Predator hunting with a bow

[George Ackley]

I also am a predator bow hunter
I don't wont to sound long winded but I do love to call predator to the bow and don't get much chance to talk about it
so sorry if this is long.


When I am bow hunting predators there are a couple thing I do different then when I am bow hunting big game.
For one I shoot really low poundage for predators . I don't feel It  take much kinetic energy to shoot though predators ,With my bow I use for larger game I make way to much movement just trying to get it back, I have a tendency to raise my bow hand up as I drawl my bow back and this extra movement can be seen if I am on the ground and have a coyote or a cat just out in front of me that is now already looking for me so movement is key to staying concealed.  I like to keep my bow up in front of my face to help cover movement I may make in working my  hand  calling.  I also think you need to draw your bow strait away from you, In drawing strait away there is not much visual movement to see if something is looking strait at you. The hole raising your bow hand as you drew back will only end in you getting busted . So in my opinion A  good calling bow is a smooth drawling bow,  I have found this bow to be  something with a good axle to axle length and a longer brace height and also good let off is always a plus.
I also don't shoot a overdraw on my predator bow also I like feathers preferable 4'' and no peep sight.
shooting from rest mounted to the bows shelf and larger feathers I find to be much more forgivable witch a long brace height and larger axle to axle will also be more forgiven .and a peep just takes to much light away on them early morning and late evening hunts .I also find that the more forgiven your predator hunting bow is the better you are , why, because you will find your self making some odd shots with untraditional shooting forms.
As for arrows and broad heads I shoot mechanicals, why ? many resins, one being that the less of a profile my blade has the less it going to be deflected by any brush or anything other thing then fur that it may come in contact with .Another plus's is the ease of getting them to fly like your practice point, and the #1 reason for using them is that you can get a mechanical that cuts such a large hole that they can save you when your shot go's bad,,, A 2 ''  hole anywhere on a coyote or cat will most often make him bleed out,,.I know how tuff a coyote can be to put down! but with bow hunting them there's  couple thing that come into play when you hit them not so good. Lot's of times, do to the lack of noise they really don't know just what happened,and often they will just stay there trying to bite the impact spot, or they will just run a short distance and lay up and bleed out. I am big on getting as many holes in them as you can so if he is rolling around in front of you get a secant shot in him if he give you the opportunity . I have had coyote stand there and take minuets' trying to get at the arrow out or biting at the wound sometimes pull out half his intestines then run off not to be recovered.. so stay quit after the shot and take the secant shot if you can
before he runs off. If I am hunting with another hunter we always carry a shot gun to help finish of a bad arrow shot or I have another arrow out and sitting were I can get to it fast.
As for setting up on predators,I have only taken bobcats with a bow in Texas, to get a cat tag here in PA is like winning a lotto so the way we do it is mostly at night with the shooter ether seated or taken a knee in front of the truck.
I will be in the back of the truck calling and running the light I work it just slow enough that the shooter can watch and see what ever I burn. If I see them way off and the shooter cant see it he will know that I have seen something because I will be keep the light focused on a area ( once I see the cat I never take the light off him , once I see the cat i will with hand signals direct the shooter to the right spot on the side of the truck the spot were I think the cat will make his approach. most cats I can get well into bow range if the shooter lets me,,, but if the cat makes it a point to have a seat just out of range it not uncommon to have the shooter walk just in the halo of the light at the cat and make a closer shot. Where I like calling cat's with my bow?
I like calling cats with a bow around ponds , tanks, old farm building and transition area's were field turn it to thick ground cover , with old out building being my favorite.If i have to hunt on foot I use the same style of calling as I do from the back of my truck
I do really love bow hunting cats..

As for coyotes,,
coyotes are a target of opportunity for me at night I try and stick just cats in the dark...
Coyote can be worked the same way but they sometimes just don't like to stay still for long .
So we bow hunt them 70% of the time from tree stand and in my case with mutable shooters as much as I can..also mostly in the day time. But when hunting coyote as a 2 man team's we will try to set up in spots we can hopefully dictate were they will arrive on seen at . We like to call wide creeks that are on edge's of fields.Lots of time we can find were they are entering and exiting the creek beds and I find if we stay off his trail when we find it when he dose come to the call that he will use that same safe trail to get to us witch will put him in front of the shooter at a none distance .We just try and dictate were he will show up , sometimes it works and sometimes it don't. My favorite spot to call coyote with the bow are the small wooded area that divide a highway 90% of then are only 50 to 90 yard wide and it makes a grate place to call a coyote with your bow this type of spot is not normally called here do to safety zone issue's with a gun.. Most of the time you know they are coming right in front of you or right behind you. Many times I have forgone this set ups because of bad wind but because of this hole misting thing I think it will open up my high way hunting a bit more.. So what I am saying is I like to set up on coyote with my bow in places that help me put then in front of my bow.

sorry for the spelling and if it don't make much sense, you may need to read it a couple times .
I am not so good at putting thoughts down 

best of luck with your bow this year.
George

[studabaka]

Looks pretty good to me George 

I have only hunted deer with a bow, but may give predators a try, though I think I need to get proficient at getting them with a gun first. I can see where using a bow will be even more challenging.

[cb223]

I'm with you Stu. Sounds like alot of fun but I need to learn a whole bunch more before I attempt predators with a bow!

[iahntr]

Thanks for takin the time to share that George.
I haven't actually set up solely to hunt predators with my bow.
I've done some calling from my stand while also deer hunting, but have yet to seal the deal.

[DGF]

I also like to predator hunt with a bow, and agree with the lower poundage being easier and suffient.
About the only thing I do different is use a recuve or longbow and fixed blade broadheads. about 90% of my hunting is with a bow from squirrels-deer and most things in between . have yet to get a crow but have got a few ducks and 1 goose.

[possumal]

Good story, George, really enjoyable.  Anyone who hasn't seen Rick Paillet's dvd, "Bowmania" needs to get that thing and watch it. You will see some of the stuff George talks about.  It took Rick several years to put that dvd together, and they learned a lot doing it which other hunters can put to use.