By Louie Stout

Are You Making These Bow Hunting Mistakes?

Are you a bow hunter who continues to have problems finding and connecting with deer this fall?

Byron Ferguson, longtime bow hunting expert and book author, says he could probably pinpoint why.

In his book, “Become the Arrow,” (available from www.targetcommbooks.com) he outlines the 10 major bow hunting mistakes hunters make.

And with gun season only a couple of weeks away, many of these tips apply to all types of deer hunting.

We thought they were pretty good and worth sharing with Ferguson’s permission, of course. Here are the mistakes he detailed in one of his chapters:

1. Using the wrong approach route to the tree stand: The most direct route is not always the best.
2. Placing the stand too high: The higher the stand, the tougher the shot. There are more obstructions and tougher angles, less chance of double-lung hits. A good rule of thumb is to climb in cover or climb high, but only as high as conditions dictate.
3. Mis-reading the sign: To avoid a “cold” stand, learn the age of the signs deer leave behind. Many times I found areas loaded with old sign, but the deer had either depleted the food or simply moved to a more favored food. Make sure the sign you see is fresh.
4. Shooting too soon: If you shoot the first deer you see, many times you won’t see the big one that was just behind it.
5. Trying to force a shot: Because you may be able to place your arrow accurately is no excuse to attempt a low-percentage shot. Remember that a deer can and will get out of the way of your arrow. Wait for a high percentage angle, like broadside or quartering away, if you can.
6. Scouting at the wrong time: Learn when the deer are least active and scout then. Ferguson doesn’t hunt in the rain, so he uses that time to scout. Most scouting should be done before the hunt.
7. Scouting without a plan: Scouting is NOT walking around in woods looking for deer tracks. My favorite tactic is to look for food sources, being careful to stay clear of bedding areas. Once a hot spot has been located, I use a compass to note different stand sites for various wind directions.
8. Routine hunting. Deer will pattern you! Break up your routine. Have more than one or two stands ready, so none are overworked or smelled-up by your scent and all remain fresh. Also, stay on a stand longer, sleep in, or arrive at your stand when you normally would be leaving.
9. Over-hunting: As hard as it may be, don’t hunt the same stand over and over because it seems “hot.” Ferguson has seen many good stands turn cold because of over-hunting and there is too much human scent and activity.
   There is another form or overhunting, too. Also, don’t burn out by hunting day after day early in the season when your enthusiasm is high. A bowhunter can run out of gas, so to speak, before the rut begins. He loses his enthusiasm, all of his vacation time, or will be gone from home so much that he’ll have to re-establish cordial relations with the family.
10. Broadheads are not sharp. I mean sharp even after you have hunted a couple of days without shooting them. Check those edges constantly. Weathering and accidental contact with brush can wear them. Just because they’re covered doesn’t guarantee continued sharpness.