Quebec Bowhunting:
Because a bowhunter
must be able to get within range of the caribou, 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 Quebec
bowhunting guide knows what techniques work best for the game 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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