ok we all know i been dying to bowhunt since i could walk...i just can never swing it financally...and this summer i thought i could pull it off and buy a rigged bow and everything...but my truck took 2 craps...exhaust and gas tank...so i dont know if ill beable to pull it off...BUT...dad has an old bow in the garage...i think its a Fred Bear "bruin"...big ole clunky bow....but hey...i can work with what i got...and im betting someone here still has one!... it needs new string...ill replace the sights..rest...stabalizer and can buy a cheap quiver...the sights are brass pins and painted...stabalizer is a hunk of metal lol...and the rest looks like a bent paper clip...no joke...but i figured i can update it fairly cheap...would that be advisable? or should i just save my pennies and buy a new bow when i got the money even if i gota wait til NEXT season....?? how slow and crappy is that old bow? would it be suitable to hunt with with good practice?? could i shoot it with a release though im sure its a finger bow??? i heard releases are more accurate then fingers unless your REALLY good with fingers..i rahter shoot a release....any opinons or advice....if i gota wait i gota wait...but if the bow will shoot alright im sure itll do for a season or 2 till i get the money for the bow i want....i just wanna be in the woods during the rut with a bow in my hands that COULD kill a deer...instead of being out there watching bucks walk around while im there with a shotgun small game hunting...wishing it was a bow...so what do you guys think??? thanx so much....im sorry for being such a pain in the butt....one day things look great financally.....then the next i have an exauhst problem...then the next a leaking gas tank...and the next my bank account is empty!!!! im working but still figure with everything i want ill be at near 1000$ before i have targets arrows heads etc etc..with that old slow bow i could probably shoot hay bales like dad used to do! lol

Lol, sounds like me 2 years ago. My first bow season i used a fred bear that was much older than me and the cams would sqeek when you drew it back. With a lot of practice I could shoot dead on to up to about 30 yards. If I can do you can.

If you can hit at 30yds. then you should be confident that you can kill a deer no matter what type of bow it is. It does make it much easier w/ a real fast bow because you can shoot only one pin and it takes alot of the range finding out of it.I personally prefer a release, just because I can be more consistent w/ it. The important thing is that you just get out in the woods!!! Even if you don't get anything during bow season you will gain a better understanding of where you need to hunt during muzzeloader or rifle season.

Maybe this will help, I didn't have any money last year in my family budget so I sold anything I could around the house on eBay and bought a $100 Fred Bow that was still in a package and on clearance at local sporting goods. I didn't even know how to put it together so I took it to an archery shop and they did it for me and set up the draw weight, length for $19. I even sold some stuff on eBay for my tags. Than for arrows I just bought $3 carbons at Wal-mart while I was sighting it in and learning to shoot and then for the season I bought 3 $5 carbons that were a little nicer. LOL For broadheads Wal-mart had Grizzly's for $3 so that's what I bought...1 pack of 3. That's not my ideal but I was able to get in the woods. NO shame in doing what you can, its better to be in the woods than not. I hope it all works out for you. Let us know in the fall what you ended up doing.....

That bow, as long as it is structurally sound should be just fine for hunting. It was then, and it is now!

I would take it to a shop, get it checked out (usually free if you're buying stuff) restrung ($60) and see if they have an inexpensive prong rest that will fit ($20).

Also have them check the poundage and make sure that it is legal for use in your state. There is usually a minimum poundage required.

When they restring it, have it restrung for a release. Which I highly advise using and you can usually get one for $15 or $20 or so.

You'll also need arrows of course, and the shop should be able to cut you a half dozen aluminums for $25 or so.

So for $125 you should be equipped with enough gear, and gear that you can also use on a new bow too when you save enough cabbage for one.

Then: Practice, practice, practice!!!!

In the meantime, take a bowhunter education course:

http://www.nbef.org

Fall is the most beautiful time of year, the most important thing is to be out there soaking it all up. Don't get caught up in "gotta have this gotta have that". Get that bow fitted up and get out there and cut your teeth on all that is bowhunting.

You won't regret it.

I send you my best wishes for a successful season and time afield.

thanx guys...i was cutting the grass and while in the garage i looked it over...even drew it back...it looks to be fine...just needs a good updating...ill talk to dad tonight and make sure i can steal the bow...i think someone gave it to him...its been in the garage for years...i dont think its one of dads old bows...draw legnth is a little long too...hope they can adjust that...says its set at 30..and 70lbs...which i can pull back like nothing...i do not expect to kill a deer...or monster buck my first year...just want to get out there...i know the hard part of bowhunting will be getting in range of them!...rifle season i kill most in bow range...but thats a diffrent ball game...fall turkey and small game im always out there cussing the world wishing i had a bow instead of the stupid shotgun! lol...ony morning me and dad seen 4 shooter bucks on a state game lands while fall turkey hunting..one was a bruiser...and he walked 25yds away from me...figure this may be better too...what if i get out there and find out i HATE shooting a bow...or HATE bow hunting for some unknown reason? lol...i definently doubt it.....anything that gives me another reason to hunt it OK in my book! lol..probably within a month ill be shooting if its ok with dad..which it should be...my next check goes to insurance and cell phone...but the check after that should be all mine.....

If that bow fits you properly and is setup with a fresh and safe new set of strings then it will kill any deer as dead as a new $800.00 bow. Realize that when that bow was first made they still hunted and killed all kinds of deer with that same equipment. Learn how to shoot it and order a set of strings from Gibblet right here on Huntingnet and go kill yourself a deer this fall. Also as for accessories you can pickup all kinds of great deals used from here and also archerytalk.com usually for 1/2 price. I would recommend a wisker bisquit rest, a basic 3 pin sight, and arrows from Cabelas or Basspro to start out. There are also some good deals at Wallmart for broadheads.