Just for the record books...

[iowabow]

Aiming isn't not hitting "east African proverb" proven and tested by this "hopless hunter" (name given by my 10 year old son). I have fired my bow 15 times and missed every time. Now I did give one one deer a bloody nose. The arrow made her jump back and she hit her nose on a sapling that left a blood trail. I even thought I hit that deer because i could not find my arrow and there was blood up the trail, after tracking my deer and reviewing the point of impart my neighbor found my arrow in the ground at the spot I fired. There was no blood on the arrow (you can imagine the confussion). You may ask why such bad luck or what is wrong with this guy but i want you to know that i have hunted deer for years with smoke pole and compound with much success. I found that with the primative bow I look at the deer not the spot i am firing at lol and I did not cut large enough arrow lanes (I hit scores of limbs most at 10 or 15 yards) for the primitive bow. Now with all of that said this has been the best hunting season of my life. THIS IS JUST NOT THE SAME GAME. P.S. I Practiced every day this summer.

[Sparrow]

 Sounds like you are having alot of fun.  The journey, Eh ! ?  '  Frank

[Pat B]

It all changes when a live hairy target steps in your shooting lane!   I missed the first 9 I shot at(over their back) and wounded the 10th(not fatally) before I shot a doe that was standing 8' from my tree, almost straight down which is probably one of the hardest shots. Go figure!    Since then I have missed one that was way too far to start off.
  Picking a spot is the "trick" to scoring during a hunt but missing sure isn't the end of the world. I would have liked to have just seen a deer on one of my 6 hunts this year.  

[iowabow]

I learned to hunt deer much better because I had to set up all stands and blind at 15 yards. Never before did I see and have deer so close and so regularly as during this season. I think in the early season I saw deer every other time I went out. Next year will be very different the transition period will be over. I do have second season starting tomorrow.

[Christophero]

I'm right there with you, Iawabow.  I've had them close but I flub it at the moment of truth.  Put a rifle, sluggun or the like in my hands and the animal will die but these simple stick bows really mess with my focus. 
We'll keep trying because this form of hunting has smittened us.

[gstoneberg]

If truth were told I suspect nearly all of us struggled when we started.  Fortunately stick bows are quiet.  I've killed 2 does that were sniffing the errant arrow from my first shot when the second arrow arrived.  I got one particularly curious doe on the 4th shot! What finally worked for me was to begin the "pick a spot" concentration the minute I saw the deer (or hog).  From that point on I thought of nothing else and the arrow launched seemingly by itself.  Unfortunately, that had the unintended consequence of making small branches between me and the animal nearly invisible until my arrow deflected off them.  After taking a few deer and hogs the concentration became automatic and I began to be able to act more normal.  I have a chronic problem shooting over game so I always pick a spot that I think will take out the heart.  That gives me a little more room for error.  You will get it, game is not like targets.  Once you kill one and get some confidence it will go much better.  Sounds like you have an excellent setup so it is only a matter of time.

George

[iowabow]

I read your post yesterday before I when out to hunt yesterday and........ As I stepped into the woods i jumped the deer off the bed some 40 yards from my stand. The Deer ran down in the valley and started looking everywhere. I figured they heard me but did not see me. They started heading up the hill back to the bed so being on the other side of the crest I moved low down wind to the bed and set up in on the back of a three trunked tree and waited. The deer crested the hill and head right to left at 20 yards I had one opening in the branches 2 feet wide. I started to pull the bow 4 feet before the deer entered the opening but she stopped so I eased off the string and waited to draw. She started to move so I pulled and aimed just above the spine and that is just where the arrow went just over the deer. I normally practice at 15 and at 20 the arrow drops but this time it went just where I was looking. She ran back 10 yards and a little down wind.  She started searching for me. I was frozen and three other deer walked in and locked up at 25 and that was how it remained for an hour no one moved. The wind shifted just long enough and game over.  They turned and ran down the hill and up the next ridge. I was not going to give up so I retrieved my arrow and circled down wind to a few ridges over where I knew they were headed. In the valley the trail Y's so I picked the closeest trail and set up behind a cedar. just before dark they came in but took the other trail and 8 deer filed by at 80 yards. Deer 16 me 0. I went out and set up just below the beds this morning and heard the squirrels going crazy and a boobcat appears on the south ridge and was headed toward the stand but he cut west of me and up the ridge behind me. I called to him and he came into 20 yards but I could not shoot out of season. He left and came back in 30 mins later and still out as of season.

[Pat B]

You are supposed to look where you want the arrow to go.  Let your brain do the calculating.
  Sounds like a great time in the woods yesterday and this morning. I love it when the boobcats come in!   

[gstoneberg]

Dang, I had a long post all typed which very verbosely said what Pat said so simply.  I couldn't agree more.

Good luck and make sure your camera is with you next time...you're going to need it.

George

[iowabow]

It is going to be real windy in the morning 7 wind chill. Just how cold can an osage bow go. What temp should it not be hunted with. The temp in the morning  is going to be 23. I did not see any deer this morning or evening so tomorrow is the day. I got this just look where the arrow needs to go. I am going to say this phrase all morning. I am real impressed with my deer hide bow string, I have hunted almost every day save rain and gun season sense oct 1st. How many shots before I need to make a new one. I need to post a picture of how I tied the ends they have held together real well. My bow is strung for hours and hours and that string keeps going. I made two strings one from milkweed and one from flax and they both broke after a week of hunting. Also the deer string is very quite when fired. I am going to make one out of squirrel hide for next year. I know i am a little off topic but it still relates I think to hunting. If there is anyone in the southest Iowa area that wants some osage I saw that one of my osage trees was washed out by the creek. I have like 15 staves don't really think I need anymore so if want it it is free but you will have to cut it and carry it out. 

[gstoneberg]

The only osage bow I shot in very cold temps was sinew backed.  I killed a deer with it at -10.  I don't think you'll have any trouble.  I would draw it a few times to warm it (and you) up every now and then.  Maybe somebody else has broken one in the cold, but nobody I hunted with in the Nebraska Traditional Archers broke any in the cold that I know of.  You'll have more trouble getting your arms to bend in the cold than the bow I'd think.  I know I did.  Now I'm seriously spoiled in the Texas temps.  It was 82 today.   Doesn't seem like Christmas-time to me.

Can't help you on the string question, mine are all B50.  It is very cool that your rawhide string is working so well.  I'd certainly like to see a picture.

George

[iowabow]

here is a picture of my string loop it is the same at the other end

[iowabow]

I had a crazy hunt today, As you know I have fired 16 times and missed everytime. I was sitting in the stand just before day break rehearsing the advise from all of you and a deer walked in down wind and came in to 20 yards and locked up. I keep watching the deer from over my shoulder when it occurred to me that I was suppose to be picking a spot not watching the deer. I shifted gears and started picking a spot and that was what I focused on for practice. This deer stood for 5 mins then turned and raised its tail and ran back down wind. Three minutes later a small doe came ruining in from up wind (the wind speed to day is 20 MPH) and before I could draw on the deer in the 15 yard lane it was under the stand (a shot I did not practice for) The deer was 2 steps from the tree how hard could that be? I fire an arrow and it went over its' back.  the doe walked out to 20 yards and I fired (not picking a spot because I was in a hurry and surprised that I had missed) and this time I shot low. The deer never knew I had fired a shot and walked off. Then a doe came in fast again and was through the 20 yard lane to the left before I could pull the bow. This deer stopped under the stand to the left when I heard another deer coming in from in front of me but it stopped at 40 I could see it was a buck. The deer to my left below the stand walked off down wind. Now things get really going because another doe at 70yards to the right is crossing a ditch and heading up the hill toward me but hit my trail and blows but continues across the hill to my right. Now the buck decides to come in and at 15 yards I pick a hair and pull the bow and with a good release the arrow hits the deer perfect! and the deer runs down the hill with my arrow a good 6 inches in the lung behind the shoulder. I look at my watch and I call my friend to come help my track the deer. We decided we would wait an hour before we go after the deer. So I finish my phone call and put my phone in my pocket and pick up my bow and a doe walks in to the same opening as the buck but turns torward the stand so at 8 yards again straight down I shot right over the doe (yes I have two tags). I was not unhappy because I hit the buck. My friend shows up and we track the buck 90 yards and find the arrow, it looks like it went in the deer a good 7 inches and then the blood trail ends. We spent  hours and hours looking for the deer and checked creeks bedding areas and still no deer, I going back out tthis afternoon to look again. We found no more blood after checking every trail for 80 acres. This was a very well placed shot and at 11 yards so I must have hit bone what do you think? the shot was behind the shoulder and 2-3 inches high from center of lung.  20 shots now no dead deer,,,,, aiming is not hitting and hitting is not killing. I worked for two weeks to figure out feeding patterns and cross trails on this stand I had 4 to 5 deer coming from all directions wow! great set up I just cant bring this primitive thing to home plate.

[iowabow]

I am shooting a 515 grain arrow and a 55 lbs bow.

[Pat B]

Welcome to the world of hunting. I hope you recover your deer. Sounds like you had enough penetration if you hit vitals.