Most of the hunters out in the field any given season will be hunting with firearms because they require less practice prior to use in a live hunt. They also have the advantage of being able to bring down game at a much greater distance. Archery Hunting with a bow is up-close and personal. Bow hunting requires highly trained hunting skills like stealth and tracking. If you're willing to practice and train, archery hunting with a bow provides a primal hunting experience like no other. Bow Hunting is an art that isn't mastered in a few days. True mastery is a lifetime commitment. It's not for everyone. But if it is for you, welcome to the brotherhood!
Naturally, you will need to find a place to practice. Even if you live on a large property, or near open land where you can practice, you should also join a local archery club. You can easily search for them online. Besides the fact they will surely have a club practice range, you will have the advantage of the other members who will certainly be eager to help you improve your skills.
Here are the eight essential tips for Archery - Hunting with a Bow--
(1) Carefully check all your equipment before every hunt. Be sure you have time to repair/replace/refurbish any equipment that isn't performing in top-notch condition. Of course the key to keeping your gear ready to go at a moments notice is always clean it and inspect it thoroughly after every hunt before you store it. Top hunters are always ready to go no matter what time of day or night the phone rings with the news that the hunt is on. Discovering that your bow is seriously out of tune when you're on-site is for tourists.
(2) Get and use a decent rangefinder. Maybe you have the perfect abilty to judge distance by sight and maybe you're smart enough to know you don't. If you're hunting from a tree stand or a blind, a ragefinder will allow you to set the sights on your bow with extreme accuracy and help insure a perfect shot. If you're stalking prey, a ragefinder will will help you guage how close you're getting to where you need to be to make the shot.
(3) If you're hunting from a tree stand or blind, use the rangefinder to determine the exact range to significant landmarks in your field of fire. Carefully chosen rocks, trees, branches, etc. can provide you with pre-sighted distance markers and help you quickly take advantage of opportunities as soon as they arise. Do this pre-sighting as soon as you get settled in your position. You don't want to miss a shot because you were too busy fiddle-farting around in your blind to be ready.
(4) Don't forget that accuracy will always count more than speed when you are hunting with a bow. Make sure your bow has a draw weight you can easily handle so you can take your time to sight your shot and not have to worry about holding the draw. If you hunt from a tree stand, you will be drawing from a seated position which makes drawing the bow more difficult so don't forget to adjust for this when choosing and setting-up your bow before a hunt.
(5) Archery hunting requires patience. If you can't sit quietly and calmly for hours at a time, bow hunting may not be for you. Even if you choose to actively stalk game instead of waiting in a stand or blind, it will likely take you several hours to catch up with any game tracks you find. Once you have sighted your target, you will need the patience to move into position with slow and easy movements.
(6) Deer are the most common game sought by bow hunters and the game I personally recommend for archery hunting beginners. You should try for a broadside shot to the heart or lung. If you can wait for a shot when the deer's head is hidden behind a tree, but his shoulder presents a perfect shot, you're in the best possible position! Deer are quick and wary and easily spooked so you'll need to practice changing positions in a calm and quiet way to be ready no matter where the game shows.
(7) Change your location every hunt. Repeated visits to the same location will only increase the amount of human scent you leave behind and game animals will quickly alter their habits to avoid your scent.
(8) The worst mistake you can make when archery hunting with a bow is missing the target kill zone. You must know the target kill zone of every animal you hunt. If you only manage to wound your prey, you are causing a lot of needless suffering, so practice often before a hunt with targets marked with the appropriate kill zones.
By preparing carefully and practicing often, bow hunting can offer a uniquely rewarding and primal hunting experience like nothing else you've ever tried.
To get started with Archery Hunting you will need some essential equipment, outlined here.
Compound Bow - Obviously you need a bow for bow hunting. If you are already a member of an archery or bow hunting club, you will probably have had the chance to see and test different bows and you probably have a pretty good idea of what you're looking for. If you're not a member of a club, I highly recommend you join one right away! They are great resources and your success is much more likely with help from experienced hunters and archers.
CrossBow - Crossbows are becoming more and more popular among sport hunters for their ease of use and compact form. They make a great choice for hunters who might now have the ability to draw and hold a long bow or compound bow for the time it takes to line up the shot.
Bow Sights - When combined with a good rangefinder, bow sights are invaluable for making a great shot. Using the rangefinder, you can use landmarks like rocks and trees as target distance references and know exactly how far away your target will be when they come into your blind's area of control.
Arrows - You'll need the right arrows for the game you'll be hunting and that usually means an assortment of broadheads. As you progress in the sport, your supply of arrows will expand. It seems like you can never have too many arrows.
Clothing and Protective Gear - Because Archery Hunting with a Bow requires you to get closer to your game, good camo gear is essential. Be sure to get something with good range of motion for the movements required to draw and sight the bow.
Quiver - You will absolutely need some way to transport your supply of arrows. It is always better to have plenty of arrows on hand and not have to leave the blind to retrieve arrows until the day's hunt is over.
Blinds and/or Tree Stands - Bow Hunting from a blind or tree stand and bringing the game to you is a proven strategy and you'll need the right gear to do it.
Scent Blockers - Because you can't control the wind, you need a good scent blocker in case you can't always stay down wind from your target area.
Archery Hunting is a great outdoor sport and may your next hunt be successful!
Here are the current eBay listings for bowhunting:
Hunting with a bow has become a very popular sport and once you try it, you will know why. Hunting with a bow forces you to connect with your game and your environment in a way that rifle hunting never will. Bow hunting today requires the same skills perfected in the dim mists of time by ancient hunters using stone tipped arrows. Bow hunting is the primal way to hunt.
If you're new to bow hunting, there are a few things you will need to know before you will be ready to take to the field.
1) Keep it legal - Be sure to know and understand all the hunting and legal regulations for your state and municipality. Hunting seasons and bow regulations vary from state to state and sometimes from county to county. Check with your state fish and game commission for the laws in your area. Here is a listing of all the various state commissions: State Fish and Game Commissions
A license is always required so be sure to get yours well in advance of hunting season. Many states require you to complete a hunter safety course before obtaining a hunting permit so be sure to plan well in advance.
2) It's All About the Bow - The bow is the basic piece of Archery Hunting Equipment so take your time to research and learn everything you can about bows. There are many types and styles to choose from and they each have their strengths and weaknesses. Here are the four basic bow types:
Longbow - also called straight bows and stick bows. This is the most basic bow design. English style longbows are usually five to six feet long and are traditionally made from yew wood.
Recurve - the recurve bow has ends which curve away from the shooter, creating more tension in the drawn bow and hence a faster arrow. Because of their relatively compact form, recurve bows are usually more suitable when the hunters will be moving through brush or riding horseback.
Compound bow - compound bows are highly engineered bows that use the mechanics of pulleys and the power of spring steel to launch a high speed arrow. Compound bows need to be carefully tailored to the shooter, so informed selection is essential. Get the help of a professional when selecting your first compound bow.
Crossbow - Crossbows are bows mounted on a stock and they fire with a trigger like a gun. Many states regulate crossbows differently than other bows, so be sure to check your local regulations before buying a crossbow. Because of their "point and shoot" design, crossbows are the easiest bows to use and require less practice to be effective hunting weapons.
3) Arrows and Points - The type of bow you select will have a bearing on the type of arrow you select, so be sure to ask what types of arrows are recommended when you purchase your bow. The most popular choices for arrows are wood, aluminum, and carbon fiber. There may be regulations controlling which types of arrows you can use in your area so be informed. The points you use depend on the type of shooting you will be doing. Field points are used for practice and small game. Broadheads are used for hunting and larger game. Special points are used for bow fishing and other specialized types of hunting.
4) Join a club - Archery and bow hunting clubs are an excellent source of fun and information. Your fellow members will gladly help you get started and will be your best resource for discovering where to go and what to do. Some clubs even have their own exclusive hunting areas reserved for club use only.
You may be one of today's high-tech bowhunters tricked out with all the latest gear, but you're still a bow hunter and once you're tracking game or sitting in a blind, and then sighting in on your game, the thrill of the hunt is the connection you have with ancient hunters using stone tipped arrows. Bow hunting is primal hunting, regardless of the gear you're using.
Most of the hunters out in the field any given season will be hunting with firearms because they require less practice prior to use in a live hunt. They also have the advantage of being able to bring down game at a much greater distance. Archery Hunting with a bow is up-close and personal. Bow hunting requires highly trained hunting skills like stealth and tracking. If you're willing to practice and train, archery hunting with a bow provides a primal hunting experience like no other. Bow Hunting is an art that isn't mastered in a few days. True mastery is a lifetime commitment. It's not for everyone. But if it is for you, welcome to the brotherhood!
