advice for first timer!

[ku-tech]

so this year will be my first time deer hunting with my first bow! what advice would you give me beside basic advices. something that you learn and want to pass on to other hunters to make them better! ::cheers::

[tripnchip]

Not knowing what you consider basic, I'll say learn to enjoy the time spent on stand by observing all the little critters and the crazy things they do. You'll find that you will be settng stiller and be more observent because you are looking for small game as well as the deer. This will also help teach you the difference in the sound of a rabbit,a grouse, a deer or what ever approching you.

[Spinach]

A common mistake that i see from a lot of beginners is spotting deer.

Some people wait for a deer to appear broadside in front of them before they realize its their. Make sure you look for the little things, white tails, ear twitching, antler glare, any type of movement could indicate a deer coming in.

I wish i could give you some pointers on sound, but I still get confused every year. Iv'e had squirrells come to me that sound like deer and deer coming in so fast that I'd bet money it was a squirrel or dog. Just stay quiet, watch your movement and check every sound or movement out, dont move your head or body fast, use and move your eyes as much as possible without moving the rest of your body.

When you do spot a deer, dont rush yourself, wait for the right time to get in position, most of the time, you'll have a split second when your hidden by a tree from the deers view, make your move then and get ready.

A lot of this is basic stuff, but good reminders for all of us!

Good Luck

[dearme]

 oops2.gif WHEN YOU DO MAKE THAT NOISE AND THE DEER LOOKS STRAIGHT AT YOU EYE TO EYE DONT MOVE  WAIT FOR THEM TO LOWER THE HEAD AGIN SOME TIMES THEY WILL LOWER THE HEAD AND GO RIGHT BACK TO LOOKING AT YOU STAY CALM AND WAIT FOR THEM TO LOOK AWAY AND SWICH THAT TAIL A GOOD SIGN THAT THEY STILL FEEL SAFE STAY CALM MOVE SLOW AND PLAY THE WIND

[blazer]

Practice Practice Practice. Make sure you know your bow and only take shots you are confident with.  You don't want to wound an animal with a misplaced shot.  Also know the different ranges from your tree stand.  I will usually hang small pieces of flagging tape on trees surrounding my stand so I have a visual reference of what 15 yards, 20 yards, 30 yards is.  It an easy way to confirm your distance to the target.

[ku-tech]

thanks a lot guys. those were some very useful tip!

[MnArch]

Ya know, the first time I ever went hunting I payed more attention to not moving than I did anything.  By the end of each hunt I was cramped with the agony of trying to be a statue.  Be still, be quiet, but be comfortable. 

[tripnchip]

good tip MNarch, you have to keep the mucels limber to pull the bow, espeicaly true in colder weather.

[Grute Man]

Yeah I got so cold I was shivering un-controlably one year on a 55 degree day.  There was a slight wind and I just couldn't retain any body heat.  I got an idea to do deep knee bends in my stand to warm up just to be surprised to have a doe and fawn tippy toe up behind me.   DOH!!  ::hittingself::

[tripnchip]

lol Grute, One night I decided i would pull my bow a couple times to limber up. I takes a real good look around and puts a practice arrow on the bow just in case somthing went wrong and the arrow got away from me. I cmes to full draw with some effort holds a few sec and let down. I wait a few secs. and come to full draw agin aiming by a spruce where the trail comes out from behind it and out steps a fawn. Then I noticed mom behind it. Of coase when I let down mom caught me and the jig was over.

[Grute Man]

lol Grute, One night I decided i would pull my bow a couple times to limber up. I takes a real good look around and puts a practice arrow on the bow just in case somthing went wrong and the arrow got away from me. I cmes to full draw with some effort holds a few sec and let down. I wait a few secs. and come to full draw agin aiming by a spruce where the trail comes out from behind it and out steps a fawn. Then I noticed mom behind it. Of coase when I let down mom caught me and the jig was over.

    You're busted!!  Isn't it amazing how they can walk in as quiet as a shadow?  Every time I get surprised like that, I wonder, how long was that deer starin at me.  Sneaky suns ah guns.   ::hittingself::

[Mayfly]

so this year will be my first time deer hunting with my first bow! what advice would you give me beside basic advices. something that you learn and want to pass on to other hunters to make them better! ::cheers::

So how have you been doing? Have yuo been out?

 happy2.gif

[outdoorfamilyof6]

I have to say thanks too. I know I didnt pose the question but with it being my first season with a bow too..... :)  AND I just found out Im left eye dominant so things are even more trricky..  They keep telling me not to shot unless IM SURE its going to be a kill shot.  We dont want a hurt animal out there.  But everything you said sounds like sound advise nad Ill be sure to put in to  test wednesday when I go out!! :) 
Harmony

[tripnchip]

 Harmony, Just one more little thing you might want to think about for next year. During the off season well paracticing set ypur bow a couploe lbs. heavier then what you will use for hunting, as long as it donsen't make you delovpe bad habbits. I started doing this a few years ago after being out a cooler day and having the muscles tighten up so bad I couldn't pull my bow back when the time of truth came. Since I started pacticing at a little heaver wt. I have not had a problem. Just set the bow at hunting wt. a week or so before seasn to practice and get the bow tuned. Most likely you'll just have to set the sights.
  Hope your hunting has been going better then mine or my lack of huntting because of the rain.

[iowabowhunter]

Only release your arrow in the middle of exhaling.  Don't hold your breath.  If you get a shot watch where you hit the deer and absolutely watch for the direction it ran AND whether it falls.  If you gut shot it, it'll probably run for a bit but will lie down and bleed out and you don't want to immediately trail it or it'll get up again and run forever.  Lung shot can run for a ways.  A heart shot won't let them get very far at all.   If you do shoot one sit in your stand for a halfhour before going after it unless you know it was a heart shot then maybe 20 minutes.  If it's cool enough you can even come back the next day to make sure you haven't spooked it.