I recently got my Bowtech Convergence all tuned up and ready to go. I aim to hunt some with it this fall. I have been shooting 3-4 days a week for a few weeks and plan to keep it up until the season starts. I will start shooting from treestands soon. Do any of you more experienced hunters have any tips for beginning bowhunting? I do not plan on taking any shots further than 30 yards this year if I take any at all.
New To Bowhunting
- Thread starter Thelonegoose
- Start date
akachuck
Well-Known Member
If possible out a tree stand in a tree around your house and practice shooting a target at different angles and distance.
JCDEERMAN
Well-Known Member
I think you're on the right track. Shoot a lot. Do you have a range finder? If so, practice by not just shooting at 20, 30, 40....but also the random ranges. Just walk around your yard and guess the range, then range, then shoot. I do this for elk hunting. You'll have a 9 yard shot, then maybe a 23 yard shot, 37 yard shot, etc...Definitely try shooting from an elevation. I like a deer target, as opposed to a block target. It simulates exactly what you will be hunting, you can practice at different angles, etc....Just my experience, but when I used to just shoot block targets, when pulling back on a live deer, they just seemed so much smaller and not what I expected while practicing. I typically shoot a block just getting my form down starting in June - once that is down, I'll move to a deer target for fine-tuning and eye adjustment to a deer
I do have a range finder and a back deck that is raised about 10ft off the ground which is where I have been shooting from. I will definitely start mixing up my ranges and angles pretty soon.
Back when I bow hunted we used to shoot at tennis balls to help estimate range on the fly for follow-up shots. Toss the ball, shoot if you nick it then it may bounce a yard or 20 yards. Ideally there shouldn't be follow up shots, but I don't think there are many bow hunters(or even gun hunters) that hunt with 1-shot.
Shooting 3-D tournaments helped me alot when I started bowhunting. Plus they are fun.
MusicCityCajun
Well-Known Member
To go along with practicing the shots, I'd recommend watch severa YouTube videos on shot placement (quartering towards and away, steep angle down vs flatter shot further away). And then go out in the yard and turn the deer target to hard angles and practice the appropriate aim points.
A 8 yard shot from the ground impacts COMPLETELY different than an 8 yard shot from 20' high. To me those super close shots from a tree can be the absolute hardest. Practice those as much as you can.
A 8 yard shot from the ground impacts COMPLETELY different than an 8 yard shot from 20' high. To me those super close shots from a tree can be the absolute hardest. Practice those as much as you can.
tree_ghost
Well-Known Member
Great responses above on shooting practice. I'll take a different approach…LEARN HOW THE WIND WORKS!!!!!
most successful bow hunters live and die by the wind with very few exceptions. Once I understood intimately how a deer was using the wind currents to their advantage my success at killing deer with a bow quadrupled. I like to use milk weed to educate myself on wind currents. You can find it on side of the road right now virtually everywhere, at least in middle Tn. Good luck and straight shooting my friend!
most successful bow hunters live and die by the wind with very few exceptions. Once I understood intimately how a deer was using the wind currents to their advantage my success at killing deer with a bow quadrupled. I like to use milk weed to educate myself on wind currents. You can find it on side of the road right now virtually everywhere, at least in middle Tn. Good luck and straight shooting my friend!
Legend has it that Byron Ferguson use to ask you for advice on trick shots. Byron Ferguson had some crazy good skills for sure.
tree_ghost
Well-Known Member
One of the greatest ever no doubt! Hill, Shultz, and Ferguson…I would give a kidney up to shoot a session with those boys!!!!! Maybe one day when we're in the happy hunting grounds forever….
No joke and Ferguson seemed like a straight up gentleman from watching interviews and when he spoke to people at an event
tree_ghost
Well-Known Member
Those guys were true champions of their craft. They exuded class every time they showcased their incredible skill sets. Humble men even when they were untouchable by their peers.
Sure were unlike today's Instagram and youtube sponsor hoes
tree_ghost
Well-Known Member
You said a mouthful there buddy!
larry ipock
Well-Known Member
Try practicing without a rangefinder. You never know when you might be without it. With practice, you'd be surprised how quickly you can hit your target w/o a rangefinder out to 30 yards.
If you plan on shooting game at 30 yards practice at 50 yards
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I have missed or messed up more shots inside 5 yards from a deer stand than any others. In my opinion most of us old guys were taught to aim low. You need to picture hitting the lung facing you through the top high and the opposite lung middle to low. A lot of close shots are because we hit what we think is the pocket low and only get one lung. Great blood but loose deer.
Even though he's incredibly annoying, the ranch fairy has some great videos on youtube about arrow placement and shot anatomy
Make sure you practice exactly like you plan to shoot, and do everything exactly the same every time. Same relaxed grip. anchor points, breathing, and do not take your eye off the target until the arrow makes impact. I also sight my bow an inch low, because deer tend to squat quickly then leap when they hear the bow release.
only limit yourself by what you know you can do. If a 100 yard shot is what you know you might have to make, practice it and find out if you can make it. Scout and plan out the hunt, prepare to make it successful.
Bow hunting is great but you have to practice the shot exactly as you will make the shot. When you take the shot you will watch the arrow track right into where you aimed it, a beautiful thing.
Make memories.
