Noel Feather on trophy hunting

[ncboman]

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"Good bowhunters can be better bowhunters if they don't commit sins that decrease their odds for bagging any deer and especially trophy deer. Following are 10 of the most common mistakes, according to Noel Feather, that even good bowhunters -- sportsmen who have taken several deer with a bow and who have hunted for four or five years -- make.

STARTING TO TROPHY HUNT TOO QUICKLY

Most bowmen want to be trophy hunters. Once a bowhunter gets into the sport and begins to read about Boone and Crockett or Pope and Young trophy deer and about the archers who take these kinds of animals, he sets a goal for himself to become a trophy hunter. However, most of these sportsmen don't put in the hours or take enough deer to become good hunters -- much less trophy hunters.

I think these hunters are making a very big mistake and missing out on a lot of fun. As a trophy hunter, the outdoorsman may hunt all season and not even see a Pope and Young set of antlers. A buck must have extremely large antlers to make the book. A bowhunter may search his entire life for a trophy deer that's Boone and Crockett size and never find it. He'll have to let numbers of nice deer walk by without ever harvesting them.

One of the best reasons for becoming a bowhunter is to take deer with a bow. Bagging deer with a bow is what the sport is all about. Therefore the hunter who becomes a trophy hunter too quickly misses the best of bowhunting, because he's so obsessed with taking a trophy.

Another problem associated with becoming a trophy hunter too soon is if a bowhunter hasn't bagged quite a few deer with a bow, I don't believe he'll be mentally ready to take a trophy, even if the shot presents itself. If the hunter's ever going to have shaking knees and shortness of breath before a shot and be so nervous he can't hold his bow steady -- it will happen when a big set of antlers comes into bow range. Only by learning to deal with the emotional problems directly affecting arrow flight in the woods can the hunter expect to be successful. Only by taking numbers of deer can the hunter learn to control his emotions at this moment of truth.

I think the bowhunter who wants to become a trophy hunter should have bagged at least six to 10 deer with his bow before he tries to become a trophy hunter, and 20 deer would be even better. In my opinion, this idea of being a trophy hunter has been overplayed. I don't think everybody should hope to be a trophy hunter.

web page

[eshoremd]

i dont see ten reasons

[ncboman]

oh, that's because Noel put some kind of old Indian spell on the article and only the tips that apply to the individual reader show.

My tip says keep doin what I'm doin and be persistant.

What does your's say?

[eshoremd]

ncboman said:

oh, that's because Noel put some kind of old Indian spell on the article and only the tips that apply to the individual reader show.

My tip says keep doin what I'm doin and be persistant.

What does your's say?

My tip says keep doin what I'm doin and ill have my own hunting show on espn within five years

some magazine called me the other day about doing a story about the greatest hunter in the north american woods with less than 3 years experience. something about i was a shoe in. i told them im not in it for the fame

[Twanger]

Bwahahahahahahahaha. Todd - Oh man, did I get a chuckle out of that! Thanks for brightening my day! ;D
Man, we've gotta do some huntin' this fall.

Trophy Hunting to me is about the journey. Taken any other way it's just too frustrating. If scoring a big buck with a bow is your only objective, then it really sets you up for major disappointment. Spending time with friends, practicing, learning woods skills, interacting with deer, watching Bowman eat two pounds of backstrap at a sitting, hearing Rick's story about being THIS CLOSE to a huge buck, these are the things that make Trophy Hunting worth the effort... even if I come back with an unpunched tag in my pocket.

[BillCartwright]

If you are not enjoying how and why you are hunting then you are doing something wrong. For some going home empty handed is not an option, for others it is okay. I do think a person should get some bow kills under their belt and experience what bowhunting brings to you before adding pressure of passing on bucks that would be their biggest, etc. I enjoy shooting anything with my bow, whether a doe or hen turkey.

[freedomrules3]

eshoremd said:

ncboman said:

oh, that's because Noel put some kind of old Indian spell on the article and only the tips that apply to the individual reader show.

My tip says keep doin what I'm doin and be persistant.

What does your's say?

My tip says keep doin what I'm doin and ill have my own hunting show on espn within five years

some magazine called me the other day about doing a story about the greatest hunter in the north american woods with less than 3 years experience. something about i was a shoe in. i told them im not in it for the fame

of coarse your gonna show them how you call me and ask where all the hotspots are on the show too... right lmao ;D

[eshoremd]

oh sure! ill have plenty of guest appearances.

"good evening hunters and welcome to todd bonners extreme killing machine show. im your host todd bonner. today we will be spearhunting wild boar at fishing bay wma on marylands beautiful eastern shore. our guest today is amateur hunter and eastern shore native rick smitz. rick, tell us a little bit about the history of the wild boar here on marylands eastern shore."

your turn to speak rick ;D