davewoodrum

I'm new here and I've got a question... okay, this is my second real day at attempting to learn to shoot a compound bow. What are my reasons for learning it? Okay, I'll be honest here... the main reason I want to shoot a bow is simply so I can stretch deer season from 2 weeks to 3 months...
yeah, pretty petty I know but I'm being honest.
Okay, my "getting started" with the bow consisted of this... I went to dad's house and "borrowed" an old compound bow and some arrows that he got from some guy in a trade about 15 to 20 years ago.... I think dad tried the bow hunting experience a few times and gave it up. Seeing that most of the arrows were equipped with broad points and the practice arrows looked shoddy I went to Walmarts and bought shafts and practice points of nearly equal type... well, he had some old Easton 30 inchers and I moved up to 31.... the bow is a 30" length, 50lb. Timberwolf Indian... black arms, silver gray colored hand piece (whatever you call it)....
Well, having the weekend off and actually (to my surprise) learning I can actually make an arrow travel more than 20' I began to... uhm... practice. Oh, I also bought a burlap target that I used along with some other supplies to make a crude standing target.
Okay, I've kinda gotten into this basically because I simply like to shoot stuff and after practicing for an hour or so yesterday and around 3 to 4 hours today I'm starting to get the basics..... or so I hope.

Here's my question... do I stand a chance to become a bow hunter or should I quit now and save myself some cash and time? At this point I'm standing about 100 feet from my stationary target and firing three arrows at a time (after which learning the art of walking exercise and arrow retrieval). Out of 10 shots I'm hitting the target only 2 times... around 8 out of 10 shots I'm actually in the center of the target (or very near it) in the horizontal (x-axis?) sense but most of the time I'm either firing too low or a bit too high (usually too low).... I know I've got those sighting pins but honestly I've come to hate them.. I shoot off to the side if I concentrate on looking at them and I've found I can negotiate the arch (I think you call it) a bit better for the time being if I manually raise or lower my aim by casual glance....
I feel I've gotten alot better since yesterday (where I was trying to shoot at about 60 yards and mostly messing up) but I'm wondering if I'll be decent enough to hunt by October... the area I hunt at is woodsy/brushy and the deer are usually within the 100 foot distance but I'm wondering that even with 10 or more hours of practice a week if I will be good enough by then.....

(or does this second day horror story sound too pathetic to carry on?)

Bow_hunter15

Just about anyone can be a bow hunter just have to work hard and practice like me you dont even have to spend a a lot

Illini_Sportsman

Well, though certainly not impossible, it sounds to me like you're in need of an equipment upgrade. I've only got a few years experience under my belt myself, so I'll let someone else give you a more thorough evaluation. That's just what jumps out at me right away. I will say this, with a little firsthand help from a friend who knows what they're doing and the proper equipment, it can certainly be done with PLENTY of time to hunt this year. YouARE using a peepor some form of rear sight along with the pins, aren't you?

Big Red Porkers

oh good gawd ..........

go to EBAY, buy a nice, 3-5 year old decked out compound for $300 shipped, strap on a release and get the right arrows and you'll be shooting 6" groups in a single day.

yes, its that easy

That bow you have belongs on a museum wall IMO - just being honest. Stretch the deer season is fine, do it responsibily and get good equipment that will allow you to be a proficient hunter.

davewoodrum

I agree on the equipment... truthfully I really don't even know much about the bow... its kinda, <grin>... third-hand, if you know what I mean. I have a friend I work with who's younger than I am but has numerous more years of experience bow hunting... the same friend has been pretty much the support I've needed to even bother to pick up the bow... we both share the same interest in hunting and he respects my big overall kick for the outdoors in general (I've kinda got him into looking at fungi and mushrooms now in the woods... after he actually came across a amanita virosa (aka Destroying Angel) Travis has been all about looking for toxic, deadly shrooms... now if I can just interest him in the more beneficial ones...

so I do have the real world help... he's offered for me to use one of his bows and I've also spotted several reasonably priced bows at yard sales and all that I could have tuned up at the local sporting good store... but I may try to get this one polished up for the fall and then start hinting about "a little something extra" under the tree this Christmas...

davewoodrum

I'm actually curious as to how old the dinosaur actually is....
I mean, its not even camo'd out.....[:'(]

Kyle Colburn

First off, if you are standing 100 feet away from the target move up! Get about 15 yards away to start. Seems like it helps when people start off close and then gradually move back once you can make groups gloser. Second, anybody can bowhunt, so if you are serious about wanting to hunt for 3 months instead of 2 weeks, you should go out and get a decent bow for under 400$ or 500$. There is a good selection for that price out there sey up professionally to fit you at a pro shop. Once you get that bow home and start shooting at 15 yds, 20 yds, or 25 yds, you should be making decent groups in a few days. Just take it easy on shooting too much a day because you will tire your arm out and start moving too much when you are drawed back. Then the more you shoot the more built up your arm will get and you will be able to many more arrows and not get tired out. Well, all this talking about shooting bows makes me want to go out and shoot mine for a while. Take care, and I hope you become a great bowhunter .
-Kyle Colburn

Saxman1819

Whether or not you want to upgrade your equipment you can spend minimal dollars to go to a pro shop and have them fit the bow to you a little more. By that I mean getting them to set the bow to your draw length. Get your arrows cut to your size. Then put on a peep sight, kisser button (I recommend the kisser but some don't use one), a new sight, and rest.

What you need to do to start hitting more consistently is to get more consistent about how you draw, hold, aim, and release the arrow.

Get to a pro shop and tell them you'd like help setting this bow up to you. I recommend at least the items I mentioned above with a nock for the arrow on your string and a string loop to use with a release aid of some sort.

All the terms and what you need is overwhelming at first. (It was to me) Unless you have a buddy that bowhunts I recommend getting to the pro shop for help.

I am fairly new to this to and that is all I can think of. Good luck.

davewoodrum

Kyle,
Thanks for the advice. I'm actually looking to get something better but I'm waiting (with fingers crossed) for a bit of massive overtime at work before deer season in order for that to happen... as I work as a psychiatric aide (new term for the older term of orderly) at a state mental hospital that might actually play out... we are getting overloaded with admissions right now so mandated overtime (or aka volunteer so someone can go home) may come into play.....
what do you recommend for the beginner, by the way? The bow I'm using, as stated above, is a 50lb. deal but I think I could honestly use something a wee bit stronger... perhaps a 60 to 70lb. pull? I don't exactly want to go out and buy the most expensive thing on the market but I realize myself that my equipment is at best borrowed....

davewoodrum

Saxman...
thanks for the info.
Until I can afford better I'll keep this in mind as a step up... we have a really good all around hunting pro-shop within 15 miles... Crouse's (in Chilhowie, VA to be exact), and I'm sure they can help me with this.