For you bowhunters

[mdeerjunkie]

I went on an archery elk bow hunt last year (still have a lot of learning to do) and am excited to go archery mule deer this year. What would be some tips you all would have for a novice bow hunter, who wants to improve his skills. What are somethings you know now that you wish you would of learned earlier? Any gear you can’t live without? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Valley1320]

One thing I've learned is to have PATIENCE. Cuz when I lose patience and get in a rush is when I screw it up. And it's something I always haft to remind myself.

 

[Valley1320]

Also one thing I love to do if rabbits are plentiful in your area is to go out and shoot rabbits with a blunt or fixed blade broadhead at especially higher yardages

 

[JMG]

ALWAYS know which direction the wind or thermals are moving. You can sometime fool their eyes and ears, but never their nose.

 

[Anschutz]

One thing I've learned is to have PATIENCE. Cuz when I lose patience and get in a rush is when I screw it up. And it's something I always haft to remind myself.

^This combined with being able to freeze and watch the deer that has you pinned down without turning your head towards it.

 

[Anschutz]

Also one thing I love to do if rabbits are plentiful in your area is to go out and shoot rabbits with a blunt or fixed blade broadhead at especially higher yardages

Small game with a bow is a blast.

 

[cedahm]

ALWAYS know which direction the wind or thermals are moving. You can sometime fool their eyes and ears, but never their nose.

Not a thing more important than wind to generate opportunities. Also - have some idea of what the wind is probably doing in your target location (e.g. if I glass up or hear a bull from a distance, it's likely the wind in my face at that moment is different than the wind where the elk is standing).

Since you mention deer - in my (limited) mule deer archery experience, sound and sight are MUCH more important with deer than elk.

Also in no particular order:

- Practice, practice, practice. I set a personal distance limit based on how much I shoot before season. Some years it's a lot closer than I'd like but it's realistic.
- Don't assume animals are doing the same things in the same places as 'last year' (last month, last decade, etc). I re-learn this lesson every year in a place that I know extremely well. Anecdotally - due to a combination of factors in 2019 (weather, domestic livestock movement pattern changes, water), the elk were in places we'd never found them before. It so happened that when we did find them, they were too far to be practical recoveries for the 2 of us so we moved to our backup location.

 

[dirtclod Az.]

Not a thing more important than wind to generate opportunities. Also - have some idea of what the wind is probably doing in your target location (e.g. if I glass up or hear a bull from a distance, it's likely the wind in my face at that moment is different than the wind where the elk is standing).

Since you mention deer - in my (limited) mule deer archery experience, sound and sight are MUCH more important with deer than elk.

Also in no particular order:

- Practice, practice, practice. I set a personal distance limit based on how much I shoot before season. Some years it's a lot closer than I'd like but it's realistic.
- Don't assume animals are doing the same things in the same places as 'last year' (last month, last decade, etc). I re-learn this lesson every year in a place that I know extremely well. Anecdotally - due to a combination of factors in 2019 (weather, domestic livestock movement pattern changes, water), the elk were in places we'd never found them before. It so happened that when we did find them, they were too far to be practical recoveries for the 2 of us so we moved to our backup location.

Practice,practice, but not just at standing targets.Vary your range and trajectory.
Especially above and below shots.Also practice in windy conditions. I missed a great Buck
at the Kiabab because I was above him,aimed for the vitals and shot right over his shoulder.
Missed three Javelina in Jan.,all to the left because of wind.Mix it up.Kill some rabbits or ground squirrells.
Good luck and keep practicing. 〽
Oh yea,buy extra arrows...

 

[KipCarson]

I was in a discussion the other day similar to this, the question put forward was how to be a good bowhunter, the answer is simply go bowhunting. Here’s what I mean, I know tons of guys who bow hunt occasionally but the first second they get a chance to grab a rifle they do it. I see you’re located in Colorado and won’t have the same opportunities we have in some eastern states due to limited tags and short seasons that are weapon specific, however, every opportunity you get to put a bow in your hand get after it. I can deer hunt from Oct 1-Jan 31 and only about 5 weeks out of the 4 month season is bow only. Me and my brother choose to take 4 entire months of bow hunting and never touch a gun. Don’t take that as me being the “bow only” guy who bashes people shooting things with a rifle at a distance and taking the “easy way out”. That’s not my position. I am just saying that if you’re not dedicated to it you won’t be as productive with it. We kill as much with a bow in rifle season as the rifle guys around us do, hunting on property that has guys rifle hunting right along with us. I heard an outfitter once on a podcast discuss the hunts where people come with a bow and bring a rifle for backup and invariably when the pressure gets on they just fill the tag with a rifle, but the guys who don’t plan on backup tend to get what they’re after with a bow.

 

[Lige]

Sneak into your glassing spots using the shadows, cover, etc. - don't skyline yourself
Take your time picking a sneak route - marking landmarks, other deer, etc.
Face glare - for me my face stands out about as much as a muley butt, so I wear a face covering when in sneak or ambush mode
Practice from different positions - kneeling, sitting on the ground, etc.
Practice holding as long as you can and still make a quality shot
Practice estimating yardages and then verify with range finder
When on a sneak resist the urge to keep peeking once you get to about 100 yds on a deer/elk, get to the spot where you want to shoot from and then peek

 

[jvanhoy]

Pick a spot pick a spot pick a spot! Drive this in your head. It’s so easy to just shoot at an animal instead of a spot on an animal. Especially something as big as a elk. I’ve bow hunted for around 25 years and it’s still something I say in my head when it’s go time.

 

[NYyotekiller]

Practice and be proficient at twice the distance that you feel comfortable shooting at an animal. This will greatly increase your confidence In the field.

 

[p_ham]

Everybody's right on with their suggestions. I'll add to practice shooting from different positions (from your knees, kneeling, sitting..), practice after vigorous exercise, and practice drawing from behind cover, then slowly creeping out for the shot. Wind, patience, and shooting on inclines are all very big aspects to mule deer hunting.
Don't forget mental toughness. Those bucks are magical and will best you 90% of the time.

 

[cedahm]

Pick a spot pick a spot pick a spot! Drive this in your head. It’s so easy to just shoot at an animal instead of a spot on an animal. Especially something as big as a elk. I’ve bow hunted for around 25 years and it’s still something I say in my head when it’s go time.

Good one. In one of his earlier episodes, Rinella talked about stickers his dad would put on their bows when they were kids. That resonated with me, so I had some made cheap and put one on my riser every year:

 

[Rackmastr]

Sweet sticker!

 

[Cullboss]

Also check out John Dudley and his school of nock on youtube.

 

[dgc1963]

Sneak into your glassing spots using the shadows, cover, etc. - don't skyline yourself
Take your time picking a sneak route - marking landmarks, other deer, etc.
Face glare - for me my face stands out about as much as a muley butt, so I wear a face covering when in sneak or ambush mode
Practice from different positions - kneeling, sitting on the ground, etc.
Practice holding as long as you can and still make a quality shot
Practice estimating yardages and then verify with range finder
When on a sneak resist the urge to keep peeking once you get to about 100 yds on a deer/elk, get to the spot where you want to shoot from and then peek

Yes to all of this
I even run 50 yrds and shoot my bow ,twist your self around knelling and shoot
and put animals on the ground you have to become good at closing the deal to do it on a regular basis and all the practice at a target is still not a live animal

 

[DK27]

Great thread!