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Does anyone here bowhunt? I think I asked this a while back but not sure. I was hoping last year to get into it, but never did. Would like to know what bows any of you use for Whitetail, elk, turkey.
The Bigfoot
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I have a friend who is really into it in South Dakota. I have tried it a couple times but haven't had the time or inclination to develop the skill to a usable level.
I could ask him what equipment he likes if you are serious about it.
CashCowMoo
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I have another question. I noticed some states have laws restricting crossbows. Why does it matter if you take a dear with a bow compared to a crossbow?
Bigfoot, what does he hunt up there? I am not familiar with SD.
jordanreed
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im sure buck bowhunts
glassman
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i started in 84. i have a darton and two ben pearsons.if you shoot 50 arrows a day six days a week for 6 months you should be able be able to hit a deer up to 45 yards, but even then the kill is not a sure thing outside 35. so you better learn to get within 30 yards of deer. good luck.
CashCowMoo
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I think its a skill that may one day be handy in case of food shortages or emergencies. Not only is it fun, but it requires more effort into a hunt than rifle hunting as you all know.
The Bigfoot
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Mostly hunts white tail, they are all over the state and easily found.
Mule deer, Elk, and Antelope permits are also available but you gotta go West into the Black Hills.
buckstalker
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I have been bowhunting for about 35 years now and it is by far my favorite method of hunting. I hunt whitetails and turkey which are both extremely difficult animals to take with sharp sticks. I have been shooting Mathews bows for the last 20 years or so and I love them, although there are many good brands of bows on the market now (Hoyt, PSE and Diamond) to name a few. Crossbows do not require anywhere near the skill that longbows, recurves or compound bows do, but they are still more of a challenge than a shotgun or rifle. The challenge with bowhunting is threefold...First you have to get close enough to the animal to take a shot, then you must be able to draw your bow without being detected, and lastly you must have the ability to make a clean kill shot. That isn't easy to do with whitetails because of their keen sense of smell, and both deer and turkeys can see and detect movement from extremely long distances. Shooting a bow proficiently requires a LOT of practice and shooting at a target is completely different than shooting at a live animal. I would recommend that you get the best bow and arrows you can afford, get someone to teach you proper form and then practice your azz off. I shoot in 3D and broadhead leagues every year before the season opens and have found them to be the best practice you can get for real life encounters. I am a very ethical hunter and have a deep respect for the animals I hunt, therefore I NEVER take a shot at a bad angle or that exceeds the distance I am proficient at. If I am not 100% sure that I can make a clean kill on an animal...I DON'T shoot. There are too many things that can go wrong shooting at an animal with a bow especially at longer distances. I am deadly out to 35 yards but anything farther than that is too much of a gamble for me.
CashCowMoo
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Do you use that liquid you pour in the washing machine to kill scents on your camo? Does it work you think?
buckstalker
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Cash...I have Scent Blocker camo clothing that I wear which works really well but NOTHING will completely hide your scent from a whitetail's nose. Your best bet is to always hunt downwind of where you believe the deer will come from...
glassman
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you need to spend alot of time in your area to understand how the deer move and why. what do they do when it's going to rain tomorrow? what foods are they going to eat during the season, where are those foods and where did they bed down the night before? get between them.... be the deer
Upside
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Or, instead of the "be the deer" approach just set a bunch of salt licks out in the months prior to deer season. Keep replacing them as they wear away and always in the same spot. When the season starts just wander out to the salt lick spot, you won't need much more than a hammer to bag your deer
glassman
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they also sell this stuff now called deercaine- never tried it
buckstalker
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Baiting works for small bucks, does & fawns initially, but they catch on pretty quick and will start hitting the bait after dark...
BIG bucks will rarely, if ever, come to a bait pile during daylight hours...
posted ![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)