5 Late Season Bowhunting Tips

The late bow season is upon us.  If you have a tag in your pocket that needs to be filled, it might be time to practice for cold weather hunting. Below you will find a few tips to help you prepare for the shot of a lifetime when the weather is below the freezing mark.

1. For starters, it can be difficult to draw a 70-pound bow back when you have been sitting in a tree for hours when the temperature is frigid. The easiest way to solve this problem is by reducing the draw weight of your bow. Most bows produce plenty of kinetic energy, even at 50 pounds, so dropping your bow down to 55 or 60 pounds makes the bow easier to draw especially when it is cold, the muscles are stiff, and you have buck fever. I know some hunters who drop their bow down to 45 pounds during the late season and still have complete pass through shots. I probably wouldn’t shoot 45 pounds but 50 or 55 pounds will surely get the job done.

2. Next, practice shooting into a Morrell Target with heavy clothing on. Pulling a bow back and shooting without hitting your clothing can be difficult with five layers of clothes on. Practice shooting with many layers on and wear an arm guard if needed. An arm guard prevents the clothing from getting in the way when shooting.

3. Shooting from a treestand can be difficult when the wind is blowing and it is extremely cold. When the late season arrives, hunt from a blind of some type. A pop-up or a tower blind is a great option. A blind will keep you comfortable which means you will hunt longer.

4. Bring a few hand warmers when hunting the late season. I know one late season hunter who puts them on his chest, legs and in his pockets. The warmers keep his entire body warm so he can hunt longer. He has shot many big bucks during the late season over food sources by staying warm this way. He even hunts when the temperatures are in the single digits.

5. Consider wearing a lighter camouflage color. With snow on the ground, a lighter tan or snow camo blends in better so you can set up extra close to runways and food sources without getting busted by deer. Snow camo works well in the late season.

Killing a buck in the late season can be tough, but by working hard and changing your tactics you might find yourself smiling over a big buck.