Bow Hunters

doubletap007 · Jan 21, 2012

I want to try some bow hunting this year and need advise on a good bow and arrows to buy as well as sites.

I dont want a "good starter" bow that i will need to trade off in a year like when you advise a new gun owner to start with a good 22.
I want the best to train with,a top notch bow that i will keep and get good with.

think noveske or knights armament in ar's,thats the bow i want to buy.

I am not a real big guy so i dont need something that will put my shoulder out pulling it back but i do want power and something comfortable to shoot.

also i'm a lefty but do most things right handed for the most part but which hand do you hold your bow with and which do you shoot with for the best stability?

Spray-n-pray · Jan 21, 2012

Ok, first of all, I just started practicing archery this year, so my knowledge is fairly limited. That disclaimer out of the way, I would be more than happy to share my thoughts.

Since you say you may shoot a bow lefty, you need to know whether you do or not. I thought I was a lefty when it comes to archery, since I shoot pistols lefty. I was wrong. A right handed archer holds the bow with the left hand and draws with the right. Vice versa for a lefty. If you shoot righty, that will open up a whole lot more options for you. One of the best things I did was to go to the local shop, have them check my draw length and shoot a bunch of their bows to see what I liked. Now for me, I have a very long draw (32") so that narrowed down my choices... A lot. If you don't, and you probably won't, you should have a wide array of bows to choose from. Depending on where you live, there are several archery shops in town. I only have experience with a couple, Archery world in Vancouver, where I live, and Archers Afield in Tigard. I have nothing but good things to say about both. One thing I also did was to get some opinions from experienced archers on a forum called archerytalk.com. Do lots of research and buy what you really want, since it really is an investment. Plan on spending an additional $500 or so on accessories you will need such as a quiver, arrow rest, mechanical release, pin sight, and of course arrows. Unless you buy a package that is "ready to hunt," the price you see is for the bow only. You can get into spending a lot more than you bargained for pretty quickly. I am into my archery gear for over $1k, and there are still a few more things I want. I had to sell a couple of firearms to get into archery. Not trying to deter you, but to prepare you for a bit of possible sticker shock.

Ok, I think that is enough typing for right now, but if you like, feel free to PM me if you want to chat about it. Matter of fact, I need to get into the local shop to tune up my bow for turkey season and to practice shooting. If you want to come meet me up there sometime, I can possibly help you out some more. Good luck with getting into another very addicting hobby!

Spray-n-pray · Jan 21, 2012

Oh, and to address your question on the top bows, think Hoyt, Mathews, and possibly Elite for their awesome warranty.

doubletap007 · Jan 21, 2012

Spray-n-pray said:
Ok, first of all, I just started practicing archery this year, so my knowledge is fairly limited. That disclaimer out of the way, I would be more than happy to share my thoughts.

Since you say you may shoot a bow lefty, you need to know whether you do or not. I thought I was a lefty when it comes to archery, since I shoot pistols lefty. I was wrong. A right handed archer holds the bow with the left hand and draws with the right. Vice versa for a lefty. If you shoot righty, that will open up a whole lot more options for you. One of the best things I did was to go to the local shop, have them check my draw length and shoot a bunch of their bows to see what I liked. Now for me, I have a very long draw (32") so that narrowed down my choices... A lot. If you don't, and you probably won't, you should have a wide array of bows to choose from. Depending on where you live, there are several archery shops in town. I only have experience with a couple, Archery world in Vancouver, where I live, and Archers Afield in Tigard. I hove nothing but good things to say about both. One thing I also did was to get some opinions from experienced archers on a forum called archerytalk.com. Do lots of research and buy what you really want, since it really is an investment. Plan on spending an additional $500 or so on accessories you will need such as a quiver, arrow rest, mechanical release, pin sight, and of course arrows. Unless you buy a package that is "ready to hunt," the price you see is for the bow only. You can get into spending a lot more than you bargained for pretty quickly. I am into my archery gear for over $1k, and there are still a few more things I want. I had to sell a couple of firearms to get into archery. Not trying to deter you, but to prepare you for a bit of possible sticker shock.

Ok, I think that is enough typing for right now, but if you like, feel free to PM me if you want to chat about it. Matter of fact, I need to get into the local shop to tune up my bow for turkey season and to practice shooting. If you want to come meet me up there sometime, I can possibly help you out some more. Good luck with getting into another very addicting hobby!

thanks spray,i appreciate that.
i live near tigard so archers afield sounds like my best bet for local shops.
I was just doing my reasearch and i am really liking the bowtech asassin package so far,it has quiver,arrow rest and pin sites out of the box for around $650
I have been wanting to bow hunt for a long time and have a brother who has a felony so he cant shoot with me so i am excited to
try my hand at archery.

Spray-n-pray · Jan 21, 2012

That Bowtech is probably a good deal, but keep in mind, the accessories that come with a package like that are usually not the best. If you want the best gear available, you will likely upgrade those later. The trick is to buy the best bow, and skimp on the accessories for now if necessary. You can't make a mediocre bow great with the accessories. Bow tech is a good bow from all I hear, but I can't speak to that from personal experience. One thing I have noticed, however, is that there are usually several bows for sale on craigslist, and I wouldn't be surprised to see some bowtechs. Lots of people buy expensive bows, only to realize they didn't really want them and sell them at a significant discount. Or they feel like they have to buy a new bow every year so last year's bow gets sold cheap. Either way, used does not necessarily mean it's a bad thing. I would have done that if I could have found a used bow that would go to a 32" draw, but I had to buy a new bow.

I did buy my Hoyt at Archers Afield and feel like I was treated very fairly. They also have an indoor range to try out the bows before you buy. Best of luck, and enjoy!

WhyteCheddar · Jan 22, 2012

doubletap007 said:
I want to try some bow hunting this year and need advise on a good bow and arrows to buy as well as sites.

I dont want a "good starter" bow that i will need to trade off in a year like when you advise a new gun owner to start with a good 22.
I want the best to train with,a top notch bow that i will keep and get good with.

think noveske or knights armament in ar's,thats the bow i want to buy.

I am not a real big guy so i dont need something that will put my shoulder out pulling it back but i do want power and something comfortable to shoot.

also i'm a lefty but do most things right handed for the most part but which hand do you hold your bow with and which do you shoot with for the best stability?

I havent read all the responses for please forgive me if any of this is a repeat.

Do some of your own reearch on the web (sounds like you have probably done some). Then head to a reputable shop.
You will want to find a shop you can trust and that offers good customer service and value. I sugest Archery World in Vancouver.
As far as how to hold the bow, well I shoot wiht a release (typical) so its natural for me to draw with the same hand I use to pull the triggers on my guns. Seems natural to me. You can test shoot at some shops and it wont take you long to figure out what is natural for you.
Take your time finding a bow. The process of shopping for one can be a lot of fun because there are so many choices.
I bought a new bow last fall. It is a Mission bow that is made by Matthews. But you cant go wrong with any of the top manufacturers. Lots of cool quality stuff out there.
Save some money for some good gear too. Scent control is critical and you ight want some clothing to help you with that.

Welcome to the world of bow hunting. It is a blast!

mjbskwim · Jan 22, 2012

Mathews = Noveske

I started about 2 years ago.It's a blast and the deer aren't too spooky in the early season.

If you go to the Wholesale Sports or Cabellas they have a short range that you can loose some arrows.
Same as hanguns,you need to try a few to see which you like best.You have to get the right size so 'fits you best' doesn't apply.
The thing you are feeling is what the bow does to your palm when you loose the arrow. Does it twang,or vibrate terribly or barely feel it like my mathews

There is a pretty good used market on Craiglist too.Just google the bow in question and you get the reviews.
I bought an old Mathews that way,but my first bow was a Kodiak Outdoors,a real cheapo bow that shot perfect and slayed deer.
Then look through the different sites to see what your eyes like.Tons of different sites.Don't have to go expensive,just don't go cheap. ($50?)

Now the rests are so different and you will get all kinds of different info about them .Like the drop a ways and such. But I tell you what,the whisker biscuit holds the arrow in place while trodding over the brush.And some fans of the drop a ways have switched because the arrows fell of at inopportune times.Makes just enough noise to spook elk,I've heard.

Hey good luck and have fun.Cheap fun,after you buy everything,since you can go retrieve your projectiles and reuse them.

Bow · Jan 22, 2012

I'll say one thing or two, when I started I bought a fully set up Bowtech used. Over the course of a year I replaced about every component and bought ones I didn't have and thought that I needed. The bow was nice with not as nice of accessories as I wanted , it cost $450 and I sunk at least that into accessories over that year. There is a lot to be said for buying a bow that is made in the state you live in. You can take it into their proshop in Eugene and they will deal with any warranty related issues on the spot meaning you will be back to shooting that evening. I have found that to be extremely helpful when I need strings replaced or if I have a question about something my bow is doing, who better to ask right. Anyways, any Bow that you buy will be better than what you have now and I think all the top manufacturers make comparable bows with not one being outstandingly better than the rest. Just get one and start shooting and as far as accessories, you will find what works best for you.

soberups · Jan 22, 2012

Compound bows are different from guns in that they need to be set up specifically for the draw length of the person who uses them. This in turn affects the length of arrows which will be used. It is a bad idea for a newbie to order archery equipment online or to try to buy it used. Your best choice is to go to Archers Afield (where I went) or to some other reputable archery shop, buy your equipment there, and let them set it up and adjust it for you in the store.You will walk out the door with properly tuned equipment that is perfectly set up for your exact height, arm length, and desired weight of draw. To do anything else is to wind up wasting money on equipment that doesnt fit you properly and that will never shoot accurately for you. I learned this lesson the hard way. You dont have to.

Ding · Jan 22, 2012

Buy a good bow first then have everything "fitted" to you after that.Sights are different for everyone but they are important.You should have a knowledgeable person fit you to YOUR needs with the bow and components.Once you have it all fitted to you then get fitted to your arrows,this to me is the second most important part of fitting.It seems like a puzzle and confusing but it will all come together once you are fitted.You don't need to spend hundreds on everything that is the latest and greatest,you just need what works for you.You can have a bow that costs you 1K and still not hit anything and ya will get disappointed.You need what works,what works for you.Again get someone who knows what they are doing to set you up and don't fall for all the hype as to what is the "best" in add ons.You just need what will work perfectly for you.An another thing to consider is the let off..

OttDawgIt · Jan 22, 2012

Another vote for Archer Afield. The guys will set up any bow that you might want try out. I have owned Bowtech, Mathews and Martin but by far the best bow I have ever shot is Hoyt Carbon Element. Go to the shop and shoot them side by side, you can make a good comparison then. The bow is the single most important thing you will purchase. The sights, rest and arrows you can change as you feel. Archery is alot like fly fishing, nickle dime you to death.

mjbskwim · Jan 22, 2012

With some research,you can find out what size and draw length you need.There are formulas for this (google).And if your brother has bows he can help you out ,IF you decide to go used.
Hey if you find a new one at a great price,then go that route.
There doesn't need to be any bad experiences buying used if you do some research

But I tell ya,if you go find a archer that is willing to so you what's up then it is pretty cool to learn all the ins and outs of the gear,get to shoot all the different bows and have them set the bow up for you.
They can be a bit like ARs ,to where you are constantly changing pieces,trying out that other site or rest that caught your eye.

doubletap007 · Jan 23, 2012

Thanks guys.Some great info here that really helps.
I am looking forward to archery,it looks like a blast!
I also agree with buying the very best bow i can afford then getting the other goodies as i can,kinda like building an ar....
why but a cheap ar then wish you would have bought a better one later.