The Missouri youth hunt is this weekend. I am 15 so this is my last year I'll be able to hunt it. I really want to bring my bow with me. My dad says that I should just stick with rifle and be done.  Ill be hunting woods Sat morning and fields that night. Im planning on using my bow in the morning. And rifle that afternoon.
So, how would you go about proving your dad wrong? lol I havent gotten any deer with my bow yet (one with wheels 2 yrs ago) and this weekend fells good. The rut is just starting up and scrapes and rubs are all over. So I might call and am definitly putting scent out.
Thanks for anything
Joe

I would say hunt with what you want, if putting meat in the freezer was not a must I would use the bow (not many here will encourage the rifle). In any case good luck with your hunt!

I agree with the above- if you absolutely need to fill the freezer then take one with your rifle but since few of us "need" to fill a freezer I would follow what's in your heart and shoot the bow no matter the company. I've had some great times "proving" that it can be done, the hard way! I personally am not into rifle hunting but do enjoy late december muzzleloader hunts with my old sidelock(bout 85+ yrs old) that is as long as I have taken a few with the bow and "need" to pad the freezer. Good Luck young man and most of all enjoy your youth, especially hunts with your dad, unfortunately my father doesn't hunt anymore due to his health.
Todd

Good luck and enjoy yourself.

Joe you may try some thick cover or close to it.  With others being out in the woods they will be looking for that cover.  If you have a conservation archery only area to hunt, try it.  I've always had luck in those areas when gun hunters hit the woods.

I hunt private land with lots of woods and a huge valley that holds a lot of game. Its in the old Ozark Mountain range so some pretty steep hills. I don't know how to hunt fields so that why I was thinking the rifle in the fields. There are powerlines running through the proterty was well. I may know a place I could hunt in the fields. The only problem is that the wind would have to be blowing acrosst the fields towards a road. I shot a doe last year that head towards this spot and have seen a lot of deer there toward dusk. The doe came acrosst the road into the field though.

I plan on sitting all day Saturday. I dug out my hunter orange the other night. Every year I shake my head at wearing the orange with a bow in my hand.

It's all about safty so I'll never complain about it.

Good luck to all the youth deer hunters.. Get more does killed.

Weve got a new rule established with a very stiff penalty for shooting a small buck ($300!!!! the owner wants the deer to be at least 125) so I'll be shooting more does for you JDS3 lol

I have had tremendous success with scent ploys, especially during the rut.  Ironically, I rarely use sex scents, but rather just plain old doe and buck urine.  It's great for easing their mind while they are around your stand.  It also allows you to bring them in to a certain spot (i.e., a shooting lane) and hold them there for a little while.  Just be careful if you use scents to take care of two things:

1) always try to deploy it so that the deer will not cross your own scent trail while coming to or leaving from your placed deer scent, and
2) put it in a spot so that while they are spending time there you will be screened by some type of cover.

Good luck!!
Dave