Bow Hunting Advice

yeah....no fun shooting and not know where the hell the arrow went. i made a backstop out of a horse stall mat i bought from tractor supply. works awesome.....but i agreee....in the rookie stages, when you still arent comfortable with shooting fully...go to a range.

 

This is one I was after last year I had a ton of trail cam pics and videos of him but he never come within bow range for me. Hopefully he's still around this year and bigger

http://s1134.photobucket.com/albums/m619/psexs/?action=view&current=PICT0076.mp4

 

Vendetta? That is also the name of the rangefinder?

 

Yeah they make a vendetta rangefinder but haven't heard anything good on them. Even though they are made by leupold and are prob great quality just seems like it's another thing to get in the way on my bow. I'll stick with my Leupold rx1000 has not let me down in the past.

 

Yeah I am only going to shoot in the yard once I'm comfortable with my abilities. Last time I shot I fixed my problem of drawing the bow high in the air.. hopefully I don't have any scares.

Nice! I'm sure he is still out there and bigger waiting for you!

SIDE NOTE:

Going today to purchase tags for the first time.

What typenof gear will I need to purchase to go hunting. I have all the accessories needed for my bow, but what else is needed??

 

Well besides a bow...Here's what I always have
Tree stand: Summit Viper stand
Backpack: Badlands Diablo
Rangefinder ( A MUST for bowhunting) : Leupold Rx1000
Flashlight: Streamlight LED headlamp
Bottle of water
Grizzly long cut wintergreen (a must for me lol)
Bow hanger
Bino's ( I don't always have em but they come in handy sometimes)
Pocket Knife
Tree Spider saftey Harness (if you climb a tree without one, it's a death wish) BUY ONE also a lineman's rope so your connected from the ground up.
THERMACELL! Every hunter has one unless your immune to mosquitoes get one well worth the money.
Grunt tube for maybe stopping a buck or pulling him in.

I'm sure I'm forgetting something everyone takes different stuff to the woods man but that's what I always try to have. OH and a camera for those moments after you get one down

 

ill put what i usually take out with me on a hunt, and price of each

boots (danner pronghorn $215),
camo (cabelas silent weave pants $40/jacket $50)
cheap shirts,
Backpack (badlands diablo $160, best purchase EVER),
knives (buck, benchmade, and kershaw),
rope,
gamebags,
range finder (Leupold RX-600 $190)
Binos (Nikon Monarch 5 10X42 $300)

bunch of misc. stuff in my pack, camelback, trash bags, ziplocs, rubberbands, ropes and carabiners, kinves sharpener, first aid stuff, some small surviavl shit like lighters, space blanket and so forth. flash lights. head lamps. When im really packing in i put in a full survival thing and tons of snack type stuff.

but as you can see it gets to be expensive. and i dont even have the best out there. u can obviously go a cheaper route. For me, i hunt 4 weeks of bow for a zone and b zone, as well as bear. NICE BOOTS ARE ESSENTIAL. dont cheap out on those.

if i could id get some Leica or Swarovski binocs with rangefinder built in($2-3k), some Sitka or Badlands pants jackets and rain gear ($1-1.5k), and so forth but im a poor college student for now.



and to top it off, can of grizzly straight, or two, and a cold bud in the side pocket of the pack for A celbration, or B quinch thirst.

 

Nice. especially the Grizzly part. but since he is from CA, as i am too, there isnt much of tree stand hunting here. spot and stock. If anyone tells you otehrwise they are on CRACK. only need for a tree stand is if u have private property and KNOW where the black tail are traveling, or are feeding shit. which is illegal.white tail are diff. black tail are sporadic and DUmb. i dont use a thermacell, but it could def come in handy sometimes. especailly if you in a place where mesqioutos are present. Grunt call, well no season here lets you hunt in the rut for deer, unless you get luck and pull a late muzzle tag or Archery tag. so skip out on that. a simple grunt with your voice will stop it for that split second, but dont think ull ever call in a Black tail in CA in july and august. oh and

Nice choice of back pack too

 

My fault I forgot you guys don't get to do much of the tree climbing part. But my hat off to ya for spot and stalk especially with a bow lol I'd say the hell with that.

Oh and here a few of my favorite bowhunting sites with good info and good video's
http://www.heartlandbowhunter.com/media/
http://www.whitetailsinc.com/
http://wiredtohunt.com/
http://www.thechaseoutdoors.com/home.html
http://www.hallowedgroundoutdoors.com/
http://www.growingdeer.tv/

And of course Archerytalk.com I buy a ton of stuff of there classifieds sections, been a member on there for awhile now.

 

Thanks for the list, it is greatly appreciated. dont think I will need the tree stand unless I start going out of state to start hunting.. could be a possibility in the future!

Thank you! its gets a bit pricey but I have a lot of outdoor equipment and boots from when I was a wildland firefighter. just will need to get camo, rangefinder, binoc's anything else I find necessary on my adventures lol.

I will be checking all of those sites out! hopefully I can get some really good info.

I think my gf's dad is gonna take me out sometime to teach me whats going on. He has been hunting for a LONG time could probably teach me a lot..

My buddy got a little cheapo bow the other day and him and I tested out the Rinehart 18-1 and the hay bails. They both work amazingly! arrows didnt even get into the target more then 6 inches and the hay stopped the arrows about half way through. Made me feel a little better about my set up but then again his bow was just 45lbs vs. my 60-70lbs I will be shooting..

 

Good advice on the boots. Danner pronghorns are made in China. Decent boot but i destroyed my pair in two hunts. danner has a USA made line. Kickass but they run narrow. I just got a pair is Schnee Beartooth boots last week. Sick. 200gr insulation so me feet don't cook. Better ankle support. Breast for my hikes for animals.

 

Nice! I would most likely use my Whites that I have from Wildland firefighting. They have great ankle support, comfortable as fuck and waterproof unless you drown them in water.

Cali guys, where did you apply for tags?? I went for Elk, Antelope, and Longhorn but most likely wont get those since I have NO preference points. As far as Deer I did X-12 and D-13. Also applied for the Open Deer Tags...

 

Today is the deadline. For points at least. I had a thread for you earlier

 

ok..get back on there and just buy the points for elk, lopes, etc. you wont draw so just accumulate the points.

your open deer tag (AO?) will get onto D13..not that X12.

i got two pig tags, my AO tag, upland bird stamp (for turkey)..i will buy my D13 tag later, so i can use my rifle if need be.

 

The Open Tag I got was for the fundraiser that allows you to hunt deer in any zone with rifle or archery.

I didnt get the AO tag because my gf's dad told me that the season for that tag is usually way too hot and he hasnt ever been successful during with that tag. might go back and get it now though... good idea or what? and I Just put in for elk, antelope, and longhorn with knowing that I wont be drawn but still have points building. Always a slim chance because somewhere around 10% of those draws are based off of randomness and not points..

Can you explain to me how the AO tag works?? I get that and its good during the archery season in zones A,C,D correct??

 

your GF's dad is wrong. if you are buying archery tags for specific zones..the season starts the same day anyways..as that AO tag. bow season is bow season. i get the AO tag because you can use it for all the zones except the X zones and some other d and b zones (but not many). the AO tag means i can hunt early, and i can still carry my bow throughout the rifle season. the only downside is that i cant pick up a rifle.

you buy a regular tag..sure you can hunt with the same bow, but i dont think you can start early. early deer season is a riot. chasing bucks with antlers all covered with velvet. i wear shorts.

 

Alrighty then, looking like I am getting the AO tag today then.. where in CA are you from? perhaps one time you could take me out and showing me the ropes if you dont mind.. I would greatly appreciate that!

 

A regular tag vs a ao tag. Regular limits u to a zone. So a zone or b zone. Usually this is what I'd do. U can still hunt within any of the seasons, bow usually starts six weeks earlier, lasts 3 weeks but four weekends if that makes sense. Then closes for another 2 weeks and then opens for rifle, which u can still hunt with a bow. Or rifle.

I went with an ao this year as a zone is first to open, I hunt pig and deer, and then when rifle opens up I usually am up in b zone for their archery season. So really I don't usually hunt with a rifle except in b zone because a zone would be closed. But with ao I only have to buy one tag just can't get two deer, which deer in ca is so hard to hunt anyways. Haven't got one since I was 16. So I'll just stick with the bow and of I get lucky in a zone I'll prob pick up a b tag.

The drawling deadline is passed. But that tag u were talking bout is like a fundraiser thing. Very low odds in drawing it. And for the weather thing it's that way every year year after year. Season is the season. Only way u can hunt after The season is if u draw a special tag. I put in for a30, a late season archery only in covelo. Always put in for something or even just a point. Start accumulating points next year.

It's confusing I know, but you'll get used to it and I can try n explain differently if u want when I get to a comp.

 

damn..grinch knows the system!!

i almost need a flow chart to understand it. i am using my AO tag for early D13 this year. i know a spot..my friends showed me. there is also a great spot up near the oregon border. i chased 3 bomber blacktails for a week. almost crippled me. learned that EXCELLENT binoculars are a must. i climbed this one huge mountain. i weezed to the top. got to the top and whipped out my GOOD binoculars and saw nothing..not a single deer. my friend showed up sat next to me and said.."i see two". he pointed them to me, and i couldnt find them still..then he handed me his binos. poof! they were right there!! it is a heartbreaker to work so hard to climb to the top of a mountain and NOT see anything. waste of energy and time. i came home and saved for the best binos made. bought them.

D13 rifle tags are plentiful. i typically just buy one from the DFG office when i get down there.

boots too!

good luck rookie. i cant tell you either spot. i have been sworn to secrecy. they would kill me..or worse..quit inviting me

 

Thank you much for the explanation man, it truly is a lot to take in for the first time and I am glad all of you help me out! I sorta get it a little better now! gonna get an AO tag now though for sure

HAHA alright man, I dont want you to be killed or start being uninvited! butttttttttt, if you would like to invite me, I will swear to secrecy as well haha

I will make a note to buy some damn good binocs so I dont have an issue with spotting animals! Hope to see you out there sometime and I am sure once I get my bow I will have more questions!

If any CA guys want to be a mentor and take me out sometime or just meet up and go shoot let me know, I would greatly appreciate it!