Bowhunting and Judging Distance For A Shot...

JUDGING DISTANCE: JUST A MINOR DETAIL?
By Bill Phillips

I learned a couple of interesting facts in high school physics that I’ve managed not to forget.

1) All objects fall at the same rate, regardless of their weight. A medicine ball, and a pebble dropped from the same height at the same time hit the ground at the same time.

2) A bullet fired parallel to the ground will hit the ground at the same time as a bullet dropped from the same height.

These facts have a lot of implications for a bow hunter’s need to accurately judge distance. A bullet fired from a rifle at 2500 feet per second will fall less than a quarter inch over the course of the first 30 yards. An arrow fired at 240 feet per second will fall over 2 feet over the same distance. An arrow fired at 400 feet per second will fall less than a foot over that first 30 yards. The faster arrow gives an advantage over the slower arrow, but you can’t be a foot off target at 30 yards and hope to be a successful bow hunter. You have to be able to accurately judge distance. Here are a few tried and tested methods for you.

Comparison Method

The comparison method involves comparing a known object to the target to estimate the distance. For example, when you’re holding your bow up getting ready to shoot, you can compare your thumb nail to the relative size of the target. You’ve determined beforehand that the average white tail deer appears to be the height of your thumb nail at 20 yards. Then, if the deer in your sights appears to be the height of your thumb nail, you know it’s 20 yards away. If it appears half the height of your thumb nail, then it’s 40 yards away. Of course, you have to determine the relative size of the animal you’re hunting before going out hunting. This method doesn’t translate well to hunting other types of game without being thoroughly prepared. On the other hand, you can get an accurate determination while holding up the bow, preparing to take the shot. It’s a very quick way to judge distance.

Landmark Method

When you arrive at your hunting location, you can determine the distance to several landmarks, such as trees or bushes. To determine the distance, you can use a laser range finder, or just pace off the distance. As the animal wanders past your markers, you have a very good idea of its distance. If it’s in between your land marks, it’s not too hard to estimate the distance.

The drawback to using the existing markers is that it may be difficult to remember the distances to the markers. Rather than relying on the existing markers, you might want to set up your own markers or decoys at specific distances. For instance, when turkey hunting, if you set up a decoy at 20 yards away from your position and a turkey nears your decoy, it’s very easy to estimate the distance accurately enough to get a good shot off.

Step Method

Many great competitive archers use the step method. You envision a certain length, and determine how many steps of that length are required to reach the target. Use whatever length you feel most comfortable with. Some people use 20 yards; some use 10 yards. For example, if your length is 10 yards, and you determine that the target is a little less than three lengths away, you know the target is about 27 to 29 yards away. This requires practice, but this is a good method for judging distance on a slope, which is a situation that often arises when hunting from a tree stand.

Errors in your distance judgment ultimately lead to heart breaking misses. With all of the time, and money we spend to go bow hunting, it’s that much more important to take the time to practice judging distance.



Bill Phillips has written articles on many recreational activities. He’s currently working on an airsoft guns website, www.1st-airsoft-guns.com, which offers a wealth of information and advice about selecting and using airsoft guns, including automatic airsoft guns, airsoft spring guns (www.1st-airsoft-guns.com/airsoft-spring-guns.html), gas airsoft gun (www.1st-airsoft-guns.com/gas-airsoft-guns.html) and more.

Take The Bear IQ Test...

What's Your Bear IQ?
Quiz by Keith McCafferty. Uploaded on September 30, 2008




There are many signs of spring. One of them is bear tracks. Would you know what to do if you met one still grumpy from his winter nap? Find out below...


No North American animal has inspired such widespread reverence in the pantheon of mythology as the bear. Native Americans regarded bears as spirits and carved them on totem poles. Astronomers found them roaming the sky. Some cultures believed that bear parts were big medicine, with gall bladders curing every malady from hemorrhoids to impotence.

Sportsmen ought to know more about bears than any groups besides indigenous people and biologists. But how well do you understand these predators that share the landscape with you? This quiz will teach you respect for bears, when to avoid them, and in what circumstances they are most dangerous.

Start The Quiz

Let me know your results!

-Michael

Test Your Tracking Skills

Test Your Tracking Skills

The more you know about reading an animal's trail, the better a hunter you will be. Take a walk in the woods with Keith McCafferty to test your tracking skills.
Quiz by Keith McCafferty. Uploaded on September 30, 2008

Tracking is a language skill. It begins with a word, an imprint in snow or soil. Follow that track for any distance and you have completed a sentence -- an animal has traveled from here to there. Proceed farther, to where it has eaten or lain in bed, and a paragraph of life is revealed. The narrative will be interrupted as other animals cross its trail, it will speed up or slow down as the animal changes its gait, and because this is nature, it can end with a spot of blood on any page.

The more chapters of an animal's life you can read, the better you will understand the book of nature, and, not incidentally, the better hunter you will become, for in a forest all trails are connected. Take this walk with me to test you your own tracking IQ. It begins simply by opening your back door and walking to the edge of the wood.

Start The Quiz

Let Me Know How You Do!

-Michael

Ban on Big Game Hunting?

What do you think of this?

http://cosmos.bcst.yahoo.com/up/player/popup/index.php?cl=12444845

I think it's crazy!

I don't see anything wrong with it but at the same time I feel that it's a lot harder to hunt an animal in the wild than in a preserve.

Opinions?

Funny Drunken Elk Video...

Saw this in the news today...

Pretty funny...

http://www.yahoo.com/s/1035985

22 Huntin’ Tips To Use This Season...

Howdy folks,

I know it's been a while since I've written...

Huntin' season is upon us and I found the following list of tips that I thought you might find handy...

Be safe and Enjoy!

1. When attaching sights, arrow rests, quivers or anything to yourbow riser with the steel screws that come with it, coat the screwthreads with bow string wax. This will stop the chemical reactionthat occurs between the steel and aluminum so they won't seizetogether and you won't strip out the allen heads or the screw slotsand you will have ease of removal and tightening. - Robert Buskirk

2. When rattling for deer always be ready. The buck of a lifetimemight be more ready for your sounds than you are. - Robert Summey

3. Start scouting for deer a month before the season. UseGoogle-earth and print out a picture of your site. Mark where youhave seen deer and where you should be sitting. If you use doeestrous or anything else mark it on your map. You're guaranteed toknow where the deer are opening day. - Bob Swain

4. I'm not sure if you've had these as of yet, but when huntingdeer, listen for blue jays that are making a lot of racket. Itusually means there is a deer nearby (or possibly a gray squirrel). Also listen for robins that are going nuts! It's a sure sign of adeer coming! - Dean

5. For a cheap compound bow sight light, go to a major chaindepartment store and purchase a kids toy called a 'finger light'. Blue is the best. Glue the light directly pointing at the pins. You can also paint the outside of the light, but careful around thelens. Less than $3.00 you got a light. - Mike Michael

6. When stalking, try to walk toe to heal. You have more controlover breaking sticks with your toes than the back of your foot. -Sean

7. If hunting with a gun, you can use the sling to steady the gunby wrapping your arm around it and pulling it back into your body.- Adam Coull

8. When squirrel hunting if you spot a squirrel, only move whenthey are cutting nuts. The sound they make over powers the soundof you walking giving you a better shot. - Bryan Gondringer

9. It is often hard to judge distance in the woods when bowhunting. So take some caution tape or something easily seen andmark spots 30 - 40 yards from your stand that way you'll have abetter idea how far away the deer is. - Clay Finley

10. When deer hunting to make a doe snort clinch your teethtogether and blow out. Deer will come out to see what is wrong. -Michael Everett

11. If you hunt for deer where there is pine sage or hemlock trees,break off a bow from one and rub yourself down for a natural coverscent. - Kyle Biloski

12. For home made cover scent-take some acorns and pine needles andput them in a pillow case and before washing clothes dampen pillowcase with water throw it in the washer with hunting clothes. -Brandon

13. When deer hunting from a stand, nail the cap of a peanut butterjar to a tree in your shooting lane. Then cut the bottom of thejar off and screw the jar on. Deer love the peanut butter! Warning don't go to high with the jar. - Adam Haithcox

14. For an all natural mosquito repellent use crushed Wax Myrtleleaves. You just crush them a little in your hand and rub on. -Steven Harris

15. While deer hunting use surgical gloves while handling scentwicks and scent to keep human smells off of them. - Ken Knisley

16. An easy way to skin a deer is to place a tennis ball in sidethe skin and tie a rope around the ball on the out side and pullwith your 4-wheeler. - Charles Thomas

17. For a cheap and easy drip lick, place molasses into a cleanmilk jug. Then take it to the woods and tie it to a tree limb. Punch a tiny hole in the bottom using a small knife. The deer willpaw and lick the molasses. - Steven

18. When using a squirrel call, most people over call them. Pushthe call down halfway and then up fast. Do that quickly about 5times and then push it all the way down 3 or 4 times. - John Gilbert

19. For some good carry along kindling, get some dry thick piecesof wood and some dead pine needles put them in a zip lock bag. Keep them in your pack for that cold, wet or snowy morning when yougo out hunting. It starts a fire wonderfully. - Patrick Hardiman

20. A good squirrel call is the Mr. Squirrel baby distress call. It brings out squirrels from all around. - Sam Jackson

21. To sight in your rifle shoot at a desired distance at a targetand move the cross hairs on the hole and you will be accurate. Ilearned this from my uncle who was a sniper in the marines. - JoeAndreico

22. When we are lost in the woods alone, we tend to favor ourdominant side. Lefties will make a slow circle to the left andrighties will circle to the right and eventually arrive where theybegan. If there is a member of the group who just happens to beambidextrous, let them lead as they will follow a straight path. Nokidding! - Tim

Okay, hope you enjoyed these tips...

Have a great season and be safe...

Best Wishes,

Michael

Bowhunting Shot-making Checklist...

“Close” may count when playing horseshoes. But when it comes to bowhunting, there’s no room for error.

A shot that’s just a few inches off its mark can mean the difference between success and missing (or worse yet, wounding the animal).

That’s why it’s so critical for every conscientious bowhunter to practice on a routine basis.

Most archers do just that, but they don’t always practice perfectly. They shoot on level, open ground, with a textbook stance, at exact distances of 20, 30, 40, etc. yards. Don’t get me wrong, that’s good practice. But how often do we encounter animals at exact yardages standing in the wide-open?

Maybe never.

To truly prepare yourself for that once-in-a-lifetime shot at a monster buck or bull, you must be able to pull off the kinds of shots you’re likely to face in the field. It’s relatively easy to do, and a lot of fun, too!

Here’s a checklist of the ways you can improve your shot-making …


Elevation

Most deer hunters pursue animals from treestands. So it only makes sense to practice from one.
The descending shot with a bow is far different from a flat shot, particularly if the downward angle is steep.

The proper form on a downward shot is to bend at the waist to maintain the same arm/spine position as you’d have with a flat shot.

A common mistake is to simply drop the bow arm down when shooting from an elevated perch, but this can cause a miss-hit (typically a shot that’s too high).

Yardage also becomes a tricky variable from a tree stand since shot angles have a bearing on which sight pin you use.

Just as it is important to practice shots from above, it’s equally important to take uphill-angled shots (especially if you hunt in rugged country where flat shots are extremely rare).


Wind

When I first started bowhunting, it was an under-20-yards game. But with today’s incredible equipment, shots measuring 50, 70 and even 100-plus yards are becoming commonplace. On longer shots, the effect of wind drift is extremely noticeable. So get out when the wind is really blowing and practice, because there’s no such thing as a wind-compensating sight or rangefinder (yet).

Experience is your only tool here, and the more of it you have, the better your “feel” will be when it’s gusty.


Cover

It would be nice if every animal stood broadside in an open field. That doesn’t happen much. More often than not, your arrows must be slivered through a pre-cut shooting lane, between two trees or through a gap in the brush.

Therefore, take your 3-D target into the woods and give yourself some tough shots to execute through tight windows. It might seem like a hassle to do this, but the payoff is having the confidence to “thread the needle” with your arrow when there’s a big buck on the line.


Stance and Posture

Having the proper stance, set-up, and form in archery is no different than other athletic endeavors like golf, baseball or bowling. Look at tournament shooters and you’ll see that they all stand virtually the same way and have the same general form.

That works on the shooting line, but not always in the woods.

Animals slip in behind us, where we need to turn 180-degrees for a shot. A low-hanging branch might force you to bend low at the knees to clear underneath it. Sometimes, you might even need to kneel or sit to make a particular shot.

But how many bowhunters practice these shots? The answer should be ALL of them. In reality, few take the time to master these quirky shots.

If you bowhunt from a ground blind, it is absolutely necessary for you to practice from sitting and kneeling positions.


3-D Courses

If you don’t already belong to an archery club, do a little research in your area and find one that has a 3-D course (or access to one) that appeals to you.

The various stations on the course will provide great practice for real-life situations at various distances, angles, and through challenging shooting windows. You’ll find that it’s so much fun shooting (and sometimes competing) on the course that it won’t feel like practice at all.

Good hunting.

Babe Winkelman is a nationally known outdoorsman who has taught people to fish and hunt for more than 25 years. His award-winning “Good Fishing” and “Outdoor Secrets” television shows are on Versus (formerly OLN), Fox Sports Net, Comcast Southeast, WILD TV and many local networks. His website http://www.winkelman.com/ lists air times.

"Focus On Elk As Disease Persists Near Yellowstone..."

We've Got Way Too Many Elk!



AP Photo: A herd of elk graze in the meadows of Yellowstone
National Park with the background...



Just in the news today I read this article
about the elk in and near Yellowstone...

Sounds like some great news for Rocky
Mountain Elk Hunters...

Go here to read the full story...

Focus on elk as disease persists near Yellowstone - Yahoo! News

Hope ya'll had a great 4th!

-Michael