How to learn to hunt with a selfbow?

[Fox]

Okay that makes sence Hawkdancer... the scate wasnt perticularly fresh, but thre was more there than ive seen on the whole mountain.... all compase and topo maps for me!

[George Tsoukalas]

I killed a selfbow while I was just sitting in front of a tree. If you can also have a tree front, and sides that's great. Be alert and sit still. Jawge

[Woody roberts]

I like to sit with a couple big trees out front and to the sides. When the tree is between me and their eyeball I do my moving if I need to.

[Allyn T]

Different areas require different tactics. So I will only talk about where I hunt. Public land along the Jacks Fork river. In a year when there are few acorns the deer feed in the bottom then work their way up on the ridges to bed.
I never want to go where the deer are, I want to go where they will be coming to. Hence in the morning I will set up on a trail near the top of the ridge. In the evening I’m on a trail in the bottom. It is so brushy there that the deer tend to use trails pretty regular. Most people won’t hunt there because of the brush.

In a year with lots of acorns all bets are off. They feed and bed up on the hillsides. As you hunt an area more you learn spots that are consistent producers. It’s always more difficult when your hunting a new area.
Shoot straight, Woody

I love the jacks fork! Never hunted there but I have at the sunk lands

[Woody roberts]

Early in life I was a logger. Worked and hunted quite a bit around the sunklands. I was raised in Winona in Shannon county. Here people think I’m a hillbilly, back home I’m just a normal person.

[Allyn T]

I've winter floated a lot down there but I live in st.charles county. If I could convince my wife I'd live down by you. Southern missouri is beautiful. Everyone I've met while hunting around sunklands has been very friendly.

[bradsmith2010]

start hunting and dont hesitate to ask questions and for advice,,
the deer will teach to as well,, take notes

[Fox]

I had a surprising experience while hunting... I couldn’t shoot.... which was probly for the best because the doe wasn’t quite in a perfect position for a shot ... but if I she was I don’t think the arrow would have left the bow.. it was a very strange and emotional experience... any tips to overcome this want in the moment not to kill such a beautiful animal? I do not enjoy being out there but the stress was overwhelming... thanks for all the good advise


-Fox

[bradsmith2010]

  I think thats pretty normal,, as you hunt more you can decide when you want to shoot,,
if you decided never to shoot thats ok,, but at some point,, your hunting instinct will kick in and you will shoot,, especially if you are hungry,,  

   just enjoy the process and see how it goes,, just do what is best and natural for you,, also,, you dont have to be accountable or explain to anyone,, if you decide to shoot or not,, just enjoy being outside,,

[Allyn T]

I think that is natural, I love every part of hunting except the kill. Even the field dressing and butchering I enjoy but I do find it hard sometimes to take the shot. It helps if they come in fast and you don't have time think too long. Just to clarify I'm not talking about a moving target I just mean when they suddenly appear and stop at 15 yards.

[Morgan]

I believe in sixth sense, sometimes, something doesn’t feel right and you don’t know why, always good to listen to that. Not necessarily a good thing to constantly question yourself, but maybe your inner self told you something was wrong with the shot and not a good idea to loose. It will come, and unless the game is a necessity for groceries, the hunt is where it is at anyway. If it was all about killing game, you probably wouldn’t be toting a stick and string around in the woods. That was a good experience you had. Congrats.

[bjrogg]

Like Morgan said . Sometimes it’s just enjoying the moment. Sometimes I just pick up my phone and take a picture instead of a shot with my bow. Sometimes I don’t do either.

Getting close isn’t the hard part. Getting off that perfect unseen shot is the really hard part. I have had bucks so close I could spit on them but couldn’t get a shot off. Especially on the ground this can be very difficult.

I do like a few things to help my odds. Like Ed said I try to setup so they walk past me and give me a slightly quartering away shot. This gives me a larger target. A nice access to the vitals. It also puts their eyes ahead of me. I don’t try to stop them. I would rather shoot at a slowly walking calm animal than a alert animal standing still looking my way. I consider hunting with a selfbow very similar to hunting with a shotgun. Just at closer range. I swing, point and shoot. I one motion.

From a tree stand you have advantage of being able to see them without them seeing you better. Also scent is while still important not as much so as on the ground. Shooting from tree is different though. I like to have stand oriented so my shooting lane is to my left. (I’m right handed). It is difficult to turn and shoot to right from tree. Even straight forward is a bit difficult. Practice from tree if you plan on hunting from one. I also find I need to bend at my waist and square up my upper body to target. If I don’t I shoot a foot high every time.

Most important of all. Have fun. Enjoy being out there. Watch the animals and they will teach you their ways.

Nothing ever goes exactly as planned. Expect the unexpected.

Bjrogg

[Hawkdancer]

Slightly off topic:  Woody, Allyn T, you mentioned the sunk lands, as in the area around Pine Bluffs and New Madrid in the " swamp east"?  Of Missouri
Hawkdancer

[Allyn T]

Slightly off topic:  Woody, Allyn T, you mentioned the sunk lands, as in the area around Pine Bluffs and New Madrid in the " swamp east"?  Of Missouri
Hawkdancer

It's a conservation area south of salem MO and north of Eminence MO. It's around 40,000 acres

[Hawkdancer]

Found it on the MoDc website -  I left MO in '66 and migrated westward.  Never got to hunt that area.
Hawkdancer