Hey guys I am new comer to archery. Next year will be my first season. How do you guys like to hunt in it? I was thinking maybe some rattling? I don't know is it good to sit on food plots or grass or in the trees or what works best? thnx guys I love this site!
first archery season
- Thread starter jordan
- Start date
Bowhuntrben
Well-known member
I am assuming you are talking whitetails in Iowa?
I hunt the southeast corner of MN right near the Iowa border. I generally use the same tactics for archery as I do for shotgun. The main difference is finding the food source they are using during that time of the year. Do some scouting in summer. I don't know when Iowa's opener is, but in MN, you have a VERY good chance of getting a good buck the first week of the season if you know where he's been coming out all summer. After the first week, they start to become more nocturnal and change their habits (of course this is when acorns start falling, and that likely has a lot to do with it).
I don't rattle early in the season. Not to say that it can't work since I do hear and see them sparring early on. It's just usually worked out better for me not to call. I like to hunt field edges as opposed to going into the woods after them and spooking them. If there are loads of acorns, though, you might have to go in anyway.
As you get to the rut, calling can be very effective. I have never had a lot of luck with grunting, but I have had some great success with rattling. Most of the time rattling/grunting doesn't work for me, but it doesn't usually seem to bother them either. The times that it does work makes it very exciting. Since Iowa's gun seasons are after the rut, this should be a great tactic there during archery.
I usually hunt out of treestands, but I don't limit myself to this. I've sat in tall weeds, in corn fields, and just behind big trees or in the brush with success. In the corn, I will usually set up a few rows in and don't knock down any more than I have to to shoot right in front of me. Deer are very good at catching you in the corn.
Hopefully this helps some.
Good luck!
I hunt the southeast corner of MN right near the Iowa border. I generally use the same tactics for archery as I do for shotgun. The main difference is finding the food source they are using during that time of the year. Do some scouting in summer. I don't know when Iowa's opener is, but in MN, you have a VERY good chance of getting a good buck the first week of the season if you know where he's been coming out all summer. After the first week, they start to become more nocturnal and change their habits (of course this is when acorns start falling, and that likely has a lot to do with it).
I don't rattle early in the season. Not to say that it can't work since I do hear and see them sparring early on. It's just usually worked out better for me not to call. I like to hunt field edges as opposed to going into the woods after them and spooking them. If there are loads of acorns, though, you might have to go in anyway.
As you get to the rut, calling can be very effective. I have never had a lot of luck with grunting, but I have had some great success with rattling. Most of the time rattling/grunting doesn't work for me, but it doesn't usually seem to bother them either. The times that it does work makes it very exciting. Since Iowa's gun seasons are after the rut, this should be a great tactic there during archery.
I usually hunt out of treestands, but I don't limit myself to this. I've sat in tall weeds, in corn fields, and just behind big trees or in the brush with success. In the corn, I will usually set up a few rows in and don't knock down any more than I have to to shoot right in front of me. Deer are very good at catching you in the corn.
Hopefully this helps some.
Good luck!
