed I'd pick that book!!  )

Yep, that one did not suprise me in the least. Now I am really going to have to check this book out.......

[MIKEXRAY]

Book smook, get out there Sept first and go hunting. The deer and elk will teach you what you are doing wrong.

[MountainWalk]

Backcountry Bowhunting - A Guide to the Wild Side by Cameron Hanes. 




Its a good read, but not really a whole lot of pertinent info for a newer hunter. Not a whole lot of info concerning how to's, when to's or what to's. Lots of inspiration in it for sure, but its scope is pretty limited. Best thing to do is shoot your bow and go hunt and make mistakes.

I have the book. If anyone wants it, its  all yours, for free. Its nothing I need to keep forever.

[DeKuma]

I'll take it if you can mail it.............. I am in Bothell.

[grandpawrichard]

E-Town Hunter,
Here is an old article that I have shared with a good many Newbie bow hunters:

Basics for Hunting on Foot
A versatile bowhunter must master the basics of hunting on foot. It is true that most archers perch in tree stands to ambush whitetail deer or black bear, or hunker in ground blinds near waterholes to waylay pronghorn antelope. However, the other 24 commonly hunted varieties of North American big game are almost always stalked or still-hunted at ground level. If you wish to be effective on mule deer, elk, caribou, moose, wild sheep, an most other archery animals, you absolutely have to sneak up on these critters.

Even commonly stand-hunted animals like whitetails and pronghorns sometimes require a ground-level approach.

Take for example a friend of mine who patterned a large Illinois whitetail buck just last year. The big deer was living deep in an unharvested cornfield, and refused to wander within bow range of trees. So my pal waited for a very windy day, slipped along the field edge with rustling corn covering his own noise, and nailed the deer as it nibbled on kernels 15 yards inside the crop.

Another acquaintance of mine traveled West a couple of years ago for pronghorn antelope. His outfitter had waterhole blinds galore, but nothing could prevent the five-day rainstorm that hit he first day of the bowhunt. Pronghorns almost never visit waterholes when grass is wet and small puddles abound. So my experience buddy located a section of rough and broken antelope terrain, slipped around like a hunting cat, and eventually stalked within 35 yards of a record-book pronghorn. One pinpoint shot put the black-horned beauty down for good.

1. Don't Let Yourself Be Seen.

Every game animal has a three-pronged survival system--eyes, ears, and nose. Since a foot hunter is actively moving, getting within 30, 40, or even 50 yards of aninal eyes is seldom easy.

Good foot hunters match camouflage to habitat. In the deep, dark woods typical of elk and early-season deer habitat, they wear relatively dark camo like World War II, Vietnam, or Realtree All-Purpose Brown. In more typical sagebrush, yellow grass, or scattered scrub, they select lighter camo like Advantage, Realtree X-tra Grey or Realtree Wetlands. In genuine desert country, wise archers wear U.S. Military Desert Camo, ASAT Browm or another specialized arid-terrain pattern. In the snow, good bowhunters don white-and-gray or white-and-brown clothing head-to-toe. In so doing, these hunters blend well with habitat.

Commercial camo alone cannot fool an animal's eyes. Every bit as important are manipulation of sunlight and shadow, and sophisticated use of foliage and terrain.

A successful foot hunter is like a housecat hunting birds. This archer surveys the countryside ahead, and slips along in the deepest shadows. When possible, he moves with a low morning or evening sun behind him, which helps to dazzle animal eyes. The archer who walks through open sunlight or sneaks toward a low sun will stand out like a yellow D-8 Caterpillar crossing a field. Keen-eyed game like elk, mule deer, and antelope never stand for such nonsense.

The good foot hunter also uses terrain with expert ease. He never cruises high ridgelines when he can lurk in draws, ravines, and other low-lying areas. He never walks in front of bushes or trees when he can tiptoe behind them. When given a choice, he always places solid rock or dirt between himself and animals, rather than relying on thin screens of grass or brush.

A truly savvy bowhunter knows that camouflage clothing and technique must be combined to fool animal eyes. He also knows that if he can see the average game animal's eye, the critter's 270degree field of vision is likely to see him too.
2 . Fooling Animal Ears

Foot hunting requires relatively silent movement. The sneakiest bowhunters wear softsoled boots-neoprene or gum rubber, never hard Vibram-and deliberately select solid rock, debris-free dirt, short green grass and other quiet surfaces to walk across. They never trudge through brush piles, leaves and other impossibly noisy footing if they can't find silent terrain, they back away and try another area.

Soft-surfaced clothing is also a must for quiet ground hunting. Loosely woven wool-fleece, Worsterlon and cotton flannel are superior to hard-weave nylon, 60/40 poly-cotton canvas or stiff rubberized raingear. If a particular fabric audibly scrapes when you drag your fingernails across it, find a quieter garment!

The best foot hunters capitalize on natural noise to cover their own. Like my whitetail-hunting friend from Illinois, they love to sneak around in the high wind because it drowns out little sounds. Steady, gentle rainfall offers great sound cover. And the noise made by critters themselves as they fight, play, or eat can also help archers move close. It is ten times more difficult to approach a bedded buck or bull than the same animal chewing grass or leaves early and late in the day.

3. Scent Control

An animal's nose is its most trusted and keenest sense. For example, a deer, bear, caribou or wild sheep will sometimes see movement or hear suspicious noise and linger a few seconds to gawk. if the same animal smells you, the critter will leave. No ifs, ands, or buts!

Sitting in a stand allows the effective use of commercial scent eliminators like Scent Shield spray, odor-masking concoctions like natural earth and red fox urine, and specialized clothing barriers like Scent-Lok and Scent-Blocker suits. But active spot-and-stalk hunting or sneaking blindly through semi-thick terrain raises a sweat and cancels the best scentpurging precautions. In foot-hunting situations, I'm convinced that controlling wind direction is the only way to guard against being smelled.

Bowhunters on foot must constantly monitor wind direction with commercial aids like a talcum squeeze bottle or the flame of a butane cigarette lighter. More importantly, they must learn to predict breeze direction so they know where and how to move.

For example, in most mountainous elk terrain, morning and evening winds move strongly downhill. During midday, these "thermal" currents heat up and switch to an uphill direction. The best elk hunters hike uphill near dawn and dusk, move downhill during midday, and leave the woods when mid-morning and mid-after noon breezes become unpredictable and confused.

The best foot hunters move with the breeze squarely in their face or crossing at an angle. if the wind fans the back of the archer's neck-even once-every animal within 300 to 400 yards will probably come unglued. Do not under-rate an animal's ability to smell.

4. Using Multiple Speeds

Movement speed can make or break a foot hunt. Most of the time, the average beginner moves too slowly, in dense foliage, where you cannot see animals ahead, you must certainly ease along. Take a step, wait and look, then take another step.

But in most hunting situations, you can sit high or move and look at a distance. This lets you spot animals several hundred yards away, and then plan stalks. In such cases, you should cover initial ground at a fast walk or even a trot. Only slow to a snail's pace inside 100 or 200 yards. Otherwise, the target critter might be apt to feed or walk away and disappear before you arrive.

The best foot hunters have multiple speeds, and use all of these at appropriate times.
Skookum Archers
http://www.skookumarchers.com/Archery%20Advice/FootHuntingBasics.htm

I hope that it helps you out.

Dick

[grandpawrichard]

Here is another well written article:

Bowhunting Tips
 Secure bow string release
 To keep from losing your bow string release, tie it to your hunting clothing. You can use a leather boot string or plastic "coiled chain" with a snap. It looks like a phone cord with a snap on the end and only costs a couple of bucks. Tie your release to one end and snap the other end to your belt loop. The "coiled chain" works best.
 Set your shooting distance
 To keep from wounding game know your shooting limits. Set your personal shooting maximum. It will probably be between 30 and 40 yards. Don't shoot beyond your limit.
 Pace off target practice distance
 Practice pacing off when you are out target practicing during the summer. While standing at your target, take your arrows and throw them in various places around you. Pace off the distance to each arrow and practice shooting from that spot. Try far quartering shots and close broadside shots and vice versa. If you can be accurate from these areas on the first few shots of practicing, you will be effective during the season. But the biggest thing is to know your yardage and how far your target is at all times. That's where pacing off on every shot will come in handy.
 Arrow Penetration
 When you sight-in your bow during the off season, be sure to check the penetration depth of your arrows at your farthest shooting distance. If you are not getting adequate penetration at this distance, you need to keep moving closer to your target until you get good penetration. Set this distance as your maximum shooting range. Poor penetration will just wound game.
 The key to success
 When you are target practicing with your bow practice shooting from different angles. Then try shooting from different distances by moving farther back and then closer to your target. Now try shooting from different heights, similar to shooting from a tree stand. Now that you can hit your target from real hunting like situations, practice being a stealth hunter, it is a major key to your success.
 Packing your broadheads
 It is critical to have a safe and quite place to pack your broadheads when you are hunting big game. Before you travel wrap each blade of your broadhead in scotch tape and then put the broadhead in a 35 mm film canister along with some cotton balls to keep them silent.
 Watch those squeaks
 Since I started bow hunting, I have learned some hard lessons. Deer won't stick around if they hear any unnatural noises. Test your bow to make sure that it is silent as you pull it to full draw. If you have a squeaky wheel, give it a small amount of oil. Also test your stand for squeaks. While sitting in your stand, listen for squeaks as you shift your weight and twist from side to side. Also try putting felt on your arrow rest. When you draw your bow, the arrow will slide smoothly and silently across the felt.
 Enjoying good company
 If you are hunting with a close and safe friend try to set up where you can see each other. My dad and I do this and we have been able to see each other take some nice deer. This makes the whole hunting experience more exciting by seeing your close friend in action. This also works equally well in rifle season.
 Know the wind direction
 Tie a piece of sewing thread to the end of your stabilizer, so that it hangs down about five or six inches. Just watch the string and you will constantly know the slightest breeze direction.
 Sight in for your stand
 Many people over look the fact that when you're in your stand, you're shooting downwards. You will need to sight in your bow for both flat shooting and stand shooting. You might want to use two different sights.
 Sharpening your broadheads
 I have learned that sharpening your broadheads is easier if you use an actual knife sharpener. The sharpeners that I'm talking about are the ones that are usually blue and they have two sharpeners that cross at the top. They also have a handle and a finger guard. These sharpeners only cost about $5.00.
 Pull back before
 When you are bow hunting you always want to pull your bow back at least 30-45 seconds before the deer gets to you. Don't pull back more than you can hold, if you do your arms will get tired and you will be shaky when its time to shoot the deer. Try to pull back when the deer is looking away from you or when its head is behind a tree or brush. Always make sure your arrows are straight. If they are not, they will misfire. When you get your sights sighted in, you might want to tighten them with pliers. If you hand tighten your sights they can easily get loose and move, if they bump up against something.
 Decrease your bow weight /protect your shafts
 Snap on quivers leave your knocks exposed and your shafts unprotected. Have you ever had dirt get into a knock or had an arrow twang when it hung up in the brush? Try using a plastic tube cut to arrow length then cover tube with camo duct tape. In one end place a piece of Styrofoam to protect the broad heads. Just push the arrows into the Styrofoam and it will keep them protected and secure. Use a PVC pipe cap for other end. A small wire fishing leader can be used to secure the cap so it won't get lost. Attach a strap and you can carry your new quiver over your shoulder, just like the Indians used to do.
 Shooting from a tree stand
 If you shoot from a climbing tree stand and you shoot with your quiver attached to your bow, reverse your quiver with the vanes up instead of being down. When attached in the traditional way, vanes down, in most cases the vanes extend beyond the length of the bow and will rub or hang up on the top part of a climbing stand particularly on a short, in close shot. Reversing your quiver can eliminate this problem.
 Bow hunting strap-on seat
 When bow hunting from a climbing stand it is often difficult to shoot your bow on close shots or shots to the rear without the bottom limb of your bow being inside of the top part of your climbing stand. The result will be the bottom bow limb banging against the top portion of the stand upon firing, resulting in a missed shot or worse the bow being jerked out of your hand. I experienced this problem for years and finally came up with a workable solution this past season. Take a small strap-on seat up with you in a backpack. Once at the height you plan to hunt, lower the top portion of your climbing stand until it almost touches the lower portion you stand on. Attach the strap-on seat (there are several on the market) to a comfortable sitting position. Then when drawing and shooting the problem will be eliminated. It's as though you are shooting from a hanging stand. As always, be sure to wear a safety belt regardless of the type deer stand you hunt from.
 Stump shooting
 I whole-heartedly believe in stump shooting as being one of the best methods of shooting practice. Roam around the woods with judo points or rubber blunts and shoot anything that could be a potential target (rotten stumps, clumps of dirt, leaves). Pay close attention to where you hit each time. This will set your instincts right on target for knowing your distances. One of the biggest problems with people hitting too low or too high on a deer is because they lack the judgement of distance. Stump shooting is a must!
 Silence your bow string
 Silence your bow string with "limb saver" string leech. The string leech delivers maximum noise reduction and up to 65% reduction in string resonance with only 1-2 feet per second speed loss, in most cases. The string leech will not take all the sound away, but it will dampen most of the sound when you release your arrow.
 Secure your deer call
 If your deer call doesn't have a lanyard on it, you can make one from a leather boot lace. Put the lanyard or lace around your neck and it will be there when you need it.
 Know your partner's call
 If you hunt with a partner, know the sound of his calls. If you know the sound of your partner's call you won't waste your time sneaking up on your partner.
 Don't call too often
 When your hunting during the rut and all the bucks are going wild, don't use your deer call to often. Do your calling and then wait about 15 minutes before you call again. If you call to often, it will sound unnatural and the deer could run the other way.
 Organize your calling
 If hunting with a partner, simulate a group of deer by calling back and forth to each other. This may encourage a buck to walk in and see what is going on.
 Stopping a deer
 Here is a trick I use and have great success with. If you have a hard time tracking a moving deer that is in range, try blowing a snort call. I have seen that calling will most often stop a deer dead in its tracks. The animal will be on the highest alert so be prepared for a quick shot. This trick is most effective when your viewing area is more open.
 Stop that wounded deer
 After the shot has been taken (bow or gun) give one or two blows on your grunt tube. Sometimes this will stop or at least slow him down, minimizing tracking distance. Sometimes with small (subordinate, yearling) bucks they will spook even more. No deer hunter should be without a grunt tube, they work if used properly.
 Stop a running deer
 If a whitetail deer is running away and it hasn't yet winded you, you can give a short whistle and about half the time the deer will stop and look around to see where the whistle came from. This will give you time for a quick shot, before it runs away for good.
  Give it a whistle
 When you have that buck coming to you in your shooting lane, and he has his head down grazing. Give a little whistle and the majority of the time this will stop the deer and he'll raise his head to see what's going on. This will allow you time for that perfect shot.
 Try dove decoys
 Next time you are watching your favorite area from your stand, place 3-4 dove decoys on the ground. Doves are very skittish and will take flight at the first sign of danger. Any animal that comes along and spots the doves will think all is fine. Naturally, doves must be native to your area for this to work. If they are, give it a try.
 Bring your whole bag of tricks
 Always carry more than one call. If the grunt call isn't working try using a softer or deeper tone than you have been using or switch to a fawn bleat. It also doesn't hurt to have the rattling antlers ready. No one sound will attract all deer. So find a call that the buck you're after will respond to. Good luck and remember above all else to be safe.
 Call a big buck
 If you want to call a big buck, try cupping your hands around your mouth and make a loud burping type sound. You're going to have to call loud enough for the deer to hear you. This has worked for me before, so if you try and get good enough it will work for you to.
 Use a turkey call
 When walking to your stand in a noisy, leafy area use a turkey call. Use the turkey call often as you walk. This will make the deer think your a gobbler and not a hunter.
 Call while walking
 While walking to your hunting area during hunting season, try using the Tending Grunts, this call works best while you're on the ground and moving through the leaves. The Tending Grunt is used when a buck chases a doe as the rut approaches, he will make 7-15 soft grunts in rapid succession, while trailing her. It's a buck's way of asking her to stop so he can breed with her. While doing this call I've had many deer run up on me unexpectedly, so keep your ears and eyes open!
 Skookum Archers
http://www.skookumarchers.com/Archery%20Advice/BowhuntingTips.htm


Dick

[grandpawrichard]

A tip from GPR:

If you can see the deer, he can see you. Don't move if he's looking in your direction, because it's the movement he's most likely to see. Only move when the deer puts his head down to feed or looks away. Spot-and-stalk is an exciting way to hunt because you know the deer is there, and it's a real challenge to sneak within shooting distance.

Dick

[grandpawrichard]

Another old but timely tip:

Scent Control for Bow Hunters
The ability to smell is an animal's keenest survival sense. Recent studies by game biologists indicate that a deer's nose is as much as 7,000 times more sensitive than yours or mine ... a nose so sensitive it is capable of detecting and identifying just a few molecules of human odor! A deer, elk, or bear might doubt what it sees or hears, but never doubts what it smells.
Smart bowhunters strive to master the fine art of scent control. They learn to hide their scent in a number of time-tested ways and also develop skill at luring in animals with carefully distributed commercial concoctions. By fooling an animal's nose, an archer has a better chance of getting within close shooting range.
A hunter can never completely purge his body odor. Even if you wear a scent-blocking suit, cover yourself with odor-masking liquid or gel, spray yourself with scent-purging chemicals, and exercise the very best personal hygiene, you will still emit molecules of human scent. If you are walking and perspiring, this phenomenon intensifies. If you move a short distance from vehicle to tree stand, and then sit quietly, you will give off minimal amounts of odor. But in any event, an animal directly downwind is likely to smell at least a little human odor.
The first and foremost solution is anticipating and manipulating wind direction. Use a butane lighter or talcum squeeze bottle as a portable wind sock. Walk into the wind or crosswind-never with the breeze at your back. Avoid broken terrain, where air currents eddy unpredictably, and do not hunt in late morning or early evening when winds tend to falter, swirl, and switch direction. When you bowhunt from a tree, sit high (at least 20 feet up) to help keep your scent on upper-air currents that glide above ground-level animals. Such skills can help you bag a buck.
Modern archers rely on more than traditional wind control. When breezes shift unexpectedly, when cool air sinks from a tree stand toward the ground, and when a deer appears behind you with the wind in its face, you will need every high-tech edge you can get.
A combination of animal lure, like rutting elk urine, and Scent Shield spray can draw animals within bow range.
Many bowhunters wait for game in trees, but fail to realize how important it is not to leave human scent trails to and from their stands. Wearing ordinary leather or fabric footwear almost certainly leaves lingering scent on grass, bushes, and the ground itself. A deer that appears even two or three hours later can smell where you passed; the critter will run like a scalded cat.
There are three ways to eliminate human scent trails to and from your stand. First, wear calf-high or hip-high all-rubber boots, or at the very least, half-rubber pac boots. Second, wear Scent-Blocker Pants as an added barrier to escaping human odor. Finally, spray your lower body with a proven scent-destroyer like Scent Shield. All three techniques effectively block human odor from the ground, allowing deer, bear, and other keen-nosed critters to pass by unalarmed minutes after you climb your tree.
Head-to-toe scent suits help. Fabric in such suits incorporates activated carbon, which soaks up human odor like a sponge. Scent-blocking membranes are also widely used in modern bowhunting boots, hats, and gloves.
Scent Blocker Suits reduce human odor dramatically. Since most whitetail deer live in urban, suburban, or farmland areas, these animals are required to regularly smell people without having a nervous breakdown. Even when they do smell you, they think you may be the person in a distant house or car, or a farmer who walked past several hours earlier. They seldom suspect that danger is present and very close at hand.
To a lesser degree, odor-masking scents like red fox urine, natural earth, and wild grape also help to confuse deer. It’s best to block most of your scent with rubber and high-tech fabric, then enhance such scent concealment with a little commercial masking fragrance.
Stand hunters have the best chance of controlling scent, because they are not hiking and working up a sweat.
Animal lures can be powerful bowhunting tools. Such lures, used in natural ways according to manufacturer's directions, can give you close shots instead of distant looks at deer.
The smart bowhunter realizes just how keen an animal's nose really is, and uses wind direction plus commercial products to fool this razor-sharp survival sense.
 Skookum Archers
http://www.skookumarchers.com/Archery%20Advice/ScentControl.htm


Dick

[grandpawrichard]

Still another tip:

Those Sneaky Things Deer Do
I finally have these whitetails figured out. They’re not just smart; they’re sneakier than greased snakes. And we’ve been bamboozled. Think about it for a moment. They have all the natural advantages, we do exactly what they’ve trained us to do, and they can barely contain their laughter. Follow along with me here, and you’ll see what I mean.
For starters, whitetails are perfectly camouflaged. Brown side up, white side down. (If they all rolled over at once, the woods would look like a field of sheep. I’m surprised they haven’t tried that yet . . . or maybe they have.)
Even with that white under-belly, deer blend in amazingly well. A motionless deer in a hardwood thicket is harder to find than correct change in line at a tollbooth. Furthermore, their uncanny sense of smell can only be explained in one way: They must always walk into the wind. That way, if you’re upwind, they smell you; if you’re downwind, they’re walking away from you. Unless the wind reverses, they all end up somewhere else, which is pretty much what seems to happen.
We know bucks shed their antlers every year. But how do we know they don’t just take them off? Do you really trust them? Bucks might be popping off their antlers at will, running around like does until hunting season ends. That would explain why you see 30 does during hunting season and no bucks. Then, in the spring, it’s not that all the bucks’ antlers have fallen off, but by then, they’ve all misplaced them. I mean, for crying out loud, they’re guys.
You’ve got to admit, deer have a natural advantage. I think they’re not only using it, but they’re playing us for fools.
For instance, I think when deer chuckle, their tails fly up. Most hunters take this as a sign of alarm. But really, anything with this much speed that saw you first is only in danger of dying of laughter.

They even feed as if they’re taunting us. The head goes down slowly, sometimes in jerks, grabs an acorn, and then randomly pops up, as if to say, “Gotcha!” And quite often, they do.
Deer also walk through the woods in the sneakiest way possible. They know most hunters don’t want to shoot does, so which members of the herd do they stick out front? Exactly. And how many? Not one or two. Probably five.
We race to the woods in rigs with no mufflers, wear vests brighter than neon and smell like something you’d try not to step in at a petting zoo. For this to work, a buck would have to be asleep in a barrel full of bubble wrap and suffering from a sinus condition.
You see, does are really scouts. The bucks send them on ahead, lollygagging through the forest as decoys. Then, when a hunter gets excited and raises his rifle, the buck sees him, pops his antlers off and goes bounding by with his tail up in laughter.
The other trick these rascals pull is conducting most of their affairs under the cover of darkness. If you’ve ever turned your headlights on a field, you’ve discovered that deer are nocturnal. They hide by day and gallivant by night. In fact, the biggest buck I’ve ever seen was standing in the yard of a farmhouse, probably one guarded by some dog that was scared of the dark.
The reason deer do things at night is simple: their camouflage improves dramatically. After dark, everything’s black, including them.
The most convincing point of their sneakiness is the rumor they started about the rut. Bucks want you to think
that a buck with a bunch of does is more vulnerable during the rut. But give me a break. They’re bragging. Remember, they’re guys.
So how do we counter this intelligent creature’s underhanded tricks? For starters, we’ve convinced ourselves they’re colorblind. So we wear orange vests that appear to be on the verge of spontaneous combustion.
Deer probably faked the eye test so we’d do this. Think about it. If you were being chased through the woods, wouldn’t you prefer for your pursuers to be wearing fluorescent orange?
Another of the other great myths is that deer can’t see us in tree stands. They actually want us up there, so they can watch us more easily from wherever they’re hiding. They must find it great sport to wager on who will fall out first.
Besides, it’s not like we’re going to surprise them. Every year, we all come out at the same time on opening day. All deer have to do is look at a calendar and a clock.
We race to the woods in rigs with no mufflers, wear vests brighter than neon and smell like something you’d try not to step in at a petting zoo. For this to work, a buck would have to be asleep in a barrel full of bubble wrap and suffering from a sinus condition.
With all the things we do that make it easier for deer to keep track of us, it’s a wonder any of us ever brings home a nice buck. Still, every so often, we manage to get one. The buck on my wall had to give himself up after losing a game of Rock-Paper-Scissors.
                           by Jim Mize


FOR YOUR INFORMATION: Jim Mize has collected the best of his outdoor humor into an award-winning book, The Winter of Our Discount Tent. Copies are $18.95 U.S. plus shipping and handling; call (800) 768-2500.~
 
 


Dick

[grandpawrichard]

Skookum Archers again!

Tips for Hunting Scent Free
Always tuck your pants into your boots, which should be rubber since they naturally emit the least amount of odor. If you must use leather, though, be sure to smother them with cover scent and odor neutralizer.
Skin naturally emits scent, so cover as much of it as possible. A popular option is to use charcoal-laced apparel that helps lock in odor.
Do not smoke or chew tobacco, if possible. Their smells linger on teeth and get into clothing. Brush your teeth.
Try to avoid contact with as many things as possible when in the woods. Even the slightest brush with a branch or leaf can deposit your scent for hours.
Before you go on a hunt, wash every item of clothing you will bring with you, from underwear to hunting cap, in an unscented detergent and hang it outside to dry.
Once they’ve been washed, cover everything you intend to bring with you, gear included, with an odor neutralizer. (Commonly forgotten items include boots, both the insides and outsides, tree stands, backpacks and weapons.) Pack all of the clothes in big plastic bags and seal them so unwanted scents don’t attach themselves to your clothes before the hunt.
Regularly check the direction of the wind. Subtle shifts or swirling wind patterns can betray your position and alert animals to your presence. Dangling a string from the tip of your rifle or bow is a good idea.
When out in the field be sure to wash with unscented soaps and dry off with the scent-free towels you prepared beforehand. Use scent free deodorant. Remember that sweating can negate all your efforts, so move slowly, but efficiently, when in the field.
Skookum Archers
http://www.skookumarchers.com/Archery%20Advice/TipsHuntingScentFree.html


Dick

[grandpawrichard]

And finally,
Here is a little story that I wrote a good many years ago that I think you might enjoy:

 The Day I Lost My Composure:
This last hunting season I was out in the woods in my favorite spot, I hunt from the ground.

I was sitting there on my stool surveying the woods and carefully looking for the Big Buck that I had seen in this area quite a few times.

Suddenly, I caught a glimps of him working his way through the brush. I was amazed how quietly a Big Bruiser like him could go through the heavy brush while making nary a sound. (I didn't loose my composure)

Slowly, he kept edging ever so close to my clearing. He was taking his own sweet time and he was constantly scanning the woods for Danger. (I still didn't loose my composure)

He was getting so close to the clearing that I figured I had best get ready for my shot. I slowly stood up as quietly as possible. I was hidden from his view as I did so. Just as I got totally stood up, he looked straight at me. I froze and didn't even dare to breath! (I still didn't Loose my composure)

Unalarmed the buck started moving again and he went into a little bunch of buck brush; so I raised my bow, he stepped out of the brush and again looked straight at me. I froze again! (I still didn't loose my composure)

He began to move again, as his head went behind a big Cedar tree, I drew my bow. He stood there with his Vital area hidden behind the tree. I was standing there at full draw for what seemed forever. (I still didn't loose my composure)

Suddenly a squirrel came running straight at me and he ran up the inside of my Left pant leg. ( I still didn't Loose my composure) 

Just as the Big Buck slowly began to move forward, another squirrel came running at me and went up the inside of my Right pant leg. (I still didn't loose my composure) 

Finally the big buck was ready to step out into the clear and I was totally ready to let the arrow fly to his Vitals. That's when I suddenly heard one little squirrel say to the other

"Shall we eat them here or shall we take them home?" 

That's When I Lost My Composure!   

Dick   

[grandpawrichard]

Back to the task at hand...helping a newbie.

Here is a link to a great article:

http://www.bowhunting.net/artman/publish/Management_Advantage/Let_Them_Walk.shtml

Dick

[grandpawrichard]

Here is a great article to help you age a deer by his looks:

1 1/2-Year-Olds
As you can see, 1 1/2-year-old bucks appear dainty with baby faces and thin necks. Their legs appear long and slender, and their torso is slim like a doe’s. In a photo of a 1 1/2-year-old buck, cover the antlers with your thumb and you will see that the body resembles a doe. Yearling buck antler development is highly variable, ranging from tiny spikes to 10 or more points. But, even super 1 1/2-year-old bucks with multiple points will have small, thin antlers. Likewise, regardless of the number of points, the length of their main beams will be short compared to older bucks. Their tarsal area will be small and lightly colored.

2 1/2-Year-Olds
The best way to describe the bodies of 2 1/2-year-old bucks is gangly and awkward. Their legs appear to be growing too fast for their body. Their bodies, while thicker than those of 1 1/2-year-olds, still have legs and necks that appear stretched in proportion. Their back and stomach area will appear very taut, and their face appears larger than their thin neck from a frontal view. The head will appear long from the side. For the first time, their antlers will begin to catch your eye, which is probably why 2 1/2 is the average age of whitetail bucks harvested in many areas. The truth is their antlers are just starting to grow. During the rut their tarsal glands may be dark, but the very darkest area is usually very small and round in appearance.

3 1/2-Year-Olds
A fuller neck and deeper chest are characteristics of a 3 1/2-year-old. Their neck muscles are expanding from increased hormones and use during the rut but are still not as large or thick as a fully-mature buck. Their chest is beginning to appear larger than their rump, but their back and stomach are still straight and taut. Also, their neck is still distinct by four or five inches from their brisket. Their tarsals will be dark during the rut but usually will appear small, and the dark staining from urine usually does not extend down the leg to the hoof.

4 1/2-Year-Olds
When bucks reach 4 1/2 they attain skeletal maturity and begin exhibiting many characteristics of full maturity. Their rump will appear full and rounded. Their neck will be more muscular and their body thicker and fuller but still trim. Their stomach and back will not appear to sag, and their jaw skin will be tight. This is the first time their legs do not appear longer than they should for their body. Their legs may even appear slightly short for the thickened body. During the rut, their tarsals will be noticeably large and dark due to repeated urinating and rubbing. In many respects, 4 1/2-year-old bucks are similar to young athletes in their early 20s. Their bodies have reached full size but are muscular and lean. Bucks at this age can grow very respectable antlers making them difficult for hunters to pass. Focus your attention on the body and face when aging, especially if the buck has very good antlers.

5 1/2-Year-Olds
At 5 1/2 years old, most bucks will be carrying the largest set of antlers they have ever grown. Their bodies also exhibit some noticeable changes. Typically, their stomach and back have a noticeable sag. Their neck will swell considerably during the rut, making the neck and brisket appear to be one continuous muscle. Also, their neck, while being very big, will appear muscular and firm and not flabby. The tarsals will be noticeably large and very dark with many bucks having staining down the inside of the leg to the hoof. Late in the rut their legs may even appear slightly white under the tarsals where the urine has scalded their hide. Also at 5 1/2, the forehead gland appears noticeably thicker and darker because of increased secretions from the glands underneath. Finally, 5 1/2-year-old bucks’ legs will appear short almost to an exaggerated extent due to fuller and fatter bodies.


Dick

[SpokaneSlayer]

Wow that's alot of info.  I may have to back and read it again to absorb it all.  I am also new to bowhunting.  Thanks for the insight.

[grandpawrichard]

You are Quite Welcome my Friend! I love to help others out!

Dick

[E-Town Hunter]

Thanks for all the information. My methods of hunting with a bow I feel pretty confident about. I am more interested in any info regarding proper form so that I make sure I don't pick up any bad habits that will be harder to break the longer I shoot and to improve my groupings at 30 yards and beyond. I'm sure I can get lots of advice on here as well, but everyone has their own idea of how it should be done. I'm not knocking anybody's methods, but I would prefer to stay with a book.

[skynyr]

A book i recently read was "Timeless Bowhunting-the art,the science, & the spirit", by Roy S. Marlow. It was a good book for a newby or an experienced archer in my opinion.

[Todd_ID]

The best thing to do is to find someone through one of the local clubs that will take you under thier wing to teach you the ropes of what archery is all about.  Tuning and form will seem like witchcraft until someone explains it in a way you can understand.  In the event of not being able to find a "mentor", then keep asking questions in separate threads on here, and you'll get some great advice.  There are thousands of collective years of mistakes and lessons to be tapped on here, and you'll save yourself many problems by asking pointed and specific questions.