Monte Burch - The Pocket Guide to Bowhunting Whitetail Deer: A Hunters Quick Reference Book

Copyright 1989, 2015 by Monte Burch

First Skyhorse Publishing edition 2015

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available on file.

Cover design by Brian Peterson

Cover illustration: Thinkstock

Print ISBN: 978-1-63450-449-2

Ebook ISBN: 978-1-63450-467-6

Printed in China

CONTENTS

Bowhunting whitetail deer is exciting, fun, and challenging. Any deer taken with a bow is a trophy.

INTRODUCTION

Bowhunting for whitetails is one of the most exciting, challenging, and satisfying forms of sport hunting. Thanks to modern game management, increased enforcement of poaching problems, the adaptability of the amazing whitetail, and a growing respect and love for their favorite trophy by hunters, whitetail deer populations have literally exploded across much of the North American continent. Whitetail deer populations in some parts of the country are as high or higher than before the country was settled, almost to the point of becoming pests in many urban areas.

Because of these growing populations of whitetails, most states and provinces have special bow or primitive weapons whitetail seasons. Many of these are long seasons, allowing you to bowhunt a full three to four months out of the year.

Bowhunting whitetails also offers the opportunity to be in the woods during some of the most enjoyable periods of the yearfall through winter. Bowhunting whitetails is both challenging physically and contemplative mentally. Its quiet time, a chance to evaluate your place in lifetime to think if you willa precious commodity these days. Successful bowhunting also requires good woodsmanship. If youre going to consistently be a successful whitetail bowhunter you have to work at it. You have to learn the animals habits, spend a great deal of time preparing for the hunt, and then a great deal of time hunting. But thats what makes the sport so appealing. It is all encompassing. The skills needed, however, can easily be learned even by a first timer.

You may wish to carry this book in your pocket and refer to it as necessary until you master the woodsmanship and archery skills needed to bow hunt one of Americas greatest trophies: the whitetail deer. Good Luck!

1. BOWS

The first requirement, of course, is a bow. Bows consist of longbows, recurve bows, compound bows, and even crossbows (where or when legal). My first deer was taken many years ago with a homemade Osage Orange bow. I then graduated to a Bear Kodiak recurve and eventually to a compound, and now due to age and a wrecked shoulder, a crossbow is my choice.

Compound bows are the most popular type of bow now.

The choice of your bow often depends on whether youre just starting bowhunting or are upgrading. Bows are not cheapyou can easily spend $500 or morebut the only suggestion I can make is to purchase the best bow you can afford. In days past, bows were not quite as complicated nor varying in design, and it was usually a matter of picking out a bow at your local hardware or sporting goods store. These days you can purchase bows from big-box stores or online, but I would suggest buying from a reputable bow dealer who can also help you set it up properly. For the beginner, its important to purchase a bow thats quiet and easy to pull and shoot. A bow with a higher brace height and less aggressive cam design provides a smoother and easier pull. Bow designs feature single, dual, and hybrid cams.