Montana Bowhunting:
Because a bowhunter must be
able to get within range of the deer, elk, 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 Montana 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 Montana
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.
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