mobow

Well, I don't know about ya'll, but I learn so much about the sport of bow hunting every year it amazes me. So, I got to thinking this weekend about where I feel I have most improved this year.
I would have to say my biggest improvement this year is my ability to set up on deer using the terrain. I hunt mostly big woods, and setting up close enough for a shot is quite tough. But, I studied and learned about terrain, funnels, things like that, and have consistently set up on deer. Shooting one? Now, that's another topic all together...[8D]

Anyway, where do you think you have improved the most this season?

fatsbucknut

Good question. I'd have to say that i hunted the wind alot more this year. Amazingly for me, i didnt get winded even once. Also i got a new bow and my accuracy has improved greatly.


Zach

Trapper_Hunter

Lets see.. My accuracy when shooitng the bow was gone up an enormous amount and i have been paying to the wind more important than just hunting anytime.

txjourneyman

Well, this being my first year with a bow I'm not sure. Equipment has improved quite a bit when I went from an Alpine Impact X-treme to a Diamond Victory. I have also improved in my ability to get close to deer. Or hogs for that matter. After hunting with a gun for years , what a difference. Stand location matters so much more. I guess I've improved most in hunting the wind and staying as scent free as I can. At 150 yds. with a rifle it's just not as critical as 15 yds with a bow. I have learned so much this year and I have so much more ahead. I can't wait!

recurver67

With the weather being less than perfect this year I saw alot different movement.The way the deer used the same area with the wind blowing in the opposite direction of the normal southwest.With the wind blowing like hell they still moved but they were out in the open where they could see better.I've seen alot of deer traveling with the wind also.Out of 35 sittings I've seen deer all but5 and only one buck was over 1 1/2 old.Needless to sayI've yet to shoot one. As far as learning something,I would guess it's deer are still as unpredictable as they were last year.

BowHuntingFool

Excellent Post! I would say my confidence in my equipment! I purchased a new bow this past summer and therefore a entirely new set up. I really took my time in choosing my bow, arrows, rest, sight, release and broadheads! It took me a long while in getting it right but I am very happy. With this my accuracy has improved tenfold! Before I wasn't sure if the bow or the braodhead wasn't right when I had a random arrow. Know I know when I have an off shot that the problem is me. As in my forum getting lazy! This new setup makes me shoot correct and I love it! Once again excellent post!

NY Bowhunter

Very good post. I would have to say my patience in NOT hunting my "honey holes" when I was dying to sit in my favorite stands. That goes along with hunting the wind (which was insane this year). I would only hunt one particular stand when the wind was PERFECT and nothing less. I only ended up sitting in it a handful of times but it paid off for me.
I also was more conscience of my routes in and out of the woods. I didnt' take the "easy" way to my stand in a hurry like I've done in the past. Sometimes in certain situations with the wind and my stand locations I would go well out of my way for what I thought was the best approach for that given hunt.

All in all I mixed up my routes in and out of the woods pretty good, didn't overhunt any of my stands, and only hunted them when the wind was right.

tschaef

I have learned plenty this year but the biggest thing for me is probably old hat to most of you guys;gotta be able to judge the range of a target.
I took my 1st shot at a living animal in October, a small buck, shot right over his back at 10yrds using my 20 yrd pin, luckily he only ran 10yrds and this time my 20yrd pin worked well .

Since then I've bought a rangefinder, learned my paces, and I figure out distances when putting up the stand, instead of guessing at it when theres a deer standing there.

rybohunter

I forced myself to not to hunt the same places too much. That's always been difficult for me.

stillhunt04

I went out opening day (like some of you may know from one of my earlier posts) and I killed my first deer with a bow. It was a little doe that was really small, but I was so excited and willing to shoot almost anything my first time that I shot her. She was my first deer and I'm really proud of her, but I have been out a couple more time since then, and I'm going to be going out some more in the future. Last time out I saw two does similar to my first; they were really young, but they were the only things that would come within range. I passed both of them up and even a young spike for this reason, and I think that's probably how I most improved. It may sound like common sense to some guys, but when it's your first time out and you actually see something, it's hard not to try!