I am an experienced and fanatical rifle hunter. I have looked for a few days to find "bow basics" because I wantto check out this form of hunting.

Can anyone point me to such information either in the forum on on a few websites? I basically know zero except watching a few hunts on OLN and being amazed that guys can actually hit and take down their prey at such distances.

My goal is to use a bow to hunt in a ravine near my house that is infested with coyotes. It is within city limits so no firearms, but the coyotes rule our city, no domestic pet or garbage can is safe, and they are bold, never really spooking at people or cars, just roaming around like they own the place, and of course no animal control or concern by civil authorities..

Thanks for any help.

Find a local archery shop, tell them your story and they'll set you up. If they have shooting lanes spend some time shooting there and you'll be amazed how other people will help you to learn. I go to bowzone.ca a lot but it's mostly canadians there so it might not be too relevent to you.

the chef

Welcome to hunting up close & personnal!!!

Coyote are tuff to hunt. They are smart to most human tricks. Since you going to be within city limits you need to concider the shot more carefully.

That last thing bowhunters need is a liver shot 'yote with an arrow sticking through is ribs on the 6 pm. news fluff segment. We(bowhunters) have fought very hard to get seasons are public land to hunt. One bad video ruins years of hard work in educating the public.

We had that very thing happen with a canadian goose here. To make matters worse we were working with a conservation district to opern up land for bowhunting.

I'm not saying to not hunt those 'yotes just besure you have the acuratcy to insure a high % shot 1st......No offence that skill level won't happen in a few days or weeks. Do us all a favor and wait till your are ready.....THEN go get 'em.

Work with a pro-shop and join a local archery club.

Get proficient like others have said, and a good thing to do is to go out with a camera until you get outfitted with archery gear, there is a difference in hunting, close range can and will bring on "buck fever" It's quite an experience to get that close to animals like a whitetail or coyote. Alot more personal than shooting them from a distance with a rifle. Good Luck

I have been successful snaring coyotes. But to bow hunt them would be fun and challenging. Good luck!

You'll never really appreicate a coyote until you wacth then at bow range.

I thought I was going to get a shot at one last year durning deer season. I walked in a wide loop maybe a mile & half to get to one stand with out laying sent in the deer's (hopefully) path. That yote cut my 5 hr. old trail....and I swear he looked up at my stand when he did....and hit the high road.

They maybe be lowly scavangers but they are a true BOWHUNTING Trophy to be proud of when taken within 20yrds.

There are Bowhunters with multipule B & C bucks that have never killed a yote with a bow.

I just won a Herters' Recurve on Ebay and have the same interest you have. Seems there are no responses to your post of value so far. There is lots of talent/knowledge in this group and they may all be out to dinner tonight.

Check out http://www.bowsite.com
That site is totally for bowhunters/shooters. You should be able to get any questions answered.

quote:

There is lots of talent/knowledge in this group and they may all be out to dinner tonight.

So you don't think that learning how to shoot BEFORE one trys to hunt is good advise?

Bowhunting is one of those things you have to experience while learning!

First, it's getting properly fitted and equipped with a bow that will be compatible for you. This is why you should hunt up an Archery Shop and let them help you along the way. It will save you money and time in the long run.

Don't be surprised if they don't seem to want to spend to much time with you during this time of year because it's getting close to hunting season for many, and they will all be busy this time of year.

That’s one more reason to hunt up one with a range or join an Archery Club. Most everyone you meet that Bowhunts will help you get started and help you with proper shooting form and equipment setup! Bowhunter are just that way, and most will spend time with someone new to the sport to help him or her get started.

Once you get started and know the questions that you would like answers to then forums like this or better yet archerytalk is a great place to learn and refine your shooting skills.

After you learn to shoot proficiently then you can start perfecting your skills as a hunter. Bowhunting is a rewarding up close and personal experience, but it requires work.

Good Luck, "May Your Arrow Strike Center And The Force Be With You"

I am just starting, so FWIW....I had a bunch of BassPro points. Went to the local shop on a Tuesday afternoon. I was the only guy there, so plenty of attention and no rushing. They set me up with bow, release, arrows, field pts., mechanical broadheads, target and case. I had a few lessons on the range. I have been practicing every other day for the last few weeks. Went back tonight to get my peep sight put back on. (partial dry fire by accident on Tuesday night ) Shot a dozen or so shots indoors while an experienced bow hunter watched/coached. My best 3 shot group yet. At 18 yds, all the fletching was touching the other arrows!!!! I have been practicing at 40yds and am hitting a bit bigger than pie plate groups. Getting someone to show you how to shoot at a shop with an indoor range has been key for me. I have spent about $500 for everything so far. You can do it cheaper. I have been impressed with how supportive the guys at BassPro have been.

Good luck. Nothing but fun for me so far. I am looking forward to bow season, that's for sure.

Try also http://www.archerytalk.com The problem is that there is a whole lot of BS out there about bow hunting.

The current fashion in the US is all about speed. The shops tend to want to sell you the fastest, most expensive bow, then encourage you to use a 5 grains-per-pound-pull arrow. That will work out fine on small game like coyotes. I'd still use a fixed blade broadhead - probably a 100 grain Muzzy in my case.

If you expand to deer hunting the light arrows are fine as long as you only take perfect broadside shots and the deer never jumps the string. In reality studies show that actual hits on deer are randomly located! That means to be ethical (IMHO) you need to shoot an arrow/broadhead that will penetrate to the vitals from any angle. To me that means a 500+ grain arrow and a two-blade broadhead for deer or larger.

Enjoy your new hunting preserve!

You have gotten some good tips sao far, one thing about bowhunting is the discipline that is needed to be successful. When you are trying to get that close to game and when you do every mistake you make is magnified. Every noise, movement, all the scent, it is alot different than at 100+ yds with a rifle. There is also a discipline to only taking the shots that you know can produce a clean kill like any hunting really, but with archery there is alot more that can and will go wrong. Practice, ask questions and learn from your mistakes like the rest of us have. I have bow hunted for 30+years and I find it the most enjoyable hunting I do.

I've only shot one coyote with my bow, never had the desire to shoot another since, though plenty of likely chances.

Not sure if you are just looking to hunt coyotes or other stuff in the ravine, but I can say from experience that if you are planning on shooting a coyote with a bow you would do well to figure out how to get the thing to stop when in range. A mouth squeaker might be your best bet for the stopper.

As noted above, a clean kill shot is the goal, so you should consider the trails and how to maximize broadside opportunities while heeding the wind and your scent trail in. I have watched many coyotes ramble around my treestand during the season, and they are always using their nose to detect danger or food.

Pay heed to handling a coyote carcass after the kill - plenty of info here on the web about that.


Good luck.

I agree with Boss Kongoni and Aspen Hill Adventures.......a gut shot canine struggling with an arrow sticking through it's flanks is exactly what the antihunting crowd would love to have on the local news. Bad publicity, not to mention that every member of the PETA gang in the area would be trying to catch you in the act!

Try snaring. Be discreet and careful, and you can probably thin out the coyotes without anyone else ever knowing. You can use nonlethal snares and release any pets you catch, and learn a new skill. Take a look here........good folks to do business with........http://www.snareshop.com/

Good hunting! Jim

I have something called the "Basic Archery Manual". It's in html form and I will be happy to email it to anyone that sends me their email address.It contains a wealth of material covering all the basics of archery.