Who's got some tips for a first year trad hunter?

[Bonebuster]

If you have experience hunting with other weapons, then "trad" bow hunting is not that different.

Assuming you are shooting without the aid of a sighting device, the actual shot taken at game demands a bit more from you in the form of mental discipline. The physical part is taken care of through dedicated pratice...but it all means nothing if you don`t use your brain in harmony with all that practice.

Believe it or not, SMALL GAME hunting was MY best teacher. More shot opportunities and when you can center punch a squirrel it bolsters confidence like nothing else.

My tip would be hunt squirrels or rabbits whenever you can...nothing teaches shot discipline on game animals like shooting at game animals.  :D

[Cherokee Scout]

Move slow, then go even slower.

[drewsbow]

take the first shot that presents itself

[Cory Mattson]

full camo especilly face and hands - you wear camo more for the animals you don't see than the ones you do.
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[DesertDude]

Pick-a-Spot

[briarsdad]

There was a lot of good advice already posted here and I couldnt disagree with any of it. I don't know how relevent this would be to your hunting area but I killed my first trad buck from the ground several years ago and I used a fence crossing to do it. If you find a spot like I did where the deer are crossing the same place every evening or morning and there is good cover close by and the wind is right it will work out. I shot that buck at 7 or 8 yards from my knees backed up against a big oak tree with some brush around me and it was an awesome experience. Full camo and patience waiting for him to get just passed me before I drew made it work out perfect. With that said I think th ebest advice is to just have fun. To me that is why I switched from modern gear to recurves then eventually to longbows. Good luck!!!!

[awbowman]

Just get out there and do it!

[gregg dudley]

Originally posted by Cory Mattson:
full camo especilly face and hands - you wear camo more for the animals you don't see than the ones you do.
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I like that last part.  In my mind most of the stuff you do is for the animals that you don't see.  The animals that come by just out of sight or right after you leave.