Bow Hunter's Checklist
Unlike rifle or shotgun hunting, the greatest asset for a bow hunter is stealth. You don’t get the 300-yard shots that are common in rifle hunting, a good range with an arrow is less than 40 yards, that’s why stealth is the most important thing you can have as a bow hunter.
Stealth is often thought of as simply disguising yourself with camouflage clothing, and perhaps some face paint that resembles the surrounding foliage, but big game has other senses beyond sight. Many species can smell better than they see, and all of the larger mammals have acute hearing.
Prepping for a boy hunt involves removing scent from your hunting clothes with special detergent, and carefully storing your clothing and footwear so it doesn’t pick up a random human scent like diesel fumes, fried bacon, or scented laundry detergent.
Moving quietly or waiting patiently for game to approach requires your clothing to be sound-free as well as scent-free. Nylon jackets make noise, and so do day packs made of synthetic material. Avoid these types of materials in favor of natural cotton or wool fibers.
Prepping for the hunt, along with supplies in your truck, and the necessities of camping with a tent or trailer are nearly identical to other styles of hunting, so are the emergency preparations. You’re more likely to use game calls in bow hunting to get deer, or elk close enough for a shot, so have one you’ve practiced with packed in your gear.
Carried With You on the Hunt
All states require a license for hunting, and you need to be prepared for someone to ask for it. Carry your license in a reliable, secure location where it won’t get soaked by an unexpected storm. Putting your license in a plastic bag can help protect it, and taking a photo of your license to save on your phone gives you an excellent backup area. Bring a pen along with you to keep track of your harvest log if needed.
A handshake agreement is great—but it won’t hold up if you’re stopped on private land. Keep your hunt from going sideways by carrying written permission from the landowner in a waterproof, secure location. Make sure to do some research to determine whether you are hoping to hunt on private land, as “private” is defined differently in different regions.
When you’re bowhunting, the right hunting bow for your target species and style as an archer is make or break. When choosing your bow, consider whether you want a modern or traditional model, how much time you intend to practice shooting to ensure accuracy, any regulations in your area (especially around hunting with crossbows), and how much power you need in each shot for your target species and intended shot distance. Recurve bows, compound bows, traditional longbows, and crossbows are all strong hunting options that offer different experiences to the hunter.
While the bow is the instrument, the arrows do the actual deed of taking down your target. When choosing your arrows, make sure you know your target species, how you’ll be reaching their vital organs, and the distances you’ll be shooting at. This will help you choose the right weight arrow for your bow’s power and your range. Arrows are typically found made from carbon, aluminum, wood, or hybrid materials.
When you’re out hunting, you can wait to find the game or you can bring the game to you. Decoys and game calls can attract your target species through deception—and with the shorter ranges required for bowhunting, this can be extremely useful. Decoys look like your target, while game calls help you sound like them. Turkey and waterfowl hunters often use decoys, while game calls are typically used for waterfowl, elk, big game, upland game, predator, and turkey.
The right knife helps you process your game before hauling it back, which is helpful especially for bowhunting larger game when smaller pieces will be easier to transport. The length of the blade, edge type, blade belly, and grip style are key factors when choosing your hunting knife. Make sure the knife is the right size for your target species and fits well in your hand.
If you’ll be cutting through brush to find the perfect vantage for your bowhunting, a hatchet or foldable saw will help you carve a path. A hatchet might be too bulky if you have a longer trek, but may be worth the pounds if you’re dealing with serious vegetation. If you want to shed the weight or you have lighter brush to move through, a foldable saw can be a lightweight but effective solution.
Bowhunters aren’t making long-distance shots like rifle hunters can, but that doesn’t mean you don’t need to see over long distances. Spotting scopes and binoculars can help you find your game or signs of game without having to trek more miles. When choosing your spotting scope or binoculars, consider what distances you’ll be scouting through, what kind of terrain you’ll be working in, and how portable of a setup you need. Spotting scopes and binoculars vary based on magnification, objective lens diameter, eyepiece style, and optical quality.
Changing your bowstring every year or two is good practice and will minimize your risk of issues in the field. Still, you don’t want to get out there only to catch your bowstring on a stray sharp branch and have your trip come to an untimely end. Bring along an extra bowstring that is appropriate for your bow so you can continue hunting in case of an issue.
Make sure you have the tools you need to navigate everywhere you need to go. If you’re hunting on lesser-known trails or private property, a GPS system may not give you what you need. You may also need a printed or purchased map if you’re hunting in an area without GPS signal. If you are bringing a GPS, make sure you have backup battery to avoid getting stranded.
Your hunting day pack should be large enough to carry your basic essentials as listed here: hydration, snacks, navigation, weaponry, and personal items. When choosing a hunting pack, consider its size, ventilation, storage and organizational system, weatherproofing, and hydration system. Hunting backs can be found with built-in hydration systems, with internal or external frames, and in models with built-in straps to attach your bow.
At the close ranges of bowhunting, stealth is key. Make sure to stay downwind of your targets, but go the extra mile and conceal your scent by using a scent blocker as you get into the close ranges.
Text Here
A water filter will allow you to refill your water at lakes and streams. Water filters will get rid of protozoan cysts and bacteria, while purifiers will also remove viruses and are therefore recommended if you’re bowhunting in developing nations. You can also bring water purification tablets, which take up very little room in your pack and serve as an excellent backup to any water plan.
Text Here
Carried in the Truck
Your cooler should store any game you need to transport so nothing runs the risk of spoiling. Consider what size cooler you need, and that it has high-quality insulation for the length of your transportation.
If you’re targeting big game on your bowhunt, you’ll need a way to get it back to camp. A sled can make this situation considerably better, especially if you’ll be traveling over smooth surfaces and/or snow. Make sure your sled is durable, waterproof, and large enough to transport your ideal kill.
Text Here
Text Here
Text Here
Clothing
When you’re bowhunting, a scent-free, quiet hunting jacket is a key piece of equipment due to the close ranges. You’ll also want a jacket that keeps you warm, comfortable, and concealed from potential game. Consider what temperatures you’re expecting, how much you’ll be engaging in high levels of activity, and what your surrounding terrain will look like. A good hunting jacket should break up the hunter’s outline, be durable enough to brave the elements, and be breathable for when you work up a sweat. Make sure your hunting jacket doesn’t have bulk in places that make it difficult to aim. Choose from hunting jackets with hoods, built-in face masks, zippered vents, and different approaches to storage and organization of small essentials.
A bowhunter’s hunting pants need to promote their close-range stealth while providing warmth and protection. A good pair of hunting pants should blend into the surroundings, be made from durable materials that will resist brush, and be lightweight enough to be comfortable. Make sure your hunting pants stay comfortable when you’re in your shooting stance. When choosing the best pants for bowhunting, you’ll need to know your terrain, expected temperatures, and level of activity to determine whether you want puffy pants, brush pants, or insulated bibs.
Once you’ve camouflaged yourself, you also need to camouflage your gear. You can get gear in camouflage patterns, or buy camouflage drops that cover your gear. This way, you can swap out different drops for different terrains. If you don’t want camouflage patterns for all your gear, you’ll still be aided by gear in the same basic color palette as the surrounding environment.
A camouflage performance base layer gives you options for temperature changes throughout the day, while helping you be more comfortable during periods of high activity. A base layer should be moisture-wicking, thin material, and be camouflage patterned based on your terrain.
At the close quarters of bow hunting, even the pop of a face can set off your prey. Most camouflage paints are made from oil or clay. Be sure to test your camouflage face paint at home so you can make sure you won’t have any reactions or issues getting it on and off. A good camouflage face paint should stay on easily, be scent-free, and be easy to remove.
When you’re bowhunting, you’re likely to cover serious ground as you find your target. Waterproof boots will protect you as you cross rivers, streams, and puddles, while giving you ankle support and preventing blisters. You’ll want to think about the comfort, durability, boot weight, traction, and overall fit when choosing your boots. If you are wearing thick socks during colder seasons, this will impact your boot’s fit.
The right socks will keep your feet from blistering and provide temperature control during a variety of conditions. Wool socks are very popular for bowhunting and any hiking, but other water-resistant materials such as wool, polyester, nylon, silk, and spandex also work very well. Consider how much warmth and cushioning you need, and make sure your socks are taller than your boots.
A good cap will keep the sun out of your eyes without inhibiting your ability to aim your bow. They should help camouflage the hunter and be weather-resistant. Bowhunting hats include baseball caps, wool caps, technical caps, and wide-brimmed hats.
Bowhunting gloves can keep your hands warm and concealed while also giving your fingers some extra strength and support while pulling the bow. Consider the weight of the glove, how the tips help your fingers interact with the bowstring, whether the gloves are ambidextrous, and how well they fit your hand. Having a good pair of hunting gloves on your bow hunt is essential.
A hunting belt can provide a great extra storage space for your gear. A good bowhunting belt will stay in place while you’re moving, and some come with extra pouches specially for storing your gear. Find a durable, lightweight belt that can bear some extra weight. Bowhunting belts are often found in nylon or leather.
Camping Gear
If your bowhunt will take you into the wilderness for a few days, you’re going to need a home base. An RV or camper can be a great choice if you’ll be staying in places you an access through roads. Make sure your RV has the amenities and space needed for a successful bowhunt.
A tent is another popular shelter, whether you keep it at a set home-base location or carry it with you so you can be more mobile looking for game. If you’re backpacking, a backpacking tent that is optimized for space and weight is the ideal choice. Tents keep you warm and protected against the elements while providing ventilation. You can choose from 2-, 3-, or 4-season tents that sleep anywhere from 1-10 people.
Most tents come with a rain cover that can go over the tent in case it rains. This will protect you from any storms, but it will also trap heat inside the tent when the temperatures dip. You can also purchase a footprint (usually sold separately) to provide extra protection for the floor of your tent. Your footprint should be sized for your tent and cover the ground beneath the tent. This way, if the ground is sharp or rough, you’ll only need to replace the footprint rather than the whole tent.
A sleeping pad provides warmth and comfort. Check your expected low temperatures and make sure that your sleeping bag’s temperature rating will work for your outing. You can choose different materials based on how much you need your sleeping bag to pack down and whether you need it to be waterproof. You can choose down or synthetic sleeping bags with temperature ratings from 0-40 degrees in rectangular, semi-rectangular, mummy, and double bag designs.
The ground is not just hard—it’s also cold. A sleeping pad gives an extra layer of comfort and insulation between you and the ground. When choosing a sleeping pad, consider the size of your tent, your desired comfort level, and how portable you need your sleeping pad to be. Self-inflating pads, thick air pads, ultralight air pads, and foam camping mats can all keep bowhunters more comfortable.
If you’ll be out at night, you’ll need to be able to see. A headlamp illuminates what’s directly in front of you without need for your hands, which is very helpful during tasks like camp setup or cooking. Flashlights will often give a brighter, more direct beam that you can maneuver easily to highlight certain areas. Lanterns will provide freestanding illumination for a table or other camp area. When choosing your preferred lighting system, consider how bright you want your light, what kind of batteries you want to use, if you’re expecting wet conditions, and whether you prefer LED. Flashlights often come in rechargeable, compact, flashlight/lantern combo, and keychain varieties. You can find propane, candle, and hurricane lanterns, and choose from rechargeable, battery-powered, strobing, colored, flood, or spotlight headlamps.
Text Here
Text Here
Text Here
Text Here
Text Here
If you want hot meals and drinks during your bowhunt, you’ll need a camp stove and its appropriate fuel. Backpacking stoves can be carried with you and will often fold up to fit inside a single pot. Larger stoves that can stay at camp provide more cooking area with single- or double-burner setups that can hold larger pots and pans. You want a stove that offers appropriate wind protection for your conditions, and you’ll need to decide how fast you need your stove to boil, how many burners you want, and what kind of fuel you prefer. Stoves can be found in canister, alcohol, liquid-fuel, and multi-burner varieties.
A portable grill gives even more options while out in the backcountry, especially if you’ll be cooking for larger parties. Portability is a huge concern for camping grills, as is fuel type, accessories, and cooking surfaces. If you want the grill feeling without the whole grill, you can also bring a grill rack that will sit over open flames—though this will give you less temperature control than a fueled grill.
Text Here
Text Here
Text Here
Text Here
Text Here
Text Here
Text Here
Text Here
Text Here
Emergency Gear
Bowhunting is not without its dangers, and a first aid kit will help you be prepared for them. Make sure to bring the basics of wound care, blister care, wraps, splints, thermometers, tweezers, and medications for common ailments like allergies and headaches. Pack in any medication that you personally need as well. You can purchase first aid kits based on the number of people in your party that are small enough to carry with you, or larger kits that can stay at your camp.
Text Here
Text Here
Text Here
Text Here
Text Here
Text Here
Text Here
Text Here
Text Here
Text Here
Text Here
Text Here
Text Here
Text Here
Text Here