8 IMPORTANT BOWHUNTING TIPS FOR BEGINNERS

If you hunt deer long enough, you will eventually become curious about hunting with bows. This is a natural progression because of the silence and stealth that a bow and arrow provide. Just as there are a set of fundamental keys that every rifle hunter must always keep in mind, bowhunting comes with its own set of fundamentals that need to be at the forefront of the hunter’s mind.

Always Keep Your Hunting Licenses with You

There is no one-size-fits-all option for this one. Each state has its own laws in regards to hunting licensure. There will undoubtedly be some form of license required by the state. The game warden usually takes care of hunting and fishing licenses.

Let’s begin with treating our equipment. This is an area commonly overlooked by many hunters. It really doesn’t matter how serious you take personal hygiene if you throw your portable in the back of the truck on top of those oily rags that are laying next to the leaky gas can. Simply put, a whitetail really doesn’t care if the offending odors it smells are coming from you or your equipment. All it cares about is ‘something ain’t right here and I’m not sticking around to find out what it is’. Obviously then, it is as important to treat our equipment as it is our clothes and ourselves.

Finding the Right Gear

Selecting the right bow is critical to having a successful bowhunt. Your bow must be fit for your body type, and the game you will be hunting. The draw length and draw height of the bow will be a matter of choice. The longer your arms, the longer you will want your draw lengths. Your equipment specialist will be able to help you with this.

Choosing Your Release Technique

When it comes to releasing the bow to shoot the arrow, two general styles can be used to accomplish an accurate shot. The traditional release is the standard release using your so-called shooting fingers to release the bowstring. The mechanical version utilizes any number of bow-release aids on the market. These mechanical aids have trigger releases.

Each and everything we bring with us needs to be treated with respect. Before I bring stands, tree steps, climbing sticks, safety harnesses, bow, release, arm guard, ect. into the woods, I wash them in a mixture of water and ‘Scent Killer’ liquid soap from Wildlife Research Center. After allowing them to sufficiently air out in the yard, I transport them to the desired location. While in transport, I either seal them in a plastic bag or, for items that are not practical to store in a bag, I lay them on the bags. Once I arrive at the location, I give them a liberal dousing of ‘Scent Killer’ Spray to offset any odors they may have picked up in transit. Now they are ready to enter the woods.

Wear Your Safety Harness

Hunting those whitetails from a tree stand can be advantageous, however, if you expose yourself to injury because you failed to wear your safety harness. The harness should be worn the entire time you are on the tree stand.

Each and everything we bring with us needs to be treated with respect. Before I bring stands, tree steps, climbing sticks, safety harnesses, bow, release, arm guard, ect. into the woods, I wash them in a mixture of water and ‘Scent Killer’ liquid soap from Wildlife Research Center. Next to the compound bow, they have done more to increase my success than any other new development in the hunting industry. Even with this said, far too many people make the mistake of ignoring personal hygiene and treating there clothing. As good as these products are, they aren’t a cure for laziness.

Hunt with a Seasoned Bowhunter

It is utterly foolish to go hunting without an experienced hunter when you are a novice. This is doubly true for bow hunters. Accompanying a seasoned bowhunter will assure that you get the proper guidance and teaching needed to have a successful outing.

Be Discrete

The whole point is not to startle the animal before you can make your shot. Make sure to cover as much of your flesh as possible in hunting camouflage.

Each and everything we bring with us needs to be treated with respect. Before I bring stands, tree steps, climbing sticks, safety harnesses, bow, release, arm guard, ect. into the woods, I wash them in a mixture of water and ‘Scent Killer’ liquid soap from Wildlife Research Center. After allowing them to sufficiently air out in the yard, I transport them to the desired location. While in transport, I either seal them in a plastic bag or, for items that are not practical to store in a bag, I lay them on the bags. Once I arrive at the location, I give them a liberal dousing of ‘Scent Killer’ Spray to offset any odors they may have picked up in transit. Now they are ready to enter the woods.

Aim with Accuracy

Being accurate is the most essential part of hunting with a bow. You have to not only know where to aim, but you need to hit the target with accuracy. This naturally comes with practice. I must preface one thing first. You may have already noticed that I refer to this as odor control, not as scent elimination or being scent-free. I do not believe that it is ever possible to completely eliminate all human odor. The human body is a finely tuned odor-producing machine and to think we can halt its assembly line-like production of odor is a fantasy.

Choose the Right Hunting Ground

No matter what type of gear you use, it improves your odds for success if the deer population is higher. There are even whitetail real estate properties that are excellent for whitetail hunting.

Next to the compound bow, they have done more to increase my success than any other new development in the hunting industry. Even with this said, far too many people make the mistake of ignoring personal hygiene and treating there clothing. As good as these products are, they aren’t a cure for laziness.

Conclusion

Bowhunting is an exciting and fun side of hunting, but the skill does not come overnight. Be patient and give it some time. It also helps to be a diligent listener when being instructed by an experienced bowhunter.