| Mistake #1 - Misjudging Distance | | | | you're asking for trouble. With deer hunting |
| | | | for instance, it's important to establish at |
| Misjudging distance is the number one reason | | | | several different stand locations or areas to |
| archers miss their mark. Archery is a | | | | still hunt or spot and stalk. Every time you |
| precision sport, and estimating or even | | | | set foot on a buck's home range, he knows it. |
| better yet, measuring distance is the key to | | | | Even the most 'scent free' cover up and |
| success! With most major optics manufacturers | | | | 'cleanest' camouflage is still drenched in |
| producing some type of rangefinding device, | | | | human odor. By over-hunting an area, you are |
| calculating distances is easier than ever. | | | | saturating it with your smell. Trails to and |
| Aside from cost, there is really no reason | | | | from your stands become laced with your |
| for bowhunters not to use a rangefinder these | | | | scent. The best chance a bowhunter has is |
| days. | | | | often the first day he or she sits that |
| | | | stand. In a perfect world, try not to sit any |
| Some bowhunters like to mark yardages with | | | | one stand for more than two consecutive days. |
| something natural like a broken branch or a | | | | |
| stick standing upright in the ground. | | | | Mistake #6 - Overconfidence and Shooting Too |
| Alternatively whenever possible, I use my | | | | Quickly |
| Bushnell laser rangefinder to take a reading | | | | |
| on nearby rocks, trees, or other structures | | | | I can't count the number of times I've |
| to predetermine distances under my stand or | | | | watched bowhunters practically running to |
| near my ground blind. | | | | their stands. To me, this presents a |
| | | | compromise, for if they know what they're |
| Mistake #2 - Missing the Kill Zone(s) | | | | doing, stands will be right in the heart of |
| | | | the deer's living room. If you were asleep on |
| Put the arrow in the wrong place and your | | | | your sofa, and some moron came blistering |
| hunt will become a nightmare in a hurry! Any | | | | through, decked out in full camouflage, you'd |
| bowhunter that has wounded and lost an animal | | | | probably be inclined to get the heck out of |
| knows the sick feeling. As bowhunters, we | | | | there as well! |
| have an ethical obligation to know and | | | | |
| understand the kill zone(s) of game we're | | | | The point is, to succeed as a bowhunter, slow |
| after. Deer are anatomically straightforward | | | | and easy is the way to do it. Remember the |
| at a broadside view. Put them quartering | | | | idea is to ghost in and out of your stand |
| away, facing head on, straight away, or even | | | | with as little impact as possible. The same |
| lying down, and it's a different story. | | | | applies to still hunting and the spot and |
| | | | stalk approach. Guaranteed, you'll see and |
| Vitals on a deer are not large, barely | | | | take home far more game taking it easy than |
| exceeding the circumference of a pie plate in | | | | by racing to cover the most ground possible! |
| fact. But given accurate arrow placement, a | | | | |
| double-lung shot will result in a quick kill. | | | | Likewise, be conscious of your shooting form |
| Hemorrhaging alternative organs such as the | | | | and don't rush the shot. Be sure you're on |
| liver, a major artery, or even placing a | | | | your mark. Take careful aim and |
| debilitating shot in the spine can bring down | | | | follow-through with your shooting form until |
| game, but these are NOT recommended as | | | | after impact. |
| targeted areas for shot placement. | | | | |
| | | | Mistake #7 - Following Up Too Soon |
| 3D targets offer the most realistic | | | | |
| simulation for field shooting scenarios. I | | | | Bow-killed animals often die immediately, but |
| personally use a Mackenzie standing deer | | | | that's not to say they expire quickly with |
| target as it gives me the option of shooting | | | | every shot. Many a deer has been lost because |
| at a life-sized target at variable distances | | | | hunters followed up to quickly and bumped |
| and from different positions. By studying 3D | | | | them. As a rule, always wait to allow the |
| targets and their identified kill zones, you | | | | animal to expire undisturbed. A perfect shot |
| can get a better understanding of where to | | | | will usually knock down the game quickly, |
| aim on that animal. | | | | inside of 50 yards. A poor shot on the other |
| | | | hand is a different story. By allowing the |
| Learning to recognize the shot opportunity | | | | animal to settle, bed down and eventually |
| goes hand in hand with arrow placement. This | | | | bleed out, you increase your odds of |
| involves not only the release, but knowing | | | | retrieving it many times over. |
| when to take that proactive step of going to | | | | |
| full-draw. This requires movement and can in | | | | Mistake #8 - Poor Stand Placement |
| fact spook animals if detected. Draw when the | | | | |
| animal is facing you or even worse, when it | | | | Mounting your stand in the wrong place, at |
| is looking at you and, you may as well go | | | | the wrong height and then hunting at the |
| home. Wait until the animal is looking the | | | | wrong time can guarantee a poor hunt. In my |
| other way, preoccupied with feeding or even | | | | early years of bowhunting, I recall getting |
| better yet, when their head is behind a tree | | | | caught red-handed by bucks skulking through |
| or other cover, and your chances of getting | | | | the woods on a trail I was watching. I |
| to full-draw undetected increase | | | | couldn't figure out why they were always |
| exponentially. | | | | spooking, until one day a friend pointed out |
| | | | the painfully obvious. My tree stand was too |
| Thoughts of a bowhunter I guided a few years | | | | low, with no limb cover. Ironically, I did |
| ago come to mind. This individual boasted | | | | arrow a rut-crazed buck out of that stand, |
| over his ability to shoot tight groups at 30 | | | | but to this day, I know it was a gift! |
| yards with his traditional bow; but when a | | | | |
| trophy whitetail walked under his stand he | | | | Some folks like their stands high, others |
| didn't want to risk drawing his bow ... go | | | | prefer them low, and reasons vary. Consider |
| figure that one out! The result - he passed | | | | proximity to the trail you're watching, the |
| on a 165-inch buck at just five paces below | | | | backdrop, and visibility relative to |
| his stand. His lack of understanding when to | | | | surrounding cover before anticipating how |
| draw and release cost him what may have been | | | | high to mount a stand. Remember, the goal is |
| his 'buck of a lifetime'. | | | | to focus on transition zones; those areas |
| | | | between bedding and feeding locations. |
| Mistake #3 - Equipment in Poor Repair | | | | |
| | | | As a rule, I mount stands between 14 and 18 |
| Nothing deteriorates self-confidence more | | | | feet. This range allows sufficient freedom |
| than discovering your bow is out of tune when | | | | just out of a deer's line of sight and |
| you're in the field. You can only shoot as | | | | reduces shooting angle. Whenever possible, my |
| well as your equipment is able. If its not | | | | preference is to place a stand in evergreens |
| sighted in properly, it won't work for you | | | | with lots of surrounding foliage. Positioning |
| ... it's as simple as that! Confidence in | | | | the stand to allow maximum trail coverage is |
| your bow and accessories is absolutely | | | | just as important as trimming intrusive limbs |
| critical to success. The only way we can have | | | | and interfering branches. |
| full confidence in our equipment is by doing | | | | |
| a routine inspection and making necessary | | | | It is equally important to understand when to |
| adjustments on a regular basis. With the new | | | | hunt a stand. Learn to distinguish between |
| Solo Cam and Cam-and-a-half technology tuning | | | | morning, mid-day and evening ambush sites. |
| has become much simpler, but that's only part | | | | Many hours can be wasted sitting great |
| of the deal. String stretch is one of the | | | | locations at the wrong time of day. |
| most common reasons for bows shooting | | | | |
| inaccurately. By giving your gear the | | | | Mistake #9 - Too Much Movement |
| once-over prior to every outing, you will | | | | |
| minimize problems afield. To ensure | | | | I once sat a stand along with a cameraman. He |
| consistent shooting, you should confirm that | | | | wasn't a hunter and had no idea what was |
| center shot is true, double check all screws, | | | | required. Constantly fidgeting, it came as no |
| limb bolts and cables, wax your string, check | | | | surprise that we didn't see a single deer on |
| sight pins and sharpen broadheads regularly. | | | | that outing. Deer detect movement with |
| | | | amazing precision. Remember, you're an |
| Equally important is ensuring that your | | | | uninvited guest in their living room. Relying |
| arrows are matched to your bow weight. | | | | on their senses for survival, deer are always |
| Mismatched arrows will never fly | | | | keeping a keen eye out for unfamiliar shapes |
| consistently. I made this mistake myself a | | | | and movement. |
| few years back when a manufacturer sent some | | | | |
| new arrows for me to field test. Somehow I'd | | | | It's generally a good idea to keep an arrow |
| received the wrong shafts and with a quick | | | | knocked and your bow easily accessible while |
| turnaround time in preparation for an | | | | on stand or in a blind. Sudden appearances |
| antelope hunt I only had a few hours to site | | | | can keep you from adjusting position. By |
| them in. Well, long story short, I found out | | | | doing everything possible to prepare for the |
| very quickly during the hunt that my arrows | | | | shot prior to your close encounter, movement |
| were performing inconsistently at longer | | | | is minimized. |
| distances. Upon returning home, I | | | | |
| double-checked and discovered they were the | | | | Mistake #10 - Failing to Acknowledge Your |
| wrong arrows. Absolutely a lesson learned! | | | | Limitations |
| | | | |
| Mistake #4 - Drawing Too Much Weight | | | | Bowhunting is an individual activity; |
| | | | individual in many ways, but most of all in |
| Far too many bowhunters are obsessed with | | | | pushing us to test our capabilities. |
| speed. Don't get me wrong, kinetic energy is | | | | Understanding limitations and our ability to |
| important but its not the be all and end all. | | | | work within and around them, moves us toward |
| Accuracy is far more critical than poundage. | | | | proficiency. |
| My wife shoots 47 lbs. and takes more great | | | | |
| deer than many high-speed heavy weight | | | | Gaining an awareness of our technical skill, |
| shooters I know. By setting your draw weight | | | | physical fitness and mental concentration |
| beyond your comfort level, you literally | | | | will improve focus in the field. Know your |
| handicap yourself. Believe me, the few feet | | | | effective shooting range and how long you are |
| per second (fps) you stand to gain is not | | | | capable of sitting on stand before your |
| worth the discomfort and probable misses or | | | | ability to draw, aim and release is |
| poor shots. Remember too, that drawing your | | | | distorted. I know of many instances in which |
| bow is relatively easy when standing. It | | | | outfitters will place a hunter on stand, |
| becomes more difficult from a treestand. | | | | forcing them to stay put for 10 hours without |
| Compound this with cold temperatures and | | | | a break. While a lot of bowhunters are |
| layers of clothing and all of a sudden your | | | | capable of this, many are not. Unfortunate, |
| bow becomes nearly impossible to draw. Too | | | | but true, too often the result is wounded or |
| often I've seen archers at the range that can | | | | lost game. |
| barely get their bow drawn. I can't help but | | | | |
| wonder what happens when they are hunting. | | | | In conclusion, don't get stressed over your |
| | | | mistakes. The key is to figure out what you |
| Mistake #5 - Over-hunting an Area | | | | did wrong and try to improve on it each time |
| | | | you go out. Understanding the mistakes you |
| We all have our favorite places to hunt. Some | | | | could make and doing what you can do to avoid |
| are better than others, but none will remain | | | | them will inevitably make you a better |
| that way if they get too much pressure. By | | | | bowhunter. |
| pounding the same location day after day, | | | | |