Long bow hunting

[Pine]

I have just this year started hunting with a long bow . It is 66" and I was wondering if there was anybody that has some opinions of how to deal with that long of bow while on stand . I am used to a 52" recurve and have hunted with a 60" recurve only one year . The long bow seems clumsy to me cause I am not used to it yet . To hold it across my lap I touch the sides of my blind and if I hold it vertical it is over my head . That makes me feel that I am telegraphing my location .
Any suggestions as to what to do with it while I am on stand ?

[jsweka]

I don't know that there's really any suggestions to give you other than make sure you have enough clearance for a shot before the shot.  It's just something you get use to.  I use a 68" longbow and have just gotten use to it in a treestand.

[Pine]

The bow shoots great , just feel like a bull in a china closet with it . Still hunting is fine cause I keep it next to me vertical and it is not hard to manage . On stand I feel like a dog that has caught a car .

[m midd]

I usually hang mine vertical on the tree behind me. You will get used to it after a while.

[killinstuff]

I've killed a pile of critters with a 66" longbow from a tree while sitting, not standing. Never had a time when I thought it was too long or couldn't get off a shot.

[Roger Norris]

Graps - I have hunted for years with super short Shrew's.....this is my first season back with a full size (at least longer...62") longbow. I don't often hunt inside of a commercial or prebuilt blind, so thats no problem. I did trim a few extra branches from a favorite treestand spot.

You will be used to it after a few times out

[Ric O'Shay]

What Roger said x2. Most of the commercial pop up blinds are geared for the ultra short bow and or compound shooters and not for a longbow. I use either a ladder stand or a tri-pod and hold my bow. Invariably if I hang it up on a limb or hook, that's when a critter presents itself.        
Then I'm trying to figure out how to reach for my bow and at the same time, not move..........

Be sure to bring your clippers and bow to trim any branches the might interfere with drawing the bow.

[centaur]

I killed one of my deer last year from a tree stand with my 68" Wesley; leaned out a bit, and canted the bow more than when I am on the ground. No problems arose from the length, you just have to give it a bit of thought.

[ddauler]

Probably killed 90 or so deer with longbow out of a stand never had a problem until this past weekend I climbed with my climber in dark and didn't pay enough attention to limbs above when I stood to shoot at walking deer top limb hit tree limb. Yea she got away and I was reminded to check and trim! Good luck practice from stand cant bow should be no issues.

[Bill Turner]

Practice, practice, practice. As "ddauler" indicated, clearance is the key.    

[DanielB89]

Graps,
I hunt with a 66" bow as well and have a climber with a bar around it that i hunt out of everytime i am in the woods.  My advice would be to set the top just slightly below where you usually set it and lay the bow across your lap is what i do.  the only thing that matters is you not moving while the deer are looking at you. The best thing is to see/hear them before they get out there on you.   If they walk out and the bow is still laying in your lap, wait until they eat or look away and then stand it up.  

With my set up(climber with bar) i have to be extra observant of limbs above me.  I had a potential shot at a deer last year that i didn't take, because i was contacting  a limb above me.  

My best advice would be to practice a few times to understand and learn moves/shots that you can and can't do in the stand.  Try to simulate the whole scenario, from sitting to standing to shooting behind you, to how close you can shoot them without worrying about your bow hitting the bottom of the stand, everything imaginable.

Good luck,

I hope this helps, Daniel

[toddster]

What you are feeling I believe Is normal, I felt that way years ago.  I suggest practice from a shooting posision or in stand into target's and you will realize it doesn't matter.  There are some "Thick" leave tree's that is harder hunting out of, but I found out early, it requires a great amount of pruning even with short bow, so left it alone.

[Jerry Jeffer]

Hunt like this

 

[Pine]

I am a big guy and there isn't a store bought blind that I can hunt from even if I were using a pistol . I also have a few fused vertebrae and my flexibility is not to good . Add to that I am a klutz . Thanks for the input , the hang from a tree idea might be what I will try .
 ( the bow not me )

[jjwaldman]

You might try a saddle type stand, like a guidos web, trophyline tree saddle, or Aero Hunter from new tribes.  This way you don't have a stand to get in the way.  I know joebuck had a good thread about his Guidos Web.  I personally use the Aero Hunter with climbing sticks.  If you have back problems, the Guidos Web is probably the way to go.

[jporter@work]

A local guy did a lot of hunting out of a pop-up blind and all he used was a long bow, plus he filmed all his hunts.  It can be done but I don't remember what blind he had.  You may want to go with cover in front of you and not an enclosed blind..  Just a thought.  Good luck!

[two4hooking]

Originally posted by centaur:
I killed one of my deer last year from a tree stand with my 68" Wesley; leaned out a bit, and canted the bow more than when I am on the ground. No problems arose from the length, you just have to give it a bit of thought.

Yup, learn to cant the bow and practice.

[nampook93]

I have mine angled with the bottom end sittin on my spare glove of my bag or something. Then it's partly ready for when a shot is needed. But best of luck to you, and hope you find something that works for you.

[Tajue17]

I find its not the bottom limb I have to worry about its the TOP limb,,, I forget how long that limb is when the bow is raised up at full draw so Be careful not to bang that top limb on anything when drawing back on something.

[Swamp Preacher]

I just set up my Big Mike Tall ground blind, and sit in a Huntmore 360 tall chair. Comfortable and you can shoot out of a chair. I'm 5'10", got all kinds of back issues, shoot 58-60" bows. How plenty of clearance. Or course, a target animal will always get in a position that is impossible! Have used Guido'g web. It works too, very comfortable.