2024 Bow Season

[fasteddie]

I haven't been shooting my bow like years past . Gotten pretty old . Have had some pain in my left shoulder so I dropped the poundage down to 50 pound pull . Been shooting 11 yards in the basement and need to practice outside at at least 20 - 25 yards . If I can't get the poundage up to at least 55# then I will have to switch to cut on contact broadheads . 

Also , the forecast in Geneseo on opening day is some rain . Unless that changes , I will wait until Saturday to go bow hunting . I screwed up a few years ago when I was bow hunting in a light rain and don't want to repeat that . 

Good luck hunting to you all !

[First-light]

Been shooting the last few weeks I'm dialed in. Got pain in my elbow. The arm that hold the bow. I'll be fine just hurts like hell after 20 arrows. 

[landtracdeerhunter]

My favorite season. Been in practice for weeks now. Some how  I never get as much practice as I would like to. My bows getting some age on it, probley should get a new model.  Like a perfectly tuned piano though, and hate to get rid of it. One more season, keep telling myself.

[Doc]

Still have the old MQ-32 Mathews cranked up to 60#, and things are dialed in good for this year. My 80 year old, spindly, used-up, arms do feel the wear and tear when I practice too long, so I may have to drop it down a touch next year. What is really wearing down on me is the old legs. It always seems that everything around hear is uphill. That "killer" hill behind the house seems to be getting steeper every year. I have already cut way back on my scouting and pre-season wandering around. I don't think it will be my arms or shoulders that stop my hunting. It's all the rest of my body that's not handling the old-age all that well anymore. And no changing of hunting weapon is really going to help that.

But for this year at least, I think we're good to go. 

[wolc123]

Partly to preserve my shoulders as I get older, I put down my vertical bows permanently when the crossbow was legalized for the peak 2 weeks of the rut in the sz, back in 2014.  I won’t be going out for archery season until early November, when that opens up.  
 

I thought about getting a doctors signature on the form so I could use a crossbow all of archery season,  but there are too many other good opportunities for getting deer now (Holiday ML, EAG, etc.), that I didn’t feel it was necessary. 
 

I’ve even backed off on that quite a bit the last few years, since they opened up the mid September early antlerless gun season in our wmu a few years ago, and due to our daughters field hockey schedule. 
 

That field hockey actually took me out of last weekends early gun antlerless hunt and I only ended up filling one of my dmp tags this year.  Depending on how I do up north in mid October during early ML and opening weekend of gun, I might be hitting those last two weeks of archery season pretty hard back home with my crossbow.  
 

That had been my primary meat getting time for a few years, until that early gun opened up.  We could really use (3) average sized deer to provide most of my family’s protein needs for the year.  I’m hoping that at least one of them will come during the sz archery season this year.  

[airedale]

I love archery in itself and do quite a bit of shooting, my problem is that early archery deer season coincides with most small game hunting which I personally find way more enjoyable than deer hunting with a bow. Fall weather is my favorite time for getting after Squirrels, Rabbits, Grouse and maybe a Woodcock or Pheasant. 

Al

Edited September 26 by airedale

[First-light]

My Brother in law went from 60lbs to 54lbs said it made a world of difference. May do that for next year but if xbow goes full inclusion might put the compound down. 

[landtracdeerhunter]

Looks like thermometer may cooperate for opening day. Hopefully, precipitation will do the same. 

Good luck to those heading out. May your arrows fly true.

[Steve D]

Good Luck to everyone this Bow Season. I look forward to the stories.

[First-light]

Never went out opening day. Just might do the last couple of hours! Was out in woods yesterday visited an old shed on my property just off the road. Drove right up to it got out walked around and three doe get up stretch 20 yards from me. One runs the other two just watch me then walk off. Probably Mom ran off. lol Good luck folks. 

[Four Seasons]

2 hours ago, First-light said:

Never went out opening day. Just might do the last couple of hours! Was out in woods yesterday visited an old shed on my property just off the road. Drove right up to it got out walked around and three doe get up stretch 20 yards from me. One runs the other two just watch me then walk off. Probably Mom ran off. lol Good luck folks. 

Same here. Only targeting certain deer I never really even hit the woods for a first hunt till about Halloween. Cameras are all out in August and the keep everything quiet and scent free till I sneak in the first time. The park does not open until the 17th anyways so that helps get me closer down there. 

[First-light]

Hey shout out to my Brother in law Mark over in Schuylar county! I have been hunting with him for 35  years or so. We went to a traditional bow shoot in PA last summer it was great. He ordered a stick bow and practiced with it a lot this summer. All came together this morning. 18 yard heart shot on a big doe. So proud of him!!!!!!

[airedale]

It is an accomplishment for sure and one he deserves to be proud of.

Al

[landtracdeerhunter]

The deer are more laid back early bow season. During the breeding season, it all goes into fast forward. I like to be out early,  catch a glimpse of something harvestable. Doe take a pass right now for us. We figure the more decoys in the field, the better chance for a mature buck to hit the ground. It works for us.