Curious as to how many seasons you all have put in to get your first deer with archery equipment.
Traditional, Compound or Crossbow it's all good.
Curious as to how many seasons you all have put in to get your first deer with archery equipment.
Traditional, Compound or Crossbow it's all good.
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Xbow 1 season compound 3 seasons recurve I have not targeted deer yet
4 years and non for me. sold it now. have to find a new one
Thanks for the input
Second season for me. The two areas I was hunting at the time had large numbers
of both whitetail and mule deer. It was hard to discipline myself to consider shooting
at 30 yds or less, especially when I was seeing so many deer at 40 yds and greater.
It was also hard to just watch deer walk even though they were within my comfort
range because they weren't broadside, standing still, and completely out in the open.
Even though I was successful during the second and following years, I was seeing
about 7 deer within range before I was comfortable enough to take the shot although
my comfort range moved out to 40+yds.
I started bow hunting at 13 and I think this was a big benefit. I often find guys who start bow hunting after year of rifle hunting have a harder time than someone who starts early with less hunting experience. Not all but many rifle hunters rely on open areas where they can utilize the ability to reach out a 100 yards +. Because of this they often try to hunt the same way with archery. I can honestly say I find it way easier to get close in the timber over trying to stalk through a clear cut full of branches cracking.
Coverting to a style of hunting that promotes close range encounters rather than trying to make long stalks can make a huge difference. Creating these opurtunities well not alerting game is the other issue. So often I am within range but waiting for a different shot angle and if the animal is alert often they are gone before you get the shot angle needed.
I got a traditional/recurve with a 55 lb draw in October, have shot well over a 1000 shots, and now I feel ready for the bow season coming up, can't wait...I'm keeping my distance 20 yards or less, so I'm sure I won't get a kill for a while..
I got a deer the second year I had my bow. First year I had a shot at a buck at 40 yards, he was slightly uphill and me being excited didnt notice the one thin branch hanging above him about 15 yards in front.....needless to say the arrow clipped the branch and it went directly under the buck. Every year since that First (10 years now) I have been successful on deer. I focus on meat, so when I was up in region 7 I hunted the early archery when the bucks were still a little slow and am now that Im on the island I take the first deer that is legal and decent size either doe or buck. I mainly spot and stalk and still hunt using calls when I an not seeing much around. Ive been able to call in more than one doe and buck now. Amazing how they just pop out of nowhere.