Venturing out into Bow-hunting...

[SoFlaEiger]

ya, so I'm slowly getting a bug to venture out into bow-hunting.  I've shot bows time and time again since i was 8 and I'm pretty good with a traditional and i'm taking a few classes on compounds.

My question is: Where in Florida can you legally bow-hunt and is it any good down here (worth the investment)?

Any advice would be appreciated!

Thanks

[stump66]

This should show you what you need.

http://wildflorida.org/hunting/

[KSCFIRE]

Yes it would be worth your while. Just getting outdoors whether it's atv'n, hunting or whatever is worth it. There are plenty of places in Florida to bow hunt. You could go the private lease or public land route. You can go to    http://myfwc.com/  to get information on public areas to hunt. Hope this is a good start for you.                      

[SoFlaEiger]

thanks for hte help so far!!! keep it comin!

Would anyone here (down south) wanna take me out with them once or twice and show me whats up?  If you're any good, I definetly wouldn't mind paying you to teach me beyond just what a normal "guide" would teach

[stump66]

http://www.wildflorida.org/hunting/wma/South_Region/Dinner_Island-web.pdf

http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/recreation/locatormap.htm

[Chuck_Norris]

My question is: Where in Florida can you legally bow-hunt and is it any good down here (worth the investment)?

Any advice would be appreciated!

Thanks

you can come to my back yard, got Huge Turkeys, Deer, and Wild Boar, it is Turkey season right now. a coworker has a Mathews Bow and a number arrows and accessories for sale that I am considering the purchase of.

[SoFlaEiger]

you can come to my back yard, got Huge Turkeys, Deer, and Wild Boar, it is Turkey season right now. a coworker has a Mathews Bow and a number arrows and accessories for sale that I am considering the purchase of.

how big is your backyard? lol  private property or are you close to a wma area?

[VForce700]

you can come to my back yard, got Huge Turkeys, Deer, and Wild Boar, it is Turkey season right now. a coworker has a Mathews Bow and a number arrows and accessories for sale that I am considering the purchase of.

I too have a mathews for sale, been in the woods once with it and never been back since. I am more inturested in turning wrenches then hunting now.

[Chuck_Norris]

how big is your backyard? lol  private property or are you close to a wma area?

My Property is about 1.3 acres that backs up to a hunt camp.

[superstar]

Matthews is a goodun. Been a bow hunter since i could puul one bak. Bein from up north and spoiled to the herd population up there, its just not the same .Ive tried to get into it down here, just cant hardly stand sittin in a tree fightin off the skeeters,i just dont get the fever without that yearly cold snap. And the way the rut runs down here, thyre hard to pattern, plus the  warm weather keeps feedin during low light hours.Unless youve got em in your bak yard of course!! I ve got a brand new hoyt sittin in the case, and a whole bunch of carbons just dyin to get stained if ya catch my drift. But it usually doesnt make an appearance til early november, after a 900 mile trek to gods country.

[TRX350_On_The_Rack]

I bow hunt the cats in my yard.  

[stump66]

good kitty  
sorry if this is hijackin your post I'll dump it

[TRX350_On_The_Rack]

So that's what happened to my cat.  

[Kawa3]

Bow hunting down here is great if you have a hunting lease. The frist week of bow is great. Usually get to sling a few arrows at stuff. I wouldnt go with a long bow or recurve. MY brother just bought one of the fred bears recurve(was like $485) and dont hit real hard and dont shoot to far. I wouldnt go all out on your first bow spending a grand or 2. But as for learning, its easy. Last hunting season I taught my  left handed friend to shoot a right handed compound(first time really shooting a bow to). And now hes looking to get a bow of his own.

As for the person sitting in a stand swatting skeeters....get a thermacell best thing that i have bought for hunting yet.

[TRX350_On_The_Rack]

My bow will go thru a car door and the distance? Forget about it, never find the arrow again. Accuracy is pretty good from 25 yards, but that is as far as I've gotten. Don't want to kill any neighbors. It only cost me $50.00

[SoFlaEiger]

for my first bow, im thinking of one of these:


I like this one because of the price, its a 60lb bow and its 27" draw length
http://www.basspro.com/servlet/catalog.TextId?hvarTextId=54430&hvarDept=400&hvarEvent=&hvarClassCode=13&hvarSubCode=1&hvarTarget=browse

This one also has a good price but its only 50lbs
http://www.basspro.com/servlet/catalog.TextId?hvarTextId=54511&hvarDept=400&hvarEvent=&hvarClassCode=13&hvarSubCode=1&hvarTarget=browse

This one is also 60lbs @ 27" but i'm not sure if that design is good? I  like the 3lb weight though!!
http://www.basspro.com/servlet/catalog.TextId?hvarTextId=54334&hvarDept=400&hvarEvent=&hvarClassCode=13&hvarSubCode=1&hvarTarget=browse

[TRX350_On_The_Rack]

What do you plan on hunting? That will tell you what (lbs) to use.

[Chuck_Norris]

let me know when you want to camp out in the back yard.

[SoFlaEiger]

let me know when you want to camp out in the back yard.

I'm down!! season opens on 9/11 for archery right?  I'll make arrangements when it gets a little closer.  is that ok? Probably like june/july.

Is it legal to hunt (from atv or buggy?) on the land behind your house (besides the 1.3 acres hehe)?

[SoFlaEiger]

What do you plan on hunting? That will tell you what (lbs) to use.

Probably just hog and deer.  I know the hog requires a strong bow with that tough hide, but i was told that 60lbs should be good enough for hog and plenty for deer?

[TRX350_On_The_Rack]

They have all the info your want at Bass Pro.

[SoFlaEiger]

They have all the info your want at Bass Pro.

ya i started takin their archery class so i can learn some more about it. wanna join me next tuesday??  $7 for an hour of shooting/instruction using yours or their equipment

[TRX350_On_The_Rack]

Sounds good. It would have to be after 5:30pm

[Kawa3]

IS your draw tength 27"?

im pulling 66lbs atm and thats plenty. Deer you can use  i think 30lbs and hogs....50 is good but need REALLY sharp broadheads like these http://cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/pod/standard-pod-wrapped.jhtml?id=0026343&navAction=push&navCount=1&indexId=cat20059&parentId=cat20059&parentType=index&rid=&_DARGS=%2Fcabelas%2Fen%2Fcommon%2Fcatalog%2Fpod-link.jhtml_A&_DAV=MainCatcat21424

i had these and they are very very sharp but mine came in 1 90 1 100 and 1 125 grain so i sent them back but my bros are great

[TRX350_On_The_Rack]

Great sites for Bows:

http://www.huntersfriend.com/bowselection.htm

http://domino.htcomp.net/ragsdale.nsf

[Kawa3]

ohh yea whisker biscuits are the best!!!!

[TRX350_On_The_Rack]

You'll need this:

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/product/horizontal-item.jhtml;jsessionid=R2B4SJXDLDG3BTQSNOISCO4OCJVZIIWE?id=0020231521341a&navCount=0&cmCat=srchdx&cm_ven=srchdx&cm_ite=srchdx&_requestid=25521

[Kawa3]

actually these are better http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/pod/horizontal-pod.jhtml?id=0005959&navAction=push&navCount=3&indexId=cat20149&parentId=cat20149&parentType=index&rid=&cmCat=srchdx i have them at the moment

[SoFlaEiger]

nah, i was just gonna sling it over my shoulder robin hood style  hehe

anyways, TRX350: the class is at 8:00 for the men, 7:00 for women on tuesdays.

[TRX350_On_The_Rack]

Sounds good. I want to get a little more info. I'll check Bass Pro  

[kawGIRL]

I have bows, I broke my grandfathers Compound Bow a couple of months ago (rest in peace DB)  so Jeff bought me one for my birthday it's a Genesis    Still need to get my Grandfathers bow fixed, it's a Bear Bow  :-/

I DON"T HUNT!    even though I own property in 3 hunting areas, I target shoot and prefer a recurve.  Jeff has one also.

My mother was Virgnia State Champion when she was 16
And my Grandparents were BIG TIME Hunters in Northern VA and West VA.  My Grandma just gave me my grandfathers jacket with all of his patches.    my Grandparents made all of there arrows and some of there bows, I now have all of the books and tools, I found a old hunting licence from my grandmothers last hunt in her quill from 1969 and she is 90 now and still able to share her stories  [smiley=ThumbsUp.gif]  I now have all of there old bows hanging on my walls  

She was telling me a couple of weeks ago that they taught some famous bow hunters in there day, but I can't remember who they are now  :-/

Good Luck on your Archery Adventure  

[TRX350_On_The_Rack]

Robin Hood?

[kawGIRL]