I'm pretty excited, got my bow and been working with it for the past 3 months or so. I've got a nice spot up in a tree by my feeder. This is normally my rifle hunting feeder.

My shot placements seems to be fine between 30-35 yards and my stand it probably 20 yards from my feeder if that.

But, I'm seriously considering just hunting pigs and varmints this year for practice (turkey is around too). I'm "really" worried about losing a deer. I don't know that my confidence is there yet.

Anyone else jump right in after only 3 months of owning a bow or wait a bit?

Shoot it, shoot it and shoot it some more.

My first year was last year. Opening day bow season I went out to my blind late and there was a monster 10 points there. I stood up at 20 yards and he didn't seem to care that I was there. I shot him perfectly but never recovered him.

One mistake many new bow hunters make is not giving the animal enough time to expire. Wait, wait, wait, a min of one hour, if the shot is questionable give them two hours. All of us have lost animals, most of the time it's because we didn't wait long enough.

It doesn't really matter what any of us say in this post, when a "shooter" walks out in front of you, you will have to be the decision maker in that gut check moment. Practice makes perfect, you have to start somewhere. If you are leary, try to shoot a doe, and if you can get that done, you are more than ready. Doe is harder to kill than a buck in my experience.

Also, totally agree about giving the animal time after your shot! A whitetail deer is tough now!

Your sure to be hooked. My personal advice, Have someone help you tune your bow. and be sure you shoot your broadheads before hitting the field. Also, I wouldn't recomend shots beyond 25 Yds.

Also, take the advice about waiting. And find someone with a good tracking dog in your area and have their number ready just in case.

Good luck.

No offense but if you didn't recover him then you didn't shoot him perfectly.

As for the OPs question I think you probably should dive in. Maybe try and take a doe first. For me practicing on a deer 3d target really helps me, I also try and visualize and imagine what it would be like if I was in my stand and a deer walked in range. That way when it happens the feelings are at least a little bit familiar.

If you are shooting good at 35 yards you can take a deer at 20 yards. Trust me you might go into your stand just going for hogs but a deer will walk out and you will get buck fever. You can't control that you will want to shoot so bad. Like stated above though wait as long as you can stand it even with a perfect shot. Goodluck!

I saw the shot. I don't know how you can get any better than lower third right behind the shoulder.

My first year bow hunting was awsome! Its so much fun but really hard! Everything has to be perfect like the first deer i got to draw back on was a spike i drew back and he saw me and was starring me down so i had to stay so still then outta the corner of my eye i see one of my arrows slidding out of the quiver and the spike saw it too and was gone i was so pissed but it was still fun and exciting i love getting so close to the animals and they have no idea your there but i still have not harvested a deer with my bow yet!

Thanks guys, one thing I haven't been using is a 3d target and have been really considering getting one. That seals it for me.. now to find the perfect one.

Jump right in!!! Start hog hunting now if you are at your lease to help get the jitters out.. Just be patient and also practice holding your draw. You never know when you will draw on a deer and he will turn straigt at you as you are settling your pin.

Good luck!!!

The first year I bow hunted I bought my bow 3 weeks before season started. I practiced every chance I got and took my first deer (7 point) with my bow on opening day. If you are hitting where you are aiming on the target you should be fine. Take everyone's advice though, if you don't see the animal fall, give it PLENTY of time before you look for it. Been bow hunting for about 20 years now and the one and only deer that I have shot and not gotten I did not give enough time. It was a doe and I waited about 15 minutes and walked into the thicket and she jumped and ran. I never found her. Had I just waited, she would have been laying 40 yards from where I shot her. Never made that mistake again.

I started bowhunting two years ago. I got my bow in august and started hunting in october same year. I practiced at least four times a week til the season started. Season came around and first doe I shot at missed. I got excited and to the best I could remember I used wrong pin for the yardage which I got from my rangefinder. My point is I didn't miss because I didn't practice, just didn't settle myself down and think about the shot. Waiting til the next year would not have made any difference since that first live animal excitement would have came sooner or later!

You will be fine. I would start out with a couple of does though as it is great practice and good management.

I picked up the stick and string 6 years ago and haven’t had the desire to rifle hunt since. Released my first arrow on a doe one month after buying my first bow and have filled my tags with archery tackle every year since then. It’s been stated in this thread several times already but the only deer I haven’t recovered was two years ago.....an 18 yard “chip shot” on a nice buck that I “looked up” on and hit high and forward in the shoulder and then started trailing too soon after the shot and jumped him.

I am no expert but my only advice is when you decide to draw DO IT….get anchored….pick your spot…and follow through on the shot. I have been very successful following that routine. Then sit tight for at least an hour before even getting out of the tree. Good Luck!