Hunting Fun

Bow hunting Mule Deer is far different than whitetail. Mule Deer inhabit a vastly larger area than white tail deer. Your shots will typically be longer yardage and usually you will have to go to the deer rather than them coming to you. The most common method of archery hunting mule deer is the spot and stalk method. Below are 10 of the most important things to make your mule deer hunt successful.

1. Paper or GPS maps, especially topographical maps. Mule deer live in big wilderness areas like the badlands of the Dakotas. Finding the North and South facing slopes will help you to put yourself in a position to spot Mule deer bedded down trying to keep cool or stay warm, depending on the weather.

2. Spotting scope. Find a good place where you are not skylined and begin spotting. Make a mental grid and look over the entire visible landscape one scope width at a time. Make sure to stop the scope in each grid box. It is easy to miss a well camouflaged deer when you are moving at you are spotting.

3. A backpack with multiple pockets, a hydration bladder and quiet zippers. Once you spot your trophy buck, you need to be ready to put on some serious miles. Being able to comfortably carry your gear including your bow and keep your arms rested will make all the difference when its time to take the shot.

4. Good Hunting boots. Not only will you be covering some distance but Mule deer are sure to lead you though some rough terrain.

5. Camouflage. Camouflage clothing is very important, I like Ghillie Suits or Prairie Ghost for hunting in the badlands.

6. Scent eliminator. Play the wind as much as possible, but inevitably, the wind will swirl and roll over those big ridges, it may be a west wind at the top of the ridge, but as it rolls, it may be an east wind down in the valley. For a few bucks you can ensure a few more percentage points on your chances.

7. Range finder. All the hard work you have done stalking this big buck are for nothing if you can’t place the shot. Judging range in the open terrain that Mule deer inhabit can be exceptionally difficult, a range finder is a must.

8. Patience. It is common to find yourself in a position where you are within shooting range, but without a good shot. Perhaps there is a yucca plant between you and the deer, or perhaps the deer is in a wash and you can only see his ears and antlers. You may just need to wait for him to stand up and stretch his legs. Patience will pay off.

9. Good mechanical broadheads. They fly straighter and more predictably than fixed blade broadheads and they often have a greater cutting diameter with less weight.

10. Headlamp. It is more likely that you will have daylight to track your big buck after you release the arrow, but you may still be a long way from camp when the sun goes down.

By: Scott LaCoe

About the Author:

Most hunters opt for firearms because they are easier to get used to. If a rare person wants to go in for archery bow hunting, he/she has to master the art first before attempting any real hunting!

Of course, plenty of practice is required. Additionally, the learner should be ready to recognize and accept his/her mistakes. Only then can steps be taken to improve upon those mistakes till perfection is achieved.

The dos and don’ts of archery bow hunting are listed as follows–

(1) All hunting gear should be carefully stored and maintained after every hunt, so that the weapons are in top condition for the next hunt. Before going archery bow hunting, it is necessary to check that the bow is functioning properly. To discover an out-of-tune bow at the hunting site itself is only going to bring sorrow!

(2) Many hunters fail to hit on target because they do not judge distance properly. The bow hunter can use a range finder to measure distances, before the actual hunt itself. This method is very helpful if the hunter is using a tree stand or a blind.

(3) The range finder also proves useful if the hunter prefers to be in a fixed position while archery bow hunting. It gives the correct distance and leaves no room for misjudgment. Trees act like natural distance markers, but rocks and branches can also be put to fair use.

(4) Accuracy carries more weight than speed while archery bow hunting. So the draw weight should be something that the hunter can handle easily; going beyond that is sure to handicap the action of the hunter. Additionally, if a tree stand is being used, drawing the bow is not going to be easy. It is even more difficult in a sitting posture. Thus, draw weight should be assessed carefully.

(5) Some people do not have the patience to wait and get the target into their sights before shooting. Archery bow hunting demands slow and easy actions, not overconfidence.

(6) Where deer are concerned, the aim should be towards the broadside. The shot is bang on target if the animal’s head is behind a tree or it is turned away from the stalker. The deer is a swift animal and easily spooked–so the hunter gets only one chance for a straightforward shot!

(7) Another fact concerning deer hunting. Frequent visits to the same specific location by a hunter are enough to signal the animals not to come anywhere near the place! This is because during every visit, he/she is leaving his/her scent behind. And smart animals can smell it!

(8) The most dreadful mistake that can be committed during archery bow hunting is totally missing the kill zone. A hunter is expected to know the kill zone of every quarry that he stalks. If the prey is just wounded and manages to escape, the hunter has left it open to a large amount of suffering. And this is explicitly forbidden.

By: Abhishek Agarwal

About the Author:

huntersown2 asked:

Archery season crossbow hunting in Ohio. Opening day hunt shows arrow flight by using a luminock. Following a blood trail through the woods and finding my dead deer.

Deer Calls

Have you ever asked yourself, do deer calls really work during the early archery season? Or what about grunting and rattling during the rutting season? The answer is yes. In the northern states many archery deer hunting seasons start in early October. Here in Michigan, the deer season kicks off Oct. 1st. One of my favorite calls to use is the Bleat in a Can or calling with my mouth in the early season. When calling with my mouth, I simply make the sound, “blat” or “mat” trying to imitate either a mature deer or a young fawn. Mature does seem to respond to the fawn bleat “mat” more so than the “blat” which I use when trying to call in a mature buck. This type of calling seems to work best in the early season before the rut sets in.

Modern deer calling didn’t start or it was not accepted until the early 80′s when companies like Quaker Boy of New York, Haydel’s of Louisiana and Woods Wise Products of Tennessee started mass producing the white-tail deer calls. Many archery hunters like me and my Dad started calling with our mouths as early as the late 60′s. Most calls that are produced today, imitate the grunting noise of the buck and the snort and bleat noise made by all white-tail deer. Rattling of antlers is also considered a type of call. For this particular call, I like using the antlers in a bag. The reason for this is the bag is not bulky like carrying around a set of antlers would be. I usually have the bag of antlers tied around my leg or in my front pocket where I have easy access to it. If you use antlers for your choice of rattling call, you either have to hang them up in your stand or lay them down on your platform. Both of these types of antler rattling work well during the rutting season.

The grunt call is also an excellent call to use during the entire archery season. This call stimulates the deer’s curiosity and the noise is made by both the doe and the buck. Most people think only the buck makes this low pitched noise during the rutting season. Not true.The doe makes this same noise, only not quite as loud as the mature buck will make. It is also believed that grunting will scare off the smaller buck. That is not necessarily true. Although the smaller buck may not want to get into a battle with the larger buck, they are curious and anxious to see a battle. Grunting calls work very well during the rut.

Keep in mind, during your archery white-tail deer season, using one particular call may not work as well as another on any given day. This is why I carry or use different calls all season long. In order to master a call, all you have to do is practice and listen to the deer talking out in the wild and then imitate them. It really does work!
Listen and Learn!

By: Ted Lake

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chriswallswvu asked:

Steven Burrell and cameraman Chris Walls deer hunt in Morgantown, West Virginia. The very first hunt I ever filmed! Classic archery hunt in the early season. We were hunting on the edge of open hardwoods and an apple orchard. Watch this buck eat two apples before the shot!

eHow asked:

A beginner at bow hunting should practice as much as possible to become proficient with her weapon, and she should practice bow hunting on small game. Find out about the benefit of wearing camouflage clothing that’s been washed in scent-free detergent with help from an archery instructor in this free video on bow hunting. Expert: Rich Richards Bio: Rich has over 20 years of experience in home audio and car audio. He is the manager at Innovative Home and Car Audio. Filmmaker: Christian Munoz-Donoso

eHow asked:

To properly use the sight on a bow, the shooter will look through the hole when the bow is pulled back, he will center the round pin guard and then choose the appropriate pin for the given yardage. Learn about using single pin movable sights with help from an archery instructor in this free video on bow sights. Expert: Rich Richards Bio: Rich has over 20 years of experience in home audio and car audio. He is the manager at Innovative Home and Car Audio. Filmmaker: Christian Munoz-Donoso

Bstephen1 asked:

Bow Hunting practice tips on improving your accuracy and shooting techniques by Stick’em Archery Pro Staff. www.StickemArchery.com.

tlclum asked:

Turkey hunting in the spring with traditional archery. This turkey was shot and recovered with a recurve.

tlclum asked:

Turkey hunting in the spring with traditional archery. This turkey was shot and recovered with a recurve.