Bowhunting Books

Starting at zero baseline of knowledge and experience and no close friends in the sport, I had to "get up to speed" myself to be able to make a sizeable investment in equipment and develop the know-how to pursue a new life adventure into archery elk hunting. This is a serious undertaking and sizeable resource commitment and nothing short of excellence would be acceptable in both the equipment and the preparation to be an ethical hunter.

I needed everything and knew nothing. Like fly-fishing, which is my passion and obsession, archery has a differnt language, different materials and requires differnt skill sets to master to be adequate enough to be able to progress in the sport. Without a mentor but a deep seated drive to excel in this sport I have been like a sponge seeking out morsels of knowledge. This book was manna.

I am still learning; I am still reading and re-reading. This book has helped me more than any other reference I have found. I will continue to use the writings in this book to help educate and prepare myself as I develop my skills for this new life adventure.

This book covers about everything an archer needs to know in order to become a better archer. I'm sure it will be an important reference for me from this point forward. The author is a bit of a purist and takes things to an extreme that not many archers will go to. But the information is there if you want it. I do wish that he would have dealt more with how to overcome target panic though.

Another five-star review for this book might seem a little redundant, but it's earned it. Don't be misled by its size; it's only 120 pages long, but it's PACKED with concentrated, clearly-written, QUALITY information. After wasting WAY too many bucks on books with rambling, unorganized writing and shoddy illustration, this book gets a place of honor on my shelf. It should set the standard for "how-to" books on outdoor sports.
(Just a quick correction, by the way: the author's first name is Lon, not Lou.)

One very mild criticism: there are a few too many photographs of Lon grinning next to his trophies, but what the heck - it's his book, after all...

I'm 51 years old and I wish I had this info about 35 years ago. Lou does a fine job of getting to the point of what makes the difference between being an average Joe bowhunter and a clean hitting one. I really found his finer tips excellent, that is what I was missing, and he dispelled many of the wives-tales about some items too. One item/tip in particular I hadn't thought about much was belt type straps verse Velcro for my release and also how to measure and set the proper release head position. Bottom line every serious and not so serious bowhunter would benefit by reading this book. I say well done to Lou for his fine and easy to read book.

I recently purchased a hunting bow. I read another book first, to cover the basics. I could have probably done that with this book as well. However, Lou goes a step further and shares his rigorous method of perfecting shooting technique as well as tuning the bow and arrows. I think I got a good theoretical foundation to reach the next level. I highly recommend this book to any beginner.

I have shot a bare bow nearly all my life. When I finally decided to buy a new bow with all the accessories, I wasn't sure where to start and how to use all the new stuff. This book was excellent in helping me become familiar with my new bow. The pictures are great and the text very educational. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn or re-learn about the bow and arrow.

This book is great for highlighting many aspects of archery and providing information that is useful for a beginner and experienced archer. It is a nice text that compiles information that would be useful to have as a reference. There are tuning methods, suggestions for shooting form, tips on how to fix your bow and add accessories. A very solid book with plenty of pictures for any archery fan.

I very much enjoyed this book. It was a great refresher since I haven't shot a bow in quite a few years. It also had lots of great information I didn't know, such as paper tuning, in depth information on arrows and arrow selection. I highly recommend this book.

i cant say i have any bow hunting skill whatsoever but this book has taught my what to look for in equipment and to practice my posture. i recomend this for people looking for a vague idea on equipment to buy, but not for the specifics.

EVERYTHING you always wanted to know about Bow Hunting but were too intimidated to ask. Being a woman just picking up the sport of bow hunting at age 37 I would walk into sporting goods and archery stores and be overwhelmed by the amount of information I needed to know before I ever purchased a bow. This book helped me know what equipment I needed and what equipment was just smoke and mirrors. It also prepared me for "target panic" and explained in detail about every other facet that I could have ever thought of and even some I didn't consider. Great for anyone just picking up the sport.

A Collection of Bowhunting Adventures

A great gift for the bow hunter in your life...
Reviewed by Debra Gaynor [...]
Breathtaking Bowhunts is a book for those that dream of stalking their prey. Mike Lamade is a talented author. In his book Breathtaking Bowhunts, he shares his many experiences. From bear to turkey, Lamade has sought his quarry. He stresses safety and responsibility. The rules include "Don't shoot!--unless you've practiced properly, unless the deer is in range, at running game, or if rain or snow is in the way." The photographs add much to this book. Breathtaking Bowhunts will make a nice gift for the hunter in your life.

While I have never gone bowhunting and only went gun hunting once, I am no stranger to the sport. My father was an avid hunter and was gone from before dawn until after dusk every weekend during the Iowa bowhunting deer season. He managed to kill one nearly every year and he is listed in the Iowa record book for the quality of the buck that he killed with a gun.
Therefore, while I have no personal knowledge of the events Lamade relates in this book, I certainly understand the thrills he had while bowhunting. Unlike hunting with a gun, bowhunting requires patience, guile and a cool hand. Even the most talented bowhunters must get within twenty yards to make sure of the kill. Furthermore, they only get one shot so they have to make it count.
Lamade describes his adventures on the North American and African continents. He successfully hunted everything from turkeys to moose to stingrays, including some animals capable of hunting him. His exploits are true and he writes with such flair that it is not difficult to imagine your presence at his side. Lamade is also a hunter in the purest sense of the word. He has very strict rules regarding the shots that he will take, passing on the opportunity to shoot if he is convinced that the probability of the kill is too low.

by Ihor Rebensky
Scranton Times-Tribune, June 17, 2007

At age 6, Mike Lamade made his first connection to what would become a lifelong passion.

An aunt, returning from a trip to Yellowstone Park in 1941, gave her young nephew his first bow, an item he said he treasured as one of his most-prized possessions.

Some 40 years later, Lamade experienced his first kill with a bow, taking down a 6x6 bull (six points on each side) on his first try. He was hooked on the sport and never looked back.

Lamade decided to share his experiences, submitting an article, "Turkey tactics for bugling bulls," to Bowhunter Magazine. The article was published and Lamade began what has become a more than 20-year career writing about bowhunting.

Lamade has since compiled a book of his published articles beginning with that first one which has been published by Tribute Books in Eynon. "Breathtaking Bowhunts" provides an exciting insight into bowhunting and should be a must-read for any outdoors enthusiast.

Lamade will be at Barnes & Noble in Wilkes-Barre on Saturday, from 2-4 p.m. for a book signing.

"Bowhunting keeps me young," said Lamade, 72, who grew up Kingston and now resides in Cold Spring, "on the road to Upper Woods Pond, a top trout lake for many NEPA fishermen."

Lamade will be celebrating his first wedding anniversary Oct. 7 with his wife, Kathleen.

"The only problem is," he said, "I have a bowhunt for mule deer booked in Alberta this coming Oct. 6. Shes a very understanding woman."

Along with the articles, Lamade provides an array of fascinating photographs, from his youth to his impressive trophy room, which showcases a number of his triumphs.

Each article is followed with information, including the date and publication in which it ran, as well as some background on how the article came about.

For example, his article, "Scout like a hawk: One hour in the air can save days on the ground," provides a helpful tips on the advantage of using a guide plane to scout prospective hunting sights. Lamade follows the reprint of the article with background on his own skill as a pilot, and details the kinds of planes he has flown.

The book, which retails for $[...] and can be reviewed and ordered on line at [...], is worth every penny.

Bowhunters will enjoy the stories while non-bowhunters can learn alot.




"The Sacred Nature of Hunting: Stories That Reveal Our Humanness"
by Peter N. Jones

One of the most famous writers in American history was Ernest Hemingway. He wrote stories about the American experience, and what it ment to be a living and breathing human. Some of Hemingway's most famous stories centered on hunting: "Certainly there is no hunting like the hunting of man and those who have hunted ... long enough and liked it, never really care for anything else thereafter" (from 'On the Blue Water' in Esquire, April 1936). I loved reading Hemingway - having read everything that he wrote - and have always kept my eyes open for someone else who could convey the spirit, excitement, and humanness of "the hunt."

Breathtaking Bowhunts by Mike Lamade turns out to be just that book. In this collection of bowhunting adventures the author brings the reader along on over 20 different hunts over a period of almost four decades. What sets these hunting stories apart - at least for me - is the fact that they were all done via bowhunting. I'm not a big fan of long-range rifle hunting, where the hunter is a half-mile away on some hill and the animal has no idea that they are being hunted. No, that does not seem like an adventure to me. However, these stories reveal what it is to be a human out in the wild - just you, a bow and arrow, and nature. No chance to shoot off your rifle if the bear suddenly turns and attacks! Or if the wildebeast that you have been tracking for a couple of days decides to turn and charge!

No, in Breathtaking Bowhunts Mike Lamade shares with the reader not only the hunt itself, but also the preparation, tracking, and care that goes into a successful hunt - one where you have to actually put your life on the line. For example, Lamade's hunt of a record Mule Deer on the eastern plains of Colorado in winter made my palms sweat. Fighting through a horrendous blizzard, I could feel the tension and fatigue Lamade was holding back as he stalked his prey. Similarly, when I was reading the story about Lamade's amazing hunts of the elusive African Kudu, my senses were heightened and my hands tingled.

I'm not a hunter. I've never killed anything so much as an ant. However, I've always had respect for those people who still maintain that sacred tie between man and beast. That sacred tie involves skill, determination, and respect for the animal on the part of the hunter, as well as some recognition on the part of the prey that they are being hunted. Native Americans talk about a bond between the hunter and the hunted - the animal has sacrificed themselves for the purpose of fulfilling the needs of the hunter and the hunter recognizes this and offers something in return. This is what most impressed me about Breathtaking Bowhunts - this understanding is clearly part of Mike Lamade's hunting practices.

The stories in this book demonstrate that not only is hunting ok, but if done with the right intentions, hunting can become a sacred act. I respect Mike Lamade and others who hunt in a similar fashion. They are preserving an important part of human heritage - one of our sacred bonds that we share with animals and the natural environment. This book will thrill any hunter. But more importantly, it will help others realize that not all hunting is bad. In some cases, it is sacred.

Mike Lamade has hunted the continents from Norht America to Africa. One thing I was impressed by is he tells beginners to long time hunters to be responsible hunters. He says more than once "Do Not Shoot." Unless the animal is presenting the proper shot angle for placement in the vital chest area behind the shoulder---do not shoot.

Sometimes people can be so caught up in the hunt that they shoot not taking the time to wait for the proper shot. Then the animal will wonder off and if not found can die a slow death.. Mike has hunted just about every type of game that is allowed. He even went along with a friend who was hunting gators with a bow. While Mike did not hunt he was still taken on a wild ride.

This book teaches you not only about the responsibilty of bowhunting but the history as well. Angus Brown is a professional bow hunter and outfitter in Africa. He was instrumental in getting bow hunting legalized in this country.

I come from a family of hunters. They only hunt for the meat. My husband Larry hunts with either a bow or rifle. When I showed him Mikes trophy room his eyes opened wide and he said, "I want to read this book when you are finished."

This is a great book for all outdoor enthusiast.

Sandy Heptinstall

My husband read this book and even though he's not a hunter, he thought it was excellent! Mike's writing style paints a very visual picture of the action/location of each of his hunts. A very readable book.

This book, without a doubt, is the finest book on deer hunting that I have ever read. As an avid reader, I have read a pile of books on deer hunting, most of which were the same information, recycled over and over again. The techniques and strategies in these books are just not applicable to hunting in my heavily pressured home state of South Carolina.
This book is full of fresh ideas that have challenged the way I have historically approached bowhunting. I would recommend this book to anyone, bowhunters and gunhunters alike. It is the most HONEST and PRACTICAL book on hunting mature deer that you will ever read. It will help you to rethink the way you hunt and give you more opportunities at big bucks. I cannot say enough good things about this book. If you live in a state or area where there is alot of stiff hunting pressure, you have got to read this book.

Excellent book. Easy to read, well organized, and insightful. No gimmicks or add-ons. Follow the straight forward practices to improve your odds. I used the knowledge for both bow and firearm hunting. I saw many more deer than in prior years. I purchased a copy for my son and a friend.

Chris and John have done it again. This is an incredible follow up to "bowhunting pressured whitetails". Their knowledge of the lore of the wood and the unique and creative take they have with hunting consistently shows their superior knowledge they are all too happy to share with those of you who are wise to purchase this book.

This book walks through the whole year, what you need to be getting done now, what you need to be getting ready to do. Its all here, how, when, and where you should be hunting through out the season. It rehashes some of his other book " bowhunting pressured Whitetails" both are books I would recomend to any bowhunter.

This book and the Eberhart's other book "Bowhunting Pressured Whitetails" are the two best whitetail deer bowhunting books I have read - and I have read a lot of them. Most deer hunting books discuss tactics for hunting unpressured deer (i.e. large, privately managed farms or ranches with limited access or high-fence operations) that most hunters will simply never have the chance to hunt. This book is different from other hunting books in that the Eberhart's explain their year-round system for consistently taking mature whitetail bucks from pressured areas in their home state of Michigan. I must say again that the Eberthart's bowhunting books are the best I have read. In fact, I re-read parts of their books before each hunting season.

Lonbows in the Far North by E. Donnall Thomas
Ethics and good taste, intelligence,knowledge and a special style of writing makes this book a winner on short stories of his observations,endurance and good humour. He doen't just want to be out there killing everything is sight. His anticipation starts from when the boots go on. Every shoot is not successful in a trophy,but it is award winning in the enjoyment of his pursuit.

Typical fantastic writing of Don Thomas. Very few authors can actually bring you on the adventure with them as it happens and Thomas does it again. Get this book!

This far outshines the vast majority of modern hunting literature. I love the fact that not every story ends with a successful kill.

As a traditional bowhunter, I found Dr. Thomas' stories to be not only informative but delightfully entertaining. He brings out not only the adventure of the hunt but the ethics of the sport. He has taken us to places that few will be able to go and made us see them through the eyes of a hunter and naturalist. He shows us that it is the hunt that matters, not the harvest. His ethical approach to our sport is a lesson to all who bowhunt. I can not recommend this book more highly. Whether you hunt with modern Hi-Tech equipment or carry a stick bow this book is required reading

The hunt conditions are described clearly and succinctly. A real bowhunters read that will give every reader more insight. The new and tweaked older tactics every hunter needs in todays hunt are described with easy to understand means and methods.

This book was a very good one. Written by a man who has done his own homework, instead of someone else doing it for him.( LIKE OUTFITTERS AND GUIDES) It's good to see men who are real deerhunters doing it the old fashioned way. Scouting area's themselves, making their own strategies in getting trophy deer. You can tell he knows what he is talking about from experience. Many of the books say the same thing over and over again. When this man comes highly regarded by Gene Wenzel,that is saying something to me! If you want to go to the next level in deerhunting, This book is for you. I would give it six stars if I could. Get It!

I get so tired of reading deer hunting books that simply repeat the same old deer hunting advice: "set up between bedding areas and feeding areas," for instance. In the places where I've lived, it's often hard to tell feeding areas - food is everwhere, and deer can bed anywhere. So needless to say, much of what passes for deer hunting advice - even from so-called experts - is confusing and doesn't really end up working where most of us hunt. Against this backdrop, Bobby Worthington is a breath of spring. The stuff he suggests is stuff you won't read much of other places, but will actually work where you live. Bobby's a country boy who grew up studying deer (not deer hunting books), and rather than pay a guide to hunt his deer for him so he can shoot it (what many other writers do), he hunts them himself. His advice is common sense, practical, and easy to understand. If you read this book and do what he says, you WILL become a better deer hunter.

Far from being out of print, The Traditional Bowhunter's Handbook is in its third printing, with more than 10,000 copies already sold. Interested buyers need to look no further than the finest traditional archery equipment supplier there is: Kustom King Traditional Archery.

This book is by far the most complete book ever written on everything one would like or need to know about traditional archery and bowhunting. A must have for anyone who enjoys a longbow, recurve or selfbow.

I purchased this book shortly after obtaining a longbow. At the time I was a complete novice with no previous archery experience even with modern compound bows, let alone traditional archery equipment. Conrads book not only gave me the direction I needed to get started, it provided me an excellent foundation in learning to properly shoot my bow and in understanding the various equipment used by traditional archery shooters. And as someone who new very little about modern archery history, I also appreciated the inclusion of short biographies of the individuals who pioneered the resurgance of bowhunting in the 20th Century. Conrads book is will not only be invaluable to the novice just getting started, it will also prove useful as a reference source for the more experienced shooter. If you are interested in obtaining the best available "how to" book on traditional archery, Conrads' book is the one you're looking for.

First of all, as of 2004, this book is not out of print. It will be in print for a long time too, I bet, because of the wealth of information it shares with all interested parties. Do a search.

The author is TJ Conrads who publishes the magazine of the Stickbow community "Traditional Bowhunter". He's known to be a great guy and wonderful promoter of ethical traditional bowhunting specifically and ethical hunting in general . He is well versed on the threats to our sport and is brave enough to take a position. I have never met him, but I emailed him a few times and he was quick to respond personally, which obviously, I liked.

The 363 page book should answer any possible question you might have about traditional bowhunting and archery, from who was Ishi to what is arrow spine. As a novice (for the past 10 years), I can't think of one question I ever had that this book didn't cover thoroughly.

There are four sections to the book. Section one is a brief but thorough history of who shaped where we are with bowhunting including Ishi, Howard Hill, Maurice and Will Thompson among others. About 65 pages.

The second section is about 180 pages covering all the equipment in depth. It has a very good arrowmaking section. The part about tuning your setup is also quite good.

The third section covers the essentials for the hunt like equipment and avoiding common mistakes

The last section is the appendices which are also chock full of useful information.

If your curious about Hunting with a Longbow or a Recurve, this is the bible that will get you started on the right path. Buy it wherever you can find it.

Unlike Philbert Suggs review, which is obviously, a sarcastic, soap-box stance, of a denial ridden, brain damaged animal rights/anti-hunting advocate who has not read the book in the first place. He is obviously shrouded by self-substantiated lies including his false profile in which he says he is a hunter and uses Elvis as his picture (a drug-ridden, stammering bafoon such as himself, evidently). Such people could benefit from reading such books in which denials of natural processes of life and death are not tolerated and truth is spoken. People are hunters by nature, Ted has always promoted that as he does in this book. Ted has never tolerated false idealistic views such as those perceived by Mr. Suggs who thinks his food has never had an effect on an animal or the environment or has denied that his actions through his course of life has never lead to the death of an animal or destruction of their environment. People who share views as those of Mr. Suggs pave a dangerous path to destruction of humanity through denial and lies. Rock-on Ted, and keep on spreading the truth of humanity and our impact of the environment, helping to preserve habitat and the abundace of wildlife for generations to come, and teaching kids to not just "Say No" to drugs, but, to kick the dealer in the balls, drag them in to the street, smash them into the curb and leave them to rot in the gutter. You have helped many youth to preserve their life and give them a good path to follow to become an asset to their community and the wild in general.

I myself am not a hunter. I really just do not understand it. However, my husband enjoys it immensly. While I do not understand the hunting mentality I do understand people such as Mr. Suggs. While, Mr. Suggs is exceedingly gifted in the art of penning sarcasm, he unfortunately lacking in his choice of reading materials. I find it odd that a person who does not enjoy a sport, nor the person who is participating in the sport, would read a book involving both. I give kudos to Mr. Suggs writing ability, shame on him for speaking out of turn.

This is a complete book that can take you from newbie to Boone and Crockett level skills. It covers bows, arrows, accessories, tuning, arrow speed, game location, techniques. Every skill you'll need to fill the freezer or flush out the trophy wall in the den.

This is a comprehensive work covering all aspects of archery, especially as it relates to ethical hunting. Chuck Adams draws from a lifetime of experience to illuminate his technical and practical advice. The book covers the fundamentals of shooting form, selecting, maintaining and tuning equipment, ballistics, hunting, and more. I have read the book and enjoyed it very much. If I could consult only one book on any aspect of archery, this would be the one.

Benke's book gives indisbutable evidence that bow hunters wound more animals than they kill, and that the majority of the wounded animals painfully die of infection days later.

Packed with facts and figures about how inaccurate bow hunting is, this book builds a terrific case for banning the barbaric practice once and for all, although that is clearly not the author's intention.

This book was a real eye-opener for me! Obviously, Adrian is a true sportsman and expert in his field. It is a MUST read....(ENTER ONLY....WITH AN OPEN MIND)...a real thought provoker. Thanks, Adrian for a JOB WELL DONE--as usual ! Forever, "Fritz" Tarreyton