Over the past few years, there has been an upsurge in the number of individuals who have taken up hunting using a traditional bow than compound bows.
Much of the reason for this is the increase in skill and patience it requires, as well as the thrill of being much closer to your quarry.
You can also find another group of individuals who don’t come from hunting with a compound bow background; they are new to hunting with bows and jump right into using recurve bows because of budget constraints. (Find the Best Recurve Bow)
If you are new to hunting with a traditional longbow, there are some similarities and differences in hunting big game when using these bows.
By the end of this guide, you will have a much better understanding of recurve bowhunting for deer, and you will see why bowhunting for deer is so popular.
Recurve Bow Vs. Compound Bow
People switch from a compound bow and are surprised there is little difference in the feeling. The grips of both bows are similar, and the weight difference isn’t too much. The differences come through limb design as a compound bow uses mechanical advantage above physical strength when hunting for deer.
A compound bow also has a more accurate shot; thus, you don’t need to rely on skills such as concealment, stealth, or close range when hunting deer.
It is this where the thrill from a longbow or recurve bow comes into play as there are more variables and skills a hunter has to acquire. (Find the Best Compound Bow Brands)
Recurve Vs. Longbow
A longbow is the closest to a recurve, yet there are subtle differences between these two bows. A longbow, as we know, is one arc of material with the string attached to either end. Shooting this bow is more challenging than a compound and also a recurve. (Read Deer Shot Placement)
The recurve has a center angling toward you, and the ends of the limbs angle away from you. In use, this makes them powerful yet not needing as much strength to use as a longbow. A recurve is also shorter than the longbow while retaining stopping power and firing arrows faster.
Recurve Bow Hunting Tips
When you look at hunting with these bows, there are many considerations to think about. Distance to bucks will be much closer than with any other type of firearm or shot you will make, so understanding all this is vital for perfect shooting.
Know Your Skills
To understand as you hunt is to know your capability; this is the same regardless of the bow you use. A good hunter will want to kill every animal quickly and cleanly as possible.
It is much better to miss an animal rather than a wound one.
Much comes from practice and understanding the angles, conditions, and how to make a perfect shot almost every time with recurves.
Many hunters practice most days, if not every day. While doing so, choose various positions you may find yourself in once you are in the field.
Crouch, kneel, and through or over obstacles in your way, as all this can have a significant impact on your archery skills and how you can hit your target.
Accurate bowhunters shoot close. It’s far more challenging to be inaccurate if your buck is merely yards away from your broadhead, yet it can still happen. When shooting a traditional recurve bow or longbow, most shots you make will be taken at a range of between five and 20 yards away, making it a challenging target even if it appears to be close. (Read Bow And Arrow Target Practice)
Understand Your Game
You need to know what deer you are hunting before you can get so close. As payback for your efforts, you have some occasional meat, as well as memorable encounters with animals in the wild.
Understanding the where, why and when animals such as a buck do certain things is expected, and not learning means you’ll become frustrated and disappointed.
Get to Know Anatomy
There are so many species of game, and they all come with different anatomy. When shooting a recurve for the best and most humane effect, you need to aim for a broadhead through the heart or lungs.
Understanding where these organs are in animals, you’re pursuing is vital for a clean kill.
Make notes of animal position to where the arrow entered and exited and which organs it connected on the way through.
A sharp broadhead and well-tuned arrow can only do so much, however. The best option for a clean kill is a perfectly broad-side position with the nearest front leg extended forward.
Fewer vitals will be exposed on a quarter shot or from a tree stand, and this angle doesn’t lead to a quick death. Such shots shouldn’t typically be taken.
Keep in Shot
It can be a challenge for a recurve bowhunter to remain focused on the shot. Since there is so much practice, brains do everything on autopilot. It can help if your game is yards away and you’re feeling stressed as you’re at full draw and don’t realize.
The problem comes from practicing all manner of things, such as how to grip the bow and string, how much to draw back the bow, and how to release.
Draw Weights
You will need to think about your draw weight. Some states specify a minimum draw weight for bow hunting deer, which is often around 35 pounds. They consider this the least force required to drive an arrow through the deer.
However, you find many recurve bowhunters use bows that offer 40 to 50 pound draw weights.
Their fingertips hold all the weight until the moment they release the arrow toward their prey. Compare this to compound-bow hunters who shoot from 50 to 70 pound draw weights.
Hunters may only hold 5 to 10 pounds with a full draw with the bow’s mechanical let-off. To make things easier, there can be a mechanical release-aid that helps reach full draw.
Wrapping it Up
With the above, you should have an excellent basic understanding of first using recurves. However, this is just the start, and there will be much more to learn. (Read our Excalibur Axiom SMF Review)
What time of year is bow hunting season, and what are the regulations for each state. You might have decided on the most exciting way how to hunt. With enough practice, you will need to do a lot more research to use your new skills.
