The ability to sneak up on your prey without alerting them to your presence and scaring them off is seriously exciting. The closer you can get to your target, the more exciting the hunt becomes.
Hunting Bows
For the past few decades, Hunting Bows have continued to grow in popularity.
One reason is that for many of the people who enjoy this form of hunting find a hunting bow enhances the thrill of the sport.
For one thing, Hunting Bows make your hunt more up close and personal.
The need to get much closer to your target than you would have to if you were using a Long Range rifle and scope makes the hunting experience much more exciting.
Needing to be closer to your prey forces a hunter to be much more stealthy in his approach to the animals.
Those that prefer hunting with long-range rifles and Scopes are in no way diminishing the strategy or enjoyment of hunting.
All it means is that bow hunters value a silent approach to bringing down game animals.
Why are Hunting Bows so appealing?
For starters, A top of the line hunting bow forces you to practice stealth while tracking and engaging your target. For thousands of hunters, this is the thrill of the chase.
The ability to sneak up on your prey without alerting them to your presence and scaring them off is seriously exciting. The closer you can get to your target, the more exciting the hunt becomes.
What Are Good hunting Bows?
There are several types of Hunting Bows. But a Good Hunting Bow is defined by, and directly related to the hunters and users themselves. You don't need to break your bank account when you purchase a Hunting Bow.
Keep this in mind, Your ability and your form are what is going determine if your hunting bow is a Good one.
Yes, you need to be aware of some specs, when you are getting ready to purchase a bow. The Draw weight of your bow is one of the primary specs you need to know. The recommended draw weight for average men and women with average upper body strength is between 30 and 40 pounds.
Your proper draw weight will vary and you can learn more about draw weight here
Keep these things in mind when selecting your Hunting Bow
A draw weight that is too heavy will keep you from learning and achieving a good shooting form, and too much strain on muscles can be very painful.
Shooting a bow with too much draw weight can cause personal injury, and put others in the vicinity at risk as well
You need to get out and practice with your new bow.
Developing good form will lead to much more precision and much tighter shot groups. Which will lead to more meat on your table.
Above all else, the objective behind this activity is to have FUN.
How you intend to use your bow will (dictate whether it is a good bow. A good bow for you might not be a good bow for someone else )
Types of bows
longbows
compound bows
recurve bows
crossbows
Those that select a hunting bow for opening day realize that bowhunting does not just come naturally for most people.
They know that to be proficient with a good bow, they need to keep themselves trained in how to use it. practice is the key to becoming proficient with any type of Hunting Bow.
Getting out to the range to practice and improve your skill will lessen the chances of misplaced shots during the hunt.
Obviously, the correct hunting bow is of great importance. Actually, it is of necessity. You can’t hunt without one. There are many top-of-the-line bows and other accessories that will make your hunting trip a potential success.
Compound bows are one of the favorites for hunting, especially big game like elk, moose, and deer. A couple of the big name and popular compound hunting bows on the market are the Bear Archery Cruizer Lite and Diamond Edge.
The specs on these two make them favorites because of their ease of draw strength settings and flexibility for the hunting situation at hand.
What Arrows do I use
Selecting the right arrow can’t be overlooked. Arrows need to be suited for the power of the bow you are using. The faster your bow is, the sturdier your arrows need to be.
Arrow length:
Arrows that are too short for your draw length can be very dangerous and possibly fall off of the arrow rest and go through the back of your hand, Very Bad Idea
Other hunting accessories come in handy when on the hunt. You may need a hunting stand up in the tree, knives and camping equipment. (Many of these will be addressed in future articles.)
Bow hunters have to know what their EKR is. Of course, any hunter should understand this aspect of hunting. The EKR (Effective Kill Range)is important in having a solid knowledge of this range.
It means at what point is the hunter apt to be at the limit of placing an arrow in the animal for an effective take-down. When the EkR is a known constant, the hunt becomes less a gamble and more of meat going home with the bow hunter.
Ethical Hunters and Hunting
Be an ethical hunter. Conservation officers patrol hunting areas because of some bow hunters (and rifle as well) employing illegal methods to attract game animals.
The thrill for a bow hunter is to track, approach and kill his quarry using their own skill. However, some hunters have decided to employ techniques that de-value the sport by attracting game with bait or hold traps.
When someone has chosen to approach the game with a hunting bow, they have also decided to be ethical in their kill. (It isn’t worth it to use corn or other means of bait since fines for methods can reach thousands of dollars and effective jail times.
How to make the best use of a hunting bow
When someone has chosen to use the archery method of hunting, knowing what their proficient draw length is the first consideration. Because they're a couple of determining ways for figuring draw lengths for each bow hunter, realizing the weight needed drawing the bow must be known.
A bow hunter must come to terms with the maximum weight without causing undue strain. If the draw becomes too intense then the arms and shoulders start to succumb to wear and tear.
Then the wobble comes into play and the shot for the kill is not effective. However the bigger problem that could come into play is not the loss of the intended target, but a potential injury to the hunter.
So one can see the domino effect if the draw length and weight are not accurate. That is why knowing the complete capacity of the hunting bow must be known for an effective kill every time without negative after effects.
Another aspect of a good compound bow is the arrow rest. The right rest will safeguard against an arrow straying off the prescribed target. No matter the angle the arrow is being designated for aiming, the right rest will do its job right every time.
A proficient bow hunter can place his arrow in a quick and silent manner without the rest creating any obstruction. In that way, when the arrow is released, it should always be true to target…unless a wind gust or the animal moves. Acts of God may always have the undesired result. But having the right equipment and accessories can be a definite plus.
Another aspect for good hunting bows this site will address in future articles is bow sights. A good archer will realize that their sight is of extreme importance.
Not only for adjusting applicable yardage for the shot but if the adjustment has to occur infield or not. Sights with a non-adjustable pin allow for on-spot range while having the adjustable only gives range change as needed.
Peep sights, bow quivers and other equipment all work together as well to make for a good hunt. Knowing what works best for each person contributes to a positive or negative day out looking for big game.
An additional note for young hunters. If young people are taught the proper ways of using a hunting bow, they can gain a solid appreciation for the thrill and beauty of the sport.
Bow hunting, like any other form and type of hunting, teaches the joy of the sport. The strategy for figuring the best way of approaching the game, figuring in wind and weather, enjoying the environment and the knowledge that hunting is a value to conservation will instill a love for the sport for years to come.