How do you all do it?

[JO_EZ]

Bowhunting has been a tough nut to crack for me. I've been at it for over 30 years and have nothing but stories. I tried to quit and take up steelhead fishing in the 90's, but I just couldn't not hunt. So, I have to persist.

The reason I hunt with my longbow is that if I am not going to see much anyway, I might as well be having as much fun while I am out there. And I like carying and shooting the longbow more than the compound. I quit hauling and setting up tree stands for the same reason.

These days, my quiver is full of stumpers and I have as much fun waiting out a chipmonk or rabbit as a deer. I have learned to love the hunt and almost not care about getting the deer.

However, I have noticed that the less I "care" about the deer, the more encounters I am having.

I like reading RonW's posts. He hunts beautiful, sparcely populated areas, success be danged; and seems to love doing it. That mindset has opened up tons of public land options and unforgettable hunts for me.

Love the woods, love the bow, kill the stumps hope for deer.

[longrifle346]

The first advice I'd give is that you have to hunt deer where they are or where they're going, not where you want them to be. Just seeing deer is not often gonna help you with the stick unless you're seeing them close. I learned early in my bowhunting career that once the deer are located, setup is everything and I almost never have a setup where I can see more than 25-30 yards.

If you've got the patience, leave that treestand at the house for awhile and try going at it on the ground. I hate being tied to a tree EVERY time I go out and if you've got deer spotted it's a lot easier to slip into a position where they'll come close and a lot less frustrating than watching them from a distance.
It takes stealth and patience but last week I got to full draw and then let down on two young bucks within 10 steps. If that'd been their momma or dad I'd have venison in the freezer right now!

[Rob W.]

Tradgang keeps me focused on my goals.

When I get discouraged. I have instant access to tips, tricks, ideas, shoulders to cry on, new gear, old gear, success stories, failure stories, and so much more.

I also tell myself if bow season doesn't pan out I will spend some time with my family and a patch and ball. That way there is less pressure on me and the freezer still gets filled.


Rob

[RecurveRookie]

I am new and don't know very much, but if you are like me and can't have the luxury of a deer feeder to create you're very own deer "petting zoo"(as I have done in the past), then we have to set up at a place of high deer traffic or food or where they're gonna be. We also have to set up CLOSE to the action.  This is my 1st season bowhunting, and I am hunting on the ground and realizing I basically need a miracle, BUT, that's OK, I could go kill a deer with a rifle easy enough.  Anything would be easier than trad, right?  So I guess that's why we do it.  Best wishes and good hunting.

[Razorbak]

yep NH deer total is like 10 deer thats for sure..LOL  we just dont have the quantity of deer like other states but like Bill C. said find some oaks and SIT, it is hard to be confident at times due to our poor population but scout hard and often thru out the year will increase your chances seeing deer hopefully in the fall...just try to keep a positive attitude if you can and sooner or later it will happen..took me 4 years without seeing a deer while hunting in NH to one day score while sitting on a big boulder gazing at the sky while deer all of sudden show up and started feeding on ACORNS..I shot the closes one..a huge 145# fd doe to break the seal and was successful for 10 years straight killing several a season until I got hurt at work and not being able to hunt the last 3 years and hopefully not this season but as soon as my knee heals I will be out and trying..like I said try to remain positve and things will happen for you soon enough and taking a deer with equipment you made is gonna be sweeter than taking a deer with a string gun...good luck Justin
ps. Bill..tell Todd congrats on his deer..thats great

[ripforce56]

I agree with AKDan I love venision to, but any time in woods with my bow is what I really enjoy!I usually see my share of deer but the areas I hunt the quality shots do not come easy from the ground i don't hunt from a tree stand! I usually try to find ambush spots! Now if I want to see a lot deer, I can hunt on the corner of some hay fields that my wife's uncle owns and can watch a lot deer every day but usually that is just what it is, watching deer! Still fun all the same!

[MnFn]

Because my dad taught me to hunt with a recurve almost 50 years ago. I have gone many, many more years than I care to remember without taking a deer. And I don't like that but that is the challenge I have laid before me.

Three years ago I passed on buck that would have been very close to Pope and Young minimum. I did that because I knew there was a much larger buck in the vacinity. I have second guessed myself on that choice- I had him stationary in a shooting lane at 12 yards. I have not had one that nice that close since then.

It is all about what is important to you. When I walk up to that deer on the ground it has to be with a longbow or recurve. That is what keeps me motivated.