Bowmadness Report post Posted August 23, 2016 Anyone want to help me get my first archery deer? I have been out the last 2 years and still no luck. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
flatline Report post Posted August 23, 2016 I been out 9 years straight with my bow and no luck. So i can't help cause i can't even help myself. 8 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bowmadness Report post Posted August 23, 2016 Lol 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
muledeerarea33? Report post Posted August 23, 2016 Keep at it. Ain't easy Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wildwoody Report post Posted August 23, 2016 Look for tracks around a water hole, the find a good game trail a couple hundred yards away and sit tight , meaning all day, you'll get a shot anyway. If no one is hunting the water hole sit it. All I can do 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bojangles Report post Posted August 23, 2016 for whiteys, i'd be glassing in the morning and sitting water in the afternoon, maybe starting 11-12 to dark. sometimes if it rains that afternoon, the deer will be on their feet, so hunting after a monsoon in critical. and i'd be taking notes as to where i was seeing does, and hunt those areas during the rut. find some good game trails leading through browse areas, and hang some stands and play the wind come january. it's easier to kill a deer out of a treestand than any other way. of course, if you're in the desert, this isn't an option. sometimes, you have to find a buck or two, and just sit there and watch him for a couple of days before you make a move on him, to the point where you already know what he's doing and where he's going. this is also known as "scouting". lol. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PRDATR Report post Posted August 23, 2016 If you want to hunt from a tree in the mid to lower elevations then look for canyon bottoms that have occassional water and look for sycamore, cottonwood etc. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mattys281 Report post Posted August 23, 2016 Look for tracks around a water hole, the find a good game trail a couple hundred yards away and sit tight , meaning all day, you'll get a shot anyway. If no one is hunting the water hole sit it. All I can do This ^^^^ is exactly how simple it is. People have been reading spot & stalk articles about Arizona and about coues & mule deer for so many years that they think it's the only way to hunt. It can be an effective way, no doubt, but it's a much more challenging method than sitting an ambush. If you just want a first deer, and don't really care about antlers, literally all you have to do is find a spot that shows signs of good deer traffic and has good cover for you to hide in and sit tight. I've had to sit for 3 days straight before, but eventually you will get your shot. If you can't sit still that long and you're one of those that always end up meandering around looking for a 'better' spot, than the problem is not your location: it's you. And you've probably got a really long hard road ahead of you before you connect. Good luck to you & keep at it! 4 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bowmadness Report post Posted August 23, 2016 Thanks everyone. I will keep trying! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
flatline Report post Posted August 24, 2016 My problem is i can't sit long enough in my tree stand,Longest i sat was 6 hours. I keep going back to my stand day after day during the hunt just have trouble sitting for long periods of time. The deer are here it's just up to me now to find a way to stay in the tree stand longer or all day. Good Luck Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CatfishKev Report post Posted August 24, 2016 What unit are you in? That could be real helpful in the advice you would receive here. I don't know jack about the northern units but could offer insight on the southern units. I started bowhunting with no help at all. I did EVERYTHING wrong in the beginning and it took time to figure out what I should be doing. It took me ten years before I got a buck worthy of the wall, but got quite a few smaller ones before that. Key info would be understanding thermal currents and the prevailing wind where you are hunting. I used to try and do all the scent free stuff but when I started just playing the wind instead my opportunity doubled. You would be surprised at just how helpful a stranger would be if you let them know you need help. Theres only one thing that guys with knowledge love more than actually having that knowledge, and that is sharing it with someone willing to listen and learn. 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
varnco Report post Posted August 25, 2016 Got my first deer (coues) this year with bow. How I did it: 1) Scouted and used game cameras where I found evidence of deer (deer scat, trails, tracks, rubs) November 2015, December 2015 and July 2016 2) Setup tree stand so I could get a shot, so the wind blew my scent away from where I thought the deer would come. 3) Waited for 11 hours (took a nap in truck from 1 - 3) 4) Little buck came within 14 yards to my left at 6:50pm and presented a broadside shot- didn't know I was there until I drew 5) Deer crashed within 50 yards Hunted 24a, and got myself a little spike, so I've got one under my belt and some meat in the freezer. No trophy, but I enjoyed the adventure with a buddy of mine - It was great. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
idgaf Report post Posted August 25, 2016 Look for tracks around a water hole, the find a good game trail a couple hundred yards away and sit tight , meaning all day, you'll get a shot anyway. If no one is hunting the water hole sit it. All I can do This ^^^^ is exactly how simple it is. People have been reading spot & stalk articles about Arizona and about coues & mule deer for so many years that they think it's the only way to hunt. It can be an effective way, no doubt, but it's a much more challenging method than sitting an ambush. If you just want a first deer, and don't really care about antlers, literally all you have to do is find a spot that shows signs of good deer traffic and has good cover for you to hide in and sit tight. I've had to sit for 3 days straight before, but eventually you will get your shot. If you can't sit still that long and you're one of those that always end up meandering around looking for a 'better' spot, than the problem is not your location: it's you. And you've probably got a really long hard road ahead of you before you connect. Good luck to you & keep at it! I rarely sit still and have good success. So there is still hope for the hyperactive 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mattys281 Report post Posted August 25, 2016 Look for tracks around a water hole, the find a good game trail a couple hundred yards away and sit tight , meaning all day, you'll get a shot anyway. If no one is hunting the water hole sit it. All I can do This ^^^^ is exactly how simple it is. People have been reading spot & stalk articles about Arizona and about coues & mule deer for so many years that they think it's the only way to hunt. It can be an effective way, no doubt, but it's a much more challenging method than sitting an ambush. If you just want a first deer, and don't really care about antlers, literally all you have to do is find a spot that shows signs of good deer traffic and has good cover for you to hide in and sit tight. I've had to sit for 3 days straight before, but eventually you will get your shot. If you can't sit still that long and you're one of those that always end up meandering around looking for a 'better' spot, than the problem is not your location: it's you. And you've probably got a really long hard road ahead of you before you connect. Good luck to you & keep at it! I rarely sit still and have good success. So there is still hope for the hyperactive I've been fairly successful spot & stalk hunting myself & have gotten a few shots still hunting through heavy timber around meadows. I'm not saying it's impossible or a bad way to go, I think it's a great tactic. I just think that for newbs or guys getting burned out and struggling to get that first archery deer, they should tip the odds in their favor. In my opinion/experience ambush hunts will often give you fewer deer sightings, but the ones you do see will be closer and you'll have more shot opportunities. Again, just my experience having tried it both ways and having failed and succeeded both ways. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
turbo Report post Posted August 26, 2016 Ambush is better. All my success has been with some form still hunting-spot and stalk. I have always been in the area though, places I knew held deer. Much, much, much time invested. But the best way is ambush. This season, been stalking within 60 yds, 80 yds, and 30 yds. My excuses: wind swirls in the monsoon afternoon, each time, with help from the broken glass we call soil here. Also, I shoot homemade longbows, so accurate range is not so great for me. I am going to switch to ambush style this weekend, for mule deer. Sit in a ground chair, behind brush and some old camo jackets hung by cord. For what its worth, if that helps you. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
