Backyard Practice

Just out in the backyard shooting my bow on this beautiful spring day.
Great grouping at 20 yards...

Good grouping at 30 yards...



Decent grouping at 40 yards...

DETERMINING DISTANCE

One of the first things I do once I’m settled in my stand it to dig out my
range finder and start shooting ranges to unique landmarks around my stand.
I range a couple landmarks out to around 30 yards and a few more in at
around 20 yards. I memorize those ranges and put my range finder away. The
less movement I have to make when the deer is in visual range, the better.
I am of the belief that a range finder is as important to the archery
hunter as is an elevated stand….its not required but it sure makes things
easer.

NO RANGE FINDER?

But what if you don’t have a range finder or that buck shows up before you
can utilize your range finder? Are we then forced to “ballpark” the range
and hope for a good shot? Sadly, many hunters do exactly that and end up
with poor hits. We have an ethical responsibility to make every effort to
try to get the most humane kill possible.

I’m not sure where it ranks but I’d be willing to bet that range
miscalculation is one of the biggest factors for poorly hit game and sheer
misses when it comes to archery hunting. I freely admit to whiffing at my
first opportunity at a buck with a bow because I didn’t correctly calculate
the range.

HOW TO CALCULATE RANGE

So how do we calculate range? How do we know if that deer is at 22 yards or
29 yards? Not a big difference, but I would have to use different pins. But
have no fear my friend, we only need to calculate 10 yards and the ONLY way
to determine that (without a range finder) is by experience.

Measure out 10 yards in your backyard and then count how many natural steps
it takes you to go that distance. Do this a few times to get a good
average. Now start testing yourself. As you walk down the sidewalk, move
through the hallways at work, mow your lawn, or walk the dog, find an
object you believe it 10 yards away and count how many paces it takes you
to get there. Pretty soon, you will nail down that 10 yard distance. Then
get in the woods and test yourself. Distances seem different when in the
field.

APPLYING OUR PRACTICE IN THE FIELD

Now back to that question about the deer being 22 or 29 yards away. By the
time hunting season rolls around, we are experts at determining how far 10
yards is, right? So find the 10 yard marker in the direction of the deer.
Using that landmark, look beyond and determine the NEXT 10 yard marker, and
so on until your deer falls within your marker. For our example, we only
had to find two markers so we KNOW our deer is at LEAST 20 yards away. Now
it’s a simple calculation to determine if the deer is closer to your second
10 yard marker, closer to your third 10 yard marker, or closer to the exact
midpoint. For us, our deer is not quite midway between our markers and
seems to be a bit closer to the second marker. Yep...about 22 yards.

CONCLUSION

I advocate using your electronic range finder whenever you can to give you
an exact distance. But for those times when things happen too fast or it
just isn’t practical, you are now armed with being able to calculate your
shooting range for a quick and humane shot.

If you would like to discuss this or any other archery topic with me
directly, please feel free to email me at toddlydell@gmail.com.
Check out my instructional archery videos at www.youtube.com/archery64.
AND COMING SOON….www.thinkarchery.com!!!!

IT'S ABOUT TIME!!!

To be honest…there are a lot of things that frustrate me about hunting in
Pennsylvania.
* Nearly 1.5 million hunters in the woods each fall
* Antler restrictions
* Late starting archery season
* You’re only allowed ONE buck each season
* Anyone can use a crossbow
* Split antlered and antlerless firearm seasons
* Not able to use inline muzzleloaders for early AND late seasons
* Mountain Laurel

However, I will give this commonwealth kudos on a couple things…they don’t
allow Sunday hunting and with some restrictions, they do allow spotting or
shining.

AN AWFUL IDEA

But there’s one thing that has been a source of annoyance to me and many
other Pennsylvania hunters for many years.
Pennsylvania is one of only two states (New York being the other) that
require hunters to display their hunting license information on their back
while hunting. I don’t know who came up with this idea but it is one of the
most ridiculous laws I have ever heard of.

The print is so small that a Game Commission Officer would have to be
within 10 feet of you to read the information without the aid of optics.
The holders you HAVE TO BUY are prone to be wiped off your body if a branch
happens to swipe your back and, because you can’t see it, you have no idea
where or when it fell off. To top it all off, you are charged a fee to get
a replacement!

NEW LEGISLATION

Republican Representative Keith Gillespie (York County) has recently
introduced legislation that would no longer make it a requirement that
hunters display their license information on a back tag. I say it’s about
time!

If you live or hunt in Pennsylvania, call, write, or email your local state
representative to voice your support for this legislation.

CONCLUSION

If you know of any arcane or outdated game laws that are still on the books
in your state, let me know about them by leaving your comments at the end
of this blog.

If you would like to discuss this or any other archery topic with me
directly, please feel free to email me at toddlydell@gmail.com.

And don’t forget to check out my instructional archery videos at
www.youtube.com/archery64.

TARGET PANIC

We’ve all heard the horror stories of the hapless hunter who has succumbed
to buck fever so badly that the only injury inflicted is to the hunter’s
ego. And unless you have absolutely no passion for the sport, any hunter
who has drawn a bead or put a cross hair on a wild animal, experiences some
form of buck fever….even if you are a veteran hunter and your prey is a
squirrel. The “fever” can range from mild excitement to a complete mental
and physical meltdown.

My “Buck Fever”

We are four weeks into our 2011 winter archery league and for the first
three and a half weeks, I was shooting scores at my 2006 levels.

Here’s what was happening…As I would come to full draw, everything seemed
fine. But at release, almost every shot would go to the left by one half to
a full inch. I knew my form wasn’t the issue because prior to the league
starting I was packing them in pretty good. That also eliminated the
possibility of my sights being off. When if comes to hunting, I can live
with being an inch off at 20 yards. But in competition, an inch is huge.

What is Target Panic

There is a phenomenon in all forms of target shooting called target panic.
This is similar to buck fever in that the shooter becomes unable to
consistently hit what they are aiming at. And just like buck fever, target
panic has various levels of annoyance and frustration. In target shooting,
it is usually not an on-going problem but it does rear its ugly head every
so often.

As week 4 of our league began, I was once again missing to the left. Out of
30 arrows, I only had seven in the bullseye. During these 30 arrows, I
realized that while I may have been locating the center of the target at
full draw, I was not maintaining that eye contact during my aiming process.
In archery, it is vital that you obtain and KEEP eye contact with the spot
you want to hit until after your release.

A Fix for My Target Panic

At our 15 minute halftime break, I decided to try something. Once I come to
full draw, it usually takes me about 5-6 seconds before I release the
arrow. This time, I went up to the 10 yard line, came to full draw,
acquired the center of the target (which looked to be about the size of a
bus), and held it for at about 15 seconds before releasing my arrow. Of
course I was hitting high at 10 yards but it only took a few arrows before
I was hitting DIRECTLY ABOVE DEAD CENTER every time! No more left!

When the second half started, I found I was better able to maintain eye
contact with the center of the target at full draw….so much better in fact
that out of 30 arrows, I hit the bullseye 23 times!

I have decided that part of my “pre-game” preparation will now include
about 12 arrows shot at 10 yards while holding eye contact with my spot for
at least 15 seconds for each arrow.

Conclusion

I’m not saying that the 10 yard routine I came up with will cure your
target panic. Heck…it may not even be the cure the next time I have target
panic. But if you are having trouble consistently hitting the spot you are
aiming at and everything else seems to be in order, you may have target
panic and my remedy may help.

If you would like to discuss this or any other archery topic with me
directly, please feel free to email me at toddlydell@gmail.com.

And don’t forget to check out my instructional archery videos at
www.youtube.com/archery64.

INSIDE CORNERS

Yeah, I know…another baseball analogy. But have you ever paid attention to
a baseball player and how he runs the bases when he’s going for that extra
base? If he is going from first to third on a hit, he will touch second
base on the inside corner. Why?...because the shortest distance between
first and third base involves the runner touching the inside corner of
second base. This route gets the runner to third base in the quickest
manner.

There are inside corners in hunting too and deer use them in the exact same
manner as our base runner.
My illustration below is behind my house. We have a piece of woods with a
field cut into it and a road running to the north and east of the property.

Deer are basically lazy creatures and to get from one point to the next
they will use a route that is the most direct, has the least resistance,
but still offers adequate cover. The shortest distance between points A and
B involves the deer touching the inside corner of the field. Sound familiar
to our base runner?

You must pay special attention to the wind when hunting inside corners.
Ideally, this spot should be hunted with a north wind and the hunter should
approach the stand site (“S”) from the south by cutting across the field.
The stand should be placed on the downwind side of any trails cutting the
inside corner.

You can’t see it from this aerial photo but just to the north of the deer
trail the ground slopes very steeply down to the road. Since the deer avoid
the road and prefer not to climb the steep hill, I have a nearly perfect
funnel situation. I even drive my truck into the field and park it about
200 yards from the corner so that the deer won’t cut across the field
behind me.





Inside corners can be hotspots. And while you may not see much deer sign in
these locations, you can be assured that deer are passing through. These
are especially good spots during the rut when bucks are cruising all day
looking for does.

And don’t forget to check out my instructional archery videos at
www.youtube.com/archery64.

TOPO MAP 101

Reading a topographical map can be confusing, But, by identifying a few
basic terrain terrains features and understanding how deer use those
features you can quickly find some good hunting locations without leaving
your kitchen table.
Contour lines on a topo map show different elevations. On a standard 7.5
minute series topo map, the lines are spaced at 10 foot intervals….the
closer the lines the steeper the terrain.
To assist you in getting a better understanding of a flat topo map, I’d
like to introduce you to a 3D topo map that you can take anywhere. Make a
fist and cock your wrist like you’re looking at your watch. Now follow
along.

A (Hilltop) – The most easily identifiable terrain feature on a topo map.
Excellent points of reference for orienteering oneself in the field. On
your 3D topo map, each of your knuckles represents a hilltop.
B (Ridge) – Formed by a series of adjoined hilltops. Whitetails love
ridges. Look for bucks to bed about two-thirds of the way up. Pay attention
to morning and evening thermals when hunting sides of ridges. Your line of
knuckles form a ridge.
C (Saddle) - The area between two adjoining hilltops. They are lower in
elevation than the hilltops and can serve as a travel route for deer to get
from one side of the ridge to the other. This is the area between two
knuckles.
D (Incline/Decline) - The closer the contour lines are to each other on the
topo map, the steeper the terrain. This information can be invaluable for
determining easy travel routes to and from a hunting location. On the map
below, notice how steep that hill is coming down to the lake from the
north. The area on the back of your hand going from your knuckles to your
watch is a good example of a steep hill.
E (Draw) – A slightly depressed and elongated terrain feature that usually
comes up from a low area to a saddle between two hilltops. Deer will use
draws as travel routes to get on the ridge in the morning to bed and off
the ridge in the evening to feed. This is the crease between your fingers
that points to the area between your knuckles.
F (Spur or Point) – A slightly elevated and elongated terrain feature that
usually goes down from a hilltop to a low-lying area. Bucks especially will
use spurs as bedding areas. This is the back of your finger that runs down
from your knuckle.



Combine a topo map with an aerial photo (all available for free online) and
you have a potent combination of hunting tools at your disposal for quickly
finding hot ambush sites.

And don’t forget to check out my instructional archery videos at
www.youtube.com/archery64.

DEFINITIONS

Definitions for common archery and hunting terms….sort of.

ARCHERY – a primitive hunting method conducted in the early fall by rifle
hunters who are tired of freezing their butts off in November.

DEER STAND – an elevated napping location.

DRAG ROPE – an important hunting article usually remembered when standing
over a downed deer five miles from the nearest road.

KNIFE – see Drag Rope.

BROADHEAD – an efficient instrument used to accidentally cut bow strings as
you get settled in your stand.

FLASHLIGHT (OR HEADLAMP) – one of the many items you drop as you climb into
your tree stand in the early morning darkness.

WIND DIRECTION – something which changes immediately after you’ve gotten
into your stand. Usually ignored until the next time you are on the ground.

ARROW TRAJECTORY – a calculation made by the bored archery hunter as he
stares down that loud-mouthed squirrel in the other tree.

DEER BLIND – usually the kind of deer I get.

BLAZE ORANGE – the first thing you see in another tree about 100 yards away
at daylight.

ELK BUGLE (OR TURKEY YELP) – the sound one makes when a pine tree decides
to release its load of snow down your neck.

RUB (OR SCRAPE) – what you must do to your eyes to wake up at 3 AM.

SCOUTING – a reason to get away from the house during late summer.

SNORT (OR WHEEZE) – what you sound like halfway up the mountain.

HEART/LUNG SHOT – what you feel halfway up the mountain

RELEASE – what your hunting partner just did to that branch that knocked
off your hat and broke your glasses.

NOISE DISCIPLINE – what you’re trying to do as you get out and open your
lunch sack. This also applies when you’re trying to open those little hand
warmer thingys that come in very noisy plastic wrap.


And don’t forget to check out my instructional archery videos at
www.youtube.com/archery64.