[Foxysahr]

Ok Ladies... as some of you may have seen, I'm brand spankin' new to archery in general. My husband (Fowlhunter8) is really big into hunting and I would like to start myself... I think. He says he needs to know if I'm planning on hunting this season. I've been practicing and I have consistantly shot well (kill zone shots...), but I'm not sure if I can do it alone in a tree stand in the woods. I can take the outdoors, and all of that, but the part that makes me nervous is what if I end up only injuring a deer rather than a good clean shot? I would never want to wound an animal and have it suffer more than necessary to make the kill. So my question is, should I hunt this season (if so, any words of advise about your 1st hunt would be great!) or not to hunt this season...
Any imput you have would be great!

 

[crisi13]

It's a hard decision. I'm struggleing with it myself. I'm not a consistent shot yet, unlike you. However, this coming Saturday I'm going to be in a tree stand. I know that if I don't make myself get up there, I'll never be "ready" With that being said, I'm not going to take a shot more than 25 yds because I know it would be useless. It's something you have to come to terms with for yourself. Good Luck on the decision.

 

[turkeygirl]

Have you watched any bowhunting vidoes? that might help you to see what goes on in the stand and such. My first year bowhunting, well I had already been gun hunting 2 years so it wasn't too much of a big deal, but I had a really old bow I wasn't confident in because it was so inconsistent. Find out whatever yardage you feel most confident at and when you are out hunting, just wait for the deer to be at the right distance/angle that you feel you can make a clean shot. If your adrenaline is pumping and you can't hold the sight on the deer, don't take the shot, wait. It's not a matter of rushing. I'd say get out there this season, if you don't get a deer, at least you get experience

 

[BUCKSTER]

Here's my situation...I have been bow hunting..since 98 and I have yet to take a deer. I have had a few bad years or luck...where things didn't work out hunting wise...And i have had a few years where I had deer in my range but becasue things weren't Ideal...I didn't take the shot...( teach hunters Ed and I guess I had convinced myself over the years that I should practice what I preach, but I was looking at it all wrong)

I think that my own fear of wounding a deer is why....I feel that I have to have the perfect shot. I am just now realizing that there may never be the perfect shot. Unfortunately hunters do wound animals, just like in the wild a coyote pack may wounds a deer, and not recover their own game...and that animal goes on to suffer...that is the cycle of life..it happens. We have to look at ourselves as predators as well. We can only try the very best we can to make an excellent shot, but we must realize in hunting that it is not a perfect world.

So 06-07 year for me will, be confident! (you know how to shoot), not all shots can be perfect, you do the right and best thing in the situation...and all will work itself out.

Go out give it a try and see what happens....

 

[okoutdoorswoman]

who says that you have to sit alone?

If your husband hunts, then go with him a few times and just see what it's like, then if you feel ready, take your bow with you the next time.
There are alot of two-man tree stands, and they work great. It would do you good to see your husband shoot a deer and go through all the mechanics first anyway, and then, you may decide that you would prefer to go alone and hunt. No one can bring you to the place where you actually take the shot, because that is all you, but you can do alot to get prepared enough that when the time comes, you are confident in your ability, your equiptment, the distance, and the location. Hunting isn't for everyone, but I love it, and I'm fortunate to have been taught by a great friend and I have my son who loves going with me so that I don't have to be alone if I don't want to.
Have fun!