N00Bs rules for learning to bow hunt

wildernessmaster

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
May 12, 2020
Messages
297
Location
Pittsboro NC
Staring at my bin of unused broadheads today (for sale if anyone wants them), I was inspired to write this. I am a newbie bow hunter (still feel that way). My bow hunting journey did not come with a lot of mentoring or true wise-ole-hunter guidance. It was pretty much a self taught, rugged ass road.

I hope this helps others...

I started my bow hunting journey in earnest about 4 years ago. As an engineer by training and profession, I always approach new things with a lot of initial research. My first year "bow hunting" was nothing to do with hunting - it was learning, educating myself, and not one iota of any hunting - or even bow shooting for that matter. That is important to note in both good and bad ways, which we will get to shortly.

Years 2-4 have actually involved a bow in my hand, albeit year 2 was pretty sparse on both. Year 3 and 4 have been decent archery and bow hunting years.

I give you that as background to say this... You don't have to take that long. If you read what I am going to share your path to bow hunting will be much quicker and efficient.

Rule 1 - K.I.S.S. - Keep It Simple Stupid
...at every point in your journey. If it starts feeling like it isn't simple, step back and find a simple path. Archery is full of terminology and new concepts. Bow hunting adds significantly to that. If you are like me completely new to the "world" (of bows, archery and bow hunting) and lack a mentor or guide - you can become overwhelmed quickly. More so you can start obsession about theological things that keep you from moving forward in your skills. If it starts feeling like it isn't simple, nock and arrow and follow rule 2 - shoot your damn bow, then find the simple path.

Rule 2 - F.A.D.0. - Fling Arrows Day 0
Please note: This did NOT say buy a bow day 0, it says shoot a bow day zero. Yes you need to shoot a bow, often and a lot. You need to realize your shooting styles, likes/dislikes, and identify your skills deficiencies. Mostly you need to shoot a bow to get better at shooting a bow. Reading about shooting a bow, or thinking you can shoot a bow 5 times and kill a deer/elk/... is ridiculous. Borrow a bow, rent a bow... but shoot a bow and keep shooting a bow as often as you can.

Bows.jpg
You only need 1 bow to fling arrows!

Rule 3 - PYP/FSTI - Pick Your Poison - and Freaking Stick To It!
There are only two schools to killing something with a projectile - and there is a crap ton of religious theology around both. Light/Fast or Heavy/Slow. Pick one and stick to it. I am not going to start a "caliber war" (what it is called in the gun world), but remember you can kill anything with a toothpick or a sledge hammer - its all about hitting them right and the right number of times. That's why Rule 2 is before Rule 3... Learn to shoot well - because regardless of which poison you pick neither work if you can't hit them right and hit them the right number of times. Public service announcement - I am a heavy/slow projectile advocate and would encourage that path. Once you pick a path don't' let bow shop owners, armchair bow hunters, marketing blitz, or any cruft change your poison. Only with a lot of experience and qualified knowledge should you choose to change your poison (and I wouldn't do that until you are at least 4+ years into your journey). The biggest mistake I made in my early journey was letting the "cruft" convince me to change my poison.

Broadheads.jpg
All these broadheads from changing my poison!

Rule 4 - BBW - Nope not Big Beautiful Woman :) Become a Better Woodsman!
Woodsman skills rule with bow hunting. Being able to know where to hunt (within +/- 30ish yards) is a lot more of a concern than your brand of bow, arrow, or camo gear. Knowing how to read maps, watch signs, determine winds, and set your location IS the other half of the bow hunting equation. YES, lots of bow hunters walk out to a Cadillac stand, nock and arrow and at sunrise whack some game. That's not bow hunting. That is simply bow shooting and killing. You can't bow hunt without solid woodsman skills.


Rule 5 - GDNU - Gear Down Not Up
Unless you want to wake up like me one day and have a ton of extra archery and bow hunting stuff you don't know what to do with - try constantly to keep your gear minimal. Remember with bow hunting you gotta be swift, silent and deadly and all that gear keeps that from happening. Seriously don't go out and buy gear. At the end of the day all you need is your bow, arrows and a place to hunt. I have seen people kill animals with a bow wearing clothing that looked like clown clothing (all sorts of colors), hunting from the ground. All those bow dongles, stands, camo, etc... (can come with time and experience.) Spend your time and money on shooting and woodsman skills until you are strongly proficient.

Junk Gear.jpg
Junk gear... Just sits in storage

Rule 6 - Always Apply P1T
What is P1T? Pick 1 Thing. Looking back my biggest mistake during my formative years as a bow hunter was picking too many things. If I was tuning my bow or trying to improve my accuracy - instead of picking ONE thing and focus on changing or improving it, I would change 2, 3 or 4 at a time. Big mistake!! When it doesn't work you can't unbundle what has happened or which thing is "not working". Similarly when I would go to learn a new skill - instead of picking one and mostly mastering it, I would try 2,3,4... at a time. I would get bogged down, confused... Bottom line Change 1 Thing at a time; Learn 1 Thing at a time; Pick 1 Thing at a time!!

I hope this helps other N00Bs avoid many of the pitfalls that slowed down my path to success!
 
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raptor16

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Mar 28, 2019
Messages
265
Location
NW Arkansas
Good post. Focusing on one thing at a time is a really big deal (especially early on). I like that point a lot. Things get even more confusing at an even more alarming rate when you start trying to mess with multiple things at once. I think most experienced archers, coaches, athletes, etc... would agree with that beyond just archery.
 

TSAMP

WKR
Joined
Jul 16, 2019
Messages
1,447
An engineer certainly wrote this. So. Many. Words.
Its funny how you referenced not shooting enough in the beginning. Your broadhead stash clearly corroborated that. I started bow hunting about 14 years ago but theres no evidence of my many early broadhead choices as i routinely lost them all, along with the arrows attached.

I think so many people want to fast track their learning curve, and this forum makes it appear like you can. My opinion is go out and do it with what you have, learn from your own experience, then come back here and ask the questions.

Im also an engineer, to be fair.
 

Joe Holden

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Mar 14, 2019
Messages
172
Location
Kansas
I strongly agree with Woodsmanship. That is an art of itself. But so is the other BBW :sneaky:

To mirror Billy Goat, if those QAD's are in 100 grain, i'd be interested.
 
Joined
May 6, 2018
Messages
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Location
Shenandoah Valley
This post almost sums up rokslide. Guy puts a bunch of information out there, really takes his time to put something together well worded and helpful to others.


And it turns into a gear sale. Blows my mind the total number of threads in the classifieds here, compared to the main forum.
 

KBC

WKR
Joined
Mar 8, 2017
Messages
759
Location
BC
Great info and well said.

This post almost sums up rokslide. Guy puts a bunch of information out there, really takes his time to put something together well worded and helpful to others.


And it turns into a gear sale. Blows my mind the total number of threads in the classifieds here, compared to the main forum.

Yeah you have to be careful with this site. Back in my guitar days I definitely had a bad case of GAS (Gear Acquisition Syndrome)

Now I go by quality over quantity. I don’t understand having a bunch of gear you don’t use. I might buy new stuff looking for something better but if I’m not using it, I’m selling it. I don’t understand having more than one bow or more than one hunting rifle. Sure I have a ‘06, a .22 and a shotgun but that’s only because I can’t shoot deer, grouse and skeet with the same gun.
This place can be unhealthy.
 
Joined
Oct 20, 2018
Messages
613
Location
Montana
As a new archer myself, I fell victim to chasing my tail and fiddling with multiple things instead of focusing on just one (right now that is hand position).

Good post op.
 
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