Got the bow.. some hunting ??

jr8fish

Active Member
Messages
108
Hey Guys,

I appreciate all the advice from those who gave it regarding buying a new/used bow. I just made the purchase on my new bow. It was the best of both worlds. It was a brand new bow setup but last years model so I got a significant discount on it.

I ended up with a Quest Primal with the g5 drop away rest and HHA 3 pin floating sight with the third axis. It also included a nice g5 quiver.

It was a deal I couldnt pass up.

Anyhow... I got the bow, now I am practicing for the hunt. I am shootin it like crazy and lovin it.

I have been deer hunting for many years but it has all been with a rifle. I am excited for the new challenge of the bow.

I am anxious to learn all I can about the art/sport of mule deer bow hunting. My experience with bow hunting is extremely limited and really the only thing I can draw on is hunting shows. I do not have any close friends that bow hunt either so my resources for learning are pretty thin. So any info that you are willing to share regarding mule deer bow hunting strategies is very well appreciated?

So a general question I have to all you mule deer archers is, what is your most successful tactic for mule deer?

Lots of the tv shows show hunters shooting from blinds, or tree stands. However, my most common strategy with a rifle is spot and stalk but how often is it that you can spot and stalk with a bow? The stalk must be incredibly difficult to get within ethical bow range. I have seen lots of shows of guys setting up a blind near a water hole, but where I hunt in northern utah there is an abundance of water, so I cant imagine watching water is that effective in a non desert scenario.

I have pushed up canyon early in the morning with my rifle before and have caught bucks down by the creek and they were in bow range... So I guess that could be another tactic: slowly/quietly walk trails and try and catch a buck while its moving from feeding to bedding? Does this tactic work well for bow hunting?

The other method that I have used for rifle hunting is kind of a team tactic where you'll have a couple of guys push an area with a guy at a look out or at an escape point and try and jump deer that way... I could imagine this would be difficult to employ with a bow.

Any advice on archery tactics would be greatly appreciated. I am anxious to learn and would love to spend time with anyone who wouldn't mind a tag a long when they go scoutin this summer in northern utah. I am in Salt Lake City and am in great shape. Also, I am a very avid fisherman(mainly strawberry and flaming gorge... anyone say kokanee?)and rock climber(I have all the ropes and gear to safely climb and ten years experience). I would gladly share a rock climbing lesson/fishing trip with anyone in exchange for a deer scouting/archery hunting lesson...

Thanks
 
if you are going to hunt out of a tree of blind get out before season and practice drawing your bow back out of the tree or blind.

in a blind when the magic moment comes you are surprised how much go wrongs. your chair in the wrong position or something just in the way. find out now.

also when a buck comes in learn to control yourself. don't want to be all excited and rush the shot.

so if you trust yourself practice that with no arrows and line the pins up on the deer and get your yardage down. I wouldn't practice with arrows incase you were to let one fly.
 
Spot and stalk is generally the most exciting I think. You find the animal, make a plan, blood gets pumpin as you sneak in close, he stands and you draw... Then he bolts, or you miss...and you can't wait for round two... :)

Also, ambush is pretty good. Stands and blinds are cool, but if you know where the buck is going and you cut him off and get him in your sights as he is strolling by, that's a pretty good accomplishment.

I have missed good bucks both ways... :) :)

"Therefore, wo be unto him that is at ease in Zion!" 2 Ne. 28: 24
 
Also, if you're going to go in a tree. Don't skimp on a safety harness and always wear one. No matter what. I've done well from a tree stand on whitetails and have had some close calls 20+ feet up. It is fun but in my opinion, NOTHING is more exciting than sneaking up on a bedded mule deer buck.

I can't wait for August!
 
IMO the most important thing you can do is pick the right habitat/area. Get open or rimrock country. Spot a good buck, watch him bed. Let him settle down, and wait for the wind to stabilize. 9 am or so in Wyoming. Slip to about 30 yards and if you can't see him well, wait for him to stand. Might be hours, but it is worth it. Then wait till he's relaxed and not looking (also tough) and stick an arrow through his ribs. Celebrate.

Sounds easy huh? But it is not, believe me.

If you are hunting in timber, it's tough to use this method. Open, steep, rocky country is the best for me.
 
1. Get way up and away from other hunters roads etc. so that the deer are less likely to be pushed by other hunters.
2. Do a buch of preseason scouting in late july early august to find out where the nice bucks are and what their daily routines and patterns are, where they water and bed.
3. Determine where in that pattern the buck will be most stalkable usually the bedding area.
4. Determine which direction to stalk in from, what are the thermals and whind doing and what does it typically do for the canyon you are hunting. Bucks usually always bed facing downhill. Thermals go up so sneaking in above the buck is common.
5. Spend more time afield than other hunters, usually after opening weekend the bulk of weekend warrirors will go home leaving the bucks to return to normal patterns.
6. Practice a lot on stalking bucks even if you don't plan on shooting it while you are looking for a bigger one. This is more important to me than target practice IMO.
7. Send time shooting targets uphill and downhill at steep angles since you will typically have some sort of angle shot in Utah not flat such as at an indoor range.
8. Don't get bored or impatient. You will spend many days in most cases waiting and watching for the right moment before it will all come together for a good opportunity but that is the fun and the challenge!

Good Luck.
 

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