dudley Report post Posted January 8, 2012 Well for Christmas I got a new bow. (one that actually fits me ) and I am wanting to try my luck at downing a deer, just looking for some pointers, my family is from the Midwest so we don't have a clue how to hunt out here! Anything would be appreciated. Thanks! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
azslim Report post Posted January 8, 2012 Good optics and patience, don't get discouraged when you blow a couple set-ups. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dudley Report post Posted January 8, 2012 Thanks slim. I have a good set of binoculars and a cheaper spotting scope. Just can't seem to find deer. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CouesWhitetail Report post Posted January 8, 2012 did you check the AGFD hunt unit reports to find some good starting points for finding deer? http://www.azgfd.gov/h_f/hunting_units.shtml My other suggestion is to post where you live and ask if anyone here would be willing to take you out and help you learn about glassing for coues deer. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tjhunt2 Report post Posted January 8, 2012 That's good advise from azslim. I was 21 when I came to az and I had the same problem you are having. Keep after it and it will slowly start to come together for ya. Before you know it you will be picking them deer out with your binos. Keep us posted how you're doing. Good luck and practice alot with your bow. TJ Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
runningbird Report post Posted January 8, 2012 I would start out with Javalina,squirls and bunny's. It will help you more than you can imagine. Hunting rabbits helps you to relax, pick a spot and aim well. There are still some pig tags left that you can go out and buy. You could also join one of the bow hunting clubs and most likely make some friends to hunt with. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CouesWhitetail Report post Posted January 8, 2012 I would start out with Javalina,squirls and bunny's. It will help you more than you can imagine. Hunting rabbits helps you to relax, pick a spot and aim well. There are still some pig tags left that you can go out and buy. You could also join one of the bow hunting clubs and most likely make some friends to hunt with. good advice....the more you can practice your shooting and stalking skills the better. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
buddyb Report post Posted January 8, 2012 I'm just a kid as well as you, trying to kill a buck with my bow. The number one thing I try to focus on and still struggle with is patience. I dont have the patience to sit in a stand all day, so I try spot and stalking. My dad, my cousin and a good friend of ours have been hunting almost everyday since opening day. We have seen many deer, the nice thing with hunting with other people is they can talk you right into the deer....if you listen. Friday morning we glassed up a decent two point at first light, that I missed at 72 yards twice,they would have move closer to me but I wasnt patient and there was no getting closer for me without gettin seen or herd, but while I was getting my arrows back I got radioed about another buck farther away, as I got closer I a saw a three deer and a small buck below me but I headed to them instead of to the deer 50 yards away from me, I just thought they were they same group of deer as the ones he was talking about, and went to him wile he told me dont go there go to your right, not long after I realized how close that buck was to me and my cousin was right after I jumped him. So I guess the tips that help me that could help you are: Patience, my hardest thing, hunt with people you know and trust, and listen because they can see more than us. Good luck. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
spotnstalkbowhunter Report post Posted January 8, 2012 I wish I wasn't headed back to Northern California, I for sure would have shown you some amazing country for some awesome hunting but someone suggested to hunt rabbits n squirrel to start you off. That is exactly what I did, I hunted everything you could imagine on my families ranch in Florence, quail, dove, rattlesnakes. They make for a small target and they don't evade like deer do. Javelina isn't bad either, in the off season I could have kicked a few that's how close they were and they didn't run off like deer would. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Shooter McGavin Report post Posted January 8, 2012 Glassing is the key, if you can't see it you are not going to shoot at it. A good tip that I was told many many years ago to do is to train my eyes to look for movement (with and without binos). When your outside enjoying the great days/evenings of what this lovely state has to offer look into trees for chirping birds and see if you can spot them moving inbetween the tree limbs and if you are at the park and you find yourself sitting in some grass look for ants moving among the blades of grass, I know it sounds korny but it will train your eyes to focus on just the smallest slightest movement. Just my 2 cents, oh yeah shoot straight. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dudley Report post Posted January 8, 2012 Thanks guys. I have been hunting a couple spots, but like most teens im not the most patient. I live in apache junction, and I have a rifle tag for javalina, so maybe that can get me better at glassing. I've been Hunting out off Rodgers trough road, bunches of hunters.. Almost got a shot on a mulie a week ago (while driving to the spot I was gonna hunt spotted him tried to stalk.) so hopefully it'll come! Thanks again!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Coues Sniper Report post Posted January 8, 2012 Bring your bow on that pig hunt. Those critters were MADE to archery hunt. Use that as some practice. I had a buddy that flung 22 arrows on the same hunt before he stuck his first pig. Don't think anyone could do much worse than him. We were actually running around recovering his shot arrows, and lending him ours, before he connected. And that shot skipped off a rock. SLOW DOWN when glassing. Since you're a teen I can't reccomend my favorite booze to drown your sorrows after blowing a stalk. But a nice cold Coke Zero is nice after a long day too. And I hope your a LUCKY guy Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Coues79 Report post Posted January 8, 2012 Get out and practice stalking in on animals. After the archery deer season get out and try to get up close to deer. It takes experience with wind, country and using cover to get good at it. Take a camera with you if you do it. Its fun getting pictures up close. Don't be afraid to take your boots off to close the last couple hundred yards. If you can't do that cause it hurts your feet, consider investing in something to go over your boots to muffle the sound. It doesn't take much to blow a stalk within 100 yards. Playing the wind is Probly one of the biggest factors you'll deal with when archery hunting. Experience playing it will help you..... gotta give yourself lots of opportunity to develop your skills. When you're done with a stalk, write about it in a journal. Be as detailed as you can with what happened, what worked and what you think went well. Pretty soon you'll have quite a collection of events to look over. If you think it's cheesy to do, you might be right. But, one day your son will find it and think its the coolest thing ever. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dudley Report post Posted January 9, 2012 Thanks ! Some great info. I will try these!! Imma head out a couple days The next week! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dudley Report post Posted January 9, 2012 Just curious if anyone could give me some good spots to glass and try to spot and stalk. Not lookin for any honey holes, just some ideas. Thanks! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
