What Mistakes do Bowhunters Make When Going Rifle?

[RockAndSage]

For you bowhunters out there, who transitioned to rifle to whatever degree - what kind of mistakes are you aware of that happens in this situation?

Not asking what happens when a gun hunter tries to bowhunt - this question's about what happens when someone's a solid bowhunter, and they decide to go rifle. Any common mistakes, or interesting unique differences that you learned from, between the two?

 

[Marble]

I think the differences between the two are very real. I started with rifle and was so successful for a couple decades I transitioned to archery. Took me a couple seasons to be successful.

For archery, there is a lot less glassing involved and it seems I cover less ground. But the ground I cover is in timber.

For rifle (non-rut), you dont generally have calling situations in close quarters. Guys generally don't sneak through timber during rifle either with the purpose of a close encounter with shot opportunity. But I do, I am very successful at killing bulls in the timber mid day.

Gear is generally heavier because of the weapon and weather during rifle.

The behavior of the elk is completely different during archery. Archery hunters need to transition to targeting areas elk are bedding, feeding and traveling to and from when they switch to an October hunt. Knowing where these areas are in hunting area can lead you to place yourself in the correct areas during the correct times.

During rifle, elk will also stay out on sunny slopes all day when it's really cold, lots of snow or post storm. This rarely happens during archery.

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[justin davis]

Forgetting that rifles shoot further haha. I bowhunt all the time. But often help family or friends rifle hunting. I will often glass an animal up and think dang they are way out there. (200 yards or something). we need to cut the distance big time. When in fact don’t need to as rifles can shoot 100 yards haha

 

[Clovis]

Out west may be different, but one thing I found in the east is that i still prefer to set up in good bow ambushes rather than vantage points with long range visibility and so end up shooting deer at 10 yards with a scoped .270

 

[E.Shell]

Out west may be different, but one thing I found in the east is that i still prefer to set up in good bow ambushes rather than vantage points with long range visibility and so end up shooting deer at 10 yards with a scoped .270

I've found the same thing. Deer seldom show themselves where one can see well for long distances or in open hardwoods and a good archery stand is a good rifle stand for all the same reasons.

 

[Jon Boy]

Very species dependent. For elk, it’s not like you’re even hunting the same animal between September and November and there are far more differences than similarities.

 

[Rich M]

Bow hunters are better at getting close than rifle hunters who will just sit in a saddle and wait for the game to come to them.

Use your honed skills to get on game and then remember to sit 100-200-300 yards back instead of 20.

I'm deaf, prefer rifle but get forced to bow hunt and spook the heck out of them with unknown noises. Rifle allows me to use similar setups more productively - for me.

 

[5MilesBack]

I rifle hunted elk for years before taking up archery. For me, the only difference between archery and rifle is that I hunt by calling and them responding during archery. For rifle I still covered ground from first light until dark looking for elk, I just wasn't calling to them. I've always been a timber hunter regardless of the weapon or season. But I tend to cover a lot more ground during rifle just to stay warm. Rifle is a crap shoot as to what elk you find. For archery I find more and bigger bulls much easier with calling.

And I have no idea what mistakes bowhunters are making during rifle. Probably not covering enough ground.

 

[journeyman713]

I think a hunter that has acquired the skills to be a successful bow hunter, is almost Guaranteed to be a successful rifle hunter. And almost Never the other way around, without a learning curve.

 

[Mykolaivka887]

I think a hunter that has acquired the skills to be a successful bow hunter, is almost Guaranteed to be a successful rifle hunter. And almost Never the other way around, without a learning curve.

This /\/\/\

 

[summs]

And I have no idea what mistakes bowhunters are making during rifle. Probably not covering enough ground.

'He who covers the most ground, see the most deer'

Hunting in remote Maine, one of the benoit sons talks about his older brother would see the most deer, and he never sat. So he also started hoofin it and saw more deer. Then people wouldn't believe him as the end of the day when he said he saw 'x' amount of deer.

It's not uncommon to go multiple days without seeing a deer in remote Maine. To get eyes on every day is a feat, let alone pass a buck, even more so back in teh 70's and 80's when they were making a name for them selves.

 

[MarlinMark]

Thinking it’s going to be easy.


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[Fireflyfishing]

More competition is likely. Watch out for the sea of orange vests and clogged forest roads with road hunters.

You need to practice with a rifle on a continual basis like you practice with your bow. If you can afford to shoot as much as a bow, great…but, chances are you will practice enough to stay sharp to stay within budget. Training rifles such as 22LR or .223 will get you shooting more for less money.

Are you hunting in the same elevation as where you’re hunting? This matters for you’re ballistics.

Safety, safety, safety. I cannot stress this enough when handling a firearm. Watching a noob swing a muzzle all over the place is always disconcerting.

As others have mentioned, you likely will have to go find the animal you’re perusing. Unless you can hunt during the rut, you have to find them and then get close enough for a makable shot.

Unlike a bow, follow-up shots can occur pretty quick if you’re well practiced. I’ll keep shooting the animal until it’s down and dead. Typically, this isn’t needed for me, but it’s good remember in case you spoof a shot or for some unknown reason…you get a stubborn animal. Weird stuff happens. This makes sure there’s no getting away.

You will probably be hunting in a colder time of the year. Lots of gotchas to list here. Be prepared, and do your best to keep your weapon clean and dry.

 

[MallardSX2]

I know an archery guy that hunted in Illinois with a muzzleloader one year and he passed on a huge 170" buck because it was "too far".

I asked him where it was standing at? He showed me and I said "dude.....you should have killed that deer...."


It was 140 yards away in an open corn field and he was using a Remington muzzleloader sighted dead on at 100 yards......

 

[Mykolaivka887]

Thinking it’s going to be easy.

That's probably true. I've hunted with quite a few bow-only type guys who would never, ever consider hunting with a firearm, and a handful of those guys seemed to think that rifle hunting equates to guaranteed kill (lol).

 

[5MilesBack]

That's probably true. I've hunted with quite a few bow-only type guys who would never, ever consider hunting with a firearm, and a handful of those guys seemed to think that rifle hunting equates to guaranteed kill (lol).

Having done lots of both, to me archery is much easier just because it's the rut. Obviously rifle during September would be even easier.

 

[roosiebull]

For you bowhunters out there, who transitioned to rifle to whatever degree - what kind of mistakes are you aware of that happens in this situation?

Not asking what happens when a gun hunter tries to bowhunt - this question's about what happens when someone's a solid bowhunter, and they decide to go rifle. Any common mistakes, or interesting unique differences that you learned from, between the two?

The biggest thing for me was thinking shooting a rifle accurately was easy and a given if you are a good archery hunter

Of course that is quickly corrected by default

I think the transition often comes with an unwarranted ego that is good to get rid of asap

Consistently filling tags with a bow doesn’t make rifle hunting too easy, both hunts have their own unique difficulties, and if you want to be proficient, accuracy doesn’t come automatically because you can shoot a bow, you still have to practice

 

[RockAndSage]

These are some great, interesting answers. Most of them appear to come down to perspective and mindset, and learning the new tool well, it seems?

 

[Mykolaivka887]

These are some great, interesting answers. Most of them appear to come down to perspective and mindset, and learning the new tool well, it seems?

Yep, it ain't rocket science. Pretty simple to master rifle big game hunting, if you've already done at least some archery hunting.

 

[SloppyJ]

I've found the same thing. Deer seldom show themselves where one can see well for long distances or in open hardwoods and a good archery stand is a good rifle stand for all the same reasons.

Almost all of my stand locations are the same or within 50yds of each other for bow vs rifle. The only difference is around field edges where I can sit and watch during the rut. Most of the woods here are super thick which means you aren't going to be in a good spot with visibility of more than 100yds and more like 25 or 40.

One time I was sitting on a field edge after Thanksgiving dinner with a 500yd view in front of me waiting for where they always come out at dusk. I had a beautiful view for just relaxing with a huge wide open space in front. No shit, that night they jumped the fence behind me and landed 10yds from me. When they landed I'm not sure who's eyes were bigger. Moral of the story, even when I try to utilize some distance I always end up with a rifle shot under 50yds. That's just how it works down here it seems.

One of the mistakes that they make is that they write it off too much thinking it's going to be easier. They don't prep their spots, trim lanes, and do everything like they do for bow season. The deer are infinitely more aware during gun season and you better be on your game. That's my take at least.