Real World "hunting" practice tips/pointers?

[Lamey]

I will preface by saying that im new to this,  last season was the first for me to get into the woods and hunt.  Saw 3 deer, and 1 big coyote,  didnt get a shot on anything but had a peacefull time in the woods.

My question is this,  after watching several DVD's, and talking to many folks about trad. archery,  it occurred to me that there hasnt been alot of focus or information on actual "hunting" tips/pointers.  By this I mean what can be practiced and or improved on in the back yard that will directly relate to real world hunting situations?

All of the DVD's and such focus on anchor, back tention, release etc.... and I get that,  I understand the basic fundamentals of getting arrows downrange on the paper,  but havent heard alot about what I can be working on to increase my chances of actually killing game when that critical moment arrives.

Common sense tells me to shoot in various positions/angles that I may find myself in,  but other than that what are some things I can be working on before the season is here????

[Earl Jeff]

Nothing beats the real thing. but practice the way you hunt if you hunt from a tree stand practice from a stand. EXPERIENCE IS A GIANT TEACHER.

[**DONOTDELETE**]

Use broad-head's when practicing. Shoot at different angles & distances.

As part of My shooting session, I also practice My First Shot, Everything else is form work. Remember a lot of times You'll be sitting for hours before You may get a shot.

This is why I shoot a few arrows, leave and come back a few hours later. Do it all over again.

[Night Wing]

I shoot at different yardages, but I never shoot beyond 20 yards anymore since out in the field bowhunting, I don't take shots past 20 yards at an animal. I'm disciplined enough to wait for my shot. I also shoot from different positions. In a crouch or on one knee.

[**DONOTDELETE**]

Read Your States Hunting reg's. If you can hunt ring now for small game, frogs, tree rats. Get some points and go out there. Like Earl said "Nothing beats the real thing. but practice the way you hunt"

If You can put up a tree stand in your yard, Do that.NOT in or near Your hunting area..

[ishoot4thrills]

If you have a ladder stand and a tree in your yard, put the ladder stand in the tree. Get a 3D deer target and set it up about 20 yards away from the ladder stand. Get up on a Saturday morning and put your hunting clothes on, grab your bow, and climb into the ladder stand. Settle in for a few minutes. Now, all of a sudden, there's a "deer" about 20 yards away! You have only one shot, so make good of it. Draw your bow, pick a spot on the "deer" and let your broadhead tipped arrow fly! Hopefully, you hit the deer in the vitals. If not, live with it. Whether you hit the deer or you didn't, DO NOT shoot another arrow! This is real world practice. Get down out of the stand, retrieve your arrow, and go about your everyday business. Now, when you get the chance, go somewhere else and practice on your form, etc.

When evening comes, go back to the ladder stand and repeat the process all over again. Remember, you only get ONE shot at the deer target from the ladder stand. Don't cheat by shooting two or more arrows from the stand when practicing real world hunting like this. This method will teach you how to focus and make a good shot when you know all you're gonna get is that one shot. Rarely do we get more than one shot at a deer when hunting with the bow.

[Arwin]

All great advice above. I have to add try practicing with your hunting clothes on, it'll be way different vs. a t-shirt.

[Lamey]

Thanks guys, ive already learned several things in the few moments this post has been up.

I will also add if my stalking skills were better I would have killed or at least got a shot off on a nice buck and that coyote last year.  Was within about 10 yards of the buck but he saw me first and bolted,  amazing how you can be creeping through the woods with your "game" face on and NOT EVEN SEE the dang deer at that distance!  That was an eye opener (literally) for me.

On the coyote i heard something across the creek (I was on 1 bank, he was on the other)   I turned and he was within 15 yards at a very slow trot,  by the time I decided to draw (less than a second)  he turned and trotted off in the thick brush, gone.

So I realize that patience is a must,  but also at times it seems that a split second decision is required....  guess thats where the experience kicks in as well.

[J.Williams]

Like Earl said,experience is "HUGE".Trying to remain calm and focused and put the arrow where it needs to go is the hardest part,for me.Ditto the "practice the way you hunt" and keep you're broadheads sharp.Good luck!

[J.Williams]

Like Earl said,experience is "HUGE".Trying to remain calm and focused and put the arrow where it needs to go is the hardest part,for me.Ditto the "practice the way you hunt" and keep you're broadheads sharp.Good luck!

[Bjorn]

If you can, try and shoot one arrow only-maybe 2 hours apart. Make the shot perfect-form, pick a tiny spot (single straw on a bale is good). If you have a cat study the stalking skills-no, I'm not kidding!  Have fun.

[RC]

Hunt the Wind!!! Carry a compas and mark a bearing of the last place you could see your arrowed animal. If you are in a tree everything looks different when you get down and things get confusing.Carry paper towel or toilet paper for marking blood.Mostly as most people said Have fun.

[jackdaw]

Practice alot using the "one arrow" method. By only shooting one arrow and retrieving it each time forces you to concentrate better on each shot. Shoot each shot from a different distance or angle. Practice with purpose, you should notice a quick improvement in your shooting...this system has work well for both my practice partner and myself.10-15 minutes a day should suffice...remember practice does not make perfect....PERFECT practice make perfect...make that your mindset and you'll do well...good luck...john

[Lamey]

RC can you elaborate?  "Carry paper towel or toilet paper for marking blood"

thanks all!

[Kip]

Not sure what R.C. meant but I use toilet paper for the blood trail and it biodegrades in one or two rains and doesn't ugly up the woods with plastic flagging and of course the real reason for its use also comes in handy.Shoot another arrow after the game runs off at the same spot makes finding hair or blood easier when you get to the ground if hunting in a tree.Kip

[Cottonwood]

This last week I was practicing on gophers, or what is called the Richardson Ground Squirrel here in Montana.

If you can hit those, or sometimes just barrely missing them, you will get your much larger game like whitetail, elk and moose.

3 of those little raskels got the shaft.  

[NY Yankee]

Figure out your maximum effective range (farthest distance you can keep arrows in the kill zone with your broadheads) and NEVER take a shot at an animal beyond that distance, ever. Rule #1

[DELTA]

The backyard practicing is good for your form.The plan is to practice a lot so everything becomes secondnature.When that big buck steps in front of you,all you have to do is pick a spot focus,and shoot. GOOD LUCK.

[swampdrummer]

The picking a spot can't be emphasized enough. If you've done your back yard practice and have your form down so your anchor and your head position and your bow arm are things you DON'T have to think about then it becomes just a matter of picking the spot and the arrow will go there. Your muscle memory and mind will take care of the rest.

I learned this the hard way last year. My first year hunting only trad. I missed the first 5 deer I shot at! Some of them so far off that the deer just wandered over to the arrow and sniffed it!  :mad:  I "thought" I was picking a spot. I sure remember looking at the front shoulder elbow and the line of changing fur color from white belly hair to tan side hair but I sure as hell wasn't picking that spot. I was just looking at it.

I didn't figure out what spot I was picking until I shot at a big doe a couple of months into season and HIT her! Right in the neck, just below the jaw. I felt sicker than I've ever been watching her run off with that arrow flapping around in her neck. Luckily, The broadhead cut the cartoid and she went down in a hundred yards, blood trail a blind man could follow but I finally figured out that I was LOOKING at the deers head while drawing! Not the SPOT. Just the head, making sure they weren't looking at ME!

It didn't sink in, what I was doing wrong for several more months. You can search under my user name and see all the whining I did last year about how I can't hit anything with this stupid bow. I'm gonna buy a compound and fix all my problems...

Late last year. Dec. 2 if I remember right. I had a little 6 point come in. I watched him come in from about 200 yards out. At 50 yards I concentrated on nothing but behind the shoulder. I was so intensely focused on just that point of the elbow, I don't remember anything else. Just that Tiny, Tiny spot. I couldn't tell you which way he was looking, How far away he was. Wether his head was up or down. I was just seeing that one tiny spot behind his elbow. I honestly don't remember even drawing but I do remember seeing, and hearing the arrow hit. Exactly, were I was looking!

I've tried to describe the feeling to many folks and have failed miserably. Best I can describe is when your NOT picking a spot, yours  eyes are WIDE open. Like your excited or suprised and you just have to get an arrow in this deer.

 When you pick a spot.At least for me. Your eyes are squinted down. extremely focused. Nothing but that patch of hair matters. Your arrow goes there. I,m still failing miserably to describe it. .....


I'm no expert by any means so take what I've offered with a grain of salt. I still don't have it figured out for sure. Hell. I missed a pig last night! I did pick a spot but I did NOT bend at the waist and shot right over her.
But thats my take. Pick a spot and drag your deer to the house.
Good luck!

[Sam McMichael]

In addition to all the practice that is required, scout your hunting area thoroughly. You need to locate your stand where the deer naturally want to go, and you must hunt the wind. Above all, be patient. Be still and quiet. Set up your shot carefully and pick your spot. Repeat, pick your spot.