Frustrated with Bowhunting
10-08-2007, 01:40 PM
#22
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Iowa (Heartland USA)
Posts: 3,249
RE: Frustrated with Bowhunting
Don't get frustrated and don't give up. Your "friends" are idiots. I bow hunted 3 years to get my first deer. I was lucky that it was an old 8 point buck. An hour earlier I shot a twig to keep the arrow from dropping a beautiful 13 point buck. The year before that, I missed 3 deer mostly due to what I attribute to putting pressure on myself to be successful with a bow. The first year (before I found this forum), I didn't have a deer come close enough to any of my stands to even get a shot. I still hunt with shotgun and black powder, but bow hunting is the most challenging and has the greatest rewards when that first deer drops. Keep the faith and keep persuing that first silent kill.
10-08-2007, 03:58 PM
#23
Fork Horn
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: WESTERN NY / NORTHERN PA
Posts: 190
RE: Frustrated with Bowhunting
Hunting with archery tackle can be the most frustrating and the most rewarding hunt you'll ever have. When you score, there is nothing better...knowing you've accomplished one of the most difficult hunts for anytype of game.
10-08-2007, 04:45 PM
#24
Spike
Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 97
RE: Frustrated with Bowhunting
Im going into my third season of bow hunting and like every other sport you only learn by experiences and you can only get better when first starting off. I havent gotten my first kill yet but its still addicting.
10-10-2007, 03:39 AM
#25
Fork Horn
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 107
RE: Frustrated with Bowhunting
I have been bowhunting for 20 years this fall and have had way more missed oportunities than tagged animals. I still look forward to bow season like I used to look forward to christmas as a kid though. Learn to enjoy the archery part of bowhunting and you will gain more confidence. I try to shoot from the time the snow melts untill it gets too cold to shoot again. That year round practice helps to give you confidence that when that deer does come into range that bad boy (or girl) is yours. Bowhunting will also make you a more effective firearm deer hunter as well since you will have much more time in the woods to study the animals and alot more "missed opportunities" to learn from. Take it in stride and try to outsmart him again.
10-10-2007, 03:56 AM
#26
Bartender
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 6,634
RE: Frustrated with Bowhunting
I have to agree with the exception of guns. I still gun hunt but that is more of a family thing every year during thanksgiving week.
ORIGINAL: Rob/PA Bowyer
Do you expect it to be easy. IF that's the case, I agree with your friends, stay away from bowhunting. It's not for you BUT the reward is so much more rewarding when you do take your first animal etc....there is a reason for the addiction. Bowhunting has more lows than highs depending on how you look at it. I don't view your deer trotting away as a failure but a success at even seeing him while hunting. You'll learn with every success and failure and if your anything like me, your guns will be a thing of the past.
Do you expect it to be easy. IF that's the case, I agree with your friends, stay away from bowhunting. It's not for you BUT the reward is so much more rewarding when you do take your first animal etc....there is a reason for the addiction. Bowhunting has more lows than highs depending on how you look at it. I don't view your deer trotting away as a failure but a success at even seeing him while hunting. You'll learn with every success and failure and if your anything like me, your guns will be a thing of the past.
10-10-2007, 04:53 AM
#29
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Harford Co Maryland USA
Posts: 4,966
RE: Frustrated with Bowhunting
I've been a bowhunter exclusively when it comes to deer for several years now. Seeing deer that you could have taken easily with a gun make it that much sweeter when you see the deer you want approaching your "high percentage" zone. I don't gun hunt for deer anymore, but when I did, I had decided that if I saw a true monster, it would be a let-down to take him with my gun when the bow kill is so much more satisfying. Keep at it and you'll feel the addiction so many of us have caught when you arrow your first.
10-10-2007, 05:04 AM
#30
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Flushing Michigan
Posts: 2,355
RE: Frustrated with Bowhunting
Your first bowhunt and you saw a monster 12 point. You already won, man!!! You just don't know how lucky you are. I'd be smiling and thanking God for that great hunt you just had.
Which way was the wind blowing? Maybe he just winded you. That's part of the game.
Stick with it. If you pay your dues the rewards are SO much greater than gun hunting. I've done both and it's no contest. I'm the only one in my group that carries my bow out with hunters orange on opening day of rifle season. Sure I've missed opportunities at bucks that were a little too far for a bow. But the way I see it everybody else is missing the opportunity to do something really special - take a deer with a bow and arrow.
You just don't know how lucky you are. I'd be smiling and thanking God for that great hunt you just had. Which way was the wind blowing? Maybe he just winded you. That's part of the game.
Stick with it. If you pay your dues the rewards are SO much greater than gun hunting. I've done both and it's no contest. I'm the only one in my group that carries my bow out with hunters orange on opening day of rifle season. Sure I've missed opportunities at bucks that were a little too far for a bow. But the way I see it everybody else is missing the opportunity to do something really special - take a deer with a bow and arrow.