Bowhunting Basics by Ken Farmer

The following tips are a compilation of common sense and experience gained through failure.

Whether you hunt from fixed stands or portables the obvious consideration is comfort.  If you are not comfortable then you will not be still. All your talent and efforts are worthless if the deer know you are there.  I use swivel base boat seats that are made from hard plastic.  I can sit easily for 3+ hours and turn in any direction I need (remove after the season to protect them).  I know I’m still enough since birds regularly land on me and my arrow shaft.

Don’t be afraid to relocate a portable stand in the general area you are hunting.  Sometimes a new angle/location can make the difference.  I prefer ladder stands of different heights that I build myself.

The next two tips pertain to mobility and staying warm.  First, I cannot pull my bow easily after sitting a long time. I exercise my arm/shoulder before getting in the stand and then slowly exercise my whole body during the hunt.  Flexing muscles and slowly rotating my shoulder keeps me limber.  This is vital for me in cold weather.  Sometimes I will draw my bow to keep loose when I know nothing is around.  A really simple minded tip is to be sure you have all the clearance you need to shoot in any direction.  An obscure leaf/limb has a nasty habit of getting in the way.  Secondly, on cold days I carry my jump suit and heavy clothes vs. wearing them to the blind.  This helps avoid getting sweaty and cold to start the hunt.  One of my favorite things is a neck dickey that really stops the wind.

Finally, putting an arrow in a deer is a thrill that should probably bother me but it doesn’t.  Part of the reason is all the work it takes to get to that point.  Many times everything has been just right only to have “operator failure’ come to the rescue of the deer.  What has worked for me is to keep repeating the word PAR when I’m preparing to shoot (Pin, Aim, Release).  I choose my correct distance, pin to your anchor point, aim it where I want it while concentrating to the exclusion of everything else, and then have a smooth release.  I like shooting bare fingered.  When the deer is watching you, ignore him/her.  Concentrate on your PAR and you’ll draw blood.  Twice I’ve missed deer because they were watching me at full draw and I could not watch the deer and make a quality aiming shot too.  When you stick one wait 30 minutes to follow.  Believe me, it’s harder on the deer than you!