Home Blog  
Archery Small Game Bowhunting: Don’t Overlook the Challenge!

Small Game Bowhunting: Don’t Overlook the Challenge!

While most bowhunters strictly pursue whitetails from 20 feet up or spot and stalk elk, chasing small game with stick and string is a great way to extend your hunting season and gain some valuable archery practice.

Squirrels, rabbits, birds, and even frogs — with a long list of possible prey, there’s something to hunt virtually any time of year. 

Aiming for these small moving targets will make you a better bowhunter, and you won’t have to worry about chomping down on a pellet when eating your archery kill.

Hunting Guide

Small Game Gear

Using the same setup for small game as you use for big game can help you get more comfortable and proficient shooting. 

But if you’re choosing a rig specifically for small game hunting, consider a traditional bow over a compound. While recurves and longbows aren’t quite as fast or accurate at longer ranges, they’re lightweight, less likely to wreck your arrows on missed shots, and allow you to get off quick shots with instinctive shooting.

Either way, you’ll have a blast with a bow.

If you go with a traditional bow, flu-flu arrows are great for shooting at close-range small game and will make it easier to locate them following a miss. Depending on the animal, you can hunt with blunts or a broadhead specifically designed for small game. But beyond that, the necessary gear for bowhunting small game is minimal.

Even Fred Bear enjoyed hunting small game with traditional tackle and praised it as a skill-building yet humbling hobby.

“The additional challenge of small game besides actually hitting the little rascals is sneaking up on them. I have often been humiliated by animals with a brain the size of a marble,” he said. “The great thing about being an avid small game hunter is that it makes you a more successful medium and large game hunter.” If it’s good enough for the father of modern bowhunting, it’s good enough for me.

author avatar
The Bow Bully
The Bow Bully discusses a variety of archery topics and offers tips, advice and the occasional nudge to make you a better bowhunter. With years of experience, and an attitude to match, you'll find the Bully has something to offer both beginners and seasoned hunters.

6 thoughts on “Small Game Bowhunting: Don’t Overlook the Challenge!”

  1. A former neighbor was pretty skilled at hunting iguanas on his property using a traditional bow; do recall one time he was a little put out because one of the arrows broke – but he nailed his prey. Stuff happens! He grew up bow-hunting in S Africa; no doubt the pursuit of the fast and wary “iggys” helped him stay in shooting shape.

  2. My teen years were spent in a small town (300 people maybe). We had the school baseball field on the outer edge of town. It was overrun with 13 lined ground squirrels. I could shoot at them for hours, because I missed so many shots. It sure was fun. Still enjoy taking out a rabbit or two each fall. Squirrels are a different story. If you think a deer can jump the string, you ain’t seen nuthin until you let one fly at a grey.

  3. The Bow Bully,
    This report brings back memories of trying to hunt squirrels with my first bow ever, a stick bow with about a 30-pound pull. My Dad found it up in Grandma’s attic…God alone knows how long it had been up there. It had a leather wrapped grip, but it was plain wood, no sinew backing or anything like that. Anyway, I had shot it a bunch in the basement, and in the backyard; but it did not survive it’s first small game hunt; as I went to string her, the lower limb cracked. I still blame myself; I was young and dumb; if I had oiled that bow, or taken it to an archery shot for advice, I might still be shooting it today.
    Take care & keep up the good work,
    dave

Leave a Comment

Buy With Confidence

  • Free Shipping

    Get FREE shipping on qualifying orders! Any order $150+ with a shipping address in the contiguous US will receive the option for free ground shipping on items sold & shipped by Pyramyd AIR during checkout. Certain restrictions apply.

    Free shipping may not be combined with a coupon unless stated otherwise.

    View Shipping Info

  • Shipping Time Frame

    We work hard to get all orders placed by 12 pm EST out the door within 24 hours on weekdays because we know how excited you are to receive your order. Weekends and holiday shipping times will vary.

    During busy holidays, we step our efforts to ship all orders as fast as possible, but you may experience an additional 1-2 day delay before your order ships. This may also happen if you change your order during processing.

    View Shipping Times

  • Shipping Restrictions

    It's important to know that due to state and local laws, there are certain restrictions for various products. It's up to you to research and comply with the laws in your state, county, and city. If you live in a state or city where air guns are treated as firearms you may be able to take advantage of our FFL special program.

    U.S. federal law requires that all airsoft guns are sold with a 1/4-inch blaze orange muzzle or an orange flash hider to avoid the guns being mistaken for firearms.

    View Shipping Restrictions

  • Expert Service and Repair

    Get the most out of your equipment when you work with the expert technicians at Pyramyd AIR. With over 25 years of combined experience, we offer a range of comprehensive in-house services tailored to kickstart your next adventure.

    If you're picking up a new air gun, our team can test and tune the equipment before it leaves the warehouse. We can even set up an optic or other equipment so you can get out shooting without the hassle. For bowhunters, our certified master bow technicians provide services such as assembly, optics zeroing, and full equipment setup, which can maximize the potential of your purchase.

    By leveraging our expertise and precision, we ensure that your equipment is finely tuned to meet your specific needs and get you ready for your outdoor pursuits. So look out for our services when shopping for something new, and let our experts help you get the most from your outdoor adventures.

    View Service Info

  • Warranty Info

    Shop and purchase with confidence knowing that all of our air guns (except airsoft) are protected by a minimum 1-year manufacturer's warranty from the date of purchase unless otherwise noted on the product page.

    A warranty is provided by each manufacturer to ensure that your product is free of defect in both materials and workmanship.

    View Warranty Details

  • Exchanges / Refunds

    Didn't get what you wanted or have a problem? We understand that sometimes things aren't right and our team is serious about resolving these issues quickly. We can often help you fix small to medium issues over the phone or email.

    If you need to return an item please read our return policy.

    Learn About Returns

Get FREE shipping on qualifying orders! Any order $150+ with a shipping address in the contiguous US will receive the option for free ground shipping on items sold & shipped by Pyramyd AIR during checkout. Certain restrictions apply.

Free shipping may not be combined with a coupon unless stated otherwise.

View Shipping Info

Text JOIN to 91256 and get $10 OFF Your Next $50+ Order!

* By providing your number above, you agree to receive recurring autodialed marketing text msgs (e.g. cart reminders) to the mobile number used at opt-in from Pyramyd AIR on 91256. Reply with birthday MM/DD/YYYY to verify legal age of 21+ in order to receive texts. Consent is not a condition of purchase. Msg frequency may vary. Msg & data rates may apply. Reply HELP for help and STOP to cancel. See Terms and Conditions & Privacy Policy.