Any archery hunters have any luck?

[neumanns]

Re: Any archery hunters have any luck?

wiklam...thank you thankyou thankyou, You give me faith. I want one so bad. <br /><br />Dakota...Congrats, and I have a real toufgh time finding any sympathy for your short season.

 

[dakotashooter2]

Re: Any archery hunters have any luck?

neumanns..... how I wiah I could still shoout a recurve. One question. sights or instinctive. If you use sights you are wasting the potential of your stick bow. One of the advantages to the recurve is being able to snap shoot, drawing and releasing the arrow in one quick fluid motion. This can't be done with sights. A true instinctive shooter "feels" his aiming point. In my case I focus only on the "spot" I want the arrow to go. Provided that my full concentration remains on this spot as I release my arrow, it hits reasonably close to where it was intended to go. I'll be the first to admit I don't have the pinpoint accuracy afforded by sights but I also don't have to calculate range and can generally loose an arrow much quicker than a sight shooter. It does however take time, dedication and intense focus to master. I'll also admit there are days when that focus just isn't there. Keep at it. while i hunt using many methods I most enjoy stillhunting and spot and stalk. I find that often the biggest problem is getting "too" close. It's hard to defeat those sharp eyes when the distance is measured in feet rather than yards.<br />Of one last note: to me the thrill is in the hunt. My season starts the first week of September. My annual pilgrimage 350 miles west is late September. Every year in the last 15 I have passed shots prior to that pilrimage as not to deny myself of the pleasure I have hunting mule deer. most years have found me still hunting on the last and usually subzero day of bow season looking for just the right deer and starting to plan for the next year. A word of advice the more you want it the harder it becomes. Relax, enjoy and your opportunity will come. Good luck.

 

[wikelam]

Re: Any archery hunters have any luck?

as dk2 said, it is better to shoot with instinct. if i would have been shooting with sights, it would have been to dark to see the pins, even the new fiber optics. it was light enuff to see the deer but there was no way to shoot with sights. i missed because i was excited and did not focus on the vital area, just the deer. the second shot i calmed down and focus on the shot, watched the arrow all the way to the rib cage, perfect 1/4ing away shot. i use the fiber optics on my mathews Q2 and have not been able to shoot because i could not see the pins and focus on the deer at the same time. yeah the pins will be visible but to look through the peep sight at the pins and focus on the deer in low light conditions is tough. too risky of a shot for me. I will carry the recurve all season, except for gun season, I will carry my Mathews Q2 then, it will extend my range out to 40 yards. the deer seem to get skittish with all the shots going off, and the 20 yard range i have on the recurve is jsut too short. <br /><br />but best off luck to you nuemans/ i hunt from a stand and from the ground, USE!! a safety harness while in a tree. shot this deer from a stand, but have shot several from the ground in a blind i made. I got a set of pruners and a limb saw from walmart, $18, made by Gerber, best investment a bow hunter can have. has the pruners and the saw for makeing blinds.<br /><br />As for the shot, if you practice the draw and shoot method, use it, but if not do not attempt it, it take practice to shoot either way. try it on the target first, you might only get one chance so dont try something you are not comfortable. also what is the LBS on your bow, i started off with a 51# recurve, could not hold long enuff for a good shot, went to a 45# one had no problems, but it take practice and it will build your muscles up to hold for a few extra seconds. after 4 months of practice i can hold the 45 for about 10-15 seconds and still get a good shot off.<br /><br />the big deer above will jsut miss the record.

 

[neumanns]

Re: Any archery hunters have any luck?

Dakota, no sights but not really instinctive either. I still use the tip of my arrow for referance kinda point and shoot. Would like to get to complete instinct but not there yet. The spot and stalk is coming harder as having been a rifle hunter for years (still am) never had to deal with getting this close. Learning a lot more about these critters instinct and reaction than i ever had to before. My stalking is basically practice at this point but will get there. My best tactic has been what i call hide or tucking in a brush line or behind tree etc.<br /><br />As for passing shots to extend the season, I hear you there, but we now have multiple tags and first comes the freezer after i get some there then i continue to hunt for shear enjoyment. The bow is still just entertainment as I havenever had trouble with the freezer come rifle. The referance to really wanting one with bow is serious but not to be taken to serious if that makes sense, really enjoy the time I spend hunting with my bow ( or any other method)

 

[neumanns]

Re: Any archery hunters have any luck?

Got my first one tonight. A doe at about 16yds, Not a perfect shot but got the job done. I am stoked and ready for the next oppertunity. <br /><br />Wiklam... I,m pulling about 52lbs, and practiced my instinct shooting today. Tonight the shot was a draw and shoot that came off nicley. I am reluctant to call it true instinct shooting but by far the most natural shooting yet. Things are starting to come togeter.

 

[FLATHEAD]

Re: Any archery hunters have any luck?

Alright Neumanns It sure is much more challenging and much more satisfying to take one down with primitive weapons. <br /><br /> Do you guys do your butchering? I used to do it but found I get a much nicer cut to let the butcher man down the road do it for me. I do still make my own jerky.<br /><br />Congrats.

 

[aspeck]

Re: Any archery hunters have any luck?

Way to go Neumanns! Congrats to ya - I am jealous, but extremely happy for you. Man, it is hard to be working on the roof of the house and see the woods and not get to go into it, but if we want to be in the house by Thanksgiving, I better work from sun up to sun down (then I can go rifle hunting after Thanksgiving - method to my madness!).<br /><br />Flahthead, as for butchering, wouldn't let anyone else touch my game! Had the best butcher in town teach me how to do it years ago - he came to the house every deer season and instructed till he finally said, "Son, you got it, you don't need me any more." We want to make sure the meat is clean, hair free, cut the way we want it, and aged the way we like it. So, we do it ourself. Build our ouwn butcher house complete with stainless tables, etc. Usually butcher about 30 deer a season.

 

[neumanns]

Re: Any archery hunters have any luck?

Yeah I butcher all my own game. Started when I was a kid and just always done it. Have my own method and is far from traditional cuts but it works. I always joke that I only get two cuts; Backstrap & Panfry. Gotta say that last year when I butcherd my elk thought I would never finish, sure makes these deer look managble. takes me about 6 hours to put one in the freezer from fielddressed.

 

[Carphunter]

Re: Any archery hunters have any luck?

You guys have my respect, thats for sure.<br /> <br />I started with a Bear Kodiak recurve about 25 years ago. Switched to an old PSE Phaser bow shooting fingers. Then I switched to a PSE Fireflite with the carbon arrows, overdraw, release, the whole 9 yards. Seemed to be gettin a little to technical for me so I switched back to shooting fingers and the old PSE Phaser. I have taken deer with all three set-ups, but I sure like to feel the string when I shoot with fingers.<br /><br />I am not a good enough shot, (for my own requirements), to hunt with my recurve anymore. I will continue to shoot my compound with fingers, thats about as technical as I care to get.<br /><br />Congrats wikelam and neumanns! I am just now starting to hit it hard. Been looking at a lot of new land to hunt. Spending more time scouting then hunting so far.<br /><br /> Anyway good luck fellas!

 

[wikelam]

Re: Any archery hunters have any luck?

congrats nuemans!!<br /><br />I will butcher all my deer myself.<br /><br />got some jerky in the dehydrator now. having grilled backstrap toight.

 

[mellowyellow]

Re: Any archery hunters have any luck?

my cuz just called me... had a huge 12 pointer<br />below his tree almost straight down shot, deer<br />raised his head at last sec. and arrow hit him<br />in his rack and deflected away.<br />thought he was gonna start crying...

 

[gaugeguy]

Re: Any archery hunters have any luck?

There's that dang 12 pointer again!!!

 

[ehenry]

Re: Any archery hunters have any luck?

My boy, The Swamptater, came in lastnight with 185 lb. goat eared doe. She was old and ready to be taken. I'm telling ya....I don't have to hunt anymore. I can practice my socializing at the camp.

 

[gaugeguy]

Re: Any archery hunters have any luck?

I got a 170 pound black bear yesterday afternoon, 1st bear with a bow! 15 yard shot, he didn't have a clue that I was above him, he was too busy chompin acorns. Shoulders are a little sore from lugging him out, well worth it though. Pictures to follow as soon as they are developed.

 

[neumanns]

Re: Any archery hunters have any luck?

A big congrats, with a healthy dose of admiration, and just a pinch of envy. Good job!

 

[gaugeguy]

Re: Any archery hunters have any luck?

Wish me luck guys, tomorrow is the start of the nine day moose season and I was lucky enough to draw one of the 485 permits! We have been seeing some good bulls the last couple weeks, so hopefully it will be a quick hunt...and then the work will really begin.

 

[FLATHEAD]

Re: Any archery hunters have any luck?

Gaugeguy way to go on the bear. Hope you got a big freezer in case you get a moose too.

 

[JGREGORY]

Re: Any archery hunters have any luck?

Flahthead, Where do you go for butchering, I use Herring Bros in Plumstead off of route 611. They do a good job and their chip steaks are to die for. So thin you could see right through them, Best steak sandwich around.

 

[FLATHEAD]

Re: Any archery hunters have any luck?

jgregory, I use Howard Ellinger over in Tylersport. He and his family have been doing it as long as I can remember,, he does a nice job and makes a dry beef (venison) that is the best you will ever have.<br /> <br />He does it out back in the converted barn. The place dont look like much and I am sure some would think it's less than up to specks. He does not even hang out a sign anymore yet he stills get so many deer from repeat customers that he has to turn them away by the end of the season. <br /><br />If all goes well tomorrow I will be paying him a visit. <br /><br />I have heard of Herring Bros. and hear they do a nice cut also.

 

[FLATHEAD]

Re: Any archery hunters have any luck?

Hunted this morning for a few hours. In the same stand as the one I had the little 4 point come under. About 8:15 a nice shooter 6 point ,, neck all swolled up walked within 30 yards but was in behind some branches I watched him make a scrape,, He pawed the ground furiously and relieved himself in it and all over his hind legs as rubbed them together then drug his horns through the whole mess,, this took him less than two minutes. Looks like the rut is full on around here. He then walked off in the wrong direction ( well wrong for me ,, right for him ) <br /><br />Good news is both times in this stand I saw buck