Archery Hunting

Many people like to hunt, whether it is by archery hunting, or with the use of guns , but it wasn't until recently that I realized just how time consuming hunting can be! In fact, archery hunting can use up even more time in preparation than other kinds of hunting.

First of all the clothing for archery hunting needs to be completely camouflaged. Also, to obtain the best results from archery, clothing needs to be laundered with no odour detergents and even then it really needs to hang outside for several days so that there are no household odors on it. Why go to all this trouble you may well ask? The reason for this is that with archery hunting you need to get very close to the animal you are aiming for,  which can only be done if you don't reek of city odours!

Then there is the practice of shooting arrows from the bow into a large target and sometimes these are shaped like deer or other hunted animals like elk, moose etc. This will  improve your accuracy in firing your arrows at different distances, and of course, practice makes perfect! If you do not have a lot of upper body strength, you may find it difficult to pull back the strings on the bow. It is not as easy as it looks, and may need a great deal of extra practice - very time consuming, but good exercise!.

Archery hunting is considered to be more of a sport than hunting with a gun, since with a bow and arrow, you do have to get close to the target, and be more accurate, too. This involves being able to get up close to the animals without them being freaked by your presence, and this takes a lot of patience. That is why archery hunters often use a portable stand that can be placed in a tree where the hunter sits and waits quietly until an animal appears. There is a technique called still hunting in which the hunter is on the ground, but in the early season when there is still many leaves on the trees the tree stand is a preferred method of hunting.

All of this preparation takes a great deal of time, but we haven't mentioned the time taken to plan the drive, the accommodation, or the preparation needed for a camping. You need to check the hunting regulations for start and end dates, but often archery hunting begins a month or two earlier than for the gun season.

Quite often if one family member enjoys archery hunting then others do, and it becomes a kind of family relaxation time together. And of course it can become a time to discuss the merits of archery hunting equipment.

It should be noted that archery hunting does not have to be about shooting animals. A great deal of enjoyment can be had by shooting at targets with a bow and arrow. But whatever you do, there is a lot of archery equipment around for you to try, although you may find that some of it is very expensive. Still it can help you to enjoy a good time outdoors.

Just a note of warning, that when you are looking for good archery equipment, you do have to think about safety if you have children. You should always have a safe place to keep all hunting equipment far away from wandering hands and interested children. They don’t always understand that archery equipment items are not only for fun but that they can also be very dangerous. As with guns, keep them up and locked, and never take any chances with setting something down just for a moment. In fact there was a case recently of a man in his twenties shooting himself in the head with an arrow from his crossbow. Yes, he had been drinking, but it just goes to show you how careful you need to be with all hunting equipment, and remember that it should not be handled if you are under the influence of alcohol, or some kinds of medications.

One of the natural places to look for archery equipment is online, but whether you will to buy it depends on your state and federal laws. However, it's certainly worth a look as you may be able to find some real bargains. However, the sporting goods stores in your neighbourhood will probably have what you need to get going with your archery hunting, and they will help you with the safety aspects of the equipment too.

Good luck with your archery hunting!