I'm starting some guides at this point as a lot of people are speaking up about not having a mentor. I'm going to do my best to get you out into the woods this fall anyway! So this week we're going to focus on Bowhunting Whitetails as a Novice. We're going to overcome the barriers of what you actually need, versus what you think you need. I would encourage questions, and I would encourage comments and additional advice from veteran hunters who read my blog.
To begin with forget everything you watch on TV or read in magazines. Generally, unless the topic/episode is specifically titled for beginners, it's not going to help you. You need to focus on gaining the skills and getting a little success while doing it. Barely anyone shoots a trophy buck or giant bull elk on their first outing. In fact, many people get skunked their whole first year, myself included. I can't guarantee you'll have success your first year if you use my advice, however I can guarantee you won't have success if you don't get out there in the first place.
Let's start with equipment. Obviously you're going to need a bow and some arrows. Whether you choose a traditional longbow, a recurve, or a compound is up to you. If you can, go to a sportsman store that has a range in it and ask to try out the bows to decide which you prefer. I like using all styles of bows myself, but my first hunting bow was a compound. I started that way because a lot of them come with packages that include a quiver, pin sight, peep, rest, and stabilizer. My daughter however hunts with a recurve that is only equipped with a drop away rest. Make sure the draw weight is legal for hunting.
Picking arrows is also highly personalized. The main choices for shafts are wood, carbon, and aluminum. Most hunters I know prefer the carbon shaft, but I actually prefer aluminum. I recommend as a novice, to get your shafts at a sportsman shop and not a box store. Bring your bow in with you and they will be able to help you size out the factors of your draw, rest position, etc. in order the find your proper shaft length. They are also generally better at installing the inserts than most of the folks at the box stores. I had a box store do it my first time, and lost all 6 of my inserts and target points inside my target on the first round of practice shots. Get a couple of packages of the same kind. I use one set for hunting, and several sets for target shooting.
Pick out your broadheads and grab a couple of packages of field points (target points). This experience can be dizzying as well. Know the regulations of the state your hunting in and that will cut back on some of the choices. I like using expandable broadheads for most big game and fixed blades for turkeys. I don't have a reason for that preference, I've just evolved that way over time. Make sure all of the sizes are appropriate for the arrows you've got.
If you can afford a stand, grab one. If you can afford a full set of camo, grab that. To this day I do not have a matching set, and I hunt most of the time out of a timber blind. Don't use the excuse that you don't have all the gear you see on the hunters on TV to get out of going. You don't need it. My cousin took out a trophy buck stalking through the woods in blue jeans and a red wool flannel. Does all that gear help? Yes, but you're skills are 75% of the game in the beginning, so get out there and build them.
Now, you want to put arrows down range a lot. I do a few hours a week all summer to make sure my skills are up. It also allows me to keep my pins sighted in. In the beginning, practice at 15, 20, and 30 yards. Practice in the wind, the rain, the snow, or anything else. The weather isn't going to be sunny and bright every time you go out, in fact, you'll probably have better luck when it's not.
When you can't be out firing arrows off, study your prey. Find out what they eat in the seasons that you will be hunting them at. Find out the types of area they bed down at, or roost in. What times of day are they most active? You want to learn the habits of the animal better than you know the habits of your dog. Obviously, this is a general rule. Animals will change their traditional habits when they are pressured by hunters and predators. I lost a nice ten pointer this year because a group of kids spooked him the day before opening and he went nocturnal.
Study the anatomy of the animal. This is important for two reasons. The first is that you need to know where the lungs are to give you your target. They second is that it will teach you how to gut the animal when you are successful. Watch videos on prepping the animal in the field. If you plan on butchering it yourself, watch videos on that too. Many outdoorsman groups hold skinning classes that aren't too expensive, you could try it out there and learn from the folks there.
Find places to hunt. Whether it's private land you can gain permission to hunt or public land, you'll need to do a lot of scouting. Get out there and look for sign. Remember that many animals change their habits between seasons, so if you're scouting just to see if there's animals, go early, if you're scouting for a place to set up a shot, go closer to your season. Get as familiar with that landscape as possible.
Once you're ready, licensed, and season open, decide when you're going. If you're doing an all day hunt, it's not unheard of to be slipping into your spot at 3am. Bring snacks, water, and meals. I know a lot of guys who've slipped out and gone home for lunch and possibly missed an opportunity. If you're in your spot when they're not, you have better odds.
Over time, and through the years you can acquire bigger and better gear. For a time you might be the guy that gets harassed for taking a forky with mismatched camo styles as unfortunately there are bullies in every lifestyle, but if you stick with it, you will be a bowhunter in know time. There is no substitute in education for time in the woods.
Be prepared for disappointment. Be ready for discomfort. Have a lot of patience and learn how to deal with being cold, wet, and bug eaten. If you spend all your time being miserable over those little things, you're going to miss a lot of what the woods has to offer. Hunting is not just visiting the woods like you would the grocery store. You are immersing yourself into the natural cycle of predator versus prey. You are literally becoming a part of nature. Have patience, determination, and stamina and I guarantee you will have a successful hunt, even if that success is only measure by the amount of yourself that has connected to the world around you. Good luck out there!
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