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John N. Felsher's Deer Hunting Adventures
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Archery equipment opens off limits
lands to more hunting opportunities
lands to more hunting opportunities
Any archer would love an opportunity to put an arrow into such a
buck as this. Many states allow archers to gain access to hunting
property that might remain off limits to gun hunters. Archers also
typically enjoy longer seasons.
buck as this. Many states allow archers to gain access to hunting
property that might remain off limits to gun hunters. Archers also
typically enjoy longer seasons.
Many hunters take up bow hunting because of the challenge or to
recapture a tiny piece of a vanished time when buffalo roamed the plains.
Others simply use archery equipment as a means to expand their hunting
opportunities or get an early crack at game. Bow seasons typically begin
earlier and last far longer than modern firearms deer seasons.
In addition, archery equipment allows people access to many areas off
limits to sportsmen with modern rifles. With deer becoming more common –
and causing more problems -- in many suburban areas, some communities
even actively encourage bow hunters to cull burgeoning herds. With few or
no natural predators, deer thrive in some tiny tracts of wilderness amid
suburban sprawl. Some huge suburban bucks die of old age without ever
experiencing hunting pressure. Deer living in such small woodlots often
emerge at night and browse through expensive ornamental garden plants,
causing extensive damage to expensive landscaping.
To start bow hunting, people can spend a few hundred bucks for basic
equipment or several thousand dollars on the latest custom bows and
accessories. However, once they make their initial purchases of bows and
arrows, people can practice almost anywhere for little cost.
“I got interested in bows by watching my friends shoot so I bought a
$100 bow,” said Colin Boothe, a former world champion archer. “I started
shooting my bow in my backyard and trying new things. I practiced really
hard because I wanted to know that when I released that arrow, I was going
to kill, not wound or cripple a deer.”
Light and powerful, a traditional longbow resembles the medieval
weapons that turned many a battle against armored knights centuries ago.
Few modern sportsmen use them except the traditionalists.
A recurve bow somewhat resembles a longbow and essentially shoots
the same way. Archers primarily aim by instinct. Generally shorter than
longbows, they power arrows by the reverse shape of the bow. Many
people use them because they are lightweight, easy to carry and easy to
learn how to shoot.
By far, most modern hunters carry compound bows. Hardly primitive
weapons, these devices can achieve astonishing arrow speeds, power and
accuracy through a system of pulleys. They come in all sizes and
configurations. In the right hands, these high-tech devices can bring down
any game species in the world from carp to grizzly bears to many
dangerous African animals.
Sportsmen can customize their compound bows with all sorts of
enhancements. They can use telescopic or even laser sights. They can
add counterbalancing weights, quick release triggers, pin sights or anything
else they desire. Only the amount of money one wants to spend limits what
they can do with compound bows – and prepare to spend plenty of money!
Before buying a bow, visit an archery shop and talk to the pro staffers.
Have them help select a bow that “fits.” Not all bows work equally well with
all people. Novice archers need to consider such factor as “draw length.”
Draw length is the length from the bow to the holding point at the bottom of
a shooter’s cheek.
Archers can adjust some compound bows to achieve proper draw
length. If not, archers should consider buying other equipment to ensure a
proper fit. An improper fit can make shooting uncomfortable or even affect
aim. A competent archery shop pro staffer can custom fit equipment
specifically to a shooter to give that person the best comfort. Shooting
comfort contributes to shooting skill, putting arrows on target downrange.
Archers also need to consider “draw weight,” the amount of pull
required to draw a bowstring to firing position. Hunters need enough draw
weight to achieve killing shots at reasonable distances, but not too much to
affect shooting. Too much draw weight could make shooting difficult for
children, women or small men. Archers can adjust compound bows to
change draw weight in most cases, but longbow or recurve shooters find
little leeway. Again, a good archery shop can help bowhunters buy the
proper equipment.
Proper equipment matched to a specific shooter helps a sportsman
achieve optimum results in the woods. Improper or ill-fitting equipment
could cause hunters to wound animals unnecessarily. Bowhunters should
practice until they determine their best range and wait for only those shots
that would quickly and efficiently down game.
recapture a tiny piece of a vanished time when buffalo roamed the plains.
Others simply use archery equipment as a means to expand their hunting
opportunities or get an early crack at game. Bow seasons typically begin
earlier and last far longer than modern firearms deer seasons.
In addition, archery equipment allows people access to many areas off
limits to sportsmen with modern rifles. With deer becoming more common –
and causing more problems -- in many suburban areas, some communities
even actively encourage bow hunters to cull burgeoning herds. With few or
no natural predators, deer thrive in some tiny tracts of wilderness amid
suburban sprawl. Some huge suburban bucks die of old age without ever
experiencing hunting pressure. Deer living in such small woodlots often
emerge at night and browse through expensive ornamental garden plants,
causing extensive damage to expensive landscaping.
To start bow hunting, people can spend a few hundred bucks for basic
equipment or several thousand dollars on the latest custom bows and
accessories. However, once they make their initial purchases of bows and
arrows, people can practice almost anywhere for little cost.
“I got interested in bows by watching my friends shoot so I bought a
$100 bow,” said Colin Boothe, a former world champion archer. “I started
shooting my bow in my backyard and trying new things. I practiced really
hard because I wanted to know that when I released that arrow, I was going
to kill, not wound or cripple a deer.”
Light and powerful, a traditional longbow resembles the medieval
weapons that turned many a battle against armored knights centuries ago.
Few modern sportsmen use them except the traditionalists.
A recurve bow somewhat resembles a longbow and essentially shoots
the same way. Archers primarily aim by instinct. Generally shorter than
longbows, they power arrows by the reverse shape of the bow. Many
people use them because they are lightweight, easy to carry and easy to
learn how to shoot.
By far, most modern hunters carry compound bows. Hardly primitive
weapons, these devices can achieve astonishing arrow speeds, power and
accuracy through a system of pulleys. They come in all sizes and
configurations. In the right hands, these high-tech devices can bring down
any game species in the world from carp to grizzly bears to many
dangerous African animals.
Sportsmen can customize their compound bows with all sorts of
enhancements. They can use telescopic or even laser sights. They can
add counterbalancing weights, quick release triggers, pin sights or anything
else they desire. Only the amount of money one wants to spend limits what
they can do with compound bows – and prepare to spend plenty of money!
Before buying a bow, visit an archery shop and talk to the pro staffers.
Have them help select a bow that “fits.” Not all bows work equally well with
all people. Novice archers need to consider such factor as “draw length.”
Draw length is the length from the bow to the holding point at the bottom of
a shooter’s cheek.
Archers can adjust some compound bows to achieve proper draw
length. If not, archers should consider buying other equipment to ensure a
proper fit. An improper fit can make shooting uncomfortable or even affect
aim. A competent archery shop pro staffer can custom fit equipment
specifically to a shooter to give that person the best comfort. Shooting
comfort contributes to shooting skill, putting arrows on target downrange.
Archers also need to consider “draw weight,” the amount of pull
required to draw a bowstring to firing position. Hunters need enough draw
weight to achieve killing shots at reasonable distances, but not too much to
affect shooting. Too much draw weight could make shooting difficult for
children, women or small men. Archers can adjust compound bows to
change draw weight in most cases, but longbow or recurve shooters find
little leeway. Again, a good archery shop can help bowhunters buy the
proper equipment.
Proper equipment matched to a specific shooter helps a sportsman
achieve optimum results in the woods. Improper or ill-fitting equipment
could cause hunters to wound animals unnecessarily. Bowhunters should
practice until they determine their best range and wait for only those shots
that would quickly and efficiently down game.
