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