When to draw

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When to draw

Unread postby Lockdown » Sun Nov 03, 2019 12:49 am

Drawing your bow without being seen can sometimes be just as tough as making the shot itself. Drawing too soon and holding forever sucks... but not drawing at all for fear of being spotted sucks even more ;)

Every year I hear people say they couldn’t draw. A few years ago a good friend of mine had a big buck and several does come in. “There were too many eyes... I never had a chance to draw.”

I’d rather get busted drawing than not draw at all. When I shot my WI doe, I was in a tree but basically eye level with 3 deer within 10 yards. (Doe and 2 fawns). When the doe turned perfect, one fawn was staring a hole through me. I drew anyway and went for broke. The fawn busted to the side and the doe saw me with peripheral vision. She snapped her head and had that deer in the headlights look. I’m standing where the doe was, you can see my stand on the right side of the tree.
Image

I shot quick and heart shot her.

Could all three have busted out? Yes... very easily... but they didn’t and I was rewarded with a slam dunk 8 yard shot.

In the example given I think most people would have waited for a situation that likely wouldn’t have come to fruition. Had I froze and let them continue down the hill, my shot opportunities were spotty, and much tougher. Just guessing, I think it was a 50/50 chance that doe escapes if I don’t put an arrow in her right then and there.

Don’t stand there and let the pitch go by... go down swinging.


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Re: When to draw

Unread postby tbunao » Sun Nov 03, 2019 12:54 am

Slow and steady Captain. That situation is when you find out if your over bowed or not.
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Re: When to draw

Unread postby Jonny » Sun Nov 03, 2019 1:20 am

Watch where your shadow is. Got busted last week by a buck working a scrape facing away from me.

If you get busted, finish the draw. Sometimes they stop again in range and give you a chance to shoot
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Re: When to draw

Unread postby Ack » Sun Nov 03, 2019 2:05 am

In a woods setting, you almost have to draw while they are still moving....tough to draw when they are standing still without getting busted. A lot of it depends on your cover also, but I always try to draw when the deer steps behind a tree or other obstacle.
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Re: When to draw

Unread postby headgear » Sun Nov 03, 2019 3:22 am

tbunao wrote:Slow and steady Captain. That situation is when you find out if your over bowed or not.


Done this many times, one time I even tried to draw with a doe staring at me, slow and steady and sure enough got the shot off and got the deer. Along with what LD said, rather get busted on the draw than not draw at all, just have to make that split second decisions to go for it.
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Re: When to draw

Unread postby stash59 » Sun Nov 03, 2019 6:05 am

:text-goodpost:
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Re: When to draw

Unread postby Dewey » Sun Nov 03, 2019 8:00 am

Drawing has never been an issue for me. I always time it for when they are moving or go behind an obstacle. Drawing on a stationary alert deer usually doesn’t end up well. When they are moving it dulls their hearing and sight quite a bit. When they come in fast you just gotta draw as soon as you can and get off a quick shot.

When they hang up and don’t present a shot is when it gets tough especially when at full draw. Two nights ago I was at full draw for 3 minutes and the shot never happened. But if it did I practice for that so was good. If you can’t hold your string back a long time it really limits what you can do.
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Re: When to draw

Unread postby Jphill87 » Sun Nov 03, 2019 11:18 am

It’s 10 times more exhilarating when they are looking at you. Id do it just for the experience. It’s amazing what you can get away with at times
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Re: When to draw

Unread postby EllieTheChubb » Sun Nov 03, 2019 11:25 am

Good post. I have also noticed that drawing while they are moving works well. Sometimes they bust out if they catch your movement but more often than not a moving deer will stop when they catch you, a still deer will bolt. I drew on a doe this year while she was walking. she caught me and stopped. Started stomping but never reaally picked me off. She still came through very cautiously. I never shot because I was just practicing my draw. Didnt want to burn my tag so early.
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Re: When to draw

Unread postby KLEMZ » Sun Nov 03, 2019 12:30 pm

I draw as they move into the "shooting window" I have envisioned while sitting in my stand imagining all the possibilities. The process of drawing and shooting is usually 2 seconds at the most. Even if they catch my movement the shot is off before they bound off.

An important side note to this style of shooting at deer..I never let them know I am there before I shoot. In other words, I don't stop them first. No way I want them to know something is up.
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Re: When to draw

Unread postby Boogieman1 » Sun Nov 03, 2019 2:03 pm

Being my weaponry is a draw u can't hold for more than seconds it took me some serious adaptation. Biggest thing is I learned to shoot at moving deer. Trial and error got me a lot better at knowing when to pull back a string. But as far as to many eyes on me alert I tend to pass and play the odds. Don't see how passing a high risk shot of getting busted is any diff than setting up on "hot sign" and expecting the buck to do the exact same thing the next day.
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Re: When to draw

Unread postby treeroot » Sun Nov 03, 2019 2:33 pm

This is something I like about the saddle. I draw from behind the tree, once I lean around I'm ready to punch the trigger and it's usually to late for them. Once and awhile I get a deer coming in from behind then it's a judgment call on how to get it done.
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Re: When to draw

Unread postby 218er » Sun Nov 03, 2019 2:42 pm

I like to draw when they’re behind a tree and let them walk into my pin.
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Re: When to draw

Unread postby 1STRANGEWILDERNESS » Mon Nov 04, 2019 1:13 pm

I like to hopefully have a sight lane or spotty openings I can see what’s coming and always try and draw before they hit the desired opening. WhAt has been toughest for me is light and variable wind. I rattled one in this year and by the time I got a visual he was super close and of course on high alert. Picked me off lickity split but it was fun.

Echoing the guy who said follow through even if they spook. They may stop. So true, I have another story about that but I’m trying to quit rambling on so much.
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Re: When to draw

Unread postby Lockdown » Mon Nov 04, 2019 3:05 pm

Speaking of bucks stopping (and also going for broke when drawing), the perfect example of both is the ten pt I killed in 2015. I was on the ground with little cover and he came in fast and headed behind me which I didn’t expect. His rack got tangled a little bit in some brush as he tried to push through, so I drew and spun at the same time.

He saw me as I figured he would, and took off. I gave him a couple “MEH”s and he stopped in a spot that I could shoot. Got lucky!

He was only ten yards away when I drew. I think a lot of people would have let him go, fearing they’d get busted drawing with the hopes he comes back.


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