[Hvyhitter19]

I'm Curious to see what people think the biggest mistake people make while bowhunting...

I think it's not paying attention to the wind... Thinking it doesn't matter...

 

[HotShot88]

I think the biggest mistake in bowhunting is hunting the same spot over and over, or hunting the same spot every year because they have had success there in the past. They dont feel a need to scout it, they just go in and hand a stand in the same tree it was in 10 seasons ago when they killed that nice 8 pointer out of. Doesn't make sense to me.

 

[zwbonner]

Reading!!!! Lol

 

[BagginBigguns]

Sleeping in. It's like my dad always said, no one ever shot a deer while laying on bed. :wink:

 

[Captain Insano]

Simple: moving - movement. Your not going to shoot anything that sees you first.

 

[teal325]

Other than trying to live their bowhunting life thru TV people I would say the wind/scent control and over hunting one location.

I also see a lot of people not hunting enough - they go out after it gets light sit for an hour then go home to watch the game . You gotta be in the woods 1/2 hour before light and sit all day if you can. Sitting all day does not guarentee a buck but sitting in teh house watching the tube -- you ain't gonna shoot one there either.

 

[Paul S.]

Going out to the woods stinking!! Got to watch that scent control! All of my bow hunting career, I've been a smoker and its cost me more than once...Not this year!!!!

 

[MisterEd]

Not writing his/her elected officials from time to time about sportsman issues.
Oh, and not sitting high enough and long enough.

 

[TexasGuy]

Probably biggest COMMON mistake is disregarding the wind-direction/scent-control.....or just as bad, knowing the wind matters, but thinking you can "cheat it" somehow and get away with it.....and then the inevitable happens....BUSTED! :embara:

 

[Mathewsman275]

not practicing enough in the off season...you know the guy who pulls his bow out a week before season ,shoots it a couple time's and thinks it's a-ok
:doh:

 

[Jose Boudreaux]

1. clicking on a Dream Season Thread

2. Hunting the bottoms when the wind kicks up and starts swirling...

 

[dhayse32]

Other than trying to live their bowhunting life thru TV people I would say the wind/scent control and over hunting one location.

I also see a lot of people not hunting enough - they go out after it gets light sit for an hour then go home to watch the game . You gotta be in the woods 1/2 hour before light and sit all day if you can. Sitting all day does not guarentee a buck but sitting in teh house watching the tube -- you ain't gonna shoot one there either.

PATIENCE-PATIENCE-PATIENCE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[deerhunter17]

not having a enought land to hunt

 

[slinger09]

The mistake that I have made that has cost me more deer than any other mistake is yardage estimation. Luckily 5 years ago I bought a Nikon 440 to help with that problem.

 

[nova bowhunter]

kk

leaving your stand to early or not hunting in the middle of the day...

also--believing that all those gimmicks will work for ya that you've been reading about for months..

 

[swoosh]

1. Stand Placement
2. Walking to and from their stands. I think we scare more deer then we know.

 

[ZA206]

Tough one....

I wouldn't say hunting the wind is the biggest problem, as where I hunt it changes throughout the day. Gotta be as scent free as possible.

The one thing that's made a difference for me was not hunting the same spot.... keeping my eyes open and moving to a different stand or tree if I felt like I was in a "dead" spot. I don't advocate running all over the property, but sometimes moving is the best thing.... kinda like in turkey hunting.

That's exactly how I got my 8-point buck last year. I started off the morning in my climber in the same tree that I'd gotten a doe out of a few weeks before. Around 10 AM, something in my mind kept telling me to move.... I got down and moved the climber about 400 yards up the ridge. At 11 AM, Mr. 8 point and a buddy sneak in to 20 yards!!! BINGO!

I'm also trying this year to have more spots to hunt outta lock-ons. I need to find a couple more honey holes.

-ZA

 

[jmh80]

probably rushing a shot or poor shot selections

 

[Dub]

Going out to the woods stinking!! Got to watch that scent control! All of my bow hunting career, I've been a smoker and its cost me more than once...Not this year!!!!

Good job, Paul. You can do it, man. I was able to put them down last year after a 17 years of smoking. I'll be the first to admit that I hit the snacks and coffee a little more than I should..but I was able to get past the cigs.


Now I can walk for longer distances without being winded. My car smells nice...my clothes don't reek, etc. I thought is was going to be way harder than it was. You can do it.




As far as mistakes for me: smoking was one, overhunting a spot is another, poor scent control as far as boots and gloves go is a final third and lastly not being comfortable.

I now check the wind prior to climbing a tree...look for the best side of a clearing or trail to set up on.

I wear rubber boots and gloves when moving into position.

I tried a new climber last year, Summitt Goliath. It was so much more comfortable than those I've used in the past....I was able to pull a few all day sits. The other part of being comfortable was in hunting attire. I bought a few sets of microfliber camo shirts and pants for the early and mid season down hear in HOTGEORGIA. Hopefully these will work nicely...moisture wicks away from your body and evaporates....should have the sweat long gone after gettig set up.

 

[Stanley]

The biggest mistake I see hunters make is not having enough or big enough shooting lanes. If you can’t shoot you can’t score.