Still Hunting: Arrow Nocked or in the Quiver?

[YosemiteSam]

For those of you who still hunt, do you still hunt with an arrow nocked?  Do you carry one in your hand?  At what point do YOU nock an arrow on your string?

Just curious.  I've kept them all in a quiver for safety sake and have only seen does thus far so it hasn't mattered.  But I keep wondering what if one were a buck.  Could I get an arrow ready quietly if one of those does had been a buck?  So I'm curious what some of you do while still hunting.

[Trenton G.]

I leave one in the quiver until I see something. I do most of my stillhunting when it snows, and you never know for sure what ice covered log or branch is right there waiting to trip you. I'd rather be extracting an arrow from a deer than my leg.

[Possum Head]

Nocked

[Trumpkin the Dwarf]

I tend to have an arrow out. But I'm extra cautious about where I put my feet. My dad put a broadhead through his hand once. I've seen just how vicious they can be. I like to think it slows me down just a touch, which can help in being quieter.

[The Whittler]

You do what you feel is safe, if you have commen sense use it. Remember your the one that will pay if anything goes wrong.

[Cory Mattson]

Solo stalker
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[Nantahala Nut]

Nocked in high odds areas. In areas with low probability or difficult terrain I keep them in the quiver.  I use a back quiver but sling it across the front with the fletching on my right side (right handed). Worked for me this year when i killed a hog. Was able to easily draw the arrow and nock it.

[fujimo]

solo stalker as well!

[David McLendon]

Nocked, for the same reason there is a chambered round in my .45

[joe ashton]

My humble opinion is safety first.  So I keep them in the quiver until a shot is eminent. But that's me.

[old_goat2]

Bow quiver is where I keep mine, I've fallen enough times in the mountains to know that's the only actually safe way. If you use a back quiver, might be harder to get one out quiet enough to keep from alerting the deer and you might want to think about getting a single arrow stalking quiver for your bow.

[frank bullitt]

Mature does, harder then those  boys!

[Phillip Fields]

In the quiver. I've fallen too many times to be walking around with a nocked arrow.

[Red Beastmaster]

Bow quiver until game is spotted or if I feel a shot may be immanent.

[Pete McMiller]

I have a custom side quiver of my own design that allows a very stealthy arrow extraction.  When I am moving the arrows stay in the quiver.  If I stop to call (elk) or for any length of time to observe I'll nock an arrow.  I don't fall often but it does happen and the thought of a sharp broadhead waving around when I do gives me the whillies.

[SC Bowhunter]

In the quiver, safety first.

[fnshtr]

In the quiver.

However, that sort of cost me a dandy buck last Thursday evening. I say "sort of" because I probably couldn't have maneuvered through the brush with one nocked. I eased up on him as he was raking a tree. 15 yards broadside. He seen me as I was extracting an arrow from my quiver. He was a toad!

I do as others have said, nock one when I stop.

[Stumpkiller]

When moving I have a one arrow bow quiver.  I don't move with an exposed broadhead unless the deer is in sight.  The other four broadheads I carry are in my Jack Bower's side-stalker (plus a blunt).  When I pause for a while (or from a stand) I nock one from out of the side quiver and keep the single on the bow as a back-up.

I used to just use a Selway Piggy-backer slit in half and tied on the lower limb fade-out and a Solo-Stalker broadhead sheath on the upper.  Now I'm using an Alaska Archery clip and sheath (St. Jude's Auction).  Fancier but similar function.

It also quiets the bow a bit (Browning Wasp) when the single arrow & sheath is attached.

[YosemiteSam]

Originally posted by frank bullitt:
Mature does, harder then those  boys!

That's what I hear.  And it gives me some confidence, for sure.  Meat is meat to me -- I don't care either way.  But such is the way it is out here.  I'll get my chance at a doe hunt on the coast after Thanksgiving.

[YosemiteSam]

Originally posted by The Whittler:
You do what you feel is safe, if you have commen sense use it. Remember your the one that will pay if anything goes wrong.

Indeed!  I'm the only one with my own "skin in the game" when it come to how I handle my equipment.