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Bowhunting: Because a bowhunter must be able to get
within range of the deer, turkey, hog or whatever is being
hunted, the hunter must take very special care in planning the
hunt. The illusive Whitetail Deer has amazing senses of
smell, hearing and sight and will know you are there unless you
have made special precautions to cover your scent, become
invisible, and be VERY QUIET. If you get good enough to be
in range of a whitetail deer, then other game should not be
quite so challenging.
A successful bowhunt starts with daily
habits you may not have thought about. First, address the
phenomenal ability of a whitetail deer to 'wind' a human.
NO SMOKING, and some people even avoid coffee prior to a bow
hunt. What are you washing your hunting clothes in?
Is your deodorant scented? Do your hunting boots, well,
smell like hunting boots? What did you eat for breakfast
at camp (Hopefully nobody decided to cook bacon for breakfast!)
Perfumed washing powder, scented shampoos and soaps can be a
killer for your bow hunt. In addition to covering your
scent, there are hundreds of products designed to attract the
trophy to your area. Find out what works best for the time
of year you are planning your hunt. Doe pee might
not be so effective if you are not hunting during the rut.
Next, think about being invisible. The camo clothes
manufactures have made this much easier than it used to be.
Primarily consider what your hunting environment and habitat
are, and then plan accordingly. Rid yourself of shiny or
reflective areas on your equipment. Wear camo hats
and face masks. The more you blend with the habitat around
you, the more chance of a successful bowhunt. If you are
using a tree stand, make sure the placement is well-planned to
be out of sight, yet in a game traffic area.
Lastly, practice being very quiet not only getting to your
stand, but also during the hunt. Use quiet equipment,
soft, quiet clothing, walk quietly, wear quiet footgear, and get
good at moving to your hunting area very early and very quietly.
If you suffer with allergies, make sure you take an
antihistamine before your hunt. It'd be a shame to spot a
nice trophy deer just in time to start a sneezing attack!
In addition to being quiet, also learn the techniques of calling
deer with calls or horn rattling. Your pro bowhunting
guide knows what techniques work best for the deer in their
area.
Even taking these kinds of hunting precautions won't promise
a trophy buck, but your chances increase as your skills improve!
Bowhunting can be very rewarding, precisely because of the
skill, hard work and planning that go into a successful bow
hunt.
Types of Archery Equipment, Common Types of Bows used for
hunting:
Longbow: This traditional bow has
long, nearly straight limbs that form an arc when strung.
It is the most traditional type of bow used for hunting and uses
minimal additional equipment.
Recurve Bow: This bow is also
considered to be a 'traditional bow.' The limbs are a bit
shorter than the longbow and curve back away from the mid line
of the bow. It has more power in the shorter bow than the
longer longbow. It is a smooth, quiet and fast-shooting
bow. The recurve bow also has a 'pistol-style' grip that
adapts well if you should choose to use a bowsight or other
hunting accessory.
Compound Bow: This is the most
popular type of bow for both hunting and target shooting.
There are literally hundreds of styles available, but they all
work in basically the same way: There are wheels and cams
attached to the limbs and bowstring that cause the bow to be
very powerful and also easier to hold and draw to the full
extension. The bow's design allows it to reduce draw
weight by as much as 50% and sometimes more. They are also
adjustable so as a hunter grows in strength, the draw can be
tightened to increase the accurate distance of the bow. It
also accepts all the bowhunting accessories such as sites,
guards, and much more.
About the Arrow: Arrows have four parts; the
shaft, fletching, the nock and the point assembly. Arrow
technology is constantly being improved making the arrows
stronger, faster and more durable. Your local bow store
can help you decide what types of arrows, fletching, broadheads
you will need for your chosen hunting style.
 The
Shaft: Arrows are made from wood, aluminum, carbon,
fiberglass or a combination of these materials. As
suspected, the wood arrows are usually preferred for use with
traditional longbows or recurve bow hunters. The tubular
aluminum are most popular for Bowhunters because of their light
weight and strength. They can accept either plastic vanes
or feather fletching. The tubular carbon arrow
is also know for its speed, light weight, and accuracy. It
is smaller in diameter than other arrow shafts.
The Fletching: Serves to guide the
arrow on a straight course.
The Nock: Placed in the bowstring
to allow the arrow to be drawn back as the hunter draws the bow
string.
The Point: Depending on if you are
target practicing or hunting, you will use either a bullet point
or a razor-sharp broad head.
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