A Basic Guide To Bow And Arrow Hunting

The bow and arrow has been an integral weapon for hunting since the earliest history of man. It is an archaic weapon but its popularity has never waned.

Until now, a lot of hunters prefer the bow and arrow to a rifle or gun when shooting their prey. It is silent and it is very flexible as it can be used for both short and long range hunting. Some hunters are versatile enough or hunting crazy enough to be skilled on weapons, packing up their guns and whipping out their bow for the archery season.

1. Choosing your bow – There are different kinds of bows out there including the crossbow, compound bow, short bow, etc. These bows come in many different sizes as well.

You choose a bow depending on your height and your arm length. Check its weight, its balance and its material (aluminum, wood, etc.). Test it out. Check for ease in drawing the string and if you are comfortable with the draw length. Make sure to select a bow you are comfortable using.

2. Choosing the arrow – The type of arrow you choose would depend on the kind of game you are planning to hunt, your bow, its draw length (the standard is 28 to 36 inches) and the straightness of the arrow itself. If you plan to hunt small game, buy good but moderately-priced arrows. Arrows are more likely to break when hunting small game than other types of game.

Meanwhile, powerful bows, such as a crossbow, put a lot of pressure on its arrows. For this type of bow, arrows made of aluminum or carbon is better. Fiberglass or arrows made of wood are best for less powerful bows. Another consideration is the draw length. Since draw length goes from 28 to 36 inches, available arrow length is from 31 to 40 inches.

3. Archery accessories – Archery accessories such as an armguard and gloves protect you from accidents and mistakes when drawing your bow. Other accessories include broadheads, release and others. Know and familiarize yourself with your archery gear.

4. Taking care of your equipment – Make sure your archery equipment is in good shape. Start with your bow; give it a once-over. Check the string and its other points for wear. Make sure to replace or repair them. You don't want the string breaking when you are just about to make a shot at a buck. Check rest adjustment, the mount of a bow quiver (if you use one), guide rod and the bow's limbs.

Check for rust on the iron part and apply gun oil on it. Repair or replace worn items of your bow. Then check your arrows, its shafts, nocks and fletchling for damages, bends, etc. Give the rest of your archery a thorough check as well.

5. Practice makes for marksmanship – The only way you can achieve a high level of marksmanship is of course when you practice again and again before you go off to hunt. Get to know well your bow and your other archery equipment.

Bow hunting experts have long stressed the need for archers to become very familiar with their weapon and the rest of its gear. It could spell the difference of bringing home that buck or watch it walk away.