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OUTDOORS: Archers prepare bows and tree stands for deer season
by David Thompson
When archery deer season opens Oct. 3, the woods will be as quiet as they are today because archers do not make a sound if they can help it.
A bowhunter either sits or stands quietly on a tree stand or sits on a portable stool placed on the ground at a spot where deer either travel or feed. Regardless of the stand used, an archer tries to blend with the woods by wearing camouflaged clothes.
Keeping quiet is essential. The slight sound of a coat brushing against tree bark will send a buck bounding away. Ditto if the tree stand squeaks when you move.
Most deer harvested are taken with a crossbow or compound bow. Both mechanical bows increase the distance at which deer can be taken and are commonly used by archers in tree stands.
However, a hunter with a crossbow or compound bow could stand on the ground behind a large tree and see a deer within shooting distance. The hunter using a tree stand is more likely to have a good opportunity to shoot.
I don't hunt with either type of mechanical bow and instead use a recurve bow. Basically, it is a piece of wood with a bowstring. With it, I shoot at a deer that is 12 yards or less away. At that close distance, I can see a bloated tick on the deer's throat and usually can determine the length of a buck's small brow points.
I prefer to use a tree stand. My other option is to sit on the ground on a stool positioned among weeds and shrubs that provide concealment. It takes time to find a place to sit where deer will approach close and not detect me by sight or smell. In this situation, a deer has advantages. Keep in mind that where you sit or stand on the ground must be open enough to allow an arrow to reach its target.
A crossbow is mechanically cocked. It shoots what is called a bolt rather than an arrow. Other types of bows that shoot arrows have a bowstring that is pulled by hand and requires strength, so that some archers are unable to use them. Once cocked, the crossbow is held up to the shoulder like a rifle and has a trigger. The crossbow is aimed like a rifle. Men, women, and youths find they can shoot more accurately with a crossbow.
In addition to the crossbow, compound bow, and recurve bow, a fourth type of bow, the wooden longbow, can be used. It is also called a straight bow. The longbow and recurve bow, with their simple designs, are referred to as traditional bows or as primitive bows.
Bows used by Native Americans were one-piece wooden bows. Indians on horseback, who hunted buffalo, used fairly short bows that were easier to handle and shoot while riding. Over many centuries, Indians' primitive bows took countless numbers of big game for food required for their survival. Similar bows made with modern materials are still being used in the 21st century.
Most archery deer hunters use a tree stand because it provides advantages. One advantage is better visibility of the surrounding woods where deer live. Another asset is on a tree stand; you are higher than where deer normally look. That said, archers in trees are detected by deer that look up if they hear a sound, see movement or smell a human.
If an approaching deer does not detect you, it often walks close to and sometimes under a tree stand that typically is 15 to 18 feet off the ground. A carefully placed tree stand can be lower, but hunting from it requires you to reduce movements and sounds even more.
Using a tree stand safely is extremely important. The tree stand itself must be reliable, including the ladder or other devices used to climb up to and down from the tree stand platform. It is important to test and practice using a tree stand at a low height before actually hunting with it. A tree in the backyard or standing somewhere near home can be used for practice. It is advisable to have a reliable partner accompany you, especially if you lack experience with tree stands and climbing trees.
For safety, a full-body harness should be worn when climbing a tree, standing on a tree stand platform, and climbing down from the stand. The sturdy strap on the harness should be attached to the tree at all times once you leave the ground. You will need to practice using the harness with its strap.
For the harness to prevent you from falling, its strap must be attached to the tree. If you use a tree stand unsafely, you should hunt on the ground instead. Hunters fall from tree stands every year and are injured or worse.
Make sure your tree stand equipment is in good condition. Make sure you understand how to use your equipment. Then make sure that you take the time to be careful and alert. A hunter who is tired, unhealthy, or in a hurry should not hunt from a tree stand.
If you bow hunt from a tree stand, you should first practice shooting arrows from a tree stand or other elevated place at home. Shooting down from a tree stand at a target is not exactly like shooting from the ground at the same target. When shooting down, you may need to aim a bit differently. The only way to learn how to shoot down at a target is practice before actually hunting.
Your tree stand, or your stool on the ground, will be a certain distance from the place where a deer is most apt to appear. You can practice shooting at home or the shooting range at that distance. Deer seen in the woods that are beyond that distance should only be watched. A bowhunter learns their limitations at the shooting range before hunting big game.
There are two statewide archery deer seasons. The first opens Oct. 3 and ends Nov. 20, and the second opens Dec. 26 and ends Jan. 24. Because there are numerous hunting days ahead, you can take time early in the season to make sure that your tree stand and other equipment are ready to use.
There is also time to continue practicing with your bow to maintain or improve accuracy. Early October is too early to quit practice shooting just because archery deer season is underway.
As a reminder, be sure to take insect repellent when bowhunting deer in October. Keep in mind that your face is shiny. You can avoid having deer see your shiny face by using camo face cream or wearing a head net. If you wear a headlamp to hike to your hunting stand before daylight, be sure to take off the headlamp that will gleam when the rising sun strikes it. Sucking hard candy will prevent noisy coughing that will spook deer. If you become drowsy, climb down from the tree stand and rest on the ground if there are no ticks.