HUNTER ED COURSEBow Hunting Component

Introduction of Bow Hunting

Why we Bow Hunt. Challenge Longer Seasons Less Pressure

History of Bow Hunting

Bows have been used for hunting for thousands of years.

Modern bow hunting began with Saxon Pope and Arthur Young in the early 20th century

Doug Easton invented aluminum arrows in the 1940’s

Fred Bear, Earl Hoyt, Ben Pearson developed equipment 1950s- 1970s.

Holless Allen and Tom Jennings developed the compound bow in 1966.

Bowhunting and Its Benefits

• Bowhunting: the act of pursuing or taking wild game animals using a bow and arrow.

• Benefits of bowhunting:

– Recreational

– Economic

– Educational

– Cultural

▲Social

▲Therapeutic

▲Health

Legal Requirements

Season time and length 40 lbs draw weight 24 in arrow No Crossbow for now unless you have a

medical permit from your Dr.

Archery Safety Five key rules:

Only point the bow and arrow in a safe direction.

Only nock an arrow when it’s safe to shoot.

Be sure of your target and what is in front of it, immediately behind it and beyond it.

Never shoot over a ridge.

Only shoot when you have a safe range or shooting area, and a safe backstop or background.

ONLY FIRE A BOW WHEN AN ARROW IS NOCKED ON THE STRING

Saftey

Supplement archery safety rules.

Five key rules:

Hunt and shoot within your own physical limitations.

Let family or friends know exactly where you will be hunting.

Carry basic survival gear every time you go afield, even for short hikes.

Bowhunting Safety (cont.)

▲ Always carry broadheads in a sturdy quiver that fully covers razor-sharp blades.

▲ Dress properly for the worst weather conditions you expect to encounter.

Tree Stand Safety Tree stand hunting can be

dangerous.

Falls from tree stands can cause serious injury – even death.

More likely to cause fatality than any other bowhunting accident.

NBEF recommends a Treestand Manufacturers Association approved full body harness.

Tree Stand Safety (cont.)

Conditions that contribute to accidents:

Long hours sitting on stand.

Poor bowhunting technique.

Behavior/attitudes that lead to falls:

Complacency

Poor judgment

Carelessness

A Responsible Bowhunter

To be a responsible bow hunter, you must:

Be accountable for your actions.

Follow legal and ethical guidelines.

Words that define a responsible bow hunter:

Safety conscious

Principled

Prepared

Marksman

Law-abiding

Respectful

Bowhunting Responsibilities (cont.)

Respect the Landowner

Treat the landowner’s property as if it were your own.

Ask permission before entering private land.

Leave gates open or closed as you find them (or as requested by the landowner).

Drive only on existing roads.

Recommendations for Using Elevated Stands

Read instructions that come with your stand.

Know proper set-up procedure as recommended by the Treestand Manufacturers Association.

Step down into the tree stand when getting into the stand.

Use only stands approved by the Tree Stand Manufacturers Association.

Attach yourself to the tree at all times: when climbing in, while on the platform, and when climbing down.

Use a haul line to bring gear up and down from your platform.

Your Bow and Arrow

Before you venture afield with a bow and arrow you should know about how it works, how it kills, and its limitations.

Types of Bows

Long Bow Recurve Compound

Longbow

Traditional bow.

Used by hunters interested in using minimal equipment when hunting.

Recurve Bow

Limbs shorter than longbow and curved back.

Smooth, quiet and fast-shooting.

Pistol-style grip.

Compound Bow

Most popular type of bow.

Wheels and cams reduce draw weight by 50% or more.

Matching Your Bow With Your Abilities

Must be matched to:

Draw length

Draw weight

Incorrect draw length hurts performance.

If the draw weight is too heavy, you can’t fully draw bow.

Should be able to hold bow arm parallel to the ground and pull straight back.

Arrows

An arrow has four basic parts.

Matching Arrows With Your Bow

Mismatched arrows may not fly correctly or accurately.

Arrows that are too light have the same effect as a “dry fire” on your bow

Matching Arrows With Your Bow (cont.)

Arrow Spine and “Archer’s Paradox”

Spine: degree of stiffness/resistance to bending.

“Archer’s Paradox”: arrow bends when released from the bow. Archers Paradox

Spine strength must be matched to the bow.

Use arrow manufacturer’s chart.

Fletching

Stabilizes flight by causing shaft to spin.

Preserves speed and accuracy.

Made of plastic or feathers.

Three types:

Straight

Helical

Flu-flu

Types Of Fletching

Straight

Most common fletching arrangement.

Typically three fletches are glued symmetrically onto the shaft 120 degrees apart.

Types Of Fletching (cont.)

Helical

Fletches are glued on the shaft in a slight spiral fashion.

Fletches may also be glued on at a slight diagonal to the long axis of the arrow shaft.

Types Of Fletching (cont.)

Flu-Flu

Fletch composed of one or more turkey wing feathers.

Increased wind resistance reduces arrow speed. Perfect for squirrel or game bird hunting.

Arrow Points

Bullet Point or Field Point

Target and practice shooting.

Should be matched to the grain weight of big game broadheads.

Arrow Points (cont.)

Judo ® Field practice and

roving.

Small, protruding wire springs prevent the arrow from disappearing in groundcover.

Weigh the same as most popular big game broadheads.

Arrow Points (cont.)

Blunt For small game

animals, such as rabbits and squirrels.

Square-tipped. Made of steel or

plastic materials.

Arrow Points (cont.)

Bowfishing

Designed to penetrate the hard scales of carp, gar and other rough fish.

Equipped with a strong barb.

Broadheads (cont.)

Removable Blade

Blades are replaceable.

Accessories (cont.)

Optional Items Bow sights

Cable/string silencers

Limb/accessory silencers

Stabilizers

Arrow rest assembly

Kisser button

Peep sight

Sighting in a Bow

Shoot five arrows at a sight-in target.

Place a grouping.

Adjust sights to move grouping to bull’s-eye.

Move bow sight in opposite direction you want the grouping to move.

Continue adjusting and shooting until grouping is in bull’s-eye.

Tuning Your Bow

A poorly tuned bow produces poor arrow performance:

Fishtailing: arrow moves from side to side.

Porpoising: arrow moves up and down.

To tune your bow:

Move the nocking point up or down.

Move the arrow rest assembly from side to side.

Advanced Archery Practice for the Hunt

Begin practice months before the season.

Top bowhunters practice year-round.

Practice with the arrow tips you’ll hunt with.

Tune your bow.

Fix equipment problems.

Distance Judging Methods

Actual Distance Judging

Markers

Subtending

Range Finders

Bow Hunting Methods

Still Hunting, Stalking and Glassing

Blinds

Elevated Stands

Tree Stand Safety

Scents and Lures

Game Calls

Still Hunting, Stalking and Glassing

Still hunting: moving slowly through woods until you spot game.

Stalking: approaching game after you spot it.

Glassing: searching for game with binoculars from one location.

Blinds: Ground Blinds

Placement

Close to game food sources, trails or watering holes.

Downwind or crosswind.

Elevated Stands

The treestand is the most common type.

Treestands manufactured by the Treestand Manufacturers Association are recommended due to rigorous manufacturing standards.

Always remain attached to the tree when climbing into, during or getting down from a stand or when attaching a stand to the tree.

Fall-Restraint Devices – Full-Body Harness

The full-body harness is recommended by the National Bowhunter Education Foundation.

Belts can cause internal injuries and death by asphyxiation.

A full-body harness better distributes the shock of fall comfortably.

Hauling Equipment Into a Stand

Always use a haul line of heavy cord to raise and lower gear.

Before you climb, place your bow and quiver away from your climbing route.

Maintain secure connection to the tree at all times, especially when moving into or out of the stand.

After you are securely on your platform, haul up your gear.

Shooting and Recovering Big Game

Shot Impact: How Arrows and Bullets Differ

How bullets kill:

High-energy impact.

Crush tissue and bone.

May knock down animal.

How arrows kill:

Low-energy impact.

Cut vital tissues.

How an Arrow Causes Death

Cuts blood vessels.

Produces massive blood loss – death by hemorrhagic shock.

May puncture lungs.

May disrupt heart muscle.

Time of death after impact: Minutes to several hours.

Depends on animal’s size, where it’s hit.

Sharp Broadheads Are Essential

Deeper penetration.

Cause more bleeding.

More likely to pass through animal.

Entry and exit wounds make trailing easier.

Shot Placement

Correct shot placement required for:

Quick, clean kill.

Ease of retrieval.

Shot Placement (cont.)

Chest Cavity: the main vital area.

Primary target.

Best shot to hit vital organs on deer-size animals: angling or quartering away (45 degrees).

Second-best shot: broadside.

Double-lung hit.

Good blood trail.

Animal drops within short distance.

Primary Aiming Zone Varies according

to species.

Aiming zone on a whitetail deer:

Just behind the front leg, approximately the size of a paper plate.

Focus on quarter-size spot in the middle of the “plate.”

Shot Strategy

“Buck Fever” frequently causes bowhunters to miss shot opportunities.

To avoid “Buck Fever:”

Plan

Select possible pick-off points, shot angles.

Visualize animal’s approach.

Take practice shots.

Choose the Proper Shot Angle

Proper shot angle critical for clean kill.

Broadside

Best shot for largest big game animals.

Shortest distance through chest cavity.

Produces entry and exit wounds.

Increases blood loss.

Best angle for double-lung hit.

Choose the Proper Shot Angle (cont.)

Broadside

Avoid shoulder blade – wait until front leg is forward.

Animal should be looking away from you or feeding.

Choose the Proper Shot Angle (cont.)

Quartering Away

Good angle for whitetail deer and big game of similar size.

Left front leg is reference point when aiming.

Not a good shot for larger game

“Jumping the String”

Game flinches at the sound of released string.

Body drops below arrow as game prepares to jump.

To minimize problems:

Shoot well within effective range.

Shoot only a quiet, well-tuned bow.

Shoot only unalarmed deer.

Big Game Recovery

Often referred to as the “second hunt.”

Bowhunters have a responsibility to recover wounded game.

Big Game Recovery (cont.)

A successful recovery requires:

Proper shot placement. Knowledge of tracking and reading game sign. Attention to visual and auditory clues

immediately after the shot. Knowing when and how to begin tracking. Attention to trailing details. A stick-to-it attitude. Recovery strategies. Patience.

Attention to Clues and Trailing Details

Bowhunters must note the following after they shoot:

Where the arrow strikes the animal.

How far the arrow penetrates – may pass through.

Where the arrow hits the ground if it passes through.

How the arrow strike sounds.

How the animal reacts after the strike.

Which way the animal runs out of sight.

Sounds of the animal’s flight.

Time and landmarks around shooting area.

When to Begin Recovery

Chest wound: wait 20-30 minutes.

Gut shot: wait at least six hours.

Gut-shot deer require a longer wait because: They are still very mobile.

Your approach may spook them.

They can travel a great distance before collapsing.

If you’re not sure where it’s hit, wait 30-60 minutes.

Trailing Game

Approach carefully.

Look carefully for blood, hair or the arrow.

Move in direction animal headed.

Look for blood on leaves, rocks and logs.

Walk on side of escape route.

Mark location of blood sign.

Always scan ahead for the animal.

Blood Sign

Yields two types of information:

Direction animal is traveling.

Where the arrow hit. Lungs (frothy blood)

Gut (greenish, tallow or clear fluids)

Lost Sign

If you lose sign:

Go back to last marker.

Begin methodical search.

Use grid pattern.

Be aware of wildlife activities that could signal downed deer.

If necessary, search from the beginning.

Don’t give up until all possibilities have been exhausted.

Chapter Review (cont.)

Would you “Shoot” or “Don’t Shoot” each of these?

Four Main Parts of an arrow are:

Point Nock Shaft Fletching

The types of arrow heads that are available are:

Target Field tip Blunt Judo Broadhead

Broadheads are used to hunt big game.

The mimimum length that an arrow must be for hunting in Alberta is 24 Inches

The Three Basic bow designs are

Long Bow Recurve bow Compound Bow

The Minimum draw length to hunt big game in Alberta is

40 pounds

The recommended method for stringing a long bow or recurve is to use

A bow stringing device

The recommended method for bringing equipment into a tree stand is:

To use a cord to pull it up.

The correct way to store a bow:

Is hung horizontally on a wall rack or vertically on a hook.

An anchor point is

The point on the face that the bow is drawn to and it should always remain the same.

Which WMU is Alberta is set aside for hunting all game with a bow only?

WMU 410 near Canmore