first bow hunt advice

[darwin]

This upcoming weekend I'm going on my first bow hunt, not only my first with a wooden bow but my first period. I have been hunting all my life and shooting a bow is nothing new to me. I'm using a 45 lb laminated longbow and homemade arrows, I'm confident that I can make a kill shot anywhere within 20 yd but being that the bow is 66 in long I worry about trying to shoot from a blind (which is the only way I have ever hunted deer). I will be hunting in Goliad, Texas where there is a lot of mesquite and live oak brush. A deer would be my first choice but if a turkey showed up I wouldn't mind, or a hog given the right circumstance. Any tips, tricks or advice would be helpful, I don't get to many chances to go hunting so I want to make the best out of this opportunity.

Thanks again and wish me luck!

[crooketarrow]

  Have you done any scouting do you know where to go at. If so I'd for get the blind get a ghillie and build you a couple natural brush blinds. Then your lenth of your bow dos'nt as much of a problem. Build them with the wind in mind. Keep the down wind of where you think the deer will come from. Thats about a basic as I can tell you.

[Pat B]

You should practice from a blind before you hunt. Will you be able to shoot comfortably from the blind when the time comes?

[darwin]

I've hunted on this property my whole life so for the most part I know where the deer are. The problem with practicing from a blind would be that I live in Houston which is 3 hrs from Goilad (where I'm hunting) second all the blinds are set up with rifles in mind and not for bows. I have done my best to try to practice in conditions that are as close to possible to hunting in a blind but I don't think I'm going to be able to pull that off.

[Pat B]

Bring your gun just in case. Might as well bring meat home! 

[H Rhodes]

Practice shooting from different positions and definitely from a seated position similar to how you will be hunting.  You knowing the place and how the deer are moving is a big advantage.  Pick your ambush spot carefully.  I like to keep my shots fifteen yards or closer.   Hunt into the wind and good luck to you. 

[darwin]

Thanks guys I will probably take my .243 out there with me incase nothing comes within range

[JW_Halverson]

The world's most under-rated cartridge, formerly known as the 6mm Page Pooper.  I'm fond of the .243 myself, and that's saying something because I am really only interested in flintlocks!

[darwin]

Yeah I like mine I shot my first deer with one, I have been thinking of getting into black powder my self more for fun than for hunting

[iowabow]

Jw told me to be stone cold when the deer comes in. Dont get jumpy like me. Try to control those nerves and then you will have half the battle won. Almost forgot dont shoot the dirt.

[darwin]

Well I saw several deer but nothing ever came close enough for a bow shot, then the last day I took my rifle and went out to the deer stand which I hadn't hunted from yet (as I couldn't draw my bow inside it) the first thing that happened was I got lost, and after 45 min of winding my way through clearings and woods (and getting several face fulls of spider webs)  I finally found a fence line that allowed me to get my bearings. I arrived at the blind with plenty of time (as I had left super early) and i climb up the ladder and try to open the door only to find out that the stand has settled funny and now the plastic doors and walls have warped in such a way as to clamp the door shut. So i decide to go sit on the ground in front of the stand and hope i get a shot before anything sees me, but since i had planed on being in a blind, i didn't have any camo on my head not even a hat. So im just sitting on the ground with the rifle in my lap when the sun comes up, about ten minutes later a big doe steps out about 10 yds to my left takes one look at me and is gone before i can even twitch a muscle. The one day i didn't have a bow on me a deer gets within range, but to be fair if i had brought my bow i wouldn't have posted up there anyways.

[JW_Halverson]

Yup, that's exactly how it works.  Glad to hear we don't have to arrest you for breaking Murphy's Law!

Nothing yuckier than a facefulla spiderweb. 

[darwin]

maybe I will get another chance in February