Any bow hunters in the house?

[Ooh-Rah]

After my divorce I lost access to the private land I rifle hunted on. There is nearly unlimited public land in MN, but I am not comfortable rifle hunting on public land...too many untrained hunters out there who might thing I look sound like a deer.

I do not have the same concerns about bow hunting public land and really enjoy still hunting vs sitting in a stand all day.

It’s been ... 20 years... (Jesus!) since I’ve shot a bow and I have to think technology has changed quite a bit since then.

Give me some thoughts/recommendations?

Primarily hunting White Tail; there are a number of indoor and outdoor shooting ranges near me.

I won’t say the budget is unlimited, but I’ve socked enough away to afford a nice setup.

 

[Brill]

Sorta related...

Came back from a week of “emergency leave“ (not a thing in civilian world but conditions were same) and I thought there were a bunch of leaves or something in my St. Augustine grass.




Nope. Somebody dropped a fawn in our yard. A few weeks ago, about 10 meters to the right of this photo, there were two bolts (with broad heads) from a crossbow in the yard where someone was shooting at something IN my side yard.

There‘s been a 6-pointer chasing does all over the neighborhood here (I have pics somewhere).

Years ago, I got into bow hunting in MD for the same reasons: I went "gun" hunting on public land and never again. Plus, in central MD along the I-95 corridor, does are UNLIMTED because the deer population is so out of control (really PEOPLE are out of control).

I went to the local Bass Pro which had an archery pro shop and had them set me up with an entire rig: bow, sights, rest, release, measured arrows, and once the set up was all tuned, I shot on their range and got even finer tuning. Well worth it in my opinion.

 

[RackMaster]

I'm currently getting back into it after 20 years or so. Because of my back, I bought a crossbow; highly recommend Excalibur.

I'll put more thought into this later and add some more stuff.

 

[Diamondback 2/2]

PSE can get you started on the cheap end. I have two PSE rigs for bow fishing. I like Hoyt for hunting, been using Hoyt for about 10 years or so.

Hoyt Ultra Series

Is what I'm currently using...

 

[Brill]

PSE can get you started on the cheap end. I have two PSE rigs for bow fishing. I like Hoyt for hunting, been using Hoyt for about 10 years or so.

Hoyt Ultra Series

Is what I'm currently using...

DB, I had you for a Matthews man.

 

[Kaldak]

I haven't been bow hunting in about three years...I use an x-bow with my back. Are you looking x-bow or traditional?

 

[Diamondback 2/2]

DB, I had you for a Matthews man.

I like them, a good buddy of mine let me play with his and it was nice. I am just the kinda guy that once I find what I like and it works, I stick to it like glue. Hoyt has been that for me.

 

[Brill]

I like them, a good buddy of mine let me play with his and it was nice. I am just the kinda guy that once I find what I like and it works, I stick to it like glue. Hoyt has been that for me.

I still have my Reflex Growler (discontinued by Hoyt) and that was back when the split limbs were "new technology".

 

[Ooh-Rah]

I haven't been bow hunting in about three years...I use an x-bow with my back. Are you looking x-bow or traditional?

I’ll go compound, I’d like to get some success with a bow and then I’ll consider going traditional.

I’d be tempted to go crossbow, but in Minnesota you need a doctors note saying that you cannot draw a regular bow.

 

[Ooh-Rah]

What is a realistic distance these days? 20-30 was my range back then.

Are arrows flying fast enough for a 40-50 yard kill yet?

 

[Brill]

What is a realistic distance these days? 20-30 was my range back then.

Are arrows flying fast enough for a 40-50 yard kill yet?

Defer to @Diamondback 2/2 (assume his visibility is better in TX) but I always hunted deep into the crap and never over a field. All my arrows went clean through ~30 yards-ish.

This guy double lunged at 50.

 

[Kaldak]

I've gone 50 yards consistently. The technology in the bolts and heads and bows...50 is an easy kill. Neighbor of my parents took a white tail down at ~65 yards this year on our property.

 

[Diamondback 2/2]

You can damn sure kill a dear at 50+ with the right bow. But I won't shoot at anything over 40 yards personally. To each their own, but I've come across too many great bucks that had arrows hanging of them that didn't kill them. Im no hippie ass save the whales dude, but I think a clean kill should be the rule of thumb when hunting.

YMMV.

 

[Ooh-Rah]

@Diamondback 2/2 - that’s what I was looking for. 20 years ago my hard max was 30 yards. It would be cool if I felt confident in a 40 yard kill shot.

 

[Diamondback 2/2]

@Diamondback 2/2 - that’s what I was looking for. 20 years ago my hard max was 30 yards. It would be cool if I felt confident in a 40 yard kill shot.

The technology is definitely there to go past 50 yards, but with my personal skill, and just the adrenaline dump that you get, I just don't trust myself personally. I also won't shoot anything but broadside lung. I have buddies that try to work angles like a lung-heart into the opposite side shoulder, etc. I don't personally agree with it, but as I said to each their own. I don't mind tracking a dear for few hundred feet, I want guaranteed kill, and max meat.

 

[Ooh-Rah]

@Diamondback 2/2 - you and I walk pretty much the same line when it comes to hunting ethics. I've passed on a lot of deer in my days; there's no quick follow up shot with a bow.

 

[Brill]

Motivating article...the field reporter’s name is Batman.

42 points! 14-year-old Kansas girl shoots world record-breaking buck