How to learn to hunt with a selfbow?

[Allyn T]

It's a cool place and big enough you could hunt it your whole life and never sit the same spot twice

[Pappy]

I have had the same thoughts Fox from time to time, just don't want to shoot and I will say the least enjoyable part for me after all these years is the killing of such a beautiful creature, but that being said I do love to eat them and it is the main meat I feed my family with every year, not that I couldn't buy meat but bottom line is something has to die, either by me our someone else, as it is said "you can't grill um until you kill um" I just want to do it as cleanly and quickly as I can and always give thanks for the bounty. Good luck in you adventure.
 Pappy

[Fox]

Thanks for all the reassuring as to actually taking the shot everyone... I had lots of fun in the woods the other day, had a doe run up and stand 5 yards from me while I was in a creek getting some water, that was exciting, no shot opportunity, but it was fun! I have another question  ... how many times should I hunt the same spot without any success or seeing any deer there? should I hunt one spot and go back there the next day? or is my scent a problem then? should I hunt the same spot like 2 or 3 times? before I try to find somewhere else?  thanks again !


-Fox

[Allyn T]

I personally do not like hunting a spot more than once if I don't see anything and even if I do see something usually the second time there are way less if any deer and if you try a third time I don't see anything

[Pappy]

I hunt the same spots quite regular, I am just careful going in and out and with my clothing, if I see deer and they aren't alerted I see no problem with it, if I spook one or it spots me then I will do something different. I have 12 or 15 stands/blinds up on my farm in different areas so moving around a bit is also very effective at least in the starting of the season to see what is going on, but when I zero in on a spot/area I will hunt it pretty hard until things change. Patients is a big part of the game. Just because you didn't see them there today doesn't mean you won't see them tomorrow especially if you have good sign around and didn't spook them. I am blessed to have a big farm but you have to realize that in most areas the deer are use to seeing people and smelling humans and it is not going to run them out of the area, they may be a little more cautious but they are going to leave home. If you are hunting big woods it is a little different when they don't see or smell humans except during hunting season so you have to be a little moue cautious. Hang in there, it will happen usually when yo least expect it. 
Pappy

[ssrhythm]

When I decided to hunt with a recurve, I learned a lot about what I’d been doing wrong all along.  I knew my range and set up on sign in areas that only allowed for 20 yard snd in shots...and Shazam, I was seeing far more deer than when I was setting up in trees that allowed me several 100+ yard shots in multiple directions.  Go get in the woods ad hunt...every failure, success, and draw will educate.  Do not pass any legal deer that is within your comfort zone and standing in a good position to shoot.

[ssrhythm]

I’m with Pappy sort of.  Your best chance of shootings deer in a spot is the first time you hunt it.  That said, there is a first time each year...each big weather change...each rut etc.  So, I shot a big 8 in Ohio in a spot I call “the rock.”  I’ve rarely hunted there when I haven’t seen a decent buck.  That said, there have been a few times I’ve hunted there...1st time that year...1st time since seeing the rut kick in...that I’ve seen and heard nothing.  Had one of those times been my first sit and I gave up on it, I’d have missed out on a lot of incredible close encounters.  If I finds good looking spot, I’ll pick a tree, makes plan, and hunt it when Ican or when I think it’s going to be a good day.  If I get skunked, I might decide to give it one more go, as a spot that has a lot of sign ineluctable will not be bypassed two or three days straight.  IfI still get skunked, I’ll hit elsewhere until something major changes...Brit weather, moon, or rutting activity.  Also, since 2009, I spend all day in the stand, and if I can’t, I spend as much time as possible.  If you are hunting a spot with lots of sign and only hunting in the afternoons and not seeing anything...might be more of a morning or midday spot.  So don’t necessarily give up on it. 

[Bad juju]

In my opinion opinion scouting is huge. The more you know about the area and how the deer move within it make a big difference. With Whitetail I start scouting in the summer but don’t truly put in effort hunting till the rut.

I am of the opposite opinion of the first sit being the best. In my opinion once you have experience with an area and adapted from past mistakes is when you truly dial in a hunting spot. Knowing how different conditions affect the deer in your area helps you decide what locations are best. Knowing the areas that see heavy rut sign like scrapes and rubs each year

It may not bring you instant success but often leads to consistent success long term over seasons

[Fox]

Okay thanks everyone... scouting does definitely seem very important... cause I don’t know where the deer are now, I haven’t seen any the last 4 times I’ve been out. So I go out in the evening, and I’ve been hunting in the valleys .. mostly, some on the ridges. There’s tones of acorns and squirrels up on the ridge, should I move up there ? Or find a trail going from valley to ridge? Sorry so many questions!!  Thanks again .

[Pat B]

Next time you scout look for rub lines and scrape lines. These will tell you where the deer have traveled. Rub lines are good early on in the season but scrapes are good now. When you find a scrape line keep checking it for recent activity. Both of these are "sign posts" for deer and at least scrapes will attract bucks from elsewhere looking for a hot momma.

[Bad juju]

Okay thanks everyone... scouting does definitely seem very important... cause I don’t know where the deer are now, I haven’t seen any the last 4 times I’ve been out. So I go out in the evening, and I’ve been hunting in the valleys .. mostly, some on the ridges. There’s tones of acorns and squirrels up on the ridge, should I move up there ? Or find a trail going from valley to ridge? Sorry so many questions!!  Thanks again .

To answer your questions honestly I have no clue what would be best without knowing the area and the deers habits. The basic plan out side of the rut is to target areas between the feeding and bedding areas. You are looking for main travel routes and ideally at intersections where multiple trails meet. Pay attention to the contour of the land and the path of least resistance. How thick the bush is or if there is heavy blow down can affect how they travel

The rut I still hurt these main travel routes but also scrape lines

This is where scouting comes in you need to understand where the deer are feeding, bedding, and scrape lines are made. These are all found by paying attention to sign. Don’t get caught up on seeing deer when scouting but focus on sign

Trail cams help but some guys are against them and the cost adds up. Another low tech cheap option to check how active trails are is string light thread across the trails. If the thread is broken an animal has past since you were there last. Do this for a while and you will start getting an idea of how often deer use these trails

You will find a lot of trails don’t see much traffic and others are used almost daily. Sometimes moving 50yards is all it takes to go from seeing deer often vs rarely

Hope this helps and don’t get frustrated if you don’t tag a deer just use your time to learn and adapt.

[Allyn T]

If your gonna stalk ridges I would be on the leeward side

[Bryce]

Idk much about whitetails but I like the advice given.
All points are great! Once you find deer activity and are out there it comes down to the shot. The last few seconds of your hunt.
For me, it took learning when all the right things were in place for me. In order for the situation to favor me and my effort.

You can see all the deer in the world (or whatever you’re hunting). But knowing when to take the shot and when not to shoot is SO important. And once you got that down clean kills will become consistent. There is always going to be some amount of risk. And mitigating those risks and putting odds in your favor is all part of it. Especially when it comes to setting up the scape of where you’re hunting. Where you are on the terrain should give you favor in your perspective shooting angles.

Make sure that if the deer come from which ever direction, that you have a clean lane to shoot down. Small branches and little leaves can really be a pain. One small twig can deflect an arrow enough to be ineffective.
When the deer enters the scene, that’s when the hunting starts.
Never look away. Focus. No sudden movement, eyes pick up on movement really easily. Keep your breathing even. Open your ears. Take mental notes of it’s behavior. BE patient. The deciding point of the hunt being successful is when you decide to enter the scene and intervene. When you say to yourself’ “this is it.” And you act upon this creatures life.
And knowing the right time, is everything.
You can’t be afraid to produce the shot because of doubt. Trust yourself and trust your instincts. We are predators. That killing-instinct is a part of the most primitive parts of our brains.
at the same time knowing when not to act and being okay with that, is just as important.
because patients will most likely grant you another venture.

[HH~]

Hunt same trees a bunch. When you got 2-3/arce why not? Shot three out this small sycamore four or five years ago. Same tree last year double up and this year doubled up agian out of same tree. Again its a movement corridor, deer use it regular. Shoot one, wait an hour another prolly gonna move through if they are in the area.


Whitetail hunting when compared to Blacktail hunting is rather easy even with primitve gear. Whitetails are far more habitual than Blacktails. Hunted Blacktails and Muleys when I lived in the NW. Hunting Blacktails is great fun, they rut very late Mid Dec were I hunted. They like to stick to that scotch broom , fir and fern no doubt. I was lucky enough to hold the number #2 Blacktail ever taken. Just a huge headed buck. Buck was in a class of its own was taken in the 1950's and mount was getting a new cape. I happen to be in this guys shop when the family brought the thing in.

Whitetails can be patterned very easily once you figger what terrain/food sources in your area are influencing there habits and why. Not so easy in big woods of Maine or Minn per say but there too in some ways. Sometimes you've done your work and know the area and movement corridors or feeding areas but just cant get deer to get in good lethal range. This happens to Grand Slam Archery guys same as guys just starting out. Learn as you go, dont relearn mistakes from the set or stand. I've always said "you get one maybe tow chances at a good mature white you been on each season", Make the very most of those.

Next, you are not compromised by using a selfbow at all. If you can shoot well to 25-30yds a Glass bow is not going to get you any further to draggin that buck you been after all year. Most will drop the selfbow first miss at a good deer and grab the glass or wheels. Just keep getting yourself in good wind in a good spot. Figure out why you see these deer in the area you hunt. Watch them, are passing thru, going to water in heat, heading to a thicket in bad weather to browse or bed, where do doe go when it snows hard, when the predominate wind blows what spots are on the lee side of that wind. Just walkin around with bow all seasons , sitting down and watching them will answer the questions that will put you in the place to kill one under the conditions and wind for that day.

Its one thing to sit in a beanfild field corner and shoot a whitetail walking the edge early season. It's another to shoot whitetails at close range early, rut, and late season. Some places just to see a good whitetail close is tuff. Heck some places its hard to kill one with a rifle.

HH~

[Fox]

Thanks for the advice HH, and others. I have another question  ... so I found a really great spot the other day, lots of scrapes, fresh Pooh and deep rutted trails intersecting at the top of a little ridge. The only problem is finding it I walked over the trail in 2 or 3 places... this was yesterday... so is my scent being there going to mess me up if I hunt there this weekend? Thanks again


-Fox