Question: If you have a 29-inch draw, how short can your arrows be cut? -- Milton Girlie, Georgiana, AL

Answer: The length of your arrow depends largely on the design and position of your arrow rest. Many bowhunters cut their arrows so that, at full draw, the broadhead will remain in front of the bow hand. Most bowhunters, myself included, cut arrows so the back of the broadhead sits about a half-inch in front of the arrow rest launcher at full draw. Keep in mind, if you change arrow rest styles, your arrows could end up too short. Also, if you cut arrows too short, some drop-away rests may not raise arrows before the broadhead blades contact the bow shelf. The best advice is to draw an uncut shaft and have someone mark it at the optimum length. I personally have a 30-inch draw length but cut my arrows 29 inches long. With a 29-inch draw, you might cut your arrows as short as 27 or 28 inches, de-pending on your style of arrow rest. -- Curt Wells, Equipment Editor

Question: I have booked a hunt on Kodiak Island for Sitka blacktail deer. Do strategies or tactics differ from the normal whitetail deer tactics? Do any calls work well? -- Todd Vogelpohl, via e-mail

Answer: On the west side of Kodiak Island, Bowhunter Editor Dwight Schuh and I hunted from treestands in cottonwood bottoms, and the hunting was similar to hunting whitetails in a Midwestern creek drainage. However, most of Kodiak Island has no trees, only tundra and brush, so you must hunt by spotting and stalking, much as you would for mule deer in the desert and prairie. Take good binoculars. When the rut heats up in late October and early November, grunt and bleat calls, plus antler rattling, can bring bucks on the run. Use caution when calling because fawn bawls and bleats could bring brown bears on the run, too. As Dwight demonstrated on Bowhunter Mag-azine TV (Week 6, 2006), a "decoy hat" with eyes and ears like a doe will lure rutty bucks within bow range. -- Larry D. Jones, Videographer

Question: Is it worth hunting deer when the wind is blowing 20-30 miles per hour? -- Dave Nelson, via e-mail

Answer: It's worth hunting deer whenever you can! That being said, high winds will slow down deer activity, although temperature and timing enter into the equation. There's a big difference between a 20 mph wind at 50 degrees and at 15 degrees. The deer know the difference -- and you will too! I've found that, in moderate temperatures, if the wind is gusting rather than blowing at a steady gale, you'll see some buck movement, especially near the peak of the rut. In bitter cold, hard winds generally shut down deer activity. The animals will find a sheltered spot to bed out of the wind, and you should too. -- Dr. Dave Samuel, Conservation Editor

Question: My son has asked for a hunting bow and arrow, and would like to hunt elk in the future. Can you give me some equipment recommendations? My son is an athlete, but he has no experience with bowhunting. -- Jill Anderson, via e-mail

Answer: Take your son to an archery pro shop. He will need a bow that fits him based on draw length and draw weight. For elk, he'll need to be able to handle around 60 pounds draw weight. Arrows must be matched to his draw length and draw weight, and he'll have to make decisions regarding broadheads, release aids, arrow rests, sights, quivers, and other accessories. If he has never hunted before, he'll need other gear -- camouflage clothing, boots. I know it sounds daunting, but he doesn't have to acquire all his hunting gear at once. The important thing is that he connects with knowledgeable people who can start him in the right direction. Also, take advantage of the volumes of information available on DVD in regard to bow setup, elk hunting, and virtually all other bowhunting topics. -- Curt Wells, Equipment Editor

Question: When hunting whitetails in the mountains, what do you look for? I know the normal stuff like scrapes, rubs, and food, but sometimes hunting such sign doesn't work. -- James Gray, via e-mail

Answer: I've hunted mountain whitetails in Washington, Idaho, and Montana. In steep country, I really like to hunt benches. Whitetails commonly travel and bed on these flatter spots. The same can be said of relatively flat ridgetops. I also place my stands at funnels created by cliffs, rock slides, bends in rivers, and similar features. In place of corn and soybean fields, mountain deer feed in clearcuts, avalanche chutes, and other brushy areas. Trails leading from dense woods to these brushy feeding areas always hold promise. Isolated springs and ponds on dry ridges always make good stand sites. Above all, I look for remote refuge areas. In Idaho and Mon-tana, I generally hunt during the rut, which means during general gun season. Remote sites where other hunters won't go can be bristling with bucks. Speaking of orange, always wear blaze orange when bowhunting during gun seasons. If you're hunting during November, use your rattling antlers and calls. Mountain bucks often respond well to rattling. -- Dwight Schuh, Editor

Question: What is the best way to safely ascend/descend a tree with a climbing stand while wearing a Seat-O-The-Pants safety harness? I don't understand how to use the lineman's system. -- Brian Sebazco, via e-mail

Answer: When using a climbing stand, always stay connected to the tree. Attach your safety lanyard around the tree above the stand, and as you climb, slide the lanyard up and cinch it tight each time you move the stand up. The lineman's belt does not work well with a climbing stand because it can slide down as you climb. Use the lineman's belt for installing treesteps and hang-ing fixed-position stands. -- Curt Wells, Equipment Editor

Question: I shoot a Hoyt bow set at 70 pounds. I use Easton Epic shafts, weighing 8.17 grains per inch (gpi). Previously, I shot Carbon Express Terminator arrows weighing 10.7 gpi. However, after shooting through a chronograph, I noticed that the heavy arrows were lobbing along at only 250 fps, and the lighter ones were up around 275 fps. Should I shoot the heavier arrows that fly slower but carry more kinetic energy, or the lighter arrows that fly much faster but carry less kinetic energy? -- B.K., Cummings, KS

Answer: Assuming you're hunting whitetail deer, either arrow will give you good results, and the faster arrows might help reduce problems with string jumping. If you're going after elk, where complete penetration is paramount, I'd suggest you shoot the heavier arrows. Even though they fly slower than the lighter arrows, they deliver more kinetic energy. That's why bowhunters who pursue large and dangerous game -- such as brown bears and Cape buffalo -- generally shoot very heavy arrows that deliver maximum energy. Also, with the heavier arrows, your bow will shoot more quietly because the heavier arrows absorb more of the bow's energy, which reduces vibration through the bow at the shot. As in most areas of life, you're wise to avoid the extremes. If you shoot mid-weight arrows off a 70-pound bow, you'll have no problem making clean kills on any big game in North America. I would not suggest you go buy new arrows -- you'll be fine with your current setup. -- Curt Wells, Equipment Editor

Question: I currently shoot an adjustable, single-pin sight. Are pendulum sights better than these, and how do they work? -- Tom Fisher, Mt. Pleasant, PA

Answer: I wouldn't say a pendulum sight is better, it's just different. On such sights, the pin is free-swinging and follows gravity. When you aim downward, it swings into a higher position so that your aim is slightly lower than usual. That compensates for the built-in arc, or trajectory of your arrow's flight. Unless you are shooting at longer yardages and extreme angles, the difference is small. If you're hunting from treestands for whitetails, it's probably easier to have a 10-yard setting for your adjustable sight and use it on very close shots. The best advice is to experiment by shooting at downward, angles and see exactly where your arrows impact. In summary, a pendulum sight only compensates for angle. It does not adjust for varying yardages. -- Curt Wells, Equipment Editor

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