NH 2015 Struggles... New sets

Petrichor · October 07, 2015, 02:30:00 PM

This too shall pass. Beautiful bow!

kennym · October 07, 2015, 02:54:00 PM

Stay with em buddy! You are shooting plenty good, just need the right chance and take your time. Don't rush the shot,plenty of time....

bowhntineverythingnh03743 · October 07, 2015, 04:05:00 PM

Thanks guys I am going to stick with it and keep my head in the game. It is too easy for me to lay down the longbow for a shorter longer distance weapon but I feel that this year it will happen. I will keep everyone posted after the weekend how it is going.

Thanks all for the compliments.

wood carver 2 · October 07, 2015, 05:54:00 PM

I have a pretty good idea of how you're feeling. I have been hunting with my longbows for the last few seasons and I have yet to make a kill. It would be easy to just take my crossbow or a shotgun, but I want to hunt trad as much as possible, and I'm determined to get game with a bow I built.
Last year, I had a bull moose walk past me at 18 yards in the dark. It was hard to see him go, but I could not shoot where I could not pick a spot.
Two weeks ago my partner and I were pinned down by a big bull that came out of the bush faster than we could set up on him. He stared us down for 40 minutes and stood broadside at 45 to 50 yards a couple of times. Neither of us took the long shot. We wouldn't risk a bad hit. If I had my crossbow... But I want to do it with a trad bow! The next day, the bull was still in the same area, but the wind changed and defeated us. We called to him and got to hear him demolish an acre of woods though.
I couldn't even tell you how many arrows I loosed at various grouse! My last shot clonked one on the head, but he ran off. He fell on his face a couple of times, but by the time I ran up and got an arrow off the ground, he was gone.
Frustrating? Oh yeah! Fun? You better believe it!!
It will happen sooner or later. For me it's all about the hunt.
Nice bow and good shooting. Stick with it man!
Dave.

goingoldskool · October 07, 2015, 07:57:00 PM

I'm like most of the other guys..... wheelie bow went to my son and the only thing I take is the long bow. My son and I were shooting in the back yard the other night right at dusk. He said that he was having trouble seeing through the peep sight. I smiled and told him that I had no problems seeing the target.....

When you have a good shooting session, keep going back to how good you felt at that time and let that experience motivate you! It's definitely a mental game that you have to work through.

Every time I think of going back to shooting wheels, I think of how gratifying it is to make meat with traditional gear....

Good luck, shoot straight and God bless,

Rodd

bowhntineverythingnh03743 · October 08, 2015, 12:11:00 AM

Thanks guys I don't really know why I spent all the money on the wheel bow that I did. I'm hoping to sell it off and buy more supplies or put it towards a recurve of sorts. Your words of encouragement and support are really uplifting for me. I think I get so down on myself for not making things come together that I question my ability to hunt which I know I'm a successful hunter each time I head out to the woods. I'm going to focus on the rest of the season and I know if I put my time in the woods that I will be successful.

Tajue17 · October 08, 2015, 08:43:00 AM

trade it on AT for another stick bow.

maineac · October 08, 2015, 11:29:00 AM

Seems like you are on the right track. Have faith and enjoy the learning challenge.

Bobaru · October 08, 2015, 11:47:00 AM

How do I keep myself motivated? Justin, your story motivated me.

For myself, bowhunting is "hunting." I feel a difference between shooting and hunting. So, I've shot all kinds of animals with rifles, shotguns, compounds bows, and recurves. But, I must say that, for me, hunting with my recurve brings me back to my childhood when all I had was a BB gun. Now, that was "hunting." I almost regret getting a .22 rifle.

So, what's hunting? I guess getting inside their defensive perimeter without them knowing it. What a thrill!! There's nothing to compare. Nothing!!

I make notes for myself, to help with the next hunting season, to remind myself what I need to do. In the last 5 years, my first note to myself is "Be an Opportunist." Translation: go where the deer are, figure out how to hunt them there, forget all the hoopla about whether tree stands are better, etc.

I have to say, G. Fred Asbell has made a huge difference for me. His book, "Stalking and Still Hunting," speaks to me. I grew up in the same era as Fred, and had similar experiences. And, yes, I liked all the gismos. Marvelous inventions - compound, sites, range finders, all that - speaks to the ingenuity of man. I in favor of that. Except that's not how I obtain joy from hunting - getting inside an animal's defensive parameter and bringing dinner home. Now, that's a skill!! I'm not good at it. But, I have had some success.

It's like teaching yourself to pitch a baseball in the strike zone. You can buy a machine for that. But, it's not the same. Not at all.

Actually, reading your post, it occurs to me that you hunt with a stick bow for the right reason. In the end, ya gotta produce some stories to bore your grandkids!!

bowhntineverythingnh03743 · October 09, 2015, 09:41:00 AM

Thanks everyone for the replies... I'm excited to get back out there tomorrow and hunt. Reading everyone's words and wisdom has helped me light a fire again and I can't wait to see what happens... I will keep everyone posted!!!

Longbow917 · October 09, 2015, 10:06:00 AM

Justin- that is a GORGEOUS bow, i wish i had your talent. I set up close- within 15 yds and know that more times than not- i will get busted with no shot. But man when it finally happens its magical. I have my time of frustration as well but just like you- looking over my bow- seeing my arrows hanging in the quiver in the tree beside me.... doesnt get any better. I know a compound would make it easier... just not the same. Hang in there- it'll happen!

H1tman7 · October 09, 2015, 09:22:00 PM

My advice is to learn to appreciate the struggle. Trad hunting is hard, no two ways about it, but that's what makes it great. You'll lean more about hunting in a few sits with a stick bow than years with a rifle or compound. It'll build critical skills which will help you outside of hunting: attention to detail, planning, strategy, the list goes on in.

The struggles of trad hunting have made me grow in ways I know other methods would not, both in hunting and outside of it.

ChuckC · October 09, 2015, 09:44:00 PM

Ya know, only you can tell you whether you want to go trad only or not. What I say should enlighten, maybe entertain you, but what I do and how I feel has nothing to do with your feelings.

Using traditional equipment is a state of mind, not magic, not religion. Using the other stuff is fine, if that is what YOU want, but we all tell you, you won't kill a trad deer while carrying a newfangled bow.

Except for distance, the modern stuff has nothing on my trad gear. I can shoot faster, under worse conditions, I just can't shoot farther. . . . so I hunt better, and smarter. All of us on this site learned how to do it ( or are in that process) and we do it, again, not magic.

Learn to think outside of the old dots. You don't NEED to be able to cover the entire bottom from one tree, just the best portion of it. Sometimes the deer don't come close enough and they win. Enjoy the day, you got to see some. When your plans come together and a good close shot was made YOU WIN, so enjoy that too.

Get over the fear that you will be losing out to the other guys and learn to play the game just a lil bit differently.
CHuckC

bowhntineverythingnh03743 · October 10, 2015, 03:48:00 PM

Super excited about being back on stand tonight. Trying out my new spot and on the way in I ended up jumping 3 deer. They did not see me but my last step before I rounded the corner to within 20 yards of my stand I stepped on a twig and it snapped. Duh!!!! Saw the 3 walking away about 100 yards up the ridge... Supposed to be low of 36 tonight with a slight variable breeze.... Staying super positive!!!

VA Elite · October 10, 2015, 04:25:00 PM

I'm in the stand as well. saw nothing this morning. hope the evening is better. enjoy!

bowhntineverythingnh03743 · October 11, 2015, 04:02:00 PM

Well as I sit here on stand I can finally say I feel completely relaxed. The sun rays are keeping me warm, acorns are dropping like crazy, turkeys are helping behind me, and no camera gear hanging all over the place. I'm out just enjoying gods creations. I think today I finally understand why I want to hunt with my longbow and leave all technology behind. It's just me and my bow, the way I want it to be. Now only if I see a deer would be the icing on the cake for tonight but if not I still feel blessed to be out here!

October 11, 2015, 04:29:00 PM

Good luck!!!

Bisch

jkm97 · October 11, 2015, 07:48:00 PM

How'd it go?

bowhntineverythingnh03743 · October 11, 2015, 08:04:00 PM

Tonight was a night that just felt right to be out there. I read some of my Deer hunting strategies that Gene and Berry Wensel wrote some time back. At around 1730 the wind died down and I just felt like I should see some deer. I was looking around and then a doe caught my attention. She was 50 yards to my right feeding in some other oaks. Actually, when I first got there I saw another tree that I wanted to move my stand to and she was only 10 yards from it.

Anyhow at around 1815 hours, she finally fed to within 25 yards. I had to move and almost face my tree the way she was coming in. I don't even remember the shot but I saw my arrow fly perfectly straight. I saw her kick and bound off some. I quickly looked through my binoculars and could see her hunched up. I hit her!!! I waited until dark and went down to look at my arrow. It was green but it looked like I got a complete pass through. SO now the waiting game begins. I was able to back out ever so carefully and I am going to give her until the morning. I know that it will be plenty cold enough I'm just hoping I made a lethal hit on her. This is my first shot ever at a big game animal with one of my own longbows. I was so nervous, excited, and tense that I could feel my heart all the way in my throat pounding so hard. The tip of my arrow was shaking. I'm just now praying to God that I didn't just wound the deer but that she will expire and I will be successful!

Here is a picture from my tree and then my arrow.... Hoping for the best in the morning!!

bowhntineverythingnh03743 · October 11, 2015, 08:09:00 PM

I know I made a bad shot but I'm hoping a paunch shot with enough time is lethal??? What do you all think???