Hunting Tips | Archery
Gain the advantage with these great deer hunting tips.
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.
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.
Carry more arrows
It is not a good idea to hunt with only one arrow. Make sure you carry at least five arrows. If you shoot and miss a deer they may not know you are there and just keep standing. If you have more arrows, you could get another shot. This would have worked for me if I would have though about it sooner.
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.
Don't pull back too soon
When your in your tree stand don't pull back your bow until the deer gets close to you, if you pull back to soon by the time the deer gets to you, your arm will be tired and you will be a lot shakier. And another reason you don't want to pull back too soon is because when you're standing there with you're bow pulled back you're going to be making more movement than when you don't have it pulled back. So wait until the deer gets within shooting range to pull back, unless you think you won't have a chance to pull it back when its within range. Don't try to pull back when the deer is looking in your direction.
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.
Find Deer That Don't Bleed
When bow hunting you can buy a string called tracking string to find the deer that you shot late in the day. It connects to the end of your arrow. So when you hit the deer all you have to look for is the string and find your deer at the end. If the arrow manages to fall out that should unclog the hole in the deer to let the blood drip out. (Some hunters claim the string screws up their shots.)
Finding your arrows
Try putting a 1/4-inch piece of reflective tape around the end of your arrows between the noc and the fletching. This will not affect the flight of your arrow, but will make finding your arrows in the dark much easier. You just shine your light around and the tape will make your arrow light up like bright eyes.
Forget pacing off yardage
Pacing off yardage or pulling a tape measure is a set-up for failure later on in the woods. When you practice with your bow, shoot at what your eye says is 15 yards or 25 yards, etc. In doing so, you will never encounter calculated yardage in the woods. With practice you will be able to judge the distance by just looking. So don't handicap yourself, from the start. Practice and be prepared, before you pursue your favorite game.
Good sights will pay off
One thing I have learned is that you should have good sights on your bow. I have tried many different sights and hadn't found one that I liked. I recently bought a Trophy Ridge sight and I love it! There is no need to tighten them up with pliers or any tool for that matter. Once they are on you need nothing but your fingers. They don't use bolts or screws they have self-lockers on them! Before I would bump my bow and move my sights, now I don't need to worry anymore. I would recommend these sights to any bow hunter!
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.
Let your ears do the looking
If you are hunting on the ground, it is critical to remember the deer's uncanny ability to pick up movement. A successful ground hunter will learn to concentrate on what he or she hears instead of constantly moving their head back and forth at every noise. Try to watch you're shooting lanes without moving your head. Watch as much area as possible with just eye movement. Every forest animal makes a distinct sound and with practice, you will learn to differentiate the noise made by squirrels, birds, and those noises made by a deer. Once you detect the sound of a deer, only move your head as slow as possible to further investigate with your vision. If you decide to harvest a deer, remember to properly tag and check it in at the local game station.
Mark your sight pins
Once you have your bow sighted in, place a mark on your sight next to each pin. Place the mark near the center or above or below the pin, whichever is easier for you and your particular bow sight. While you are hunting, you can tell at a glance if your pins are where they are supposed to be. In case of an accidental shift in your sight pins, you will be able to return them to their correct position. You can always re-sight your bow at a later time, if you want.
Mountain air currents
Mountain air currents can be the most frustrating part of hunting in the west. They often don't seem to obey the laws of nature. Everyone who has bow hunted for any length of time has seen or heard of those "smoke" bottles. They usually come filled with talcum powder. I throw away the talc. Almost anyone who spends time in the outdoors has seen giant puffball mushrooms. I fill a zip lock with the dried spores for my "smoke bottle". Trust me, you can't improve on mother nature to come up with something specifically for riding the wind!!! You'll notice first that this stuff is much more visible, travels on the slightest currents, and will stay air born sometimes till the cloud is out of sight 60-100 yards out! Now you can learn what happens out there when thermals hit tree pockets, shade, sunlight, etc. You'll be amazed!
New bow string
Treat yourself to a new bow string every year. When you have a nice buck in your sights, you don't want your bow string to fail. That buck won't wait around for you to put that spare string on!
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.
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.
Practice makes perfect
You should begin shooting your bow and arrow well in advance of the hunting season. I like to start general shooting 2-3 months ahead of time. This way you can work all of the kinks out of your bow well in advance of the hunting season. About 4-6 weeks before the season I like to start practicing shooting from odd positions and situations - to simulate the hunt. I will shoot from sitting, crouching, standing sideways, etc. Also it is good to practice from different heights and angles. Oftentimes I climb on top of my house and shoot to simulate my treestand. This way I will be ready for the 'Big Boy'.
Practice makes perfect
You should begin shooting your bow and arrow well in advance of the hunting season. I like to start general shooting 2-3 months ahead of time. This way you can work all of the kinks out of your bow well in advance of the hunting season. About 4-6 weeks before the season I like to start practicing shooting from odd positions and situations - to simulate the hunt. I will shoot from sitting, crouching, standing sideways, etc. Also it is good to practice from different heights and angles. Oftentimes I climb on top of my house and shoot to simulate my treestand. This way I will be ready for the 'Big Boy'.
Practice shooting from your tree stand
Before season, make sure to practice shooting from your tree stand or someplace that is elevated. When you are shooting from a tree stand your arrow flies totally different, than it does on the level. For example, when I am shooting at a deer 20 yards away I use my 10-yard pin. The amount that you hold low depends on several factors. These factors are the height of the tree stand, the distance to the target and the speed of your arrow. This is why you should practice shooting from your tree stand, at the height you plan on using, at several different distances. Make a mental note of where you are hitting at these distances. If you are unable to shoot form your tree stand, you could practice shooting from the top of a building, barn or shed.
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.
Quiet your shot
Often when we shoot our bows at deer, they hear the bow string slap, causing them to crouch. In some instances, the arrow travels over the deer. To lessen this "string jump factor", just load your bow up with products from the Sims Vibration Laboratory. These products actually take most of the sound out of the bow and as an added bonus, they even reduce vibration to a great extent. These products are priced accordingly and are of great quality. The items that seem to help the most are the limb savers and the string leeches.
Rustproof your broadheads
To keep your broadheads clean and rustproof all season. Simply put a small amount of Vaseline on each blade. Then immediately place the arrow back in your quiver. You never have to worry about rusty blades because every time you pull out the broadhead it's still has a light coat of Vaseline protection on it and no scent.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Sighting in your bow
To set your bow sight pins, start with the top pin and sight in for 20 yards. Compound bows should shoot flat enough to be accurate from 0 to 20 yards with a 20-yard sight pin. If your arrow hits high move your pin up. If your arrow hits low move your pin down. If the arrow hits to the left move the pin to the left. If the arrow hits to the right move the pin to the right. Always chase your arrow with the pin. The second and third pins can be set for 30 and 40 yards or any yardage you anticipate shooting.
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.
String jumpers
Another way to beat the jumping of strings, as we archers like to call it, is hold your sight pin low. That way when the deer crouches to spring, the vital area will be lower, thus causing a hit anyway. The distance to hold low varies depending on arrow speed and the distance to your target.
String serving
Extra pieces of "super braid" fishing line make an excellent double serving. Double serving refers to the serving that is placed over the factory plastic serving to prevent chafing from release aids. I recommend using 80lb line and super gluing the knots. Super braid fishing line also works great to secure peep sights.
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!
String serving
Extra pieces of "super braid" fishing line make an excellent double serving. Double serving refers to the serving that is placed over the factory plastic serving to prevent chafing from release aids. I recommend using 80lb line and super gluing the knots. Super braid fishing line also works great to secure peep sights.
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!
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.
The three second release
Recently while bow hunting in Idaho I met several unique hunters. They all had advice for me. The one that stands out the most was the 3-second release! Everyone practices stealth, scent control, and shot placement. Do you practice quick releases? It didn't make sense at first but after hunting elk it makes a lot of sense. Practice by drawing your bow back and have a buddy count to three. Release your arrow before he/she gets to three. Practice grouping your arrows in a 3-second time frame. 75% of all shots are made under quick and stressful conditions. By practicing quick releases you will have the confidence and skill to make quick shots! You master the 3-second release and you will increase your shot opportunity by 50%.
Two eyes are better than one
While bow hunting, a lot of guys will shut one eye. This is a common habit for beginners. You might not know this but the military trains snipers to shoot with both eyes open. Sounds silly right? Not really. By keeping both eyes open, especially bow hunting you not only see the whole target/animal, but your eyes work together, causing less strain on your eyes, which allows for a clearer target. Try shooting with both eyes open and you will find yourself making better shots. You will also see the arrow and the game immediately after the release! Also, have you ever had trouble finding your target in your scope? You will find it much quicker if you keep both eyes open.
Use carbon arrows
I use Easton carbon arrows they are great! In my opinion they are the best. If you can afford the extra cost, fill your quiver with extreme precision and accuracy with carbon arrows.
Use Pendulum Sights
When bow hunting from a tree stand it is best to use a pendulum sight. Amazing sight automatically compensates for distance, height of tree stand and bow poundage. Just aim and shoot. The sight will swing to the exact point of impact if you have it sighted in properly. 0-30 yards is the best for this type of sight.
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.
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