# Taking a crack at archery (deer) for the first time



## deljoshua (Jul 29, 2013)

So, I decided I was going to take a shot at archery this year. I put in for the dedicated hunter program so that I still had a shot at a deer if I missed out during archery. I drew my tag. I got a bow in December and have been practicing since and feel really comfortable shooting now. I have done muzzleloader before but never archery. Does anybody have advice on technique for stalking deer or hunting from a blind or any other approaches to getting in close enough for a shot? Any tips/advice would be very much appreciated. Thanks in advance!


----------



## KRH (Jul 27, 2015)

Three quick tips:

First, spend more time scouting than you would for rifle hunting. Not saying rifle hunting is easy, but just finding the bucks will often suffice for a rifle hunt. For archery, scout to the point where you have a good idea where the bucks will bed, go to water, travel routes, etc.

Second, practice shooting your bow as much as you can. You can do everything right and then blow it with a missed shot and it sucks. If you're proficient out to 40 yards, you can get it done, but if you can get it out farther than that it just gives you more of an opportunity

Third, you're going to screw up. When that happens don't quit.

All easier said than done, good luck


----------



## CAExpat (Oct 27, 2013)

Don't be a range monkey (shooting 1000's of arrows upright at 20 yards). Try finding a spot you can go to and shoot kneeling, uphill, downhill, odd yardage, etc., these are the shots you'll have in the field. And like KRH said, don't quit! It's extremely challenging yet it can be very rewarding. Learn from all you mistakes, that's what it's all about.


----------



## bow_dude (Aug 20, 2009)

I find mule deer hunting is much more challenging than anything else I have hunted. I have killed more elk with a bow and arrow than mule deer. They are just tuff to get close to (stalking). If you have the patience, tree stand hunting is much more productive. Killing a deer or not killing a deer is not where the true joy comes from, just being out in the woods, hearing the birds and squirrels, listening to every sound and enjoying the cool mountain breeze is reward enough for me. Camping with good friends and family is also a bonus. Anymore, killing an animal ruins a great outing. As long as I have an unfilled tag, it is an excuse to get out and enjoy the mountains again and again. I don't think I have drawn back on a critter in 3 to 5 years running. I find that the anticipation of the hunt and the scouting is more fun than the hunt anymore.


----------



## deljoshua (Jul 29, 2013)

Thanks for the tips guys I appreciate them. 
When I practice shooting I do like the odd yardage and usually practice 40 to 70 yards all the way up to 100 yards. The short shots I practice if I can't get to where I can shoot long range and just to keep comfortable with my form. I do need to practice more fore different positions (i.e. kneeling etc). 
I will be hunting public land and there are not many trees that I can think of in the area for a blind and it would be incredibly hard to pack one in that far. But, what about a ground blind? Also I have yet to kill an elk after 3 years of trying during general season. There are just insane crowds everywhere. The thought of getting an elk would be amazing, taking it with a bow is my ultimate goal! That is part of why I am trying to learn archery is to be able to get out with my son and be able to enjoy the time experience with him and a buddy or two and not 300 others at the same time. We both drew the dedicated hunter tag and can hopefully take 1 deer between the 2 of us each year. Not after only a trophy, we like the meat (great hormone free, steroid free, organic meat!). 
Again thanks for your tips!


----------



## Finnegan (Sep 7, 2007)

To me, the stalk is what bowhunting is all about. Besides, sitting in a tree stand always puts me to sleep. FWIW, a couple tips you might not read elsewhere:

Slow down...way down. Even slower than that.

Be patient. A successful stalk typically involves some waiting...sometimes a lot of waiting.

Keep your eyes on a swivel. During the bowhunt, a mature buck is rarely by himself. He usually has one or two buddies nearby. It tends to be the animal I don't see that busts me. 

When possible, make your stalk with the sun behind you. In the early morning and late afternoon hours, your shadow is huge. Easier to eliminate/control your shadow when you can see it.

Silence is not just golden; it's absolutely mandatory. This obviously applies during an active stalk. But it's important at all times. The more quiet you can be, the more stalk opportunities you'll have.

Good luck!


----------



## MAS (Oct 11, 2012)

*Yoda!*



bow_dude said:


> I find mule deer hunting is much more challenging than anything else I have hunted. I have killed more elk with a bow and arrow than mule deer. They are just tuff to get close to (stalking). If you have the patience, tree stand hunting is much more productive. Killing a deer or not killing a deer is not where the true joy comes from, just being out in the woods, hearing the birds and squirrels, listening to every sound and enjoying the cool mountain breeze is reward enough for me. Camping with good friends and family is also a bonus. Anymore, killing an animal ruins a great outing. As long as I have an unfilled tag, it is an excuse to get out and enjoy the mountains again and again. I don't think I have drawn back on a critter in 3 to 5 years running. I find that the anticipation of the hunt and the scouting is more fun than the hunt anymore.


We can all use a healthy dose of this wisdom! Thank you!


----------



## Old Fudd (Nov 24, 2007)

PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE. When you think your moving in slow. SLOW DOWN!
Use the wind to your advantage. Never step on anything you can step over, Wind in your face. Don't hunt into the morning sunrise.. CAMO or Flannel Shirts. anything to break up your image.Face Masks. I Hate em))--------> I use Came make-up also I use baking soda as a sent killer. cheaper than cover sent, i think works great.. bunch of things to learn, give yourself a few years. 54 years still learning. If you use fix blade broadheads. SHARP SHARP SHARP, Good Luck.


----------



## bow_dude (Aug 20, 2009)

I think the best way to learn to bow hunt is to just do it. There are some good books out there that give some great advise. Read them so you don't have to re-invent the wheel. Archery hunting is much more difficult than rifle hunting or muzzle loader hunting. When I hunted with a rifle, I took a deer every year. If I saw it, I killed it. I just didn't miss. Finding them is easy. With archery hunting, finding them is still easy, getting the shot is the difficult part. It is the challenge and thrill of the hunt that keeps me coming back to do it again and again. As I mentioned earlier, I have killed few deer with a bow and arrow. Had I had a rifle with me instead of a bow, I would have killed an animal every year. But, that is the charm of bow hunting, the thrill of the stalk and the solitude that comes with the hunt. If you equate a downed animal with success, then you are getting into the wrong form of hunting and are in for a lot of disappointment. You will eat tag soup more often than you will eat venison. Keep in mind, "if it was easy, anybody could do it". Archers are not just "anybody".


----------



## deljoshua (Jul 29, 2013)

Bow dude...do you recommend any books in particular?


----------



## kailey29us (May 26, 2011)

+1 what everyone else has said. One thing I didn't see mentioned yet is practice shooting your bow in the clothing you plan to hunt in. Wearing the pack you plan to have, with your binos hanging around your neck, with the mask and hat you are going to wear. I have found it helps on a stalk to stop every 10 or so yards and just watch and listen, you will be surprised what you will see.


----------



## deljoshua (Jul 29, 2013)

Thanks for your advice. I have practiced quite a bit from different shooting positions and angles but not with all my gear on. I do practice with what I'll be wearing but not with binos and pack and hat/mask etc. Great advice I hadn't thought of. Also thanks for the stalking advice. That's the information I need as I have never really had to stalk a deer and am lacking knowledge on the techniques and tricks to effectively do so. Thanks again!

I can't wait to get out there with my son. We went on an over night scouting trip the other day and found tons is smaller bucks and a couple decent ones. All together about a dozen or so bucks and only about 5 doe. Seems like there are a lot of younger 2 year old bucks this year. We had a blast! My son has never been able to take a deer so that is the goal (other than getting out in the field with him and spending time together) to get him in a position to be successful harvesting his first deer. Should be awesome!


----------



## colorcountrygunner (Oct 6, 2009)

If you hit one and your placement was less than perfect, for Pete's sake don't go running after that animal and immediately start trailing it. You are likely to never get that animal back. Wait. Wait at least for 2 hours. If it is a gut shot leave it over night or at least several hours if you shoot it earlier in the day. A wounded deer will typically not run very far before it beds down if you do not pressure it. After lying down for awhile it will bleed out, stiffen up, and either be dead when you come up on it or too sick and weak to go very hard anymore. 

Don't expect to always have one of those red carpet blood trails; especially if you make a less than optimal hit. Blood trails will often be sparse and hard to follow. The last buck my wife shot we thought she had maybe missed until after minutes and minutes of searching for any indication of a hit my wife found a tiny pin prick of blood. The blood trail got more prominent the further the deer went, left a couple huge puddles where he bedded down for awhile, then kind of petered out again. We eventually caught up to him and were able to finish him off.


----------



## bow_dude (Aug 20, 2009)

It has been years since I read books. As I remember, I went to the library and browsed around until I found a couple that interested me and then checked them out. I always enjoy archery magazines of any type and there can be good information there. I really like things written by Randy Ulmer or Dwight Schuh. Dwight has a book in the library that I really enjoyed. I think it was called "Deer Hunting" or something like that.


----------



## deljoshua (Jul 29, 2013)

That is a very creative name..."deer hunting" &#55357;&#56832; I will definitely look for those authors though. 

To everyone who has commented or helped with advice, THANK YOU! When you weren't lucky enough to have learned hunting growing up it's hard to get help most of the time. So to get into something like fly fishing or hunting is very tough. Even the little things help a ton. So, thank you all!


----------



## deljoshua (Jul 29, 2013)

So I have been keeping up on practicing with the bow and feel pretty confident shooting at different angles and body position (I was sore for a few days after shooting from a sitting position &#55357;&#56876 and many different distances. So I feel solid there. I have been scouting/hiking a ton and have found some great deer that I have a pretty good pattern on now. Here pretty soon I am going to have to do the one last thing I need to....get close enough for a shot. This has been a great experience already. I've gone hiking with my son and a couple buddy's a handful of times, I've seen bigger and more deer/elk than I ever have before, I've spent a bunch of time out in nature and I even lost 35 lbs! I am super pumped to get out there in a few more weeks. 

I am still open to any advice or tips anyone may have, keep'em coming.


----------



## RandomElk16 (Sep 17, 2013)

deljoshua said:


> So I have been keeping up on practicing with the bow and feel pretty confident shooting at different angles and body position (I was sore for a few days after shooting from a sitting position ��) and many different distances. So I feel solid there. I have been scouting/hiking a ton and have found some great deer that I have a pretty good pattern on now. Here pretty soon I am going to have to do the one last thing I need to....get close enough for a shot. This has been a great experience already. I've gone hiking with my son and a couple buddy's a handful of times, I've seen bigger and more deer/elk than I ever have before, I've spent a bunch of time out in nature and I even lost 35 lbs! I am super pumped to get out there in a few more weeks.
> 
> I am still open to any advice or tips anyone may have, keep'em coming.


Enjoy it! I started last year and loved every minute of it. Didn't see the buck I wanted on the general, so I did the extended. Boy was it a blast! Have patience, try and learn, accept the mistakes, and just have a great time.

This year my biggest thing is practicing quartering shots and up and downhill shots. You gotta be ready for whatever comes.

Smell and where I step will also be heavily emphasized. Good luck!


----------



## deljoshua (Jul 29, 2013)

Randomelk16...
It has been awesome so far and I haven't even began actual hunting yet! I have not seen a single deer that I would pass up a good shot on if presented. Now wether or not I can do everything right to get a deer to present a good shot is what is left to see. 
I have noticed that I can smell strong deer scent every now and then when scouting. Does this just mean a deer has been there sometime recently? How long does it take for a deers scent to dissipate?
Also anybody have feelings one way or another on spot and stalk or ground blind?


----------



## bow_dude (Aug 20, 2009)

A couple of suggestions for prep. Shoot year-round by joining a 3-d league. Spot shooting will make you a good shot, but 3'd will teach you where to shoot at quartering angles. Also practice shooting around obstacles. Learn to focus on the spot, not the deer and do not look at obstacles. If you look at the obstacle, you will hit it. Funny how that works. Nothing will help you overcome buck fever except experience. You may think you don't get it, but at close range archery shots, you will learn things about yourself you didn't know. I don't get buck fever anymore, but there was a time that I could not keep the arrow on the rest. Carry a range finder and use it. If you don't have time to range the critter, you don't have time to shoot at it. Most generally, once you spot the deer, he has already seen you and has been watching, so don't get in a hurry to shoot... it will jump the string. Carry Bino's and use them. Look for horizontal lines and look for orange colored things. Using these two suggestions will increase how many deer you are able to spot this time of year. Final thought. Don't walk around with an arrow on the string. It is a sure way to fall on it and ruin your hunt... and maybe yourself. You can't draw back, aim and shoot accurately when trying to hurry the shot on a jumped deer. Again, if you don't have time to range it, or put an arrow on the string, you need to let it go.

As far as spot and stalk vs ground blind vs tree stand, You will get better shot opportunities from a tree stand, but fewer of them unless you have something to attract them to your stand. Same holds true for a ground blind. I prefer tree stands to ground blinds as you are in the air and can see further. It is amazing how many hunters walk under you and never look up. Spot and stalk is my favorite, you will see more, but you will walk your butt off, the shots will be longer, and much harder to get, so shot opportunities can be few. At my age anymore, sitting in a tree stand reading a book is much easier on me.


----------



## Ben 10 (Apr 24, 2015)

When you have a buck in your sights and you're ready to take the shot your adrenaline is pumping, your heart is beating a mile a minute, and your hands may be shaking. It's hard to practice this type of scenario. So, to simulate this heightened physical response, I will shoot following multiple rapid push-ups and/or sprints. Not only do you get in shape but you practice shooting in stressful situations. Good luck!


----------



## deljoshua (Jul 29, 2013)

Ben 10...
That sounds like it might be a great idea! I'm going to try that tomorrow!


----------



## deljoshua (Jul 29, 2013)

Bowdude...
I definitely appreciate all of the tips you have given me! I've never had someone explain looking for deer by looking for horizontal lines and orange things. Seems like it makes sense, I'll give that technique a shot. I think I have decided to try a ground blind opening day. If that doesn't work like I think it will I am going to switch to spot and stalk and see how good I am at that. 2 weeks from tomorrow I will be up on the mountain getting ready! Can't wait!


----------



## bow_dude (Aug 20, 2009)

Orange or brownish orange is the color of deer during the bow hunt. You will see stumps and rocks that are similar in color, and a lot of the time those objects are what I refer to as a "deer bush", "deer stump" or "deer rock", but a lot of the time they are not. 

You will notice that most everything in the wild grows vertically. When you see something horizontal, it is very often a game animal. This was pointed out to me several years ago. Since I have taught this concept to my wife, she has become very good at spotting game when we are out riding our UTV or driving thru the canyons. She often spots things before I do.


----------



## Bigtex3703 (Aug 8, 2016)

Hey guys first time hunter here and taking my kid out with me... just wondering if anyone can help me out this year as I'm getting started with where to start looking around fish lake.... I want to sit on one unit and learn that area until I'm able to draw out or it gets over populated... just looking for some friendly advice to get me going in the right direction


----------

