{"id":865,"date":"2022-05-04T08:47:41","date_gmt":"2022-05-04T08:47:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/huntingal.com\/?p=865"},"modified":"2023-06-09T06:18:27","modified_gmt":"2023-06-09T06:18:27","slug":"best-crossbow-season-2022","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/huntingal.com\/best-crossbow-season-2022\/","title":{"rendered":"15 Tips to Make 2022 Your Best Crossbow Hunting Season Ever"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The hunting season is almost upon us, and I\u2019m sure y\u2019all are raring to go. I know we\u2019re all excited, and I just wanted to take some time to write a quick article on 15 tips to make this your best crossbow hunting season ever. These are just short little pieces of advice to take into consideration before you get started. Hunting is my favorite way to relax, and I\u2019ve spent a hell of a lot of time over the years and picked up a decent amount of knowledge. Take advantage of my old age and years of experience to make your next hunting<\/a> trip of success. The world has changed a lot since I first got started, but the hobby has remained largely the same. There\u2019s a lot of new technology available, but at the end of the day it\u2019s just you, your bow, and the prey. So, let\u2019s get started on this list of tips!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Master Your Weapon<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

All the tips on this list are pretty useless if you don\u2019t have good control over your weapon. I\u2019ve written several articles on the mechanics of using a crossbow<\/a>, so if you\u2019re a true beginner make sure y\u2019all head over there to learn how to set yourself up for success. There\u2019s more to crossbows than meet the eye, so don\u2019t go out there unawares<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Maintain Your Gear<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The hunting season spans at least a few months, and if you\u2019re an avid hunter that\u2019s taking advantage of every opportunity to hunt, it\u2019s going to take a toll on your gear. Take every step necessary to maintain your gear – especially your weapon. Read the manufacturer\u2019s manual for your crossbow, and make sure you\u2019re taking the time to keep your weapon in tip top shape. If the manual is unclear, a quick web search will be all you need to make sure you\u2019re taking care of the bow correctly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Get There First<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Hunting<\/a> is often a solitary sport, but that doesn\u2019t mean your hunting ground is going to be abandoned. Do your best to arrive as soon as possible to stake out your spot and beat the competition. It\u2019s not unheard of to even arrive around midnight. Find your spot, grab a sleeping bag, and be ready to go at the first sign of light.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. Avoid Vehicle Noise<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

As tempting as it is to drive right up to your hunting<\/a> ground, the truth is that animals spook easily. Make sure y\u2019all are parking a decent ways away and approaching the grounds slowly to ensure your prey is caught unawares. Hunting in general is about being quiet and methodical, and taking any steps you can to avoid unnecessary noise will definitely pay off.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

5. Stay Comfortable<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

You know how I mentioned bringing a sleeping bag in the point above? Make sure you have a comfortable bag and some sort of way to stay warm when you camp out for the night. Even in warmer locations it can get pretty darn chilly at night, so y\u2019all want to avoid an uncomfortable night\u2019s rest at all cost. Hunting<\/a> while you\u2019re exhausted is a surefire way to miss out on a kill.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

6. Don\u2019t Sweat It<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Continuing on the point above, make sure you dress in a way that will minimize sweating. I\u2019m telling y\u2019all from experience, getting really sweaty can make for some mighty cold conditions when the weather starts to turn. Being wet is uncomfortable and dangerous, so make sure you\u2019re dressing for the weather in breathable clothing that will keep you dry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

7. Avoid Pointless Tracking<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If you notice another hunter tracking a deer, it\u2019s honestly pretty pointless to do the same. I promise y\u2019all, there\u2019s more than one deer out there. If another hunter beats you to it, cut your losses and move on. In the long run, you\u2019ll avoid frustrating both yourself and your competitor. On the off chance you get the kill, you\u2019ve gone ahead and pissed off a fellow hunter. Be courteous and efficient, and you\u2019ll see much better results.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

8. Take it Slow<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s easy to get frustrated if you\u2019re not seeing any success when you\u2019re on your trip, but make sure you\u2019re taking the time to stop and wait at regular intervals. Deer are evasive and shy creatures, and if you keep moving from place to place and making noise it\u2019s very likely that you\u2019re never going to be able to seize the opportunity to make a great shot. I want to stress to y\u2019all the importance of patience. Hunting is largely a waiting game, so take some time to relax and keep your eyes peeled.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

9. Pay Attention to Noise<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Hearing is a very important sense when it comes to hunting. This tip ties in with the previous one, in that it\u2019s important to take the time and listen for your prey in addition to looking for them. Walk slowly from place to place and keep your ears sharp and attentive. As soon as you hear a rustle, stop and look around. It could be absolutely nothing, or it could be exactly what you\u2019re looking for!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

10. Try a Solo Drive<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

A good strategy that you\u2019re probably familiar with is the idea of a hunting<\/a> \u201cdrive\u201d. For y\u2019all that aren\u2019t familiar with the idea, it essentially refers to placing hunters in different locations and making some noise to spook deer into moving. This is a great strategy for forcing your prey out of hiding, and it\u2019s actually possible to do it yourself. Walk into an area with the wind at your back and make a little bit of noise. Once you\u2019ve passed through make a circle and do it again. The deer may be confused and make some mistakes, opening you up for the perfect shot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For the solo hunters among us, this is a great tip that may lead to some great success!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

11. Clear the Line of Fire<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

When you get into position at a spot you\u2019d like to camp for awhile, practice lining up a shot from each direction. Pay attention to any brush or leaves that are in your line of site, and brush them aside. Y\u2019all should definitely take the time to do this so that you don\u2019t miss out on a perfect shot. There\u2019s nothing worse than spotting a deer and having your view blocked by a stray branch. It really stinks, trust me!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

12. Keep Your Surroundings Safe<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Before you set yourself up to wait for a good shot, it\u2019s important to make sure your surroundings are safe. Like it or not, humans aren\u2019t the only dangerous animals out there in the woods. The last thing you\u2019ll want is to encounter a coyote or bear when you\u2019re just after some deer. Consider packing a close range firearm in case you find yourself in a dangerous situation. Crossbows are good for hunting, but a shotgun is a hell of a lot more effective if you find yourself threatened.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

13. Learn How to Follow a Blood Trail<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Unfortunately, a lot of the times you\u2019ll wound an animal and fail to take it down on the first try. It\u2019s guaranteed that a deer will try to flee when injured, so it\u2019s important to learn how to follow a trail of blood and swoop in for that final kill. You\u2019ll wanna take little bits of paper and mark each little pool of blood you find so that you can easily follow the path. Follow slowly and methodically until you find your prey again. Just make sure you go back and pick up the paper when you\u2019re done. Ain\u2019t nothin worse than a litterbug!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

14. Make Sure Your Prey Is Dead – Safely!<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

When you can\u2019t tell if a deer is injured or dead, it\u2019s important to take precautions before approaching your kill. On popular hunting shows, hunters will often prod their prey with a weapon to make sure it\u2019s actually dead. That\u2019s really stupid, y\u2019all. The last thing you want is a spooked deer to jump up and startle you when there\u2019s really nothing you can do about it. Pick up a stone and toss it at the corpse to make sure it\u2019s actually dead before you start your approach. It\u2019s super important for safety, trust me!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

15. Don\u2019t Get Discouraged<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019ve been hunting for a long, long time, and even I often end hunting trips with a disappointing result. Like it or not, the prey we\u2019re hunting has developed a keen sense of survival. Deer are built with self preservation in mind, and it\u2019s more than likely you\u2019ll sometimes end a day with zero kills.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The hunting season is pretty long. Don\u2019t sweat the small stuff, and look forward to another day. As thrilling as it is to get a kill, there\u2019s a lot of benefits to hunting as a hobby that make it enjoyable by default. Spend some time connecting to nature, enjoy the solitude or the company of close friends, and take some time to relax. As mentioned above, hunting is a waiting game. Try to frame that waiting as relaxing rather than discouraging, and you\u2019ll be well on your way to a more successful hunting season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I really hope that y\u2019all have gotten some good use out of these 15 tips to make this your best crossbow hunting season ever. By taking the time to properly prepare and taking advantage of some solid strategies, I\u2019m confident that you can improve your odds of a quality kill.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The hunting season is almost upon us, and I\u2019m sure y\u2019all are raring to go. I know we\u2019re all excited, and I just wanted to take some time to write a quick article on 15 tips to make this your best crossbow hunting season ever. These are just short little pieces of advice to take … Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1044,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/huntingal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/865"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/huntingal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/huntingal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/huntingal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/huntingal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=865"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/huntingal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/865\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1579,"href":"https:\/\/huntingal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/865\/revisions\/1579"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/huntingal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1044"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/huntingal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=865"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/huntingal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=865"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/huntingal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=865"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}