American Bow Hunting

One of the keys to archery hunting success is to find and recognize what funnels deer in your area. A funnel is any thing that makes deer narrow down there path to get through an area. To get a shot off with your whisker biscuit you will need to be within 30 yards typically.

A few typical funnels in areas I hunt area inside field edges . This is an easy one to find and usually hunt with the right wind. Another easy one to pick out is an area between a thicker woods and one that offers little cover. The deer will travel along the thick edge yet walking where it easier to go. Another good funnel that some do not think of is along residential areas. The deer will do most of the traveling just out of sight of the dogs and where people typically go. But if you can hunt in that funnel you may find yourself in the right place at the right time

With the early spring this year and mild winter in most parts of America we are in the fawn season. These fawns born now may be that big buck you shoot in four years with your bowtech archery equipment.

Mature does always have the best areas and the know how to produce two fawns in some instances.  Keeping good food this time of the year not only produces good antlers but also good fawns. Keeping the whole herd healthy is crucial for future hunting seasons as well as future bucks. Quality Deer Management is not just for producing big bucks it is more about keeping a deer herd in good health. This is a tough sell in todays society when we want everything right away. Some hunters write off QDM after a few seasons saying it does not work. It is tough to manage small plots of land and see big bucks. Just remember that fawn that is being born today may grow up to be the buck of your lifetime

To get one of your muzzy broadheads through the buck of your dreams the pre rut may be the ticket. The pre rut is when bucks are seeking does but not able to find a date. Hunting known funnels during this time can be a great strategy. Hunting scrapes that are visited or scrape lines can also be a strategy that can work this time of the year.

Some light calling can also be effective to peak the interest of a passing buck. Sounding like the biggest buck in the woods will scare most deer the other way . Sounding more like a 2 1/2″ year old will bring in bucks of all age classes. If you see a guy that is twice your size chances are you will not pick a fight with him. If the deer is not the biggest in the woods he will sometimes be to timid to come to aggressive calling. Like we said yesterday some of these younger bucks can still be 120-130 class deer. If you follow some of these basic tips this fall you may find yourself in the right place at the right time.

When fall hits an archery hunter has shot many arrows into his morrell archery targets ans is ready to go. As fall moves on down we get ready for the rut to begin. The pre rut is the first stage of the rut and can be tough to hunt. You will find scrapes open every where you go in a good woods.

The bucks are ready willing and able to go but the problem is the does are not. The fully mature bucks know this and will bide there time until the does are willing.  The less mature bucks will start to search out hot does and will make themselves seen during day light hours. In good areas the 2 1/2 an 3 1/2 year old bucks can still be in the 110 -140 class bucks. For most hunters that is what we are after and will be more than happy shooting that. Check in latter for the rest of the story.

I remember back in the days I started to archery hunt I could not imagine using any archery releases. Boy how I have changed my mind on that one. Once I started to use a modern archery release I became more accurate right away. If you are a traditional bow hunter using a long bow or a recurve you will not use a release.

For those of us that use modern equipment it is a no brainer to use a release. You can still maintain accuracy with out the release but you will need to practice a lot . For those of us that can barely find the time to practice you should use a release .

What every hunter does with deer sheds is as personal as the place that he found them . When I am out in the fall with my bow and beman arrows I am still looking for sheds. It is just natural as you are looking for sign to scan the ground and look for sheds. But what do we do with these sheds once you find them.

I personally have mine displayed in my office with my other trophies. To me they are a trophy in there own right . It takes many hours to find these sheds and to find matching sheds from the same deer the same year is not an easy thing to do. Some guys will post them on ebay and sell them to the highest bidder. I do not look at what I find out in the woods as a profit making machine. The memories from all my finds out in the woods are memories I can not but a price to.

We have all used lures from time to time when we are out in the woods after that big buck. If a little is good then more must be better. That is rarely the case and to make it realistic using a whole bottle of deer lure will not do it.

Every hunter wants to get out his gerber knives and gut that big buck after a successful hunt.What it all boils down to is some common sense when you are out in the deer woods. Using deer lures is not a pass to use your scent free products but to entice the deer closer. Using to much will but a deer on high alert and it will either sense you or it will scent you over the deer lure. If you watch a doe leaving a scent trail it will be a little at a time. If you want to use a drag rag that is fine but using to much doe estrous or any lure will not help the cause

If you are using fixed treestands it is always best to get started well before the seasons rolls around. I will store my stands with my mojo decoys and all the other things I want to stay scent free. I will even start right after turkey season before the bugs get to bad in the area.

This is also the time I will clear any brush or make any changes to my stand setups. I will go Turkey hunting and on the way out after a slow morning sneak to a deer spot and check out if the sign still looks good. I will also adjust my stand location if needed to be set up with easier shots. It can take some time and effort to set up early and be prepared but when the time is right for those spots you can get in and out quietly.

Setting up your moultrie game camera is pretty much like setting up any game camera you will need a good spot to set up. Finding that spot will take some time on the ground to set up in the best spot but will be worth the effort when good pictures come in.

Setting the height will be the first thing to consider. Figure the height and add a little to that. I have found it best to set high and point the camera down a little bit for the best pictures. Setting up on a remote water hole or some other way to attract deer and to stop them are the best spots to set up your moultrie game camera. Checking your camera to often is another way to spook deer out of your hunting area. I will check cameras at most once a week. This will be minimal disturbance but still let you scratch that itch to see what is on the camera.

One of the hardest things to learn as an archery hunter is the difference between deer sign and deer sign made by a big buck. If where you are setting up and are not seeing mature bucks you need to change where you sit. If the ultimate goal is see a big buck through your hha bow sights and fire an arrow you will need to stay flexible.

Some archery hunters will say there are no big bucks in my hunting area. This may be true in a few areas but if you are hunting in the midwest or other areas known for big bucks and you are not seeing them you need to change what you are doing. To find out if big bucks exist in your area set up trail cameras for at least a few months.  If you do not get any pictures of big bucks you need to find places where big bucks exist and hunt there. When you find hunting areas where big bucks live but are not seeing them change the locations of your stand  until you find them.

This is a simplified version of finding big bucks but is true in every sense of the word and the number one thing is to stay flexible.