Batting Average? Opportunity to Success Ratio? Mule Deer Archery

[Mcribs]

Mid way through my first year archery mule deer hunting, and curious as to how many encounters it takes you guys to close the deal? I’m currently 0/7 and while I’m glad to be in the middle of them, I’m super frustrated to not have a deer down by now. I’ve killed probably 30 whitetails with bow, so while it’s a totally different hunt, I’m not a newbie to killing with a bow.

I’m just down from the mountain, where I just had time to hunt mid day. I still hunted an area, wind in my face, and boom!, saw part of a big deer in aspen. Ranged it at 40 yards, head behind aspens eating. Caught glimpse of nice rack, and went to pull back my bow and something happened where I couldn’t pull it back all the way. Like I was trying to be quiet, and didn’t put any force on the draw. I regrouped and deer bounced away. Literally had perfect 40 yard window into vitals. Couldn’t believe that happened.

Had me thinking, this season, I’ve had 7 opportunities (within 40 yards of bucks). 4 times I stalked within 40, and drew back twice, but shot was too sketch to take or I hesitated. Granted the area is very tough with willows. Got to 40 or under on two still hunts, and spotted another one from road which resulted in a missed shot.

I’m thinking my luck will turn but maybe this is par for the course? What are you guys batting?

 

[bigunit]

The last 3 years I've been 3 for 3 on stalks/kills. It took a long time to get there. The first few years I bowhunted I bumped all sorts of deer. So many different reasons, mostly trying low percentage stalks. I now will pass up stalks on big bucks if the conditions aren't great.

The big thing for me is knowing when to be aggressive vs going slow, when a buck is in its feet in the timber browsing to me is the perfect time for a stalk. I hate waiting for a buck to stand from its bed so I can take a shot. That way never seems to work out. The last 3 bucks I've shot have either been in the timber getting out of mid day sun or on the move in the evening.

 

[TaperPin]

You’re good at hunting and stalking, just not so much on the shooting and killing.

Mulies often have a built in pause button, but it only lasts a few seconds. Rifle or bow, the more practice you have at shooting accurately and quickly the better.

 

[Mcribs]

The last 3 years I've been 3 for 3 on stalks/kills. It took a long time to get there. The first few years I bowhunted I bumped all sorts of deer. So many different reasons, mostly trying low percentage stalks. I now will pass up stalks on big bucks if the conditions aren't great.

The big thing for me is knowing when to be aggressive vs going slow, when a buck is in its feet in the timber browsing to me is the perfect time for a stalk. I hate waiting for a buck to stand from its bed so I can take a shot. That way never seems to work out. The last 3 bucks I've shot have either been in the timber getting out of mid day sun or on the move in the evening.

This approach makes sense to me. Those stalks to bedded deer in deep shit and waiting for standing hasn’t worked for me. My best three ops have been deer up and moving.

 

[Mcribs]

You’re good at hunting and stalking, just not so much on the shooting and killing.

Mulies often have a built in pause button, but it only lasts a few seconds. Rifle or bow, the more practice you have at shooting accurately and quickly the better.

I know! I’m realizing that shooting from a stand allows for massive amounts of time vs ground hunts. At least so far that’s been my experience

 

[Rich M]

That makes sense. You are used to taking your time w WT. start drawing and having the pin where it needs to be when you anchor, then release.

Do you hold bow out and draw or do you have to piont at the sky? That’s a lot of extra movement for ground hunting.

 

[Mcribs]

I don’t hold it out, I hold it down and then come up after I draw. I’ll practice having pin on deer at draw. Never even thought of that. Good suggestion.