Varmint Hunting to Hone Your Shooting Skills
Many deer hunters also like to pursue small game species in the fall. It doesn’t matter if they’re rabbits, game birds, or even squirrels, they are just plain fun to hunt. But if you’re looking for a little more challenge to keep it even fresher, try bow hunting for them. If you’ve never tried to shoot a wary cottontail with a bow, you’re in for a surprise! It can be downright difficult to pull off. But that’s also what makes it so fun and keeps us advancing ourselves as archers.
One thing that you can do to really improve your accuracy and become a more successful small game bow hunter is to practice in the offseason. Sure, you could shoot at targets hundreds of times and see some gains here and there. But that just sounds pretty boring, doesn’t it? Why shoot at inanimate targets when you could go varmint hunting instead?
Varmint is a term for many species that includes woodchucks, raccoons, and opossum, to name a few. Depending on your state’s wildlife regulations, you can often hunt them year-round and they have no bag limit. Hunting them offers a rare chance to truly simulate a small game hunt, since you actually need to outwit a live animal, keep your composure, and hit a very small moving target. All of these elements help train you to be a better archer and hunter, and keep you in good form for small game season the following year.
When bow hunting small animals like these, it would be ridiculous to use proper broadheads. You’d blunt them too quickly by repeatedly shooting close to or into the dirt. Varmint species don’t offer a very big target, so you’ll quickly be forced to learn to “shoot small” and make the perfect shot. Obviously this skill will help with deer hunting situations, as well. The G5 S.G.H. (Small Game Head) is your answer. These small game broadheads feature a blunt tip that causes tremendous shock and trauma, while the three curved blades produce a ripping action. It is a deadly duo for varmints and small game species alike, and it can withstand a great deal of abuse.
If you don’t have land to hunt yourself with ample critters running around, ask a few local farmers. They are often more than willing to let someone hunt the small animals that cause damage to their fields, crops, or properties. And they’re usually even more cooperative when they see you’ll be hunting with a bow instead of shooting firearms around their land. Simply introduce yourself, explain that you’re interested in varmint hunting with your bow, and be polite.
After even one offseason doing this, your bow hunting skills should improve quickly and drastically. It will become an addicting way to practice. Soon you’ll find that it’s hard for a woodchuck to chuck wood when you’re prowling around the farm with a bow and small game broadheads on the end of your arrow!