First off, WOW!! As some of you know I am a new to the scene of bowhunting. I sat in my treestand for the first time Saturday and had some very close encounters. 10 yds to be exact. Now i get what everyone has been talking about. I havent even harvested one with my bow yet but just being that close and exposed is the most insane rush ever. That brings me to my question. I have heard some say that harvesting a mature doe is harder than harvesting a buck. That said, I had four mature does ten yards under me eating corn and never gave me the chance to draw until they starting walking off. If their that close and not looking directly at me will i spook them with a slow slow draw?
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Maybe yes, maybe no.
It is according to.... how much noise your arrow makes on the draw, if they are on alert, how noisy the area is at the time (windy for example), if you are in their peripheral vision, etc.
I find it harder the more deer that are there because it is hard to get all of them looking away at the same time.
I have killed a single doe that close but never that close with a group of them. -
i absolutely hate does around while im in a bow stand especially under 20 yards..they look around too much..but i've drawn on them plenty of times while they are close..just be sure there isnt one hiding in the brush staring at youComment
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Remember - if you can see any part of their eye, they can see you - or at least see you move. I like to throw my chum corn behind a cactus or something so when they put their head down to eat, it will block them from seeing me draw.Comment
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Depends on which way they're looking and if they have LOS to you. Old does are elite survival experts. Since they have usually gotten an education by having encounters with hunters without being shot. Practice drawing as slow as you can. Also practice a smooth quick draw and then a very long hold. I usually wait for them to have an obstructed view or looking the opposite way before I draw. That sometimes results in me holding that shot at full draw for 30 seconds to a minute. Practice practice...Comment
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I try to do it when they are all looking away or when all of their heads are down. You should use a breeze through the leaves of your tree to cover any noise your arrow makes while sliding across your rest. If you have creaky joints like me, then you should also try to stretch and work your joints before your hunt. It keeps my creaking to a minimum. Good luck, it will happen for you.Comment
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MOVE VERY SLOWLY! If you can slow draw when they look away and your bow is quiet you can make it happen. Make sure you have good felt on your rest.Comment
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Its easy to get busted. and some does once they pick you off will check the stand
evertime they come back to the feeder. They will drive you crazy. But its fun
and prime time.Comment
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Does suck. KAD!Comment
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honestly, wait till hed is down or looking away. draw quick, draw too slow and they can catch you in action.Comment
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Ah, the attraction has now set in even moreso for you!
I know exactly where you are coming from. Being a gun hunter for most of my life the process of shooting does never appealed to me....
Then you pick up a bow for a challenge to take does and realize THEY are one of the toughest targets in the woods! They typically come in groups and there is always on mature doe looking around while the others eat!
I love this!
The easiest target are the young bucks say 1.5-2.5 as they typically come in by themselves or like teenage boys have girls on their minds.
Love bow hunting does!
I had to learn many times to "draw ahead". If you see them coming either pre draw or get in position...only thing here is letting down if you have too.
Have some fun sounds like you've got the bug brotha!Comment
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I "build" fences to put my corn behind so when their head is down, their eye is behind the limb. I make two parallel "fences" so the deer has to be broadside to get to the corn. Sometimes I put the corn behind a tree with a "fence" on the back side-again to force them to turn broadside or quartering away.Comment
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Rub some chapstick or bow wax on your arrow shafts to quiet your draw. I used to have a problem with them hearing my arrow on my whisker biscuit when I was coming to full draw. Bow wax has completely solved that problem though.Comment
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You hit the nail on the head! Thats exactly how I felt. Im glad you said the "draw ahead" part b/c thats what I was thinking. I did see them coming before they got to me but being a gun hunter I let them come all the way before realizing they were ten yards and not 100. Ill get em next weekend. Thanks for the tips.Originally posted by VorTexan View PostComment
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Sometimes it seems like it is harder to draw on a wily old doe than the biggest buck. Like others have said, you need a distraction if possible. Whenever there are multiple does they will usually get into some sort of "dispute" over corn rights. That's the time to draw, and do it quickly. If you get busted in mid-draw go ahead and finish pulling back, even if they're staring you down. More than once I've done that and successfully popped a doe that way.Comment
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