Tips To Make You A Better Bowhunter This Season
Whether you’re a veteran bowhunter or a newbie heading to the bushveld for the first time, the tips below can help you see more success this season.
Human odor spooks any wildlife. Shower with a scent-free soap before every hunting trip (i.e. No Scent Hair & Body Wash), and try not to contaminate your hunting clothes on the way to the bushveld or before your trip by washing it in normal washing detergent. Rather use a fragrance-free laundry detergent (i.e. No Scent Laundry Pods). Keep them sealed in a plastic container or zip lock bag until you arrive at your hunting location. Doing so will allow your hunting clothing not to get contaminated by other clothing smells from your everyday use.
Many hunters spray down with odor eliminator (i.e. No Scent Field Spray) just after suiting up, and prior to the trek into the Blind or on a Walk & Stalk, but experienced hunters will bring an odor eliminator with them. After the walk to the Blind, apply an
odor eliminator to your body, paying special attention to your cap.
Be sure to douse yourself with tick repellant (i.e. Vital Protection). Tick-Bite Fever can shut down your hunting season, and you don’t want it to be over before it’s begun!. Symptoms of African Tick-Bite Fever usually appear within 2 weeks and include fever, headache, rash, muscle pain, and red sore with a dark centre (known as an eschar) that develops at the site of the bite.
Let’s talk Broadheads:
Fixed Blade Broadheads –
When considering the variety of options for your next hunt, consider the different styles of fixed blade broadheads. There are both chisel point broadheads with replaceable blades and cut on contact broadheads. Both serve specific purposes and have benefits for different types of game animals. Fixed broadheads are a fixed head supported by blades the entire length of the ferrule which makes for a structurally stronger broadhead (i.e. SlickTrick, Muzzy, G5, Carbon Express and Rocket to name a few). Fixed blades are regarded as more reliable since you are not forcing the blades to open thus removing any doubt as to whether or not the broadhead will penetrate. While there are different styles of fixed blade broadheads, single piece designs tend to be stronger. Replaceable blade broadheads have a fantastic record of performance in the field and can last longer if the body of the broadhead is not damaged. Single piece broadheads, while stronger, can be rendered useless if a blade or the point is damaged. Regaining an even and sharp edge can be difficult if the blade chips on a rock or from hitting bone. Mechanical broadheads give shooters several design options like rear deploying blades or the classic jackhammer design in which the blades open upon hitting the target.
Chisel Point –
Chisel Point broadheads have been a staple in the archery gear diet since the development of modern hunting point and are most often associated with fixed-blade designs. Chisel point broadheads are popular among Blue Wildebeest and Eland Bowhunter’s since they are reusable and can handle hitting tough bones like shoulders and ribs without deflecting. A chisel point cuts through hide by first opening the hide before the blades and helps the arrow maintain the desired course without deflecting.
Cut-On-Impact -
Cut-on-impact broadheads begin slicing as soon as they hit the target. Since they slice instead of boring a hole into the hide of an animal first, cut-on-impact broadheads penetrate their target deeper. If you are in a situation where your gear provides less energy for driving deep through the soft tissue of an animal, cut-on-impact broadheads may be your best choice. This style of hunting point is a favorite for hunters choosing recurve and long bows and others shooting low poundage bows. However, if you find yourself hunting the upper levels of the big game spectrum for animals like Blue Wildebeest, Eland, Giraffe, and large predators like Hyena, Leopard, and even Lion, electing to use a cut-on-impact broadhead like the Montec may be one of your best choices. Montecs from G5 have long been a favorite of bow hunters since much of the variability of strength and consistency is taken out due to the one-piece design and can drive deep into the large chest cavities of the toughest game on the South African continent. When hunting game with thick hides and heavy bones, choosing a tough one piece cut-on-impact broadhead can make the difference since it does not slow down upon hitting the target.
Mechanical Broadhead –
As technology improves and designs become more sophisticated, mechanical broadheads have become a popular choice of bow hunters since they provide a wider cutting surface than fixed blade broadheads. Because of the opening motion, the broadhead makes upon hitting its target, mechanical broadheads have been the focus of debate for the better part of the past three decades.
Mechanical broadheads are useful for shooting long distances out of higher poundage bow since they fly like a field point and have been generally regarded as more accurate. The frustration of archers with the fine tuning of larger fixed blade broadheads has pushed many to use mechanicals. Mechanical broadheads also give the shooter the choice between cut-on-impact broadheads and a chisel point. The G5 Havoc and NAP Killzone 100 gives shooters a two-inch cutting diameter and provides deeper penetration because of the cut-on-impact tip. Just remember this as most mechanical broadheads lose energy when hitting the target. Shooting a higher poundage bow and heavy arrow ensures the broadhead will open. It is generally accepted to shoot a bow with a draw weight of at least 60lbs when using mechanical broadheads.
You’ve taken the shot, now what -
A shot animal knows that something has happened, but he usually doesn't know what, where or why. He has nothing to fear or flee from unless you provide the noise or the motion to send him on his way. An arrow kills by bleeding the animal. You must give it time to die.
· Wait at least 1/2 hour on a good hit or longer on poor hits.
· As much as 5 hours or over night on a bad hit like a gut shot.
· While you wait, try to recall everything that has happened.
- Where exactly was your hit?
- How much penetration was there?
- Where did you last see it?
- Did you hear it fall?
When you begin trailing, if you can't find blood, look for your arrow. Finding your arrow is the only sure way to tell if you got a hit or miss. Many excited hunters find blood while looking for their arrow that was missed. The arrow itself can tell you a lot about the hit. A bright red blood may indicate a heart or artery shot. A pinkish bubbly blood means a lung shot. Green and brown matter or food particles means a gut shot. A greasy tallow on the arrow could mean a brisket shot.
Getting Help -
Two or three trackers is an ideal set up. One can stay on the last blood while other search ahead. You might want to carry toilet paper or kleenex to mark your last blood. Don't get so engrossed in the blood trail that you forget to look ahead for a dead animal or one that needs a finishing shot. NEVER walk right on the blood trail, but along side of it. You might need to back track. If your animal has laid down and you jump it, STOP TRACKING. You haven't given the animal enough to bleed out. Try to get your animal when it first lays down. If you don't it will be 10 times harder to track it. On the trial, you have to know what you are looking for.
Picking up the first blood sign is often the hardest part of the tracking job. A animal can cover a lot of distance before it starts leaving blood on the ground, especially if the animal is running or if you hit it high or left no exit hole. Animal hair can also soak up a lot of blood before it drops to the ground.
A animal hit high in the lungs will bleed internally until the blood reaches the arrow hole. Don't look for blood only on the ground, also check the low brush and trees etc. Blood dries faster on brush and weeds than it does on the ground and will be darker and harder to detect. Also blood turns black in hot weather. Note how high the blood in on the bush. Is there blood on both sides of the trail or just on one side. Is the animal bleeding down his leg. When the blood trail suddenly ends you are apt to find, within a short distance, your animal lying dead. When the heart stops pumping, he won't travel much farther. He may abandon any trail he has been following and head for heavy brush. Check out dense thickets and blow downs. If still no luck, sweep the surrounding terrain. Sometimes other animals may tell you where your game is. Squirrels, Grey Lourie, Guineafowl and other animals may become excited when something moves in their area. Don't give up the search until there is no hope left. Animals sometimes bleed internally leaving very little sign but it can be picked up by a careful and determined hunter. Tracking under adverse conditions can cause some special problems. Tracking at night is tedious and slow. Bright gas lanterns are better than flashlights. A handheld GPS is a must for night tracking. It is impossible to keep your bearings once the bushveld have turned black. If at all possible, don't track at night. It is a lot better if you can wait until morning.
What causes good blood trails? -
Well placed shots.
Know your limitations and take only shots you know that YOU can make.
The sharper the broadhead the heavier the blood trail.
There is no other piece of equipment that is more important than the broadhead. It MUST be as sharp as possible.
Multi-blade broadheads cut bigger holes than single blade models.
The best practice a bowhunter can get is by helping someone else track a animal. You will gain valuable experience and someday, when you need a hand, they just might return the favor. The place where you loose the trail is not necessarily the place where it ends. A lost trail always extends beyond the evidence.
Something to think about...
