One of the most exciting things about deer season is the preparation leading up to it. As Fred Bear once said, the whole process of getting ready for deer season is what makes it great. For many bowhunters, summer is the “off” season, which comes down to a lot of target shooting and running trail cameras.
However, not all target shooting is created equal. While it can be a lot of fun to shoot at five spot leagues and fling arrows at foam targets painted with circles, the target practice that will pay off the most is the time spent creating real hunting scenarios.
This kind of target shooting doesn’t have to be complicated, or expensive, and it all boils down to consistency and a few sessions a week. If you want to increase your odds of making a stellar shot on a deer, here are a few things to integrate into your practice sessions.
First, you’ll want to use a target that at least somewhat resembles the vital area of a deer. While shooting small dots on a target will certainly make you a more accurate shooter on paper, deer unfortunately don’t come strolling out of the trees with little dots pasted over their vitals. “Picking a spot” can be tricky if you aren’t training your eyes to do so; shooting at a deer shaped target will help. This can be done by using an actual deer target, or simply putting a piece of cardboard with the outline of a deer up – either will work great.
Second, you’ll want to keep in mind how you’ll be hunting this season. If you are planning to hunt from an elevated stand, it’s best to practice from one at least a few times before season starts. Many new bowhunters forget to bend at the waist while aiming down out of a treestand, which will mess up their form and miss the deer. Even the best deer hunters have been known to mess it up from time to time! Shooting at a downward angle, especially at close distances can be tricky and it’s always best to act out the moment a few times before it actually happens.
Likewise, if you are hunting from a ground blind or from a chair, you will want to practice from those scenarios as well. Shooting from a sitting or kneeling position is different than shooting from a standing position, and it’s always a good thing to make sure your arrow can clear the windows if you’re hunting from a blind.
Lastly, you’ll want to be sure that you can draw your bow in all of your gear and still shoot accurately. You may shoot great while wearing a t-shirt to practice, but once you don a few layers of hunting gear and long sleeve jackets it can change the game. Make sure that you can bend your arm, draw your bow without “sky drawing”, and make sure that you don’t need an arm guard to keep any excess jacket sleeves out of the way of your arrow.
No matter when your deer season starts, it’s never too early to get out and start practicing like you mean it. Make this your best season yet.
"I hunt deer because I love the entire process; the preparation, the excitement, and the sustained suspense of trying to match my woods lore against the finely honed instincts of these creatures.” FRED BEAR