13 Years and still a rookie?

[dennishoddy]

I also believe any deer taken with a bow is a trophy. The skills to get within bow range, far supass those taken with a long gun.

I'm kind of a pistol guy, so, I sit in a lot of bow stands with a pistol during gun season. I do take my share with a long gun though.

 

[imhntn]

I agree with you all too. Most of the deer I kill are inside 10 yards. I don't think I have ever killed one beyond 30 yrds. Set up your stands to be close and use the wind. Keep going. It is going to happen and I agree with shooting a doe or button. Get something on the ground.

 

[PBramble]

a great target shooter can be a crappy hunter. the shooting forms are not nearly the same. practice from your stand. put one up at your house and shoot from it. most people drop their bow arm when taking a downward shot. that changes the whole dynamics of the shot. keep the arm out and bend at the waist.

as for the issue of deer on your lease, you say you don't see them during daylight. figure out why. are you limiting yourself to fringe cover (edge of fields/ cutovers)? find the bedding areas and the feeding areas. somewhere in between is the staging area. that's where you want to be most of the time. full moon? closer to the bedding areas. they've been out all night eating, they won't be out til almost dark. you'll catch them back in the woods on those days. got a trail cam? if not, get one, try to pattern them. there's a lot of work that goes into the final culmination of taking the shot, of course then the real work begins.

 

[oOVEGGIEOo]

It sounds like you get buck fever pretty good. I have a great friend that has shot plenty of deer with his bow and the guy nearly looses it every time a deer comes by. I would recommend a range finder if you can fit it in your budget.

This...

I do get buck fever with just about any deer that comes in range...or stays just outside of. I am way calmer with a gun in hand. Heck I don't think my heart pounded hardly at all when I took that old buck during gun. I really would like to be able to be calm when in that tree. I do plan to get a range finder very soon though I have marked off yardages and made mental notes from one tree. The other stands don't have over 25 yard shots available.

I have a hard time taking a button buck. I have in the past and I usually feel bad about it. (because I wasn't paying enough attention to know it wasn't a TEENY doe, I have since gotten better)

Thanks for all the advice and if anyone else has anything to add, I still will greatly appreciate it.

 

[DreamingMan]

I think that even in the best of target rich areas that a person hunts that 25% would be a generous success rate. Through in a feeder and you increase it to 35%. Everyones mileage will vary depending on neighbors, the ground you hunt and countless other factors. As you have learned bow hunting is hard. Any deer I or anyone gets on the ground is a HUGE success. Don't give up. Do you hunt over in Sand Springs? I'm betteing you hunt the Crosstimbers. Have you tried to still hunt? Slowly walking a creek or fence line.

Good luck!
Dreaming man

 

[oOVEGGIEOo]

Haven't hunted much in Sand Springs itself. Few areas out at Keystone, but that was back when I was on public every year, and I didn't see anything at all except once at Gruber. I am on a small lease outside of Mannford in Silver City.

I have attempted still hunting in the areas I suspect the bucks to be. However it is incredibly dense in there. Finding the trail is even difficult. Even running the creek. Though I haven't attempted since rifle started. I haven't walked the fence line at all this season. That may be what I do tomorrow after sitting my stand in the morning. With this moon and all I am unsure as to what time I should expect movement.

 

[Weatherby]

I hate to tell you to spend money, but a range finder makes all the difference in the world when judging distance from a tree stand. When I finally broke down and got one, my accuracy when hunting greatly improved.

There's a lot of good information in this thread, just keep with it and you'll harvest a bow deer. It's a great feeling.

 

[DreamingMan]

Haven't hunted much in Sand Springs itself. Few areas out at Keystone, but that was back when I was on public every year, and I didn't see anything at all except once at Gruber. I am on a small lease outside of Mannford in Silver City.
QUOTE]

Silver City, eh? I'm sure you know about the other public areas out at Keystone and Heyburn. If you are not aware here is a Corp map -> http://www.swt.usace.army.mil/recreat/huntingmaps.cfm. It will not pull up the .pdf for me right now.

The following areas are open for hunting of all species which may legally be taken during legal open seasons by shotgun with pellets and bow and arrow only.

1) A 200-acre unit south of Highway 51 on Bakers Branch.

2) A 530-acre unit north of New Mannford Ramp Area.

3) A 100-acre unit north and south of the Pawnee Cove Access Point.

4) A 200-acre unit in the Old Mannford Ramp area.

5) A 480-acre unit east of the Cimarron Park Area.

6) A 120-acre unit west and south of the Sinnett Cemetery and south of the Old Keystone Road.

7) A 200-acre unit on the west side of the north end of the U.S. Highway 64 Bridge.

8) A 280-acre unit on the south side of the road ending at Washington Irving North.

9) A 460-acre unit including land north and south of the Cowskin North Recreation Area.

The following area is open for hunting of all species which may legally be taken during legal open seasons by archery only.

1) A 450-acre unit south of the town of Prue.


When I lived over that way I always wanted to walk an area on and along the Cimmaron River. Looks thick there. Like a lot of deer could hide out there. I wish you the best of luck. The second rut will be coming around in a few weeks, so you could get lucky then.

Good luck!
Dreaming Man

 

[cvrx4]

Aim small miss small. Focus on the basics, breathing etc.

 

[ElkStalkR]

I'll stir the pot a little...........buy a crossbow. Problem solved.