Early New Year's Resolution
Family-Outdoors
gotten a much earlier start. I would have more places to hunt- some
VERY close to my home. Therefore, I fully intent to acquire a bow
soon and begin the process of becoming sufficiently proficient to hunt
with it next season.
I have begun doing research on the process and am clear that a
necessary pre-requisite is to begin at a shop that can help me with
measurements and suitable weights. Any further advice would be
greatly appreciated.
I would have probably started hunting with a bow sooner, but having
grown up in Alaska and living for a time in Colorado, I got all the
hunting I wanted without a bow. Now, transplanted in Missouri, I feel
the desire to do it.
Paul
Frank
Shooting a bow requires a lot of practice and you are well to get an
early start. After Christmas and bow hunting seasons you should also
be able to get a good deal on equipment.
When I started bow hunting many years ago, I got fitted at a shop and
bought a used recurve bow, graduated through several compound bows and
now hunt with a crossbow, the latter all through mail order. Don't be
surprised to find that a good bow will set you back about the same
cost as a firearm and ammo, arrows and broadheads, can run over $15/
shot. Also a good climbing tree stand is usually advisable.
Bow hunting is great fun and will make you a better hunter with better
tracking skills.
ratman1211
Hello everyone. I agree with you there Frank about requiring a lot of practice.
And yes a good climber would be very useful when bowhunting as I found out.
When I did shoot my first deer it was an $17 shot. Arrow=$8 broadhead=$9.
To the original poster: This is my fourth year bowhunting and finally got my first deer
this year. She was a small doe but still it was my first deer with a bow. It is fun
and very rewarding and like another poster said it will make you a better hunter.
I do think that stealthy would be a good word for it. You will enjoy it and also be safe out
there and remember to wear your safety harness.
Family-Outdoors
Hunting on public land as I almost exclusively do, I have used a
climber for a number of years. In Missouri, you can leave a ladder
stand in the woods as long as it is marked with name, address, etc.,
but it seems there is absolutely no way to secure it well enough to
not have it stolen. I have learned that the hard way.
Perhaps a dumb question, but on the $15/shot, does that mean that an
arrow fired at an animal is usually or always no longer usable?
Paul
Steve @ OutdoorFrontiers.com
>
> Perhaps a dumb question, but on the $15/shot, does that mean that an
> arrow fired at an animal is usually or always no longer usable?
>
> Paul
Not at all. Especially with carbon arrows, they're almost always usable
after a shot, especially if the arrow does a complete pass-through.
There has been a time or two that I've had arrows broken, but carbons are
pretty tough. Usually they'll break if the animal takes off and part of the
arrow is sticking out. Then when the arrow hits trees or when the animal
collapses and falls on the arrow, the shaft breaks. But I can live with
that.
The broadheads can become dulled or even chipped, but with a little time and
effort, they can usually be resharpened and reused. Depending upon the type
and style of broadhead, it might have replaceable blades. I've used the
same arrow and broadhead to take at least six animals. After each one, I
simply touched up the edge and put it back on the arrow. The critter killed
was the end of the arrow shaft when I shot an Asian Water Buffalo, but the
broadhead is still in use.
Family-Outdoors
fish...@charter.net> wrote:
> > "Family-Outdoors" <pamann...@GMAIL.COM> wrote in message <SNIP>
I knew I remembered you from somewhere:). I posted some recipes once
and I thought it was all-inclusive...'til you asked about Asian Water
Buffalo. Thought you were yanking my chain. Ring a bell?
Anyhow...what you said about the arrows was what I figured...and I
agree...when the deer falls over on my arrow and it breaks I will take
that happily.
Paul... "the guy with recipes for all but Asian Water Buffalo"
www.family-outdoors.com
Frank
If you can retrieve arrow and sharpen head or replace blades, you can
reuse it. If arrow does not fully penetrate deer it will normally be
badly bent or broken. I usually lose 2-4 arrows/year but in my younger,
wilder bow hunting days I'd lose up to a dozen a year - most misses that
could not be found. Lost 2 this year shooting into an overgrown field
where it is often impossible to find an arrow that misses.
You can also lose arrows in target practice. Sighting in my crossbow,
I've "Robin Hooded" a few arrows and at close range find it best to only
shoot and retrieve one arrow at a time.
You will probably lose more broadheads than arrows. Most have
replaceable or sharpenable blades but can be bent on hitting bone, rocks
or trees and need to be discarded.
Steve @ OutdoorFrontiers.com
I knew I remembered you from somewhere:). I posted some recipes once
and I thought it was all-inclusive...'til you asked about Asian Water
Buffalo. Thought you were yanking my chain. Ring a bell?
Anyhow...what you said about the arrows was what I figured...and I
agree...when the deer falls over on my arrow and it breaks I will take
that happily.
Paul... "the guy with recipes for all but Asian Water Buffalo"
www.family-outdoors.com
Yep, I remember you quite well. And we're down to a mere couple hundred
pounds of Water Buffalo almost a year later.