Archery Hunting Information

Hunting with a bow and arrow, or archery hunting, is the most intimate form of close encounter a hunter can participate in today. 

The sounds of an animals hoof prints in the leaves or the close up encounter with a majestic bull elk are just some of the pleasure that archery hunters enjoy.  Archery hunting is also a lightweight style of hunting that provides a feeling of freedom for many hunters.  Archery hunting also connects hunters to their ancestral roots as a human searching for prey in a wild outdoor environment.  With recent advances in technology archery hunters can now choose the latest high tech compound alloy archery equipment or choose the most primitive and artfully constructed long bow.

Special Archery Hunting Opportunities

One of the draws of archery hunting is the numerous types of archery hunting season types that are available to the hunter.  Archers, in most states enjoy an earlier season opener for elk hunting.  This allows archers to call or bugle elk during the rut long before the general season rifle hunters can hunt. 

There are also many wildlife rich developed areas, particularly in the eastern states whereby archers enjoy special seasons that are often guided by weapons restrictions due to nearby development and higher densities of people.  It is in thee special archery only hunt areas that hunters can often take more than one deer to help fish and game departments manage urban wildlife populations.

Archery Equipment

Archery equipment has benefited from advanced technology.  Compound bows can now be purchased that enable lightweight draws and yet still maintain lethal trajectories and power.  For the more primitive hunter there are still many long and stick bow craftsmen that build these beautiful and effective bows.  There are also long bow societies in which archery hunters can join and learn more abut their craft.  For many hunters, there is an almost spiritual connection to hunting with primitive archery equipment.  New lightweight arrow shafts and lethal broad heads also ensure a clean and efficient harvest of game animals.

Guided Archery Hunts

For the archery hunter who enjoys well prepared meals, remote lodging options and an expert guide to assist during the hunt, a guided archery hunt is a wise choice.  Many archery outfitters utilize pre-hung tree stands for archers in well known big game travel areas.  These locations are often monitored closely by the outfitter are often locations of successful archery hunts in the past.  Another advantage if choosing a guided archery hunt is that many outfitters provide horses and wranglers.  This is especially important on an elk hunt in the Rocky Mountains.  Outfitted elk hunts can assist the hunters during the field dressing part of the hunt and most importantly, pack you elk out of the mountains on horseback.

Where to Archery Hunt

If big bucks and bull are what you are seeking, the Pope and Young website shares hunt locations by county and state for entries into their record book.   State fish and game department websites also offer online hunt planners that often highlight special archery hunting opportunities. 

Probably the best advice for archers to be successful is to hunt where nobody else has been hunting.  Often a short hike will separate you from all of the other hunters and place you in close proximity to undisturbed game.  Check with your local rod and gun club to learn about local hunting spots that are often quite productive and not well known.

Indoor Archery Ranges

In the northern tier of states it is difficult to practice archery hunting during the winter months.  For this reason an archery league at your local archery dealer is a great option.  These indoor facilities are now available in many communities and offer various types of competition and practice options for the archery hunter.  In many cases these indoor archery leagues are quite a social experience and many new hunting friends can be made. 

During the warmer months, especially prior to the beginning of the general archery season, there are numerous local outdoor archery courses available to the archer with life sized big game decoys located on a well mapped trail.  Regardless of the season, an indoor archery range is a wise option to maintain proficiency with your archery equipment.