Bow hunting info needed

[Amazi]

Iv been lthinking about this for a while now. Haven't looked to much into what's what with bows.
Is there a certain brand to stay away from?
I see them as guns, seems to be more preference.
Iv seen a lots of people with mathews stickers on there trucks.
Department stores is going to be a 50/50 with them being honest, or they will just try to sell me the most expensive thing they have.
Stay away from used or they fine?

 

[tact]

I would recommend going to an actual Archery shop. They should let you shoot a few so you can find one you like. I went to a shop dead set on a particular brand and ended up walking away with another because it felt better. Everyone has their opinion on the best brand but just stick to a major manufacturer, research some reviews, but most important try as many of them out as you can.

 

[Amazi]

Sucks, went to the only place close by that sells them and they have the strings zip tied together and the selection wasn't very good I think two brands and maybe 12 total including youth and recurves.
Cabela's is about a 45mins drive one way is my only way to even hold one really.

 

[Younggun]

Local cabelas in Waco has an archery range with a few to try. I imagine the fill size stores would have the same with better/more to try.

 

[grasshopperglock]

I'm an archer. I use traditional bows. I have three of them. Weights from 35# to 50. I've used compound bows. Yep they're expensive. The big names are Hoyt, Matthews, PSE. You can drop a $1000 bill on a bow easily. Average is about $500.

Draw weights of 60-75# for compound is average. It's ok to buy them used. The only thing that really wears out is the string. Inspect the cables. On compounds the bow needs to put in a press to change the string. Strings runs about $20.

The add on stuff....Release, arm guard, sight, quiver and arrows. Don't buy aluminum arrows. Go with carbon. Expect upwards to about $10-$15+ per arrow. Really don't matter much if you build your own arrows. Build or buy at least 5. It keeps you from walking back and forth to the target so much. The standard is 12 arrows.

Research both tuning your arrows and tuning the bow.

 

[Panhandler88]

Some would call me a freak when it comes to bow hunting LMAO or that’s what my wife says. You seriously need to shoot or at the very least draw and cycle the bow before purchase. They are just like any gun some will feel better then others. If you are asking to stay away from one brand I would say stay away from PSE the running joke is they stand for point shoot explode. For an average hunting bow Matthews and Hoyt offer a good lineup for around $700 bare bow. Obsession and Elite bows are more higher end and have different limb option. All of this will depend on what your draw length is and can really limit what brand of bow you will purchase. I have a 29.5” draw length and many mid priced bows max at 28” or 29”

 

[Panhandler88]

And as far as arrows are concerned google passthru custom arrows this place does all my arrows they custom paint(crest) them and custom fletch them as well. I am color blind and it helps when practicing out past 40 yards to see where impact was, plus he sells you the arrows and build and crests them for a damn good price. any product made by trophy ridge(quiver,Stabilizer, sight etc) are quality beginner products I would not recommend a drop a way test just yet until your more skilled.

 

[Gummi Bear]

There are a lot of quality bows out there today. Several have been named already.

I’m currently shooting Elite. Daughter shoots a Hoyt, Mrs shoots a Diamond. I’ve been shooting for most all of my life, I was bit by the archery bug early on, and it’s stuck.


Visit a few local archery shops. Often, a shop might carry a few brands, and the next shop might carry a few different ones.

Sadly, most big box stores carry lower end models, which while affordable, aren’t quite as refined. The other thing is, it is unlikely you will get fit properly, your bow tuned correctly, or proper arrows selected. I doubt you’ll get the service you really need to enjoy shooting and be successful.


How the bow fits is everything: ergonomics , draw cycle, shock, balance all can influence how a bow feels to you.

The weight of the arrow can completely change how a bow feels. Speed is a big focus in most bow marketing. I personally subscribe to the heavy arrow philosophy, pigs just hate them.



I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately...

Henry David Thoreau

 

[crzy_mike]

I treat it like buying a concealed carry pistol, shoot as many as you can and let it find you. Pick the one you shoot best. I used to shoot Hoyt now I'm shooting a mission by Mathews and my next will be an elite. Also you can find some pretty good deals on used bows over on the green screen some times.

 

[crzy_mike]

.

 

[Amazi]

I treat it like buying a concealed carry pistol, shoot as many as you can and let it find you. Pick the one you shoot best. I used to shoot Hoyt now I'm shooting a mission by Mathews and my next will be an elite. Also you can find some pretty good deals on used bows over on the green screen some times.

I never get to do that, the part of the state I live in sucks, and working overnights I never get to go to gun shows or anything.
Don't really have shops that have ranges that let you shoot the gun before buying it.

 

[crzy_mike]

I've been really happy with my mission, every elite I've ever shot I loved, and dads Hoyt is really nice too. PSE has the only bows I've shot and not cared for, biut there are some diehard PSE fans out there too.

Sent from my 2PS64 using Tapatalk

 

[grasshopperglock]

I wanna give Gold Tip arrows a plug. I bought 7 bare shafts. Had Lancaster Archery cut to length. I put 4" feather fetching on all of them. With what the gun guys would call Wadcutter tips.

I'm in the backyard with my favorite bow. A Bodnik recurve with 35# limbs. As I'm lobbing arrows at a target. I squirrel crashes the yard and go's up a tree. The dogs are pi$$ed. I aim and half draw the bow. Just enough to peg Mr Squirrel out the tree.

Well during the excitement. I over draw the bow and the arrow go's over the neighbors house and lands out in the street. The squirrel jumps down and out runs the dogs. As luck would have it. Somebody runs over the arrow before I can get to it.

A 4000# car drove straight over the arrow. Here's where Gold Tip gets the credit. The arrow got some light nicks. The fetching was kinda smashed....but the arrow was still straight and continued to shoot fine. So after a freaking car runs over it. It's still good to go. It made me a big fan of Gold Tip carbon arrows.

I have another recurve set up for bow fishing. When Belton Lake flips. (The thermocline switches to hot on top and cold at the bottom). I'm gonna send some carb to the grave.

 

[Younggun]

Shooting arrows in to the air in a residential area...what could go wrong?

 

[Big Dipper]

Shooting arrows in to the air in a residential area...what could go wrong?

You could ask H. W. Longfellow.

 

[TxStetson]

You could ask H. W. Longfellow.

I see what you did there.

 

[Amazi]

Seems like bow hunting is a joke around here in southern mn.
Finally found a store that has a good selection, knowledgeable staff, and will let you test them and show you the ins and outs.
Looking at an elite going back up there tomorrow, test a few more and take one home.

 

[baboon]

I met on of my best friends in an archery shop years ago. I have since gotten out of it. He's still buying new bows & keeping up with the latest things. I figure my suppressed guns are as quiet as his bows & archery season for hunting really does mean anything to me like it once did. I think his last 2 bows were a Mathews & a Bowtech, but I could be wrong. IIRC just the bows are now more then what I spent on a complete set up. Carbon fiber arrows are still expensive!

 

[Amazi]

I'd like to get a suppressor but not sure how to fill out the paper work. But hunting when it's still 30 to 40 degrees vs -10 and snow really appeals to me.

 

[Jbird77]

I've only had a couple bows and both were pses. Currently I'm saving up to get new bowstrings for a pse stinger 3G that I have now. Nice bow that wasn't super expensive.