Holding the draw back...

[jrussell]

I'm wondering how long can you guys hold a bow at full draw and still feel confident you can place a good shot on a deer? Do you prefer to draw your bow back as the deer is coming in? Or not until you're sure you've got a sure shot?

Thanks,

Rookie bow hunter

[fasteddie]

When the deer is coming in and the bow can be drawn unnoticed ( deer passes some bushes , tree , had head down , etc ) .

[SteveB]

Lot of compounds can be turned to 10% hold or lower. Even at 80% let off, 12# on a 60# bow is the holding weight. Easy to hold a minute or more. If seated, draw, rest the cam on your leg and several minutes is possible to hold and still make a good shot.

[philoshop]

Good question jrussell..

Draw when you have the opportunity. Basically, when the deer can't see you, and you also expect that it might come into range.

You can always let it back down if things don't work out.

[DirtTime]

It depends, like SteveB said, a newer compound has a lot of let off and easy to hold for a bit. Traditional bows ( long bow and recurve ) have the same weight at full draw.

 

When the deer is close to my range limit and at a point I feel I can draw the bow without being seen I draw. 

[growalot]

What the guys have said and this...If he gives you enough of a visual lead take a quick glance around . Many times it's not the deer your drawing down on that nails you...it's the one with them you didn't see due to tunnel vision...

[nyslowhand]

Basic answer to your question is, long enough to get a well placed shoot off on an animal within your comfort range and as unnoticed as possible. Lot of things influence this and it becomes more of a complex question, with varying answers. Many factors in determining how long you can or even need to hold at full draw.

 

Your equipment - Like others have mentioned.

 

You - Your body type, muscle tone and to some extent, what you do for a living. For people with less than Rambo-ish physics or that sit at a desk for a living, this can be augmented by specific exercises. Naturally, the more you practice with your bow, the more you develop this specific set of muscles and the longer you can hold at full draw. 

 

Shooting style - The biggy! If you practice standing up, better plan on shooting this way at your prey. If using a climber tree stand and shooting sitting down, practice the same way - sitting. Do yourself a favor and do NOT get caught up in the mentality of bigger is better. If you have to come to full draw using the proverbial "windmill" motion, lower you draw wgt until you can draw directly back with a fluid motion. Then as you practice more you can progressively increase draw wgt while still maintaining that fluid, horizontal draw movement. Nothing less effective or unethical about shooting in the 50# draw wgt range.

 

Hunting habitat - A reasonable time to be at full draw varies according to the ground cover you're hunting in. Meaning shoot opportunities. Open woods, dense cover with shooting lanes, edge of a field or brushlot. Each scenario presents different situations of being ready &/or drawing your bow as unnoticed as possible. This is where that fluid draw motion comes into play!! Oh yeah, better practice what gun hunters refer to as snap shooting. ID target, get ready, aim, good form and release an arrow in a 5-10sec time frame. Deer don't always come in leisurely walking thru the woods or a field, giving you 5min to prepare mentally and pick your shot, as depicted on TV.

 

Ingenuity - If any of the above or combination of factors, presents a problem for you, Use you brain to over come them and make your shortcomings work in your favor If you find you can't hold at full draw for 1min or more, hunt from a stand where you are sitting, but shoot standing up, hunt in the open woods - be prepared to adjust your stand placement &/or concealment to level the playing field. This is where trail cams, scouting, finding travel routes or considering what your profile looks like or the back drop of the stand is very helpful. IMHO, deer will pick up your movement more often when you're trying to stand up than drawing the bow. Do this early! Learn from my mistakes, an ideal looking stand location becomes blatantly useless when the leaves are off the trees in the fall and any movements can be picked off 100yrds away. Granted, may seem really removed from your original question, but adaptability has a huge impact on your hunting and the need to be at full draw for lengthy periods.

[A Sportsman]

Jrussel,

Some good info above by nyslowhand.

What has worked best for me has been to not draw the bow until I foresee a "reasonable chance" for shot opportunity that's about to happen. After that, the timing of my draw is when the deers head is turned or is passing behind a tree. I also prefer to draw as a deer is walking.

I never liked the idea of drawing the bow and having to hold it for long periods of time. I don't practice much that way. And whose to say the deer you just drew on isn't about to stop and stay motionless for 5 minutes. This will happen to you as a bow hunter at one time or another but if you can avoid it by not being "draw happy" why not?

In short I draw when a deer is in my range or just about to be. As long as the shot is broadside or quartering away. and when deer gives me the chance. I can't think of many Lost chances at deer because I waited to long to draw.

[Doc]

I'm wondering how long can you guys hold a bow at full draw and still feel confident you can place a good shot on a deer? Do you prefer to draw your bow back as the deer is coming in? Or not until you're sure you've got a sure shot?

Thanks,

Rookie bow hunter

Never timed it, but I do know that no matter how much let-off your bow has, there still is a finite window of time before you begin to lose accuracy.

 

Yes there is an optimum time to draw, and we don't always get it right. It can be an amazing amount of time between when the deer is first seen, and when it reaches the perfect location for a good shot within your distance capabilities. I have seen deer stop for no apparent reason and just stare for several minutes. I have been at full draw during a few of those staring sessions waiting for that critter to move into position. I have also been forced to let down because I could feel that time window closing.

 

No matter what your decision is as to when to draw, there will come a time when that decision is wrong. That's one of the things that adds the challenge to bow hunting.

[nyslowhand]

But it looks so simple & easy on the TV hunting shows...  You see a deer 80yrds away, go to full draw, you can count all 20pts, 5min later it's in range & broadside, your unphased & rock steady, launch an arrow, perfect shot, dead deer, high fives, off to the taxidermist. How hard can that be?? Kidding, of course!

[moog5050]

Tip - the more you keep your bow and body in correct alignment, the easier the bow is to hold at full draw using back tension.  Not always the easiest thing to do in hunting situations.  I agree with others, draw when you can do so without being noticed.

[jrussell]

Thanks for all of the input and suggestions, you guys are awesome! This year will be my first season bow hunting and I'm pretty damn excited for the challenge ahead. I'll be shooting standing up from a tree stand and using a compound bow. While I'm at the range I'll start practicing holding for a while and then shooting to mimic what you guys have said above.  

[dbHunterNY]

all when you won't be noticed.  I've had to watch deer come straight in a 100+ yards and then completely pass by before drawing to shoot.  also depends on what bow I'm using.  if I've got my recurve with no let off I don't have a choice.

[Five Seasons]

I've only been busted drawing once and I'm not sure how that sly doe even did it. I typically wait for an opportunity where the deer is behind a tree or head down. Hoping it will just be 30 seconds or less for them to step out. I hunt enough thick stuff where it's never been an issue. I don't practice holding and releasing and probably should, so for me my muscle memory is to hold till i can steady my aim and release.

[dbHunterNY]

Thanks for all of the input and suggestions, you guys are awesome! This year will be my first season bow hunting and I'm pretty damn excited for the challenge ahead. I'll be shooting standing up from a tree stand and using a compound bow. While I'm at the range I'll start practicing holding for a while and then shooting to mimic what you guys have said above.  

 

best of luck....

 

here's a good link.  click on each picture to pull up an individual article.

http://www.fieldandstream.com/articles/hunting/2015/07/shoot-like-a-champ-levi-morgans-tips-for-better-bowhunting-accuracy

 

...those who are good shots are always working to improve their shooting, versus simply going out and just flinging arrows.  if you can find outdoor 3D shoots in your area they're fun and good practice too.

[jrussell]

best of luck....

 

here's a good link.  click on each picture to pull up an individual article.

http://www.fieldandstream.com/articles/hunting/2015/07/shoot-like-a-champ-levi-morgans-tips-for-better-bowhunting-accuracy

 

...those who are good shots are always working to improve their shooting, versus simply going out and just flinging arrows.  if you can find outdoor 3D shoots in your area they're fun and good practice too.

Thanks for article. The range I go to has a 3D course so I'll definitely check that out. 

[dbHunterNY]

there's some other great advice related to experiences of deer reacting to the shot in some MidwestWhitetail.com videos, but it might take some digging.

 

....you'll sit definitely learn by shooting a deer best but this stuff will hopefully lessen the learning curve.

Edited August 6, 2015 by dbHunterNY

[Jeremy K]

Adrenaline will help hold it back,it could also make you miss the shot. I found when I'm at full draw and a deer is aproaching ,it helps alot to hook your thumb knuckle (the one closet to your wrist) behind your jaw bone ,takes some more weight off the amount you are holding back.

[Elmo]

Holding the draw back hasn't been a problem for me. It's my left arm (I'm right handed so I draw back with my right) holding up the bow that starts to fatigue and tremble first.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[SCbklyn]

I can hold at full draw, comfortably, for just under 2 min. amd still hit what I'm aiming at. Maybe that doesn't seem like much but since i strengthened my core, back and shoulders my hold time has increased.

[SCbklyn]

I can hold at full draw, comfortably, for just under 2 min. amd still hit what I'm aiming at. Maybe that doesn't seem like much but since i strengthened my core, back and shoulders my hold time has increased. This is under range conditions. I don't draw on deer until I have a shot opportunity.

[grampy]

Due to two bad shoulders, and my compound turned down to just over 50 pounds. I can only hold at full draw a very short time. When I started bow hunting way back when, it was with a recurve. I learned to draw find the target and release very quickly with that bow. It's what is keeping me in the game of bow hunting now. There has been a time or two when I have had to hold on a deer that hung up. But most of my bow kills have been wait till they are in range, head down, looking the other way or behind a tree. Then very smoothly, draw, pick the spot and release. So as well as practicing holding, holding, holding. Practice the quick, draw, pick your spot and release. Both ways, will serve you well in your bowhunting years to come.

[nyslowhand]

Nothing to do with OP's question, but a tip for a newbie. Practicing with a block or 3-D target on the ground, with a horizontal arrow's flight is slightly different than hitting the same vitals at an angled shot from up in a tree. You have to mentally visualize where the vitals are and adjust your aim point to hit them. Basically, compensating for the angle of the shoot! Especially true with closer shots, where shot angle is pretty steep. Also, deer rarely pose completely broadside, so that compensating angle comes into effect too. Wish I had it available, but there was a great animated (game) practice for this visualization somewhere on the web. Possibly on Deer and Deer Hunting's website...?

[G-Man]

I don't draw till I have a shot and my hold is less than 10 seconds. Slow movement is key if you have to raise or lower your bow to draw it your pulling to much weight and. Your rapid draw is what the deer sees or you must draw early and hold waiting for shot, that is bad for shoulders Esp rotator cuff, you should be able to hold your bow out at arms legnth and use a push pull method to draw, using your bow as a screen between you and the animal. This results in a slow quiet draw with minimal movement, too many time I watch people raise the bow draw, then try and put kisser button in the corner of mouth,and then settle in to aim way to much movement for hunting!!!

a push pull method pulls the string to your anchor point and aim point in one motion and you can shoot instantly. Lower your poundage take a slow draw and see how effective it is in the woods, you can be a great shot and have little drop with a high poundage bow, but you give up a lot and learn to depend on longer shots to connect, I'd rather shoot closer deer ( learn woodsmanship movement especially) I don't miss at 10 yards...

[nyslowhand]

Exactly what I was trying to imply. I always stand up when I originally see the deer and position my body for the shot opportunity, slow and deliberate movements. As deer approaches, bow is then raised. When deer is about to step into opening where I can shoot, bow is then drawn slowly, straight back. Since I'm a dinosaur, my hold time is in the 20-30sec max time frame. Works for me! One final semi-related issue with hold time. For a newbie, lets start out with shots on a standing deer & not take shots at one that's walking. A gut shot disaster waiting to happen! If the deer doesn't stop, make him/her stop with some sort of noise. I made a blat with my mouth, which sounds more like a sheep or calf than a deer, but it works. How loud? Loud enough to get their attention, but not so loud it startles them and puts them on alert. May have to make sounds multiple times, each one somewhat louder until you get their attention.

 

Oh yeah, then there's buck fever. Going to let you experience that for yourself and not try to explain it.