4 years, 0 deer killed with my bow...

[Shinesintx]

That's right, this will be my 5th year to bow hunt and I've yet to kill a deer. What's makes it even worse, is that several deer have been taken off MY property. Over 5 years ago, I bought 55 acres in NE Tx...and have yet to kill a deer with my bow...or a gun.

The first year, I let a nice 10 go...was waiting and holding out for the big 12. The next year, I missed the big 12 at 35 yards...never should have taken that shot. The 3rd year, I was too tired to hunt. I was unemployed and cut firewood to make ends meet instead of hunting. Last year, I shot low on a spike...he didn't duck.

This will be my 5th year of attempting to bow hunt. I'm going to hunt a few trails and just hand corn...maybe I'll do better?

[LivinADream]

it took me 8 years of hard hunting (with a bow) before getting my first bow kill. 3 misses and a lost buck in that 8 years also. be patient, it will come.

[DapperDan]

Still in it myself. Hunted growing up and never even pulled back on one. Got a new bow last year and had two opportunities but passed due to time constraints. So hopefully we both change that this year!


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[txtimetravler]

Get into a target rich environment and shoot a doe.

[Black Ice]

That's right, this will be my 5th year to bow hunt and I've yet to kill a deer. What's makes it even worse, is that several deer have been taken off MY property. Over 5 years ago, I bought 55 acres in NE Tx...and have yet to kill a deer with my bow...or a gun.



The first year, I let a nice 10 go...was waiting and holding out for the big 12. The next year, I missed the big 12 at 35 yards...never should have taken that shot. The 3rd year, I was too tired to hunt. I was unemployed and cut firewood to make ends meet instead of hunting. Last year, I shot low on a spike...he didn't duck.



This will be my 5th year of attempting to bow hunt. I'm going to hunt a few trails and just hand corn...maybe I'll do better?

I hated deer hunting for years in my teenage years and into my mid 20's. Picked it up around 25 and killed a few with a shotgun and rifle then started to like it again! Started bow hunting and became really frustrated and loved it but also hated not killing anything. Finally after 1 year of missing( I missed a lot) I connected with a button buck and a 1 pointer on the same hunt in year 2. Haven't shot an arrow at a deer since which has been 8 years but I moved from hunting around Charlotte NC to South Texas and going from seeing no deer for 2 weeks to seeing 20 to 30 deer per hunt it's a completely different ballgame. During that time I joined TBH and stared to learn about the term deer management. Since then I have been very selective on what I shoot.

Bottom line is if I'm not seeing deer on every hunt I'm looking for a new place if it's my main place to hunt. I enjoy spending time in the woods and don't mind hunting places where I don't see anything but that will be a secondary spot and not my main place.


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[tkuehn5410]

It took me about 5 years before I took my first deer with a bow, but did shoot a couple hogs and turkey leading up to my first successful deer hunt. I lost the first 2 deer I shot with a bow, and learned from the experience and the 3rd time was a charm.

[Jayt22]

That's right, this will be my 5th year to bow hunt and I've yet to kill a deer. What's makes it even worse, is that several deer have been taken off MY property. Over 5 years ago, I bought 55 acres in NE Tx...and have yet to kill a deer with my bow...or a gun.

The first year, I let a nice 10 go...was waiting and holding out for the big 12. The next year, I missed the big 12 at 35 yards...never should have taken that shot. The 3rd year, I was too tired to hunt. I was unemployed and cut firewood to make ends meet instead of hunting. Last year, I shot low on a spike...he didn't duck.

This will be my 5th year of attempting to bow hunt. I'm going to hunt a few trails and just hand corn...maybe I'll do better?

Persistence, u will get one this year!

[Shinesintx]

Glad to see I'm not alone.

I hunted Bronte for 20 something years, always saw deer. East Texas is a different ball game than what I grew up hunting.

[Zjesse22]

This will be my first year bow hunting and im looking forward to being in the blind and seeing first hand how it is i already know that i dont want to shoot a deer until i practice with a hog or turkey

[trophy8]

LOL. Don't feel bad man. Youd be surprised how many folks on here who give advice right and left haven't killed a deer with a bow or very few. Keep at it. Youll get it!!

[BolilloLoco]

Don't get discouraged. I hunted with archery tackle for 13 years before I had my first confirmed kill on a deer with a bow. I took many deer with a firearm during those times. But couldn't get it done with the bow. Most of those hunts were spent up in a tree watching squirrels and birds due to low deer density. I missed several times, shaved a few and hit one low in the shoulder before I finally spine shot one that dropped in his tracks. After that I killed one or two every year for several years until I started being more selective.

[Native Texan]

Started bowhunting when I was 13. First time in the stand I missed the biggest non-typical buck I have ever seen. Hunted hard that year and shot under a spike later in the season. Hunted again the next year every day after school. That year I had a big 8 duck the arrow and just grazed his back, but finally connected on a 5 point the last day of the season. That hooked me for good, and I bought a faster bow the next season and only hunted deer with a bow for many years. That was over 40 years ago and I've lost count of the deer I've taken, but I'm proud to say I've only lost one.

Successful Bowhunting is about the "3 P's"...practice, patience, and persistence.

Practice until shooting becomes instinctive and the bow is an extension of yourself...then practice some more.
Be patient enough to wait for the perfect shot and settle for nothing less.
Be persistent. Don't give up or get frustrated. Spend as many hours on the stand as possible and be content to enjoy the show that mother nature puts on.

Success is not always measured by blood on your arrow, but often by hours spent enjoying peaceful time in the woods.

[AntlerCollector]

You learn a little from every deer you miss a shot on. Every time you hunt in the woods and watch one you learn. All the information from your previous hunts will ultimately come into play when you finally close the deal. You said yourself you never should have taken that 35 yard shot. Before you let that arrow fly you thought you could do it. I can say that I kill deer consistently now, but I hunted and made mistakes forever before I was able to be successful. I still have lots of room for improvement and I still learn from every hunt I'm bless to go on. Good luck to you.

[flywise]

It took me a couple years and 2 lost deer before i brought one home. That was many many moons ago.
My advice would be, limit yourself to 20 yds
Never aim below an animal....in case they dont drop.
If one catches you in the middle of your draw......go ahead and finish your draw

[WCB]

It'll happen...

Guess I was fortunate in having a shot my first year bowhunting on public land. Didn't know anything and took a shot at maybe 45/50 yds and went right over her. Next year same public land tree I took a doe at 11 yds (I learned from my newbie mistake ) and been hooked ever since.