Article - Is Bow Hunting on Your Mind??

[Mayfly]

The time is now if you are a bow hunter. Over a month ago I started thinking about it, but now I am really kicking it into high gear — and so should you.

Over late winter and early spring I did a lot of scouting. Combine that with last summer’s scouting trips and the season in the woods and I think I have a good idea of what my deer may be doing opening day. In the evenings, I have been glassing some field edges where I hunt and things are pretty active. If everything goes as planned, I could have a doe on the dinner table on opening
night.

If you are a bow hunter you probably can relate to what I am going to say, but this is for those of you new to the sport or who may be thinking about getting into it.

Ten years ago I first picked up a bow. I walked into one of the local bow shops and told them that I needed a starter bow. I didn’t want to invest a lot of money, as I was new to the sport and slowly trying to get into it. The employees at the shop I chose were more that happy to set me up, and they gave me exactly what I wanted — a good solid bow that was outfitted at a great price. I also got a set of arrows and was shooting that day. It wasn’t long before I was shooting bullseyes. I did that for a couple months and I was off into the woods.

I knew I loved to deer hunt, and after years of short rifle seasons I thought maybe bow hunting was for me. Every year I had spent hours and days scouting for the rifle season, and then it came and went and it was done. I wanted more time in the woods, and that’s what bow hunting has done. Not only do I hunt from September through the end of December, but on every trip into the woods I learn something about the deer, and that’s what I love about it. It is as up-close and personal as you will ever get to the whitetail deer without going to a deer park with a bag of corn. 

If you to love to hunt deer and haven’t thought about bow hunting, I think maybe it is time to look into it. You could be into a bow within days and shooting bullseyes the same day. With some practice you could be in a tree stand by the beginning of October. The time that the leaves start to fall is always my favorite time in the stand; the deer that have been skirting around in the thicker trees and brush are now revealed to and you can start noting patterns a bit easier.

I remember the first day I ever set foot into the woods with a bow; I shot a doe at sunset. That sealed the deal for me; I knew that evening I was hooked. I was hunting an the edge of a clover field and the deer were still in their summer feeding routine and they were everywhere. About an hour before sunset they were slowly invading my area. What a rush that was. It was getting dark and a small doe stopped broadside and I had to take the shot — my first day bow hunting and I shoot a deer. That is not common, by any means. I have been bow hunting for almost 10 years now and I can count the number of deer I have harvested by bow on one hand. It can be downright frustrating, but just seeing a deer is a good hunt for me.

If you want to read more about bow hunting and hear stories from other hunters check out MNO www.mnoutdoorsman.com. The people there are very helpful when it comes to bow hunting and helping fellow outdoorsmen get involved. Good Luck!

[Randy Kaar]

you back on line Tim?  i might use that for my next CL ad.

randy

[proangler16]

Great Story Tim!!!      We need a Fudd Dude on here shooting a Bow?

[22lex]

Definately enjoyed reading that on my scheduled work break.

[Cody Gruchow]

glad i aint the only one thats going to put a doe down on opener if given the chance i shoot a doe first then i hunt for a buck, meat comes first. i hear you on this article tim, i been thinking about it everyday and been pulling string alot lately.

[HUNTER2]

I wont be shooting a doe right away because we only get 1 deer where I hunt. 

[Cody Gruchow]

well i will only shoot 2 deer if i can 1 buck and 1 doe. but metro you can take one buck and an unlimited number of does if i read it correctly

[Grute Man]

Last year I put 2 in my freezer.  Between me, 2 normal kids and one that eats like Jethro Bodeen, it ran out pretty quick and we were buying beef for quite a while.  I'll take all the does I can get and if a big handsome buck comes by, I'll take that too but no holding out for him.

[Cody Gruchow]

thats why the first doe that walks past young or old is toast, so i can have some venison im almost out.

[ironranger]

I usually take the first decent doe I see. I won't shoot a yearling opening day, but maybe on Sunday. ;-)
This year in my zone it looks like we can take 7 legal deer this year. It's intensive management area and also where I hunt they opened a two day doe rifle hunt in October! Yipee!
Got the trail cam out and finally got a buck a couple weeks ago, the picture you see. I just found this site, good luck to all of you this year.

[Realtree]

Great article Tim!  I have been thinking about trying bow hunting here lately and over the past month or so my son who is a 2nd grader has exhibited an interest in getting a bow also.

We visited the Fall Deer & Turkey Expo last year and he took a few shots at one of the booths and did quite well so we are considering getting one for him over the winter also now.

[Realtree]

Great Story Tim!!!      We need a Fudd Dude on here shooting a Bow?

He's not Fudd, but I did find an Archery Smiley that I added to the list. 

 

[Randy Kaar]

Cool!   

                   


randy

[sjohnnie26]

Thanks Scott!  We needed this one.