Bowhunting the west, can you be successful doing it or is it just a idea?

[BipolarBear]

Then you live in arguably one of the best states to try it, and that's not my opinion, it's the opinion of people that actually kill stuff with a stick bow regularly instead of once in a blue moon like me.

I see mule deer, turkey and pronghorn all the time here but it's always different when the season hits. That's a good confidence booster lol I just don't want to put the money down and the loads of work of running around to never eat anything is all.

 

[Nick Muche]

I still have another year before hunting in Wyoming, will bowhunting in the west just wasted effort? Is it a challenge or just unsuccessful is what I am asking. I love my bow and I love shooting it but I also don't want to spend wasted years with a empty freezer.

If you think that bowhunting is just wasted effort, maybe bowhunting isn't for you. Hopefully you can find some enjoyment in it, and learn along the way. Both will make you a better bowhunter in the long run.

 

[AntelopeEater]

I know you probably are referring to big game, but for whatever its worth, I randomly decided to do some bow hunting for the first time in my life late last year.

I had no big game tags, but I got this nice pheasant on public land in Utah with my Bear Grizzly recurve:

Where there is a will there is way.

 

[BipolarBear]

I know you probably are referring to big game, but for whatever its worth, I randomly decided to do some bow hunting for the first time in my life late last year.

I had no big game tags, but I got this nice pheasant on public land in Utah with my Bear Grizzly recurve:

Where there is a will there is way.

Good job man, that's some good shot placement. Well I've been doing it for about 3 years in another state, only got game with firearms. Hoping it'll be better here

 

[FLS]

Instagram is for teenagers and people going through a midlife crisis, I'm out to harvest game, to get away from the city and experience the mountain trips. If bowhunting here leaves you years with an empty chest freezer I want no part of it, that's why I'm asking everyone.

If you just want to fill your freezer buy half a beef. Hunting is not an economical way to to it. If you’re wanting to tilt the odds in your favor, use a rifle.

 

[Tradchef]

You can totally be successful every year with a stickbow out here. I kill animals every year for my freezer with my longbow. Am I killing the biggest most mature on the mountain…. Sometimes but most times not so much. If you enjoy a good challenge and not killing the biggest critter it can be a meat hunters paradise. I kill a lot of does and cows and have zero complaints and am proud of every single one of em. Sometimes I don’t kill my intended quarry but I’ll be able to get a whitetail, mulie or bear instead of an elk or visa versa. I enjoy hunting with my rifles as well so whatever tags I have left for general season is what I focus on. My biggest hurdle is time. Work keeps me tied with my own business a lot but I have a little more than I did doing a work a day for someone else.
It might take you a couple years to figure out the consistency thing but my advice is to not pass anything up with your stick if you are filling your freezer. Being out there getting the experience and killing the game and missing the game gets you better at making sure you have meat. At that point weapon choice is insignificant and comes down to you getting it done

 

[Beendare]

Good job man, that's some good shot placement. Well I've been doing it for about 3 years in another state, only got game with firearms. Hoping it'll be better here

If you walk around rifle hunting with a trad bow…it won’t go well.


As you have surmised, getting stickbow close requires a whole different skillset…figuring that out was the fun for me.

 

[TaperPin]

Has Wyoming stopped allowing archery hunting on a general tag? If you have a general tag in much of the state you can bow hunt all of Sept and if you don’t get anything you can still hunt the rifle season.

 

[Btaylor]

The weapon is never the limitation. The skill and commitment of the hunter to refine themselves is the limitation.

 

[Beendare]

The weapon is never the limitation. The skill and commitment of the hunter to refine themselves is the limitation.

 

[BipolarBear]

My conclusion from a few good comments and talking to people that hunt here is yes, bowhunting the west you can be successful doing it, the advantage is you'll have a longer time out there. You'll be making longer shots unlike the East and West Coast but having a elevated rest will give you the advantage of having a point on and a shelf on distance for those shots. I appreciate the comments and everyones time

 

[SliverShooter]

Some people are successful, most are not.
Some people make it happen, most wish that it happens.

This applies to all facets of life, not just hunting.

 

[Gun]

I hunted in Wyoming twice for Antelope when I lived in Wisconsin. Killed one decent Buck. Hunted Mule deer in Colorado. Shot a small buck.

Moved to Alberta in '87. (Western Canada) Can't remember the last time I didn't have venison in the freezer.

Mostly its about attitude, skill, planning, scouting and determination.

 

[bowhuntercoop]

I take the longbow every year for mullies and elk and never once have a wished I had a compound in my hand. Being proficient to 40 yards helps a bunch for confidence, but most my shots are still sub 20 yards.

 

[Tilzbow]

Most game departments publish hunter success statistics. Last year in Nevada resident archery hunters success rate was 17% for mule deer and 46% for bull elk. Elk aren’t necessarily easier to kill than mule deer but with a 10 to 20 year wait between tags, hunter effort goes way up for elk. Nevada is tough to draw and likely has better success with lower hunter pressure than OTC areas in other western states. I’ve read past numbers at around 10% success for other western states.

That said, 20% of the hunters probably kill 80% of the animals. Whether or not you’re in that 20% group is up to you.

 

[OKHunter84]

I think it really depends on what you want to do. I love to bow hunt and I do quite a bit at home in Oklahoma. Whenever I take trips out west I usually don't. Mainly because I don't want to limit my opportunities more then I already do by not living out west. I'm going on two hunts this year, one rifle and one with a sidelock percussion cap muzzleloader. I honestly think I'm more excited about the muzzy hunt. I have put in for archery as part of my choices the last few years but haven't drawn. Some of my most fun and memorable hunts are hunts with low harvest or success rates and something other then a rifle. It takes pressure off you and let's me just enjoy the hunt a little more. I had a once in a lifetime Oklahoma rifle elk tag last year and I put a lot of pressure on myself. Mainly cause it's something you should tag out on.
Just my two cents. If you want to bow hunt then it's going to bother you if you don't, but it might be smart to do a few hunts with a rifle and find a unit or area that you want to get to know and then start going with a bow.

 

[OKHunter84]

If you're in it for a full freezer and that's the primary goal stick to rifles and cow tags or hunt whitetails and pigs. My personal opinion. Take it for what it's worth.

Or do both, if your location and situation allows it. I hunt deer at home and then try to go out west as often as I can. Fill your freezer and then go chasing critters with a bow.

 

[Beendare]

I think the Colorado success rates on OTC are more relevant here…unless the OP has been applying in Nevada for 25 years.I have 21 elk points in Nev and my odds of drawing in a couple good units are right at 1% or less.

Co otc is low single digit success…a tad higher for deer