Hunting & Fishing Compound bow question

[mattharper]

Hey folks, I've decided to give a bow a try for the first time. Gonna buy one around the first of the year, when the season is over. There's a shop local to me and I'm gonna stop in and see what my weight and draw length look like, but I know absolutely nothing about bows. Always been a rifle hunter, but now that I've got time, another month in the woods is very appealing.

For those of you with experience, what should I be looking for in a beginners setup? I'm gonna keep this one under $1,000, so I'd like to get as much quality out of that as I can. If I pick it up in January, that'll give me about 9 month to train with it before the season returns. I'm looking to train with it several evenings per week.

Outside of the bow, arrows, broadheads, training tips, release and a good block, what other equipment should I be looking for (already have a good rangefinder)? Any opinions or guidance is much appreciated...

 

[Anb618]

If you’re just getting into it, buy yourself a used bow off Craigslist or other local buy/sell sites. You can always find 1-2 year old compounds available for less than half the price of new bows from the guys who are buying the newest, fastest, coolest thing every year. There’s not THAT much improvement in bows every year to justify paying $1400 for a new bow IMO. Ask the seller to meet you at a local archery pro shop and have the pros look it over for issues (tell the pro shop you’ll be buying a dozen arrows and anything else you’ll end up needing to outfit the bow, and you’re likely to get them to do the inspection for free or a discount).

Spend good money on good arrows. That’s not somewhere to cheap out. I shoot Carbon Express Mayhem Hunters personally, but you really can’t go wrong these days with any of the major brands. Pay attention to the straightness deviation listed on the packaging. I used to shoot CE Maximas but I found the consistency of the Mayhem Hunters to be just as good at $20 less per dozen.

Find someone local who can teach you proper form. It’s the most important factor in being a good shooter (as with all disciplines I suppose). I see guys (and lots of my friends) pulling back 70lb bows with terrible form, matching accuracy, and they can’t hold at full draw long enough to be an effective bowhunter without rushing their shots. They hate shooting 3D leagues with me because they can’t shoot inside minute of Deer, despite all their IBO speed and expensive gear.

I keep my 10 year old Reflex (bargain brand Hoyt, think Weatherby/Howa comparison) set to under 60lbs, I train to hold at full draw for 5 minutes, and can consistently kill white-tails out to 50 yards without issue. Could probably shoot further, but it starts pushing my ethical limits.

Get yourself a quality cost-efficient setup, and spend time practicing. If next year you’re still into it, you can always sell what you bought for what you paid, and go buy that brand new $1,600 Matthews or Hoyt in Tactical black. ?

 

[Carlos Danger]

Last year was my first time out with a bow. Killed my first deer with my first shot ever, at anything. I really look forward to it now and it starts up here next Tuesday.

Make sure you're shop is reputable. Fitting a bow is like getting fitted for a suit. Learned most of what I needed on YouTube. There's a couple of really knowledgeable people who'll give you so some good pointers.

Form in archery is like form in shooting....just magnified. Small changes in anything affect accuracy tremendously. I picked up a simple setup for arrow fletching as I learned they tend to get damaged one way or another. Arrow wraps come in handy when you need to re-fletch.

Arrow stiffness and length are also important. I've only shot carbon so I cant speak to performance of aluminum.

I started with a used Diamond Infinite Edge. Good to learn on and killed when I needed it to. This year I bought another Diamond but an SB1. Retailed for around $400 and that was a fair price. I wouldn't spend big crazy money just yet.

Practice, practice, practice. Higher draw weight gives you more power, more power more speed, more speed less drop, etc. As your muscles develop, the draw weight starts to feel lighter. If you don't maintain your practice routine, your muscles will weaken and accuracy may suffer.

I shoot pistol and rifle during regular season but I can say I look toward archery a lot and enjoy a cool morning or a warm afternoon up in the tree. Definitely a challenge. Good luck!

My short list for this season....

 

[loveha]

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Been a member for years now. More knowledge than you can consume in a week from people who do it for the same reason we shoot guns here on the hide. Recreation, hunting, competition.

I will add the Diamond IE is the best starter bow on the market.
Don't get a 70# bow unless your built. It's not needed with today's technology. Get a 60# bow, they can go down to 50# if needed, and resale is better. I think the Diamond has a very wide range of weight range compared to your average $900-$1200 bow that comes in 50, 60, and 70 pound increments.

 

[isofahunter]

Good advice above, find a good shop and browse the used bows. I finally got my son into archery last year and that is what we did, someone had to have the latest and we picked up a Halon ready to hunt with a dozen quality carbon arrow for less than a grand. Speed is not everything, focus on your comfort while shooting. I hope you find it enjoyable, it is a great sport.

 

[Jscb1b]

If your pro shop does league nights and ballon shoots, you will have fun and meet good people that are willing to teach new shooters. 3D shoots are good too.

 

[HeavyAssault]

Find a place with their own range and demo bows. You don't need to "train" for 9 months. Buy cheap, learn cheap, gear up to expensive stuff later. As above PLENTY of good used bows out there for sale cheap. Some guys dump their whole setup: bow, arrows, release, case, target.....

When I decided to do the same thing as you I was a bit apprehensive about shooting a bow. After plunking down the money I was shooting in the back yard doing pretty good. That moment when you shoot your first "Robin Hood" it's like a dream come true.....till you realize you got to replace some arrows now. LOL

 

[loveha]

I will say one more thing. Be careful of how deep the rabbit hole goes. Next thing you know your shooting winter league with a $3000 setup with another $1500 in equipment for making arrows and tuning your bow.

 

[ricard13]

To echo loveha above... it is easy to dump a good amount of money in a bow setup. Not nearly as much as a full custom rifle, but still a good amount. I bought a used Hoyt Carbon Spyder and researched a ton on what the best sights, quiver, rest, etc was. I knew going in that I was going to make bow hunting a life long passion, so I went in with the attitude of buy once, cry once. Make sure to thoroughly do your research, and if you have a local bow shop with knowledgeable staff, then even better.

Something that I changed out several times before I was happy was my sight. I started with a 5 pin sight, then jumped up to a 7 pin when I wanted more range. The 7 pin felt very cluttered to me, so I then went to a 3 pin slider from Trophy Ridge. The slider is the equivalent of your turrets on a rifle. Once you get the sight tuned correctly when you range an animal past 40 yards you then turn a lever on the side of the sight and slide it to your desired yardage.

Lastly, buy used if you can find a good deal. I bought my bow lightly used for far less then it was brand new, and at the time it was still the latest and greatest carbon / turbo tech.

 

[SkyScrapin]

Don’t do it! You’ll become one of the poors! Joking of course. It’s become one of my new passions after gun hunting for ages. It’s a new challenge and like you mentioned, gives you more time in the woods. I’m no expert, so take my advise for what it is .. buy the best you can afford and figure out what could carry over into your next bow setup .. sight, arrows, release, rest, etc. best of luck

 

[XLR308]

I would advise not going below a 7" brace height for a starter bow.
The 5 and 6" brace height bows will give better speed with less poundage but will quickly pull the pants down on any inconsistencies in your form and can lead to unneeded frustration. Add to that some of the funky positions you will undoubtedly be shooting from in a tree stand or cramped ground blind and absolute consistency in form becomes even more critical.
You have allready stated one of the most important factors to getting started on the right path which is go to a good archery pro shop and find your exact draw length and what poundage you are comfortable starting off with.
An ill fitted compound bow is frustration from the start.

 

[fxdwgkd]

Go to more than one shop and shoot many brands of bows. Just like local gun shops archery shops have jackasses that have no business advising a new archer. Archery shops struggle to find good bow techs, if your local shop has a good reputation then you are in luck.
I regards to the bow find the one you like the best and feels the most comfortable. You will be buying at a good time, only better time to buy is now as most major bow manufacturers release new models in Oct-Nov and shops will have last years model they will want to move. Beauty of archery is you can practice damn near anywhere. I carry a block target in my work truck and will shoot on lunch break.
Practicing is like everything else, repetition of proper form and fundamentals.
Equipment wise, you do not need anything other than your bow and arrows.

 

[ChadL]

Been shooting archery for over 20 years. My best advice is don’t get wrapped up into a brand. As you get deeper into research you will find fan boys for every brand. Some louder than others (I’m looking at you Mathews fanboys ). You need to shoot as many bows as you can before buying. Each manufacturer has a different grip (the grip can vary year to year within the same manufacturer) and the way a grip fits your hand can be the difference in a bow you shoot well and a bow that you shoot inconsistently.

As mentioned above, ArcheryTalk is a great forum. I’ve bought and sold many bows, etc. over there. Lots of knowledge too.

 

[Chips26]

Been shooting archery for over 20 years. My best advice is don’t get wrapped up into a brand. As you get deeper into research you will find fan boys for every brand. Some louder than others (I’m looking at you Mathews fanboys ). You need to shoot as many bows as you can before buying. Each manufacturer has a different grip (the grip can vary year to year within the same manufacturer) and the way a grip fits your hand can be the difference in a bow you shoot well and a bow that you shoot inconsistently.

As mentioned above, ArcheryTalk is a great forum. I’ve bought and sold many bows, etc. over there. Lots of knowledge too.

I'll echo this. Go get fitted for a bow and draw any and all that you can get your hands on in your draw weight and length range. The way a bow feels when it draws and where it lets off is different for every manufacturer. For example, I've tried Matthews and hate how it draws, I much prefer the draw style of a Darton. Its hard to explain but perceptible when you do it.

 

[Kayakfish1]

I've been shooting archery most of my life, I've target shot, 3d shoots, bowhunted, and bowfished any chance I can and I can promise you archery is very similar to shooting when it comes to spending way more than you planned on.

I havent been able to bow hunt the last 2 years (lost our hunting property) but I've been scratching the itch by shooting carp.

There's a special place in my heart for "lever bows" (oneida, area 5150, g-string customs) and believe me when I tell you levers are a very slippery slope lol, first one I bought to fish with was $50 on craigslist and my current fishing bow is a full custom build that was about $1200 when I bought it.
A lot of "pro shops" will say that levers are outdated and inefficient, but if your main purpose is hunting an oneida slinging a 5-750gr arrow/broadhead will pass thru just about any flesh target you put in front of it.

In the end archery is all about preference, shoot as many different bows as you can and figure out what works best for you.

 

[wapiti16b]

What Kayak said , a good used oneida set at 60 lbs with quality arrows and broadheads are the way to go. It cannot go out of time unless the limb hits something and even then you simply loosen the timing set screw and viola its back in time for the cams. something to consider on a backpack hunt where the bowshop is a day away at best! also stayaway from string peeps , get a Anchor Sight ( google it) and some type of inertia arrow rest . Just so you know GOD intended for arrows to be fletched with Feathers , they are infinately more forgiving than plastic and work when wet despite what others may say . Many dead Elk,Deer&Bear in my freezer would agree!
Lighter arrows are not your friend go moderate for Deer and heavy for Elk/Bear and stay with fixed Broadheads , Magnus have never let me down.
Welcome to a new world of tinkering with variables and Oh Yeah your first bow kill wil blow away your first rifle kill for sure!

 

[Kayakfish1]

Wapiti touched on a another strong point for lever bows, you can completely disassemble and rebuild one with 2 allen keys and a flathead screwdriver.

 

[mongoosesnipe]

as for general bow stats i would go with something at least 6.5" brace and around 32-32 ata longer on either will make for an easier to shoot bow, your draw length will have significant factor on the amount of speed you are able to get out of a bow most bows are rated at 5 grains per pound arrow weight and 30" draw, as a general rule faster bows are going to have a harsher draw and will require more strength and skill to shoot consistently

i would recomend getting a trainer https://www.amazon.com/Saunders-Pow...=1&keywords=BOW+TRAINER&qid=1570688698&sr=8-3 and watch a few videos on proper draw form, if you are drawing properly you should mostly be using the muscles in your back and they are typically only utilized for archery, you can get the trainer and work on your muscle and form until you decide what bow to buy

 

[OLD308]

In archery the tuning of the bow is paramount. We tune the $350 PSE package bows to the same effectiveness of the $1,000 Mathews, Hoyt, Elite, Obsession, Prime, etc. It’s all in the tune. If the shop you buy from does not have a draw board, run away. If they justify everything with a paper tune, run away. Make the shop justify their tune through a bow rest like a hooter shooter.

Being new to the archery world you won’t be able to critically evaluate the difference in brands. Are the higher priced bows better? Sometimes. It all depends on your application. Again, it’s all about the tune and the application.

Buy a inexpensive package bow or used bow. Limbs should be 45-60 lbs in weight. Shoot it for a few seasons. Then you will have a idea of want you want.

I shot the same two bows (right and left handed) for 18 years. No Game ever knew I did not have the fastest bow or newest broad head. Would still be shooting them if they were not stolen. I have access to every new bow by every manufacturer at dealer cost and I still don’t buy new bows.

If your in the DFW area PM me and I’ll get you set up. If not, best of luck. Archery is an addiction worse than cocaine! All your time money and thoughts will be taken up with slinging arrows. Hope this helps.

 

[nickw]

I just went through this. I ended up w/ a used bow (like new 3 yrs old Bear), good arrows and a fixed broadhead. I shot 4 different bows, new and used, and just loved the way the used Bear shot for me. The shop I went to had a good selection of used bows as well as all the top-tier new stuff. The guy who helped me was an accomplished hunter and shooter. He had just returned from Colorado where he took an elk at 65 yards. Not only did he recommend certain bows, arrows, broadheads, releases etc based on actual experience and my budget, but he gave me tips on my technique / form as he watched me shoot. I left the shop after 2 hrs with the bow sighted in at 20 yards and my arrows hitting where I put the pin. It was a pretty cool experience. I had not hunted with a bow or even shot one in 20 years. Looking forward to the season.

 

[Maxduty]

It's been said, but I'll say it again. Shoot different ones to find one that 's comfortable for you. Don't get hung up on a brand. I used to only shoot one brand but eventually tried a one off from the original Diamond (2 guys in a shed before the Bowtech buyout) and fell in love with it. I now shoot an Elite. It was the smoothest shooting bow that worked well for me. I put 2 shafts in a target, hitting the first with the second. No sights on it. It just falls into place when I draw it.

 

[Blitzy]

Great thread. Fellow rifle guy wanting to give archery a try.

 

[mattharper]

Just wanted to give thanks to you guys and an update. This is why I love this place. In talking to a good friend about this stuff, he gave me a very generous opportunity I couldn't pass on.

He had a bow that he only ever used as a backup for long distance trips and he gave me a great deal on an entire setup. And it just so happens that once I found my draw length, it's the same as his. The draw weight it 70lbs and that may be the only thing I adjust. Only been slinging arrows for a couple of days and I dont have much trouble with it, but I believe my draw would be much more smooth if I drop it a couple of pounds. I'll probably take it to the shop next week to get it tuned and have it looked over just to be on the safe side. It's a blast to shoot. I'm definitely gonna love this new hobby.
So here's a picture of what I got... Its a 2009 model BowTech Sniper (ironic) and everything that came with it.

Thanks again everyone!

 

[ChadL]

Congrats!!.....I think you’ll really enjoy it. Welcome to the rabbit hole called archery.

Archery was my first love. I bow hunted for years before I picked up a rifle. I’ve got my kids into it now. Shooting arrows at targets with the kiddos is a great way to spend a couple of hours.
Bowtech makes nice bows. I’ve had a few over the years. Still regret selling my Insanity CPXL. Have thought seriously about buying one from Archery Talk. I have a Bowtech RealmX now and really enjoy it. For a 70# bow the draw cycle is pretty smooth. Not as smooth as my PSE Evolve, but still smooth.

I think you’ll find not only the draw to be smoother by dropping a couple of pounds, but your ability to stay on target should improve also. It’s surprising what a couple pounds less draw weight can make in terms of shoot ability. As you get into better “bow shape” you can start taking the poundage up if you want.

 

[deerhunter9790]

I would go to your local shop and get your draw length and weight tested. See what they have available and the deals. Shoot everything you can to see what works for you. I would also suggest looking on Archery talk to see what bows are available that are already set Up. You can always find a deal on a great setup from someone upgrading just like on here

 

[swage2712]

Guess nobody read the whole thread. He bought his buddy's backup bow.