brand new bowhunter. need beginner advice
 

i have rifle hunted for your years and have got the basics down, in fact im pretty good. i have decided its time to take on the challenge of bowhunting. problem is ive only shot (if thats the correct term) a bow once in my entire life. i was about 12 years old. so, where should i start? i ned a bow of course. compound or traditional? im 30yrs, i weigh about 200 lbs and im in good shape. here is my thought process. find a bow that fits me, go to an archery range, get the basics of shooting a bow down and practice practice practice. but is that it? is ther any advice the pros could give me?

RE: brand new bowhunter. need beginner advice
 

eastwood where do I begin????

#1 find a bow that feels comfortable to you!
#2 buy it from a bow shop, that way you will know you are getting a bow with the proper draw length and they will tune it for you.
#3 as you already said PRACTICE!!!!!
#4 take everything you have learned gun hunting and multiply it by 10 at least, this may allow you to have deer within range at least.
#5 learn the kill zone on a deer with a bow.
#6 you will learn more about deer and deer hunting than you ever dreamed possible, I gun hunted for about 35 years with great success before I picked up a bow and it took me 3 seasons before I got my first bowkill and I saw 100's of deer I could have easily taken with a gun, and 20-30 that were in range but never offered a clean shot.

#7 Be prepared for some of the most exciting, yet at times most frustrating hunting you have ever done.

The Tazman aka Martin Price
Founder and President of
Virginia Disabled Outdoorsmen Club

RE: brand new bowhunter. need beginner advice
 

Listen to Tazman. I did and it has paid off tremendously. My only other advice is ........ GO BACK TO GUN HUNTING! Because once you've started down this road, there's no turning back. I've bowhunted for 2 years now and still haven't taken a deer with a bow yet. Like you, I started off gun hunting, but I wish now that I would have started with a bow. It's absolutley the best rush in the world, including drugs. LOL It's addictive to the tenth degree. I'm thinking of starting a 12 step group on this forum. We all need it! Seriously though, you're going about it the right way. Find a GOOD pro shop and rely on them. Then come here and ask questions. I hope this helps. Good luck.

KEEP IT LEGAL. KEEP IT SAFE. OR WE MAY NOT GET TO KEEP IT AT ALL.

RE: brand new bowhunter. need beginner advice
 

Eastwood, welcome to bowhunting. You will love it. The only thing I would add to Taz's info would be to hang out here. Alot of bowhunting knowledge here. I've learned alot listening to these hunters.

Sorry bud, typing at the same time:)

Edited by - sitter on 12/20/2002 13:15:06

RE: brand new bowhunter. need beginner advice
 

outstanding outstanding outstanding... this is what i was hoping for. all positive feed back. i read a post in the big game forum where a beginner has asked a question about elk hunting. the responses were all attitude and higher than thou mentality. i dont agree with that. its rediculous. so, i could imagine the thrill i would get bowhunting. just thinking about the idea and the challenge is a rush. what kind of money should i put into a bow and assuming i have on in hand by mid march, practicing 2x a week, would i be ready for the next season, as far as shooting skills are concerned?

RE: brand new bowhunter. need beginner advice
 

Hold off on buying a bow until after xmas. The pro shops will be trying to dump off their old stock to get ready for the new 2003 models. Then shop around try different bows. Just BE CAREFUL! I was in a pro shop that has a rule, "IF YOU DRY FIRE A BOW, YOU BOUGHT IT". Dry fire means shooting a bow without an arrow notched. I accidently did it and now I'm making payments on a $400.00 bow. There are a lot of nice bows out there in the $300.00 to $500.00 range brand new. Cheaper once they go on sale. And after you find the bow you want, you could check the classified ads for one used or go on Ebay and find one. Personally, I'm buying mine through the pro shop. Not only because I dry fired it. I would have bought it there anyway because of the service after the sell. Getting it properly tuned with the right cams for poundage, letoff percentage, draw length set right, rigged with the right quiver, sight, arrow rest, limb savers, etc. etc. There's alot more technical stuff to do after you buy a bow. And with the right pro shop, if you ever have a problem or question, they are right there to answer it for you. You won't get all that on the internet. Anyway, that's what I'm doing. Practice as much as you can. You'll be sore for awhile until your shoulders get used to it. Invest in some Bengay! And have fun.

KEEP IT LEGAL. KEEP IT SAFE. OR WE MAY NOT GET TO KEEP IT AT ALL.

RE: brand new bowhunter. need beginner advice
 

Eastwood, if you have one by march and practice on a regular basis your skill levels should be to a point to allow you to hunt this year.

How much practice?

It varys from person to person, some people have to practice a lot more than others. How do you know when you are there? When it becomes second nature, when you bring the bow to full draw and you are right on target and you are on your anchor point, steady, release and can put 6 out of 6 in a pie plate.

I practice 1-2 times a week all year, the closer the season draws the more I practice, I practice every day for at least 2-3 weeks before the season starts.

You need to stay in practice otherwise the muscles used to draw your bow and hold it get out of tune! When you first start to practice start out every 3 days, you will find out depending on how many pounds your pulling all about muscle groups you did not know existed, depending on you, it could be in either arm or shoulder, maybe both or all.

Remember what ever distance you can put 6 out of 6 in a pie plate at target shooting, subtract 10 yards for your max hunting range!

The Tazman aka Martin Price
Founder and President of
Virginia Disabled Outdoorsmen Club

RE: brand new bowhunter. need beginner advice
 

Welcome to the frustrating sport we call bow hunting<img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>
It will give you the rush as others have said plus it will also jump up and bite you on the A$$ when you least expect it<img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>

You will enjoy the highs as well as many lows but thats why we love it so much you dont know what is going to happen next<img src=icon_smile_wink.gif border=0 align=middle>

After you have you bow and have got the shooting down it will be time to try a few new things like shooting from a stand shoot sitting shoot kneeling shoot in all sorts of positions and weather.

Then go and join a club and shoot some 3d that will teach how to judge distance as well as to where to place the arrow.

But most of all have FUN<img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>


Aussie by birth Texan by choice

RE: brand new bowhunter. need beginner advice
 

Eastwood, welcome to the forum and to bowhunting. Lots of good advice has already come your way. I will pass on a couple of things that I had to learn the hardway. First, dont overdo the draw weight. I ended up shooting effectively at about 45 lbs, which fits my size and age nicely (small and old...lol). A bow that can be set from say 40 to 60 pounds would be a good thing to look at. Bowhunting requires practice, particularly during the conditioning phase. I practiced a little every day and still practice at least weekly. You need to be physically comfortable with pulling and holding a shot and doing it smoothly. This was one thing I worked hard at. I could draw the bow but it took practice to do it smoothly and quietly. There is both a simplicity and a complexity of bowhunting that makes it a real rush. I live in Alabama and the bow season runs several months, so it is a real plus to be a bowhunter. Hope this helps and encourages.

Keith

RE: brand new bowhunter. need beginner advice
 

Welcome to bowhunting eastwood. Like the others have said it can become highly addictive.<img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>Seriously it is a whole different world than gunhunting. I started bowhunting 10 years ago and havent hunted with a gun since.
To be successful you are going to have to spend alot more time scouting and practicing with your bow.
It may be frustrating at first because it takes an uncommon amount of patience that is not required in other sports.
Like the others have said get familar with your equipment and practice, practice and then practice some more.
But just remember that learning to shoot a bow is the easy part.<img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>


hc4runner
Mo. bowhunter

RE: brand new bowhunter. need beginner advice
 

eastwood,

Back in 1991, about this time of year after the gun season, I realized that there had to be more to deer hunting than what I experienced. I shot 3 deer that season with a gun and the last one was at 30 yds in a tree stand. When the deer breathed air for the last time, I felt terrible. I don't know why, but it just seemed &quot;cheap&quot; (I guess is the term). A friend said try bowhunting. After some discussion on what it was about, I was excited to get started and bought me a bow in Jan. I decided to get a good one so I wouldn't half-ask it. Not knowing much, I bought a 60-80 lb'er and it was set at 70 and was really too much based on what I know now. Between shooting as much as possible and drawing the bow while watching TV at home, 70 lbs became easy. I don't recommend this avenue now. Now is where the best info I know has been already said by Ausie: &quot;Then go and join a club and shoot some 3d that will teach how to judge distance as well as to where to place the arrow&quot;. Join a club and get involved with fellow archers. It will speed up the shooting, bow knowledge, and shooting process by leaps and bounds. Now take what you know about deer and try to be as close as possible to deer routes. You'll need it to bag a deer. Thinking like a gun hunter (where can I see the most territory from one stand) is over. You need to think like a deer when it comes to traveling. Oh, and I did like I said. I shot 3d all spring/summer and arrowed 3 deer my 1st year of bowhunting. Needless to say, I haven't picked up a gun since for deer. I've some very nice bucks that wasn't close enough for a shot. But I've never wished I had a gun, just so I could kill him. If I can't get within bow range, let him walk. It's the hunt and getting close that is the most fun. Hundreds of acres are available, but you come within yards of a deer. That is what it is all about. Sorry so long winded..........Good luck and I hope you are hooked. &quot;The hardest tasks are more gratifying&quot;

RE: brand new bowhunter. need beginner advice
 

Eastwood , your going about it the right way! Knowlege gained beforehand is far better than knwolege gained by trial and error. The only thing that I will add is something that I believe has made me a better bowhunter. When I first started archery I was 12 years old. I didn't even think about deerhunting with a bow. I was just fascinated by archery , so I set out to be the best archer I could be. By focusing on that , when the time came to try bowhunting , the only thing I had to learn was how many times a year a deer could humble me<img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>

<---Doug---<<<

[Deleted]
 

[Deleted by Admins]

RE: brand new bowhunter. need beginner advice
 

Eastwood,

You'll love it. And you'll also like the ethics, the additional responsbilities.

I would suggest using arrows on the heavy end of what people use. I suggest 9 grains for each pound of draw such that if you choose a 70# bow, that you would shoot arrows with total weight of about 630 grains. (A side effect of this is that fixed, non-mechanical, broadheads will fly fine and you won't have to worry about mechanicals blowing up or not opening.)

The reason for the &quot;heavy&quot; arrows is physics. Bow hunters usually talk about the kinetic energy of the arrows they shoot when they should be talking about momentum and arrow drop. It turns out that when one goes to lighter arrows, that one loses momentum much faster than one picks up a smaller arrow drop.

For example, for the 70# bow that I am looking at, the difference between shooting a 630 grain arrow and a 350 grain arrow is 35% percent in momentum (at 30 yards) for a gain in effective range of only about 5 yards. I.e., with the heavier arrow the elevation error from shooting at 35 yards thinking it was 40 was 7 inches. With the light arrow, this same error was caused by shooting at 40 yards thinking it was 45.

Momentum translates directly into penetration, all other things being equal (e.g., sharp broadheads). On bad hits, the extra 35% penetration will often be the difference between a clean kill with a good blood trail and a wounded, unrecovered deer.

It is also harder to tune a bow to shoot light arrows. Bows are more efficient with heavier arrows. Bows last longer with heavier arrows, etc., but the big thing is the improved chance of a clean kill when that broadside or quartering away shot suddenly changes when the arrow is half way to its target.

RE: brand new bowhunter. need beginner advice
 

Eastwood, please don't get the super high performance bow, keep the equipment simple. Be sure the pro shop knows that you want a stable and forgiving bow! I've seen people come into tournament archery with the hottest bow on the market and by lunch time leave the shoot like a dog with its tail between its leggs, all because thy didn't have the nessesary expiriance. It didn't need to be that way. Before you get set up with all the cool accesories get a good understanding of shooting form, and the flight of an arrow. God bless.

RE: brand new bowhunter. need beginner advice
 

&quot;The archer hunts not for meat, not for the trophey alone, but for the sheer pure joy of matching wits and endurance with that clever animal, the white-tailed buck.&quot; Larry Koller.

RE: brand new bowhunter. need beginner advice
 

Eastwood,
Getting lots of great info here. I can only add that once the practice is over and you are getting ready for the actual hunt give me a call, It will be hard work and it may take more than a few times but I will come out and help with the &quot;fine tuneing which can only be did during the hunt. LOL What are friends for!
Rick<img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>

Lifes not about knowing the answers, its about asking the questions.

RE: brand new bowhunter. need beginner advice
 

Get Easton's tuning guide (http://www.eastonarchery.com/). It's a tremendous resource for just a few bucks.

Don't get overbowed or overdrawn.

Go to a pro shop to get set up right (your first bow is not something to buy from a catalog unless you like learning the VERY hard way!).

Use a wrist strap so you don't grip the bow. That caused me a LOT of grief and a few missed elk!

Join a local archery club. As long as you avoid the blowhard know-it-all with a bunch of ignorant biases (there's one in every club), you'll find some good folks who can watch you shoot, critique your form, give you hunting and tuning tips, etc.

Never trust a bow under 40 (inches).

RE: brand new bowhunter. need beginner advice
 

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote<font size=1 face='Verdana, Arial, Helvetica' id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>
.... i have decided its time to take on the challenge of bowhunting. ...
<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote></font id=quote><font face='Verdana, Arial, Helvetica' size=2 id=quote>

&quot;A turning point in Fred's thinking about deer hunting came in the winter of 1933, when he shot a monster buck - dressing out at 285 pounds - with his rifle in upper Michigan. That year Michigan hunters harvested 25,500 bucks, but few in that weight category. 'It was so easy that there was no challenge, no thrill,' Bear recalls, 'I decided that from then on I would do it with the bow.' &quot;

This from &quot;Deer and Deer Hunting, the Serious Hunters's Guide&quot; which I got from amazon.com's used books for about $5.00!

And - 9 grains per pound of draw weight - every grain per pound decrease in arrow weight is a loss of 8% in penetration for a gain of 1 yard in effective distance. ( IMHO, I'm going to start a thread to get some discussion going.)

RE: brand new bowhunter. need beginner advice
 

I agree with Sitter and Tazman. If you hang out in here you will learn what you need to be successfull. This was my first year. I printed out a lot of these threads and then grouped them according to basic topics. I took the last three weeks before season to read them one group at a time. I also put them in a binder for future reference. Then I practiced every concievable shot I was going to take every day. I shot three deer this year with on P&Y. I took the used bow I bought ( a 12 year old Proline) to a pro shop and had it fitted for me. I was lucky that it fit my draw length because mine is 27&quot; most start at 28&quot;. Anyway I got to where I felt comfortable and then scouted according to what I learned here and had a great 2002 year. Good Luck and welcome to the board

THWACK!

RE: brand new bowhunter. need beginner advice
 

Welcome.
I think this website will help you a lot understanding the basics of choosing a bow and all of its sides such as draw weight, lenght, axle-to-axle, etc. It will then proceed to give you information on a lot of bows and a lot of models (once again) using the information provided to you first. It will give you a comparison between a $200 bow and a $700 bow... with numbers that you can relate to.

One tip of advice: Don't let anyone fooled you into buying a particular brand of bow simply because it's expensive and 'all the pros are using it' It's kinda with basketball shoes... Nike goes out and gives every team in the nation free shoes, and when they start using them, suddenly ALL of the player's skills are attributed to him wearing Nikes'....

Take your time. You have 9 months until the season opens again. You ought to have enough time to practice enough to be able to kill a deer within 25 yards. I know... that sounds way too close for a gun hunter used to shooting everything under the sky!... hah hah. Believe me... A 30 yard shot in the timber with a bow from a treestand is very hard to find since everything is on the way, and you no longer have the 'firepower' to shoot thru brush ...

Good luck and Welcome again. As with other hunters out there, it took me 4 seasons to shoot a buck, and he's being mounted. It's worth the wait