Although many, if not most, bowhunting articles in sporting magazines deal with how to kill big bucks, in reality, the success rate for bowhunters in most states is under 30 percent. That is, less than three out of every 10 archers kill a deer of either sex in any given season. Many bowhunters even struggle to tag a whitetail every three or four years.

A realistic assessment of your archery skills -- and plenty of practice -- can vastly improve your odds of connecting when opportunity knocks. Photo by Ron Sinfelt.

Surviving the bowhuntingg learning curve is a major challenge, and reaching a desired level of competence can be difficult.

During an October outing last season, I had the opportunity to converse and bowhunt with Bob Errett, president of Parker Compound Bows, Paul Vaicunas, vice-president of the company, and Robert Mason, chief financial officer. The three individuals are each at different stages of bowhunting. Errett, who learned the art of archery from the legendary Fred Bear, has killed numerous quality bucks and now enjoys creating and improving wildlife habitat, taking does to improve the health of the herd and teaching others. Vaicunas relishes the challenge of pursuing mature does and bucks that are 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 years old, and Mason has the goal of killing his first whitetail with a bow. Here are their thoughts -- and some of mine -- on surviving the bowhunting learning curve.

DEALING WITH FAILURE
Not until my fourth year as a bowhunter did I tag my first deer. When I came home in midmorning after that first kill, my wife, Elaine, asked, "What are you doing home?" I replied that I had killed a doe and was through for the day. Her response: "No, really, why are you home?"

When even our devoted spouses have given up all hope of us ever be ing successful at something, then the situation is, indeed, dire. During those first three years of misery, however, I did learn how to deal with failure, and although the following may sound like a cliché, it is true that failure can develop strength of character and a desire to succeed.

For example, after my first three years without success, I became determined that my fourth year would be the one in which I would finally bring a whitetail to a check station. In the past, I had often depended on friends to help me select general stand sites and find specific trees on which to hang stands. Many times before the season started, I would go afield with a veteran bowhunter and let him interpret sign.

But during the month before the season began that fourth year, I immersed myself in the topography and other characteristics of the properties where I planned to hunt. With my past failures always in mind, I carefully studied trails, food sources, bedding areas and, very importantly, specific trees where I visualized deer might pass by within shooting range.

A week before the season began, a friend contacted me and said he would help me pick a stand site on the property where I planned to hunt on opening day. I refused his assistance and said that I would do the choosing myself and live with the consequences. The next day, I selected a hardwood that overlooked a trail where droppings and footprints were abundant. Five minutes after legal shooting time on opening day, I drew back on a doe and sent an arrow into her vitals. After 10 minutes of following the blood trail, I found the doe and screamed with joy and relief.