Bowhunting
Is For The birds!
Can
a goose be taken with a bow? Of course !!!
by Art Champoux
Can a goose be taken with a bow? Of course !!!! It probably has been
done thousands of times !!!!! Ben Pearson shot ducks on film. If you have
not seen his video, please do, it is awesome. Ol Ben shot
Look at any traditional catalog and you will see points for small game and bird hunting. But, for waterfowl I prefer broadheads and fluflu's. Decoy's for me are a must. Where you hunt is also a heavy consideration. Fields are the best, if you miss you can pick up your arrow. Clean off and sharpen the head, and go for it again !! When I was a young hunter, many moons ago, I used to gun hunt and bow hunt for ducks and geese at Plum Island. Growing up in Newburyport and Salisbury was great. Fishing and hunting in the Merrimac was a spectacular event that formed many memories. Most still remain. But, of all the memories, the sunrise over the island and the ducks and geese on the horizon stand out in my mind the most. Walking out on Old Point Road with a bow, back quiver full of arrows, home made decoys, and a home made blind really were a favorite of mine. I found pot holes, set up some duck decoys and put the field goose decoys in back, and off to one side of me. This works as well, except I usually got a little wetter finding my arrows. I guess I could consider myself a great baseball hitter. If a baseball hitter hits .300 they are great. Three out of 10 was about my average. So, as Howard Hill used to say "You have to put a lot of wood in the air". Some days I would get no shots, other days 4 or 5, a good day maybe 10 to 12 shots. Let me say this, the goose population was not depleted because of me! But, it was fun, and I am trying to relive my youth once again. It is not as easy as it once was, my eyes are not the same, my hand not as steady. But the fun is in the challenge, and I have taken up the challenge again. |
What does one need to get started? Either recurves or longbows work best, 45 thru 50 lbs. bows are adequate. One may want more. Like everything else, where you put the arrow is more important than how fast it goes. Flu flu's are a must. For those who do not know what they are, they are a large feather either spiraled around the shaft or just one huge feather that sticks out about 3" from the shaft. Good sturdy broadheads are a must and there are a lot of them out there. Bear Razorheads are good, Magnus and Snuffer work well too. Delta makes some. Rugged and sharp. That is the basics !!! A good eye and a sense of your shot are important. Camo is a must. Leading birds is another art that you will have to master. You do not LEAD the bird. If you shoot at one and he is coming down to decoys, you must shoot UNDER him. Wings spread, feet down are a great open shot, the closer the better. Less time for the bird to react. I like 10 - 20 yards. I try to draw, or get ready to draw, within seconds of the shot. Pass shooting is a lot more difficult. Like a gun, you must lead and keep the bow moving after the shot. It takes a lot of practice, but it can be done. Whether you chase deer, bear, moose or small game and birds with bow
and arrow, we are all BOWHUNTERS. We must be ethical, obey the laws and
be the best sports person we can. Our sport demands it and the future of
all outdoor sports depends on it.
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