bow hunting info

[nelsonccc]

Any bow hunters on here? I've been considering getting into bow hunting for awhile. Just looking for some general info on what I should be looking for. I've found some pretty good "Ready to Hunt" packages on the internet. Any good books about bow hunting? Anything I should be prepared for? I like the tinkering nature of it but have heard it is very difficult and that most bow hunters prepare their deer. Meaning they lay out salt and food to bait them to a particular spot then hunt that spot when the time comes.

I know it's kind of general. But just seeing if there's some general insight of something I should be paying attention to.
Thanks.

[REDFOX]

Bow hunting is very challenging. I have enjoyed it for years. It is about as close as you can get to primitive hunting. In most states it is illegal to bait animals. Anyone can take a long shot with a modern rifle. Using archery equipment takes some patience, skill, and luck.

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[2065toyota]

Generally speaking you are wasting your money on "ready to hunt" packages. Your money would be better spent to go to local archery shop, not a large sportmans warehouse type, and have them help you get set up and fit with the correct equipment.

Hunting is about practice, patience, perseverance and finally a little bit of luck.

[double moo]

Most good archery shops will let you demo bows at their range. Best advice i could give is as noted above - go to a good shop and let them help you! Everyone is built a little different. Though we may both have a 29.5" draw, each of us will have a little different body mechanics that will make the bow perform different for each of us. One will be more comfortable for me - one for you. It's similar to pistols - get one that fits you then learn to shoot it. If you get one you think you shoot well but it doesn't fit right, you will develop bad habits in shooting form. Keep in mind it all comes down to consistency - getting to a point where muscle memory and body mechanics put the arrow where you want it every time.

My hunting buddy is an awesome archer. He shoots more than a thousand shots a month. He has been a bit of an equipment snob for many years - Mathews or it isn't worth having. He had a Mathews Monster (one of his many) that was a very nice bow but just plain hard to shoot... but it was Mathews so it must be good. We were at the local shop - Major Mathews carrier - and the pro told him he should try the Bowtech 340. Not a chance he would even look at it! About 3 months later he called to sheepishly admit that he had just bought the 340... easiest shooting bow he had ever shot! Not disparaging Mathews - they make great equipment... but so do some others.

[nelsonccc]

Thanks guys. I went into the main archery shop here in town and talked to the guy for a long time. He was very helpful but he was also open about the costs associated with starting fresh. My daughter got into archery a few months ago and I've been taking her to the range every saturday and I find myself shooting hers quite a bit. I've always wanted to bow hunt. I like the idea of the stalking and patience. Seems like ti would be fun. But having never done it who knows?? But I figure at a minimum i can get a nice package and at least shoot with my daughter.

[double moo]

Bowtech and Diamond are both owned by Savage Arms and build in the same plant in Oregon. Traditionally Bowtech has been double cams, while Diamond is their single cam line. In the past Single cam bows have been considered easier to tune and keep tuned, not sure I agree with that anymore! When I bought mine 2 years ago I bought the Diamond Iceman for that reason. I bought it as a bare bow and built it up myself. Now days you can get a better bows, already set up and ready to kill for 60% of what I spent. A couple of set ups worth looking at are the Diamond Outlaw and the Bowtech Assassin - both can be purchased R.A.K, for $599 - $699... just add arrows and start enjoying that time with your daughter!

Also... don't get hung up on speed! the new bows are lightening fast but tend to get harder to maintain accuracy at speed. Our local pro shop says they are finding the 300 fps range to be optimized for todays arrows - said most folks are ending up turning down the draw weight until they are launching at the 300 fps range to gain accuracy. Upside is - you may end up cranked down to a 55-58 lb draw weight to get the 300 fps, while older bows (2 yrs ago!) were closer to 68-70 to do the same. I'm running 290 fps at about 66 lbs - by buddy is at 305 fps at 58 lbs - easier to draw and hold with better performance.

Don't be afraid of used bows - a lot of avid hunters have to have the newest gear every year so sell their slightly used bows to upgrade!

[Mtnseeker1]

Ill trade you you shooting lessons for riding lessons and I'll have you shooting dimes at 70 yrds in wind in no time bro.
If you have a 325 or faster bow and good eyes.


Or just try this-
!- Hold your bow infront of your and take a big ass breathe.
2- Pyull arrow and slip it in to the tray and nock it.
3-Exhale very important:D
4- Take 1/2 breath and raise your bow strait in front of you.
NOTE: not up to the sky.
5- Take in the rest of your breath and draw back at same time.
6- with arrow nocked breath in and bow streatched let breath out.
7- Take note again of yardage and take a slow half breath.
8-align sites
9-focus
10- let a half breath out
11- place finger on release trigger
12-breath in again a big breath
13-let half out as you let the trigger suprise you as it rrealeases

About $1000 dollars of arrow later you will just be getting warmed up.

Now about your hunting skills? LMAO

My advise to you is stay clear of dbl cam bows for a couple of years and yes Mathews.
Find yourself a high qaulity single cam bow to hunt with trust me on this one bro.
Spend the money to get really nice optics/sights but stay clear of marketing skeams for hunting.
KISS keep it simple stupid always works well in the field. The junk the more junk to get knocked out of place.

If you really want to hunt right go with a long bow. Might as well start where everyone comes back to.

Not for the weak of heart for sure but you will test your hunting skills to the max.

Let me know either way I'll give you two old school releases that are awesome I've been holding onto for a long time now.
Good old true balls.

I started with a 30/30 went to a m1 30 carbine and ended with a 7mm Remington mag before I got into bows.
Now I just want a high grade camera anymore but I do love the taste of game.

[Mtnseeker1]

If you choose to start with a long bow and practice on small game it will become natural with out sites.
And when you can harvest snowshoe rabbits on the draw you will not miss deer or elk or even moose or ram or? Get my drift.

Most archers do this sort of circle sooner or later It's more an instinctive without sites.
A very good thing in bear country.
EXample: gun shooters use what is called a drop and shoot.
Long bowman use what is called a rise and release.

It's is all about instinct shooting and it not only feels better but it feels right with the flow of nature.

[Mtnseeker1]

Think about this one for just a moment:
While all your buddies come around a corner on a artificial animal course and say to each other? is that bear or elk or what ever X distance away? and with in three seconds 75% of them will be wrong.
Now picture yourself walking upon a target and your natural instinct says it don't matter because I've made this shot a million times and you bring your long bow with arrow up and slightly to the right as you release and it is all like tieing your shoes at fifty?years old get my drift?

Meen oh hell yes real? that is hunting bro.
CLEAN CRISP AND OVER like right now Very important.