Small game bow-hunting...?

[SniperStraz]

Hello all!
I have no experience whatsoever with bowhunting, but I was wondering if anyone has hunted or does hunt small game with a bow or crossbow.
Would it be something that requires an expert skill level?

 

[Bobson]

Not necessarily an expert skill level, just practice. I know people who hunt rabbits with compound bows with at least moderate success. I've tried it and haven't had excellent success, but I've taken a couple.

 

[blindhari]

I don't really use a bow, but, I have taken rabbit, pheasant and quail with a slingshot since about 1953. Now that I think about it I never lost an expensive arrow using a slingshot.

blindhari

 

[wheelgunslinger]

Yeah. I use a combination of a whippet (dog) and a recurve bow. Use a blunt tip (judo points, inverted handgun shells glued on, commercial blunts, etc.) for small game instead of a broadhead or field point. Move slowly and quietly.
If you don't come back with a sack full of rabbits the first time or 3, don't get discouraged. There's an art to it.

 

[Michael R.]

my friend hunts small game with a bow. he uses blugen tips. i think it takes a certain skillset to do this. he uses blugen tips and it kills them very effectively.

 

[SniperStraz]

Thanks for the comments.
Does anyone have any particular makes and models of bows, crossbows, or slingshots that they would recommend starting with?

 

[Rail Driver]

I've only had good experiences with PSE and Bear bows. (that's not to say I've had bad experiences with other makers... just that I've only had good experiences with those ones)

 

[R H Clark]

I hunt and some times kill small game with a longbow, Carbon Express Heritage arrows and Judo tips.I only bowhunt with a traditional longbow now.Years ago I tried small game hunting with a compound and Judo tiped arrows but destroyed too many expensive arrows.

Make your own longbow from Hickory or Osage.You will have more fun than you've had since you were a kid. It isn't too hard and it doesn't take a perfect bow to take small game.

 

[tx_pistolero]

For small game? You could use literally any starter / youth type bow rated over 35lbs. When I was a kid, I used a 40lb little recurve and took all manner of small and even medium game with it.

 

[Bobson]

My only experience with archery has been with the Bear Charge compound I got a few months back. Nothing negative to say about it from my experiences.

 

[Sniper X]

Small game is best hunted with a recurve bow since it (the game) will most probably be moving. It is easier to hit a moving target with a recurve. Also, as said, you can use judo or blunt points since the game will also either be in a tree, or moving along, or on the ground so a filed point will stick in a tree or hide under brush more so than the other type points. I find it is pretty easy to hit rabbits on the run after some FUN practice, and squirrels in three as well.

I would start with a 45lb bow, and aluminum arrows since they can be straightened.

 

[Deltaboy1984]

I taken small game with ball bearings and a WHAM-O Slingshot.

 

[Freedom_fighter_in_IL]

I would start with a 45lb bow, and aluminum arrows since they can be straightened.

Well, since a quality carbon arrow is about 100 times stronger than it's aluminum counterpart I would have to disagree with that one. With aluminum you always have to worry about the bends. With carbon, they are either straight or busted.

As far as bows go, I too would suggest a recurve or longbow. I have taken a few rabbits and squirrels with various compounds but it is much easier to shoot instinctively with re's or longs. And also I would advise the judo field tips with the little "grabbers" on them. Makes for finding the arrow a lot easier with those "grabbers" if you miss. They make the arrow stand up in the air more. I would also suggest VERY brightly colored fletchings or lighted nochs. You will more than likely miss about 90% of the time if not more when starting out so you will get very good at finding arrows. A really good way to practice is to get a practice disc and have a buddy hard roll it and practice hitting it on the roll. Any heavy duty foam will do. Rabbits don't generally stick around to pose for you

 

[41 Mag]

There have been several bushy tails who have fallen victim to my bow and hunting arrows, and a couple with field tips.

On our family place, you either see deer or you don't and sometimes after standing there for several hours I get tired of watching them limb rats busily clambering around the trees and on the ground. I have taken several of them from the stand and the added benefit is they eat well afterwords. The Razor Trick's I use put them down VERY reliably.

Sometimes however, I misjudge the range a bit and well, close but no cigar,



I also use the small game heads on occasion when sitting around the house up there, and they come to rob the bird feeders. The lighted nocks are a BIG plus as are the bright fletching.

 

[Freedom_fighter_in_IL]

I always keep a couple of "junk arrows" in my quiver with field tips on them just for that special occasion when I screw up and put my stand in next door to a tree rat den and get barked at. They do look funny bouncing on an arrow

 

[grubbylabs]

I have taken quite a few ground squirrels with my compound bow. It does not seem to matter what tips I have I still loose arrows. I have two favorite shots that only archers would understand why I think they were cool. One was a spike elk at 5ft and the other was a ground squirrel at 50 yards.

Buy cheap arrow initially then when you get good at shooting buy the nice arrows.

I think you would really enjoy a compound bow. They all make quality bows, you just have to find one that feels good to you. The best advise I can give you is to go to a pro shop to get your set up. If you miss the set up you wont be happy with your bow no matter how much money you spend on it. Shoot all the bows you can find in your price range and then buy the one that feels best to you. If any one company makes a "best" bow it is Hoyt. They do not move a bow into production unless the proto can survive 1,500 dry fires. They make a good bow. Having said that I shoot a Mathews. You will find your die hard fans of all brands but in reality it boils down to how it feels to you.

 

[25cschaefer]

I "hunt" gophers, squirrels and grouse with my bow in MT, I use my big game bow with a couple old arrows and field tips with Turkey Stoppers (very cheap cut washer looking deals that go between the tip and shaft). My usual ranges are under 7 yds for tree squirrels and grouse and out to 40 on gophers (they are a little brighter). I have used plain field points (blow through and skip), blunts (fly funny past 10yds), Judo points (expensive and I have lost 4 of them), and washers (fly poorly). The Turkey Stoppers fly true and slow down considerably through animals; with misses they skip at extrema angles and are easy enough to track.

I would suggest starting out with a Mission by Mathew's bow, they are high quality and you can buy a fully equipped bow for around $400 that you can graduate to big game in the future if you so desire.

 

[25cschaefer]

My first gopher 20 yds