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Archery Bow Hunting - 8 Useful Tips To Master This Skill

Most hunters opt for firearms because they are easier to get used to. If a rare person wants to go in for archery bow hunting, he/she has to master the art first before attempting any real hunting!

Of course, plenty of practice is required. Additionally, the learner should be ready to recognize and accept his/her mistakes. Only then can steps be taken to improve upon those mistakes till perfection is achieved.

The dos and donts of archery bow hunting are listed as follows--

(1) All hunting gear should be carefully stored and maintained after every hunt, so that the weapons are in top condition for the next hunt. Before going archery bow hunting, it is necessary to check that the bow is functioning properly. To discover an out-of-tune bow at the hunting site itself is only going to bring sorrow!

(2) Many hunters fail to hit on target because they do not judge distance properly. The bow hunter can use a range finder to measure distances, before the actual hunt itself. This method is very helpful if the hunter is using a tree stand or a blind.

(3) The range finder also proves useful if the hunter prefers to be in a fixed position while archery bow hunting. It gives the correct distance and leaves no room for misjudgement. Trees act like natural distance markers, but rocks and branches can also be put to fair use.

(4) Accuracy carries more weightage than speed while archery bow hunting. So the draw weight should be something that the hunter can handle easily; going beyond that is sure to handicap the action of the hunter. Additionally, if a tree stand is being used, drawing the bow is not going to be easy. It is even more difficult in a sitting posture. Thus, draw weight should be assessed carefully.

(5) Some people do not have the patience to wait and get the target into their sights before shooting. Archery bow hunting demands slow and easy actions, not overconfidence.

(6) Where deer are concerned, the aim should be towards the broadside. The shot is bang on target if the animal's head is behind a tree or it is turned away from the stalker. The deer is a swift animal and easily spooked--so the hunter gets only one chance for a straightforward shot!

(7) Another fact concerning deer hunting. Frequent visits to the same specific location by a hunter are enough to signal the animals not to come anywhere near the place! This is because during every visit, he/she is leaving his/her scent behind. And smart animals can smell it!

(8) The most dreadful mistake that can be committed during archery bow hunting is totally missing the kill zone. A hunter is expected to know the kill zone of every quarry that he stalks. If the prey is just wounded and manages to escape, the hunter has left it open to a large amount of suffering. And this is explicitly forbidden.

About the Author

Download Abhishek's FREE 66 Pages Ebook, "How To Play And Enjoy Hunting Video Games" from his website http://www.Hunting-Guru.com/100/index.htm . Only limited Free Copies available.

Help with making an archery bow with wood from Bunnings?

Me and my friend want to make an archery bow with wood readily available from Bunnings (Pine, Tazzy Oak, Jarrah, Durian etc) If this is at all possible, what woods for the back and which woods for the belly, do you suggest?

I don't like your chances based on the selection of timbers from Bunnings. The timber used (especially for the limbs of the bow) needs to be strong and yet flexible. The timber also necessarily needs to be clear of knots and stable (ie: properly seasoned, not as easy to find as you might think). I suggest that you check out one of the specialty timber suppliers. The timber does cost a more at these places, but it will be better quality overall. You may also be able to get some first hand assistance with selecting the timber that you buy from someone who knows timber.

Here is a forum posting that may be of use to you for identifying a more accessible timbers that may be suitable.

http://paleoplanet69529.yuku.com/topic/6213/t/List-of-Potenial-Bow-Wood-Species-With-Comments.html

As this is apparently your first bow, I suggest that you look at making a longbow (or at least a flatbow) from a single peice of wood. Yew and Maple are the traditional timbers for these, but you're unlikely to get any of that around these parts of any quality. This will save you from having to steam curves into the limbs as you would for a recurve, and making it one peice avoids any problems with adequately securing the limbs to the stock. The grips on these bows can also be very simple.
Avoiding the need to do any lamination will also improve your chances of sucess.

Here is a link to the British Longbow Society which may give you some more insight.

http://www.askarts.co.uk/longbow.html

Fortunately, you can buy bowstrings fairly easily as they are not a controled item in Australia. There are a scattering of archery suppliers around and some regular sports stores stock archery supplies.

This is an interesting project, so I wish you well with it. It's something I considered doing years ago myself (I'm an archer) but it was more trouble than I was prepared to deal with at the time.

If you do proceed with this, please make a point of using a commercially produced bowstring and arrows. A successful bow will apply a lot of force on these componants and failure of an arrow shaft before it leaves the bow can be quite hazardous indeed. You'll only need one or two to begin with. For safety sake while testing select arrow shafts with the highest spline that you can get to pretty much eliminate that risk. Breaking a string is normally less of a health risk, but I still recommend using a commercial bowstring anyway. Make sure that you have a strong backstop when you testfire the bow. Arrows are capable of penetrating deeper into objects than most people think. A metal or timber fence is NOT going to be an adequate backstop if your project is successful, so please be particularly careful.

Tips & Tactics
Archers in the elementary and middle school divisions outshot high-school-aged competitors to take top honors in the second Missouri National Archery in the Schools Program (MoNASP) tournament Feb. 13.

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