I have a 'buddy' of mine that I mostly fish with. He has become a hunting buddy as well the last few years. Before I get started on 'him', I wanted to let everyone here know that this is why I love this forum. Everyone here seems to know what it takes to be a 'good' bowhunter. Practice, practice and more practice. Shoot as much as you can throughout the year. Everyone here seems to get that and understand that. Okay, back to my 'buddy'. He just bought himself a used bow yesterday. Thinks he got a steal. It's a Fred Bear Vision 300. Not a bad bow by any means. It's an older bow, but not bad. He will start shooting it tonight. The problem, you ask? Tomorrow is our opener here in Tenn. He has never shot this bow. Doesn't even have it sighted in. He expects to go out tomorrow and kill a deer. One of them kind of people that figures, "hey, shoot a few arrows through it and I am good to go." BTW, I should mention. He also is one of those kinds of guys that 'knows everything'. You can't tell him anything, and you can't reason with him. He already knows everything. Kind of reminds me of a teenager. No offense to those of you that are teenagers. This guy is in his early 40's. All I can do is shake my head. If he thinks he is going to go hunting with me the first month of the season, he is wrong. I will tell him to get some more practice. Although I know he will go by himself.
Honestly just let him go screw himself. Those people have to screw it up before the do it right. Just try not to hunt in the same woods with him. Hopefully he doesn't get lucky and kill his first time out. Then he'll never learn. Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk
Haha, wow...maybe he'll turn out to be a natural, how do you know. I'm going to laugh my butt off if he kills a deer first off and proves everyone wrong.
So whats the issue here, Is this your land you will be hunting on or public? If its your place and you aren't comfortable with him yet just let him know that he has to practice for a few weeks before he can hunt. If its public ground I wouldn't bother trying to reason with him then. Just make sure he knows where to aim and educate him on the low % shots to avoid and you have done your part. Like Covey said maybe he will get lucky and get a deer the first time out.
I should mention here that he is not new to hunting with a bow. He has done it before. He has not shot a bow all year and this bow he just bought is new to him. He has shot at 3 deer since I have known him and has not taken one deer yet. First year out, he shot a crossbow at a doe and missed. Second was a muzzleloader, and last year he shot at one with a rifle. He just doesn't spend any time learning to shoot. Just goes out there and shoots wildly at deer. I only hunt public land. So, I will just try to make sure he isn't in the same woods as I am. Lol.
I have distanced myself from some friends due to their hunting pratices. Some people just don't care.
Sounds like my neighbor. Our opener here in IL is this coming Wed. He has yet to shoot his bow since he missed a doe last November. How do I know? He told me so last night! He is thinking about doing some shooting this weekend.
Not much you can do. He isn't breaking any laws. It's too bad his ignorance will result in a conservation disaster.
I had a friend that did that this year. I said I wouldn't take him until he could hit a paper plate every time from the distance he planned on hunting from. I just don't want to validate someone shooting at a deer that hasn't gone through the learning to shoot process. If you can't hit with zero nerve, then good luck when a big buck walks up. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Let him hunt, he`ll ruin it for himself then he`ll come to you for answers, then you say" I told you so"
There are other issues here too imho...does he have any clue about the tagging of a Deer, does he know how to field dress a Deer, does he know the laws and rules of your State regarding Deer Hunting etc.....as important and needed as practice shooting your weapon of choice is, there are soooo many things to Deer Hunting...does he know how to hang a treestand, does he know how to wear a harness correctly....some people just feel as if their Gods gift to everything and anything...this sounds like your friend
Wouldn't think it is a huge deal if he shot a bow a lot prior to the new bow and assuming he would sight it in. Just keep your distance and tell him you like bowhunting on your own. Know it all.....along with stupid is a bad combination.
Has he shot a bow before? If he has then the switch might not even do anything. Did he shoot the bow when he got it?
Yeah, but because of the poor shot, he'll be on the site looking for ways to locate his now wounded trophy.
