by Chris Fenimore

Created on: March 12, 2009

Advice for new bowhunters

I've been bowhunting for 18 years and into archery since I was a boy. I just had my 50th birthday this March 2008. If you want to Bowhunt just do it. I started Bowhunting with a 50# Bear Kodiak Mag. Recurve I bought from a pawn shop for $50, 6 45/50 cedar shafts (Get the right arrow spine) snuffer heads given to me by a friend (Easy to sharpen). Got some good advice on how to tune a Recurve. Yes you have to tune traditional archery tackle. I didn't even have good camo some old army surplus woodland camo I found at a swap meet. I didn't take a deer my first year took a doe my second. If you look up the statistics the average for bowhunters taking a deer is 4 years. If you are starting out you don't need to spend allot of money buying all the newest gear on the market camo, bow, arrows, scent control, and stuff. Keep it simple. Get a Bow with a draw weight you are comfortable with. Learn to tune it or have it tuned. You'll need arrows with the right spine. Good broadheads easy to sharpen. Camo, (Cheep or dark colored clothing earth Tones) a safe tree stand, (optional). Then practice, practice, practice (shot placement). Than get out there and hunt learn about the game you are going to be hunting (habits / habitat) and scout, scout, scout. Spend as much time as you can in the woods and fields.

If you hunt on private or public land deer behavior will be the same. The thing that will be different will be hunting pressure. First let's take a look at deer habit. Food and water is the dominate factor in a whitetails life. During the pre rut and post rut deer will be ruled by their thirst and hunger. Some say that bucks don't feed much during the Rut and even though that's true for the most part Bucks still have to feed and drink to survive. Does are ruled by there hunger and thirst all year. When the rut is in full swing does are still going to seek out food and water sources and the bucks will follow the does. Since the does are still moving from feeding and drinking areas to bedding areas. Find the trails between these areas and you'll find bucks and does.

Finding feeding area s can be a challenge. A deer's diet changes with the season. If you look at the stomach contents of an adult deer depending on the time of year you'll see a Variety of plants, grasses, as well as grain, acorns and different varieties of under brush tree's and even if you don't have food plots and deer are mainly browsing through timber areas there may not be a main feeding area however there may be a pond or watering hole where deer are drinking this would be a good place to seek out for stand placement.

The thing about deer hunting no matter how good you are at it or how well you scout. Sometimes you see deer sometimes you don't. Sometimes deer give you a shot sometimes they don't. sometimes you make a good shot sometimes you don't.

If you plan to still hunt the best advice I know for still hunting goes back hundreds of years. Back to the Indian tribes of North America. Walk a little, Look allot.

Get a couple kills under your belt. Learn to track. If your deer hunting shoot a Doe, Small buck, big buck, or whatever you can get close to if your going to wait for that monster buck for your first deer you're going to be waiting. (Maybe years) If you're hunting other game same advice take what you can get. That trophy will step out there some day. If you have a couple kills under your belt you'll be ready. Last year I started trying to take a spring turkey with my Recurve. I was unsuccessful! This spring I hope to take one with my Recurve Wish me luck! I know the key is keep trying. Don't give up! That's my advice for anyone new to Bowhunting.

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