Category: Bow Hunting

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Bow Hunting Tips and Tactics

The first few weeks in the month of October are always some of the best days when it comes to bow hunting or they can be the toughest hunting experience you can have.

Whether you are out there hunting your best stands immediately or you are saving up the best so that you do not burn through them early in the year, you should really put some thought into what the perfect tactics should be to get the best out of your bow hunting experience early in the season. Hunting in October is about focusing on all the opportunities that you get and capitalizing on them whenever you can. Be very patient in your approach to bow hunting and follow these bow hunting tips and tactics for your early season hunting excursion.

Utilize Mock Scrapes

The first of the bow hunting tips and tactics is the utility of mock scrapes. They are not just limited to usage for the rut. Bucks make use of them all year round. These are the territorial signs that let other bucks in the area know that a particular area is taken and it is its home. Using mock scrapes are a good tactic in the sense that it gets the buck whose territory you’ve marked with the mock scrape agitated. They will start to patrol the area and look for the intruding buck in their neighborhood. When it comes to mock scrapes, location is the most important aspect of it. Look for edges, travel corridors. They are the ideal places to install mock scrapes.

Once you’ve found the perfect spot to install a mock scrape and your hunting set up, you should start off by becoming as scent free as possible when going in to set up the scrape. Make sure you wear rubber gloves when setting up the scrape as the deer have a particularly active sense of smell.

Use a small hand shovel to remove leaf cover, twigs, etc and form an approximately 2 feet oval underneath a tree with low hanging branches. In the clear area, add a small amount of buck urine which you can get from your hunting supply store to the exposed soil. Revisit the scrape every few days and keep it fresh. It is an effective element in the bow hunting tips and tactics because it is sure to lure the game into your domain.

Trail Cameras

These should be in place months in advance so that by the time October comes, you have an extensive collection of pictures indicating where the prime hunting grounds are. Placement of these cameras is important. As far as bow hunting tips and tactics go, this can be one of the most beneficial steps you can take in your approach to prepare for the bow hunting season. Make sure you keep your scent off the cameras when setting them up. Otherwise it would be a waste if your scent on the camera drives away a mature buck which is almost impossible to stumble upon.

Acorns

Food is one of the most important factors on which to capitalize on in your bow hunting tips and tactics. Acorns are the most special food sources because if oak trees are dropping acorns in your hunting area, deer are not too far away. Bucks are particularly looking to build up their fat content for the rut and the coming winter season so they resort to acorns for their staple diet. They offer a lot of protein and fats necessary for them heading into the winter season where there will be a scarcity of food for them. Even though does and fawns are the first deer you will see going in for the dropping acorns, just practice more patience and you will encounter the real prize – mature bucks. They are very cautious in their approach and that is why you should plan your hunting setups early on and wait for the big boys patiently in the areas where the oaks start dropping acorns.

Early Season Bow Hunting

Early season pre-rut bow hunting is the last of the bow hunting tips and tactics you will need heading into deer season. The majority of does are still weeks away from coming into heat and you can use that to your advantage. Bucks are starting to build up their testosterone and the receptive does are in a smaller number. Bucks are in severe competition to find does in heat. Pack a couple of calls with you. Start up a blind calling sequence with four doe bleats and follow them up with multiple grunts of different lengths and speeds. That will surely lure them out in droves when used in combination with deer scents and you will have all the time in the world to take your pick and hunt the prime bucks early on in the season.

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Bow Hunting Gear List for White Tail Deer

The dog days of the summer are almost over and it’s time to trade in your Bermuda shorts for your hunting wear because the white tail deer season is upon you.

Preparation is key when you are going to the great outdoors for early season deer hunting. While you may be busy setting up fall food plots, and installing trail cameras to lay the grounds for a successful hunting expedition into the wilds, your hunting backpack should not be deprived of any attention. Here is what we feel is the best bow hunting gear list which will be ideal for your excursion out into the wild and ensure yourself a good white tail deer harvest this hunting season.

Scent control

Is the name of the game, fellow hunters. Early on in the hunting season the temperatures can vary to great extremes regardless of where you are in the country. This fact alone constitutes to the importance of having a good control over the scent for a successful hunting season. There are several tips which you can make use of as a hunter to increase your chances of being winded while traveling to and when you are in the standing site. A white tail deer’s most powerful asset is its incredibly strong sense of smell so taking your time while traveling to your standing site will keep perspiration to a minimum and reduce the chances of the white tail deer sensing your scent.

That is why, one of the must have items on your bow hunting gear list should be an odor eliminating field spray. These odor eliminating sprays are a necessary element of your bow hunting gear list during any time of the year you are going out to hunt white tail deer. During the warmer seasons, it is more necessary to have these odor eliminating field sprays since there is more of a chance that you will be perspiring when on the move. Controlling the scent is going to effectively deal with the first line of defense that the deer have: their nose.

Be a Ninja

When you’re hunting white tail deer, you need to have a high level of concealment. You have to be covered totally from the head to the toe. Hunters often overlook or undervalue the importance of camouflage gloves and face masks but these are two pieces of gear which are absolutely necessary in your bow hunting gear list. It would surely suck if you made all that effort camouflaging your scent and moving slowly towards your standing site only to be caught out by a deer that spots you. It is that easy to miss your chance of catching that elusive mature buck. Be sure to keep an extra pair of the gloves and masks in your hunting bag pack in case you misplace or lose them somewhere.

Knowing

Archery hunting is not an easy task for even the most experienced of hunters. When it comes to archery hunting and white tail deer, the conditions have to be perfectly poised so you are in the best position to harvest the best catch in the season. In order to make the odds fall more in your favor than the deer’s, you should do everything possible to make sure you leave nothing to chance. One key piece of equipment to take along with you in your bow hunting gear list is a range finder which is reliable. A range finder will effectively eliminate the need for guessing when you are out bow hunting and can greatly increase the confidence of you, the hunter. Every archery hunter knows that confidence is critical for a successful hunt.

Pack A Little Extra Punch

It is difficult landing a good shot when you are hunting with a bow and arrow so it is important that when you do, the arrow’s impact is effective. Broad head arrows do exactly just that. There are a lot of options when it comes to broad head arrow so you can go out to the hunting supply store and take your pick. When picking out your broad head arrows, just make sure that they have a good flight, cut very deep and dispose of the deer in the quickest manner. It is always a good thing to have extra broad head arrows in your bow hunting gear list because one can’t land a hit with each shot taken.

There are always other items which you can add to your bow hunting gear list as you gain more experience in the art of deer hunting but these are the few items which will always be a part of your inventory as far as your hunting equipment is concerned.

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Professional Insight and Tips for Bow Hunting

Bow hunting is an amazing experience and it is quite exciting to spend days in wilderness honing your bow hunting skills.

But then if you don’t have the professional insight and right expertise, the experience can also be downright tough!

Bow hunting is all about focus and using the right bow hunting tips to avail the opportunities. As soon as you anchor, aim and shoot the arrow, at the ‘game’ in front of you, many things will cross your mind. That particular split of second culminates almost a month’s planning and preparation. Therefore, as the arrow gets released from the bowstring, the complete effort and time that it takes to reach the point pay off.

So, for your assistance, here are some bow hunting tips for you that will make your hunting experience a successful one.

Be Familiar with Your Hunting Spot

It is imperative to stay aware of the layout of the land you choose to hunt and to look for various trails which deer travel so that you can set your bow in the right direction. For this, you may use the trail cameras not only before but also during the season to make sure deer are still present in the area. That is because deer keep on changing their traveling practices throughout the season.

Deer Scents

From the onset of finding rubs and scrapes in the woods, you must bring deer scents during whitetail archery hunt. Just like you use mock scrapes, a scent drags successfully freshen up actual scrapes close to your stand. For this, you may choose to go with naturally occurring deer scents or maybe a rut. But don’t run a mile long scent and keep it only a few hundred yards considering your hunting spot, so that the deer don’t lose the interest on its way or get distracted with something else.

Spray Away

This one is the most important bow hunting tip from professionals and according to which, the human odor is perfect to completely ruin your hunt. To avoid this, you don’t need to be a scent freak but make sure your feet smell good. If not, you may lose a good bow hunting opportunity and it may take a while for you to realize the fact.

Pay Attention

When you are at bow hunting, pay full attention and don’t get distracted. There is no specific direction for deer and they may arrive from any direction, especially considering the rut. So, stay focused and keep monitoring the area/woods to avoid missing the chance. However, considering our everyday addiction to cell phone, try to avoid the habit in the field and pay as much attention as you can as you go in the outdoors.

Call a Deer

You must have heard about the bow hunting tip of attracting deer by using a sound. Deer calling or antler rattling is not a new hunting tactic but for some new hunters, this may sound interesting or relatively new. The grunt call is a universal sound which triggers the curiosity of the deer. While deer may use it for communication or when they opt for breeding, grunting by far is one of the most effective tactics to call deer into the radius of your shooting archery.

Play It Smart

Regardless of any season, you must not press too hard in terms of deer. If you get too close or invade their territory or bedding area, this can make your hunting experience a total disaster. It will not only spook off the deer but will also mess up your opportunity. After all, deer are smart and as soon as they realize of being hunted, your only chance of availing this opportunity reduces to very slim to zero instantly.

Hunter’s Attitude

You might not consider it as a bow hunting tip but your attitude during bow hunting can make or break your overall hunting experience. If you really want to enjoy and glean the satisfaction from this outdoor sport then the attitude you carry into the woods matters a lot.

Patience and perseverance are one of the top characteristics of a bow hunter. These virtues are always admired in a hunter. A professional bow hunter is more focused in terms of having a memorable experience by blending in with nature and not with the thoughts of what he wants to hang on the wall.

All the above-shared bow hunting tips have been tried and tested by professionals. While hunters usually learn these hunting tips hard way, you may make the most of provided information and make your hunting experience a lot more adventurous and successful in all seasons.

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6 Bowhunting Tactics To Get Deer In Close

The one thing which really qualifies as the name of the game when it comes to bow hunting is getting close to the goods.

You can do that by either going to the deer or by bringing the deer closer to yourself. Here are the 6 bowhunting tactics to get deer in close.

Element of Surprise

The first of the 6 bowhunting tactics to get deer in close has to be the element of surprise. A key element when hunting a buck should be never letting the deer know they are even being hunted. That is the one goal all your actions should be revolving around. It takes a significant amount of effort to really achieve that. From post season scouting to hanging tree stands in different wind conditions, trying to stay a step ahead of the deer in your area, it is a nearly impossible task to keep yourself a step ahead of the deer. Try and achieve that with the general deer population so that you can know if you should even go for the real prize — mature bucks.

Ins and Outs

As far as the 6 bowhunting tactics to get deer in close go, perhaps one of the biggest one area which proves to be the most problematic for hunters is the entry and exit routes. A majority of hunters resort to using the path which gives them the least resistance when it comes to deciding their standing spots. The only issue with that is that it puts them right in the path of the deer. This is true for both rough and mountainous terrains and even in easily accessible areas, which are abundant in food sources for the deer.

Bow hunters sometimes owe their laziness to the time which will be wasted trying to avoid bumping into deer. The best approach, however, is to carefully choose your entry and exit routes in a strategic manner so you have the element of surprise. This might mean you will have to setup and alarm earlier and have to work out a hunting plan that starts off before the season even begins, but it can ensure better chances for a good hunt.

Funnel

Choosing that one tree where a mature buck is sure to pass from the large hunting ground is an intimidating task. If you can start breaking things down into areas where a mature buck is likely to be sighted and the areas where a mature buck is less likely to be seen, it can go a long way in helping you decide on the perfect standing spot.

After finding the right area, find the right kind of tree. This can be done by locating the funnels which will drive deer to go past your standing site. The best kind of funnels will leave the deer no other choice but to walk past your standing site.

Some of the natural funnels consist of creek crossings, erosion ditches and basically anywhere steep and gradual terrains meet each other. Deer usually make use of these funnels in order to get from one place to another with the minimum amount of effort. Funnels with a lot of cover are a particular favorite among the mature bucks because they are ever so cautious.

Mock Scrapes

Sometimes the right tree might not be enough. Among the 6 bowhunting tactics to get deer in close is the use of mock scrapes. They are surely to lure your prized buck close enough for the kill shot. Even though it is popularly suggested that mock scrapes are only effective in the weeks leading up to breeding season, they can actually come in handy in the summers as well. Bucks are territorial animals and they get very agitated if there is an intruder in their neighborhood. Setting up a mock scrape will get them out and about.

Scents

Other than in mock scrapes, scents can be used even when you are walking in your hunting area. Leaving a trail of hot doe scent when you are walking in the hunting grounds can cover your own scent as well as giving the buck that crosses your path a reason to follow you thinking of does. Just make sure you lay it down in a way that it doesn’t lead directly to your standing site. You should have a levee of at least 20 yards.

Decoy

If you really have failed at capitalizing on the above 5 of the 6 bowhunting tactics to get deer in close, you shouldn’t worry. There’s the last one remaining: decoys. These come in handy in the peak of the rut when wary bucks cannot resist the temptation of making love or the prospective of a good fight. Place the decoy strategically in a high population density area for deer. Set yourself up in a good tree and the ideal wind conditions and you will be good to go.

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Important Deer Hunting Tips for a Better Hunting Experience

Taking the insight and important deer hunting tips from an expert hunter is one of the easiest ways to have an enjoyable and safe hunting experience.

Deer, Elk, Animal, Wildlife, Stag, Male

But to learn it from your own experience, you have to step into the field and try those tips all by yourself!

So, whether you are a newbie hunter or a veteran buck hunter who’s ready for the thrill and heading into the woods, you must acquaint yourself with some important deer hunting tips that are crucial for a good hunting experience.

These tips are not only for your own safety purpose but they will also make sure that you remain one step ahead of all the other hunters in that area!

Important Deer Hunting Tips for a Memorable Hunting Experience

Since you are not the only one hunting deer in that particular land area, you need to make sure you are smarter than the other hunters present over there. Similarly, more hunters mean more competition and it becomes much easier to lose your target due to the noises produced by other hunters. Hence, to avoid facing these hunting troubles, follow these tips for deer hunting.

Choose the right point of entry

If you have been into scouting, you must hold a rough idea about deer beds. With that, it is easy to determine where these deer actually stay in the woods and to go in the same direction, making the way to the stand. From there onward, you must be careful in not staying downwind from the spot, where the targeted deer are. This is because if they smell hunters, they get extra vigilant and don’t come out until hunters are gone. So, it’s imperative to select your route quite carefully, keeping the important deer hunting tips in mind.

Stay quiet

It is common for hunters to chat with other hunters they meet on their ways. While this can be helpful in scouting for additional information, but sometimes, be wary of getting inaccurate information as well. Some hunters do not prefer to share their professional insights or information with other stranger hunters, especially with the ones they may offer them a tough competition. Therefore, you must make a judgment about incorporating any of their provided information or if you should move ahead as per your own discretion.

Try multiple hunting spots

If you prepare to hunt on a public land then you must know that there will be a lot of space for hunting. You can cover more places than you can think of and truth be told, you won’t be running out of them. The best part about getting multiple hunting spots is that you don’t need to visit the same spot every time you go hunting. Hence, you can go to the same spot, let’s say, every season and similarly, you can avoid putting extra efforts to game on a particular spot as well.

Avoid excessive hunting pressured spots

If you really want to stay ahead of competitors and want to act smart, then beware of spots with excessive hunting pressure. If you know these spots only then you can avoid them smartly. One way to know about these areas is to see the areas with large number of cars parked in the parking lot, as you drive by. While you may not need to keep a regular check for these areas, if you do pass by any of them, do make a note of it.

Hunt smartly

This means that you must figure out the places where deer are supposed to be present. Many hunters believe that if they trek some miles away from the area of car parking, they can hunt a deer, but this technique does not work all the time and the deer may remain elusive. Even though it may be worth finding a place away from all other hunters, you still need to be at a place where these deer can be found and the place where they usually feel safe. Generally, such places have dense vegetation along with some brushes which they used to hide or cover them.

Don’t give out your hunting details

Another important aspect is to keep your hunting details to yourself, especially your hunting spot. To ensure this, don’t leave out any hanging stand on your hunting spot as your hunting spot could be occupied by some other hunters. Remember, you are hunting on a public land and giving out hunting spot hints in such a manner might give your competitors an ace up their sleeves.

So, make the most of these important deer hunting tips and enjoy that serene environment as there will be no one around to spoil your ultimate hunting experience.