If there is a consolidated thread on this topic, I apologize in advance. If there is a sticky, please point me in the right direction. As a newbie to this forum, thank you for all your wisdom. Just from scouring the threads in this forum I've gained so much good advice and knowledge. I've been bow hunting for 3 years, but was never taught some basic rules/truths/guidelines. For example, some great advice I just read recently and has been super helpful: 1. Aim for the exit point 2. Don't shoot unless you have a solid double lung shot 3. If you think you see a lot of blood, imagine bringing a cup of milk dyed with red food coloring dripping through the woods...if the blood trail is not significantly more than that - then the deer is not bleeding heavily Are there any more solid tips/tricks/advice from seasoned hunters that may help a beginner like me ready to help us get better? Good hunting to all of you and thanks in advance.
Arrow impact will be slightly higher when shooting on a downward or upward angle than when shooting on level ground. Compensate by aiming slightly low. Everyone should practice this to get a feel for how their arrows will hit when shooting up or down as very shallow angles won't affect the point of impact too much but very steep angles will make the difference in impact points greater.
Seasoned bow hunter love to give good advice; it compensates them for their inability to set a bad example. 1. In the early season focus all of your hunts in regards to the wind direction. 2. Never sit upwind of a bedding area. Any Mature deer will not revisit a spot they don’t feel safe at. 3. Wear your safety Harness. I wouldn’t have been able to take a nap without it. 4. Don’t call too much. Some deer just don’t like it and will move away from you. 5. Don’t reuse old used broad heads. 6. Don’t let the (ANY) deer see you in the stand, because if they do they’ll almost always look up there and that exposure could ruin future hunts. 7. Careful, Robin. Both Hands on the Bat-Rope. 8. Try not to touch any of the forage with you bare hands. (Leaves human scent). 9. Be careful 10. Drive safe. 11. Keep the Space Heater away from standing water while it is operational. 12. Don’t let them see you with just your socks on. 13. Most of the things you worry about never happen. 14. No point stressing out. One day we’ll all be dead and none of this S^%t will Matter…
There is no "void" or "no mans land" under the spine and over the lungs, this "void" does not exist. If you send an arrow under the spine, YOU WILL catch the upper lobes of the lungs... it's time to second guess your tracking method if you don't see or hear the deer go down, BACK OUT, wait and come back.... don't push your animals... Aim small, miss small... Keep your form, bend at the waist.... WEAR A SAFETY HARNESS.... !
-Wait atleast 1/2 hour before even looking for arrow and blood trail (if you saw or heard crash). If you didn't see him/her crash, back out for minimum 2 hours. No need to rush it. -Every broadhead can and probably has killed...find your preference. -Shoot what you will be happy about, no one else. -Know your yard limit and stick to it, no need injuring an animal. -Have respect for what you hunt. (only things I could think of at the moment that haven't been mentioned.)
15. Don't eat yellow snow 16. Don't pee into the wind I didn't learn these two things on this site, but have learned a lot by lurking around different posts.
Beautifully said but I'd amend number one to that fact if you don't see or hear the animal go down, back out longer than 1/2 hour... IMO
I am also a newb (my first year) so all this advice will help a ton! Thanks guys, and Thank you OP for starting this!
1. Don't do something too constructive. It sounds tempting to find a hobby that allows you to grow your personal skill set in addition to killing time, but it's a Pandora's Box that is best left closed. Learning too much causes you to become distracted from your mundane life. This in turn leads you to question why you aren't doing your hobby for a job. Although it may seem like a fun and possibly lucrative endeavor, there are consequences for taking such risks. When I decided that I would assist with suicides full-time and relinquish my partnership Selfbros & Associates, it seemed like a dream career move. However the pay was less, the hours were longer, and I seemed to be spending even more time in court than when I was a lawyer. Even though the satisfaction of bringing a smile to the faces of sad ex-boyfriends, jealous siblings, and organ harvesters was plentiful, my ability to live a public life was not.
Never enter your stand without out bringing a good flashlight and extra batteries. I live in the Pacific Northwest and have had to search throughout the night for blood/deer in an effort to beat a rain storm that coul otherwise have ruined a happy ending to my hunt. sometimes you just can't wait until the next day to resume your search.
This is great advise. I've forgotten my flash light several times and had the hardest time just trying to find my way out of the woods in the pitch black. it gets kinda scary when you start hearing things, yotes, twigs snap, exc...
