How To Hunt With Recurve Bows

If you’re new to hunting with recurve bows, you may want to know how to hunt with recurve bows.  It can be a little daunting learning how to hunt with a recurve bow, but with a little practice and attention to detail, you can get good at it if you put in the work. In this article, we discuss how to hunt whitetail deer with a recurve bow.

How To Hunt With Recurve Bows

1. Choose The Right Bow

Not all recurve bows are created equal. You will want to choose a bow that is comfortable for you to hold and that has the right amount of power for the game you are hunting. You can read about the best recurve bows on the market today from this article.

2. Practice, Practice, Practice

Before you head out into the field, make sure you practice with your bow. The more you practice, the better your aim will be.

3. Be Patient

Hunting with a recurve bow takes time and patience. Don’t get discouraged if you don’t see results immediately. Stick with it and eventually, you will be a successful hunter.

4. Draw Weight

It is not necessary to opt for excessive draw weight for hunting deer with a recurve bow.  However, the more weight you can shoot with, the better. A good draw weight to start with is 45 pounds. A bow of 45 to 55-pound draw weight will provide the force required to be a deadly shot from 20 yards or less.

5. Select The Right Arrows

The type of arrow you use is important for hunting with a recurve bow. Make sure you select arrows that are the right weight and length for your bow.

6. Be Aware of Your Surroundings

When you are hunting, it is important to be aware of your surroundings at all times. This will help you avoid dangerous situations and make sure you take the game humanely.

7. Maximum Distance

The maximum distance you can shoot a deer with a recurve bow differs for each bowhunter depending on his or her experience and skill level. The average successful shot at a deer is about 15 to 17 yards. A bowhunter should not shoot outside their effective range which is defined as the range they can keep their shots within a six-inch circle.

You should always try to get as close as possible to the target. Bowhunting is a close-range sport and decreasing the distance usually increases your chances of better shot placement.

8. Recurve Bow Hunting Arrows

The hunting arrows have to be matched to your draw weight and draw length. The arrows should also be matched to each other in weight and spine or stiffness for consistency. You can learn how to hunt with bows in this article.

9. Learn The Physical Structure

Spend some time learning the physical structure of the whitetail deer. Additionally, learn where the vital organs are located on the whitetail deer. The heart-lung area of the deer should always be the target of the bowhunter. This area has the highest concentration of blood vessels. Hitting this area will be a fatal shot that will take the deer down. You can improve your deer hunting skills from this article on the best whitetail deer hunting tips.

Create a dummy of the deer with the vital target area marked out. Then practice hitting that area multiple times until you develop the skills to hit that area.

The best shot with a recurve bow is the quartering away shot. This shot allows the arrow to enter the animal through the softer meat and ribs behind the chest cavity and penetrate the heart-lung area with little to no resistance.

Recurve Bow Safety Tips

1. Always inspect your bows and arrows for cracks or damage.

2. Don’t ever shoot bent, cracked, or broken arrows.

3. Always use an arrow when firing a bow. Don’t “dry fire” a bow as it can damage it.

4. Properly secure broadheads. They can cause serious injuries and should be treated the same way you handle a loaded firearm.

How To Scout For Deer

How to scout for deer is an important skill to learn. When hunting for deer, there are deer signs that you should look for in an area.

1.  Deer Tracks

When you are scouting an area for signs of deer activity, always look for deer tracks. Deer tracks will confirm that deer frequent that area. learn to read deer tracks as they can indicate whether they are the tracks of a buck, doe, or fawn. Additionally, the tracks can indicate if the deer left in a hurry or if it was casually moving. You can also learn which direction it went.

2. Deer Beds

Deer beds are another indication that deer are active in an area. Deer beds are little patches on the ground that appeared clear as if something had been lying there. Deer beds are a good sign when you are scouting for deer.

3. Deer Scat

When you are scouting an area for signs of deer activity, always look out for deer scat or poop. This is a sure sign that the area is frequented by deer. Additionally, by studying the poop, you can learn what the deer are eating. if you can find the area with the plant or food shown in the poop, you just may have found a food source that you can set up close to.

4. Deer Scrapes

Deer scrapes are another sign of deer activity in an area. It also indicates that other bucks are also in competition for the doe in that area. Deer scrapes are often made by bucks as they use them to mark their territories from other dominant bucks. Bucks often urinate in their scrapes to mark their territory. The urination also attracts does to the scrapes and they also have a habit of urinating in the scrapes.

Recurve Bow Accessories

1. Arrows

The arrows are what is shot at the whitetail deer.

2. Quiver

The quiver stores the arrows.

3. Finger Tab Or Glove

The finger tab is the finger guard for eliminating discomfort and finger slipping.

4. Recurve Bow Stringer Tool

The recurve bow stringer tool helps assemble your string to the bow easily, and quickly.

The Bottom Line

Hunting with recurve bows is challenging but rewarding as the accuracy is improved. In this article, we discussed how to hunt with recurve bows. There is a learning curve to get good at hunting with a recurve bow, but with a lot of practice, you can not only get good at it but also master it.