SPECTRUM 2007-2008

I have been an avid hunter since I was eleven years of age. My father started to take me out with him when I was six, and ever since I have been hooked. Last year, I decided that rifle hunting wasn’t challenging me the way it once had, and I needed something that would give me more of a challenge. I had considered maybe a different animal or even hunting new terrains. However, I quickly forgot about my quandary and moved on to watching my beloved football. Then, this last spring, I ran into an opportunity to buy a bow, and I jumped at the deal. I soon realized that bow hunting and rifle hunting are two very different sports, and I would need to learn how to hunt all over again.

The first thing I would need to do is learn how to effectively shoot my bow. I hadn’t realized how painful and tricky this would prove to be. One minor twitch during my release will send my arrow feet from I am aiming. On top of this, it could put a nice bruise on my forearm if I am not careful. Because of the arch in its trajectory, I had to sight it in for different distances and then know the distance to the target I am shooting at. In all aspects of shooting, this is very different from my rifle. It is easier to hold my aim with my rifle, and it isn’t as sensitive to the movement of my body. There is very little arch in a bullet’s trajectory so when I sight it in, I only need to sight it in at one distance. There is little concern for how far away my target is as I can count on my rifle to reach almost anything I can see.

The second thing I needed was a place to hunt. This is arguably the most vital part of bow hunting. I had to find an area that would bring the deer within my bow’s reach, about forty yards, and it had to be clear enough to shoot. With my bow, I can’t shoot through brush or leaves. The smallest obstruction in the flight of an arrow will cause it to deflect in an unpredictable direction. I was best served by finding a good trail that the deer use and then setting up my stand. I could clip the branches and limbs that are in the way, but I would run the risk of spooking the deer. With my rifle, I can hop on any stand in the woods, and I will have a fair chance at shooting a deer. I can shoot through the brush, and I can easily take a shot from a hundred yards away. This makes for an easy hunt from any stand I choose.

The biggest difference with bow hunting is the many scents and lures that are available. This has proven to be a very big challenge for me to figure out. Which scents do I use? When should I use them? There are many different kinds of attractants, and they all have an appropriate time to be used, but the timing all depends on how the deer are acting. I still have very little knowledge of their proper use, but I have learned that it is critical to have a cover scent and also critical not to use the wrong scent at the wrong time. In order to get deer close to me, I must not let them smell me. Their sense of smell is their best defense, and they use it very well. This is a huge difference from hunting with a rifle. All of my deer have been shot from a distance of forty yards or better, and scent was never an issue.

In conclusion, I have spent countless hours talking to other hunters, reading the latest magazines, and field testing products in order to learn all I can about bow hunting. Though the animal has remained the same, the differences are vast, and I have only just begun to understand them. I am sure this is going to be a learning experience for years to come.