good stuff Wahya! Getting your tapers on wood arrows is the key to getting proper nock alignment. It sounds simple enuf but you would be amazed at the amount of folks with nocks on sideways!
As for arrows, mainly its a matter of choice. Imo getting a goldtip is MUCH easier FOR ME to get to fly then a cedar. Knowing what I know now getting woods to fly isnt all that hard. I like the looks of wood more then the coal black goldtips, the smell of cedar etc etc. Why Cedar, well its one of the better woods to mill, it stays fairly straight, has a fairly straight grain etc......There are other types of woods that make a great arrow out there...some are and haven been proven better then cedar as an arrow but maybe harder to make. I have heard stories and really dont have much to back it. I can attest to shooting sitka spruce shafts (top notch shaft imo!), Barrel tapered ash, and parrell cedars...all of them flew great, stayed straight and were from moderetly tought to down right rebar! I could literly shoot my ash at rocks as long as it hit it dead on and didnt ricochet the arrow would more often then not bounce off! Cedars...well they will snap if ya try it out of a heavier bow but it can be done. I am shooting cedars, mainly because its whats out there, cheap, good, and easy to get, plus the smell. Pick what ya want or have at hand! If ya get woods get the best ya can afford!!!
Taper tools..if ya have a disc sander you can buy/make a jig to do both nock and point tapers. You could buy a woodchuck taper tool but for a beginner I would recommend either the whiffen style pencil sharpner looking taper tool or, of the two I would recommend first, would be the true center taper tool. Get a couple shafts to fart around with. It can be a bear to setup sometimes, other times is simple! Play with all of them as other then the whiffen they all need/require some kind of set up.
Quivers....well ask yourself what you are going to be doing first. You might not want a side quiver like mine for treestand hunting (learned that the hard way {
]) but yet you might not want a back quiver for stalking.....They all have there nuances..the bowquiver is the simplist and probably the best all around quiver. Great Northern makes a great one IMO! I do prefer a side quiver like Wahya mentioned, Lakota style quiver, as most of my hunting is done on foot, stalking/stillhunting. Its great with a backpack, where for obvious reasons you couldnt wear a back quiver as the backpack is int he way. Really the choice is yours. Just like buying a car, finding one to fit your needs or desires......you might not want a little 2wheel 2 door clown car for Alaska where some places measure snowfall in feet rather then inches. A truck serves you better.....a bow quiver might serve your style of hunting best where a backquiver is a pain all the way around. Personally I like backquivers also. I wear one every time I am out shooting, it may have a few arrows in it and lunch, grouse arras etc....this lakota style quiver is a new gig to my bag of tricks and I think it will suit my style perfectly! So far anyways!
Broadheads...well whatever works, is sharp, and you have confidence in! First it must fly straight...simple enuf! Most trad folks like the cut to the tip basically for more penetration.....Zwickey, Magnus, Snuffer and the Wensel Woodsmens are just a few both 2,3, and 4 bladers.....Figure out what you're going to be hunting would be the first route. If your chasing whitetails its obvious you wont need as much in penetration as I need on Moose......Where in turkey hunting you might want the biggest natiest broadhead out there rather then trying to achieve a ton of penetration as you dont need it and you will be better served leaving the arrow in the bird with the attempt to pin its wings......There are many heads out there, check them all out!
For targets...here is a cheap alternative. YOu CANT shoot broadheads at it but while you learn its a great target to have and costs realtivly nothing! Go find some burlap sacks....anything from the medium size to a 55gallon size if ya can find one depending on how big of a target you want. Find some of the bigger department stores, shipping stores, etc and ask for there used shrink wrap. Feedmills are pretty good about getting rid of it for nothing! Total cost for 2 targets is about 3 bucks plus a couple phone calls and about 2 gallons in gas! I can shoot in my house at close quarters to work on form!
Wahya hit it right on...a begginer needs to work on form and keep working on form as long as they are in the sport of archery! Its the KEY to shooting good CONSITENTLY!!! Dont let it overwhelm you though, enjoy the sport..if plunking on a hillside is what turns your fancy then so be it! If its true competition then go for it! If its hunting the hunt but make sure you spend the time at the range and you spend it doing the RIGHT things! There are books out there that can lead you in the right direction and I would recommend anyone or all of them but you have to walk through the doorway and choose to partake.....there is no excuse in the bowhunting world for a poorshot regardless of the equipment he/she deires...its one of my biggest complaints, folks saying oh he/she is just a trad shooter what do you expect! Sorry pard, it doesnt cut it! Get out and chase grouse/squirells/rabbits. Its a great place to learn how to bowhunt using your gear, its fun, and it doesnt require the long days, hard labor a big game hunt. The rewards are great as there can be a TON of shooting or stalks on ole bushytails and they are all great eating! From there it only gets worse...the desire turns in to a passion which turns into a addiction...then yall be like the rest of us.....Where is the next Archery Anomous meeting at <img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>! Enjoy it and good luck!!!
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