concerning
 

You know was in the shop the other day and then Gander mtn the next

Something that is concerning to me is the amount of folks that have never shot a bow are out buying equipment at the last minute, our season is 40 some days out -

I am all for new archers and continuing to watch the sport grow as it is our future

But I spoke to at least 6 people that have never shot at of bow of any type that are planning to hunt in 40 days

maybe just a pet peeve

RE: concerning
 

With the proper guidance combined with a ton of practice... they should be fine. jmo.

But if they go and buy a bow, take it home and start flingin a few, start hitting the pie plate a few times and call it good... Id be worried.

RE: concerning
 

I hear it all the time! As a matter of fact my father in law...prime example! He told me he is going out bow hunting this year, he wants me to take him says he needs no practice(son I killed more deer with this bow then you will ever kill) It looks like a 1970 model! I said well you need to get out and get some camo he said I will hunt in my jeans and t-shirt.[:-]He grew up in the mountains around State College and he is a mountain man but I do things totally different and I know if I don't take him i will hear it from my wife! Noone understands but me!

RE: concerning
 

I also think with the right advice, they should be fine. If it were a traditional bow, it might be more concerning.

RE: concerning
 

See it here all the time. Gotta wonder what they're thinking. They have a special season for a couple of the islands here where you need an archery proficiency card to get tags. I sometimes go to the gun club to watch the circus and get my card (which I don't need but get anyway just-in-case). They put a deer silhouette at 20 yards and you need to shoot 3 out of 5 broadheads into the vitals (which aren't marked in bold so you can't see them from where you shoot unless there are some holes from previous archers. They change targets fairly often). Its amazing how some people can barely hit the paper and are looking to go hunting in a few days.

RE: concerning
 

I wouldn't take him and take the heat from your wife.

RE: concerning
 

yeah i got my bow and after a few weeks i was out hunting. i thought i would be fine. i got a doe like the second day i went hunting.

RE: concerning
 

I see this type of thing every year. The range is packed at the bow shop a few weeks before the season starts, mostly with people who have not seen their bow since last Nov. The are shooting a group that looks like it came out of a shotgun, 6 different arrows, with 6 different size FP. I watch them and I feel sorry for the deer! I have often said that hunters should have to pass some type of accuracy test before they are allowed to go out and shoot up the woods. It would not have to be anything super hard, let's say 5 arrows in a 6" group, I don't think that is asking too much.

RE: concerning
 

I wouldn't worry about it. These guys may become a decent shot come season opener but i highly doubt that they will have many shot opportunities. Killing a deer with bow and arrow is not an easy feat. It requires much more than being able to accurately shoot and these guy's will learn this once the season is over and they have nothing to show for. Trust me, i was one of these people just a few years ago. I probably went bow hunting 50 times my first season and saw only a couple of deer that were 150 yards out or further. God forbid i had a shot opportunity because i was so shaky after seeing those deer at long distance. I look back now and think "what the hell was i thinking".

RE: concerning
 

I know! People think its as easy as shooting a gun! Just pick it up and pull the trigger!! No its not that easy. Ive been shooting for four years and this will be my first year acually bowhunting.

RE: concerning
 

How dare we speak badly about new hunters wanting to join our ranks....We should be out there recruiting at walmarts all over the country! ;)

RE: concerning
 

Just because the season starts in 40 days doesn't mean they will be shooting at an animal in 40 days.These outdoor companies are in business to sell equipment. Most of them don't care what the person does with it after they leave the store. I remember a tread some guy was in line at a check out with a bow in hand and was leaving to go hunting right then. Now that is stupid but 40 days not so bad.

RE: concerning
 

We all turned 16 once and got our license.
Yeah... I remember the good old days of 8 weeks of bookwork and a couple dozen hours of practice driving with the instructor and my parents....
Poof! You had a vehicle license and were hand a potentially deadly vehicle to finish learning the art of driving???

Now that's crazy!

My take is simple...
Practicing is essential, but to be honest, I have been bow hunting for 14 years and I don't hit a target any better than I did in my 1st year!!!
2" groups out to 20 yards and under 4" groups to 40 yards.[&:] Although I only shoot to 30 yards while hunting.

What I believe would help these new bow hunters from my experience, is teaching them to take the "proper / high percentage shots" (like broadside, etc.),
clearing shooting lanes, and probably the best advice is "it's an arrow and not a bullet".
Example - I have a friend who has hunted for 45 years and I still have to help him track a deer because he thinks his arrows can go through brush better than mine.
God does that piss me off!
A lot happens in the moment of truth that you can't teach people.[>:]

RE: concerning
 

Yea, everybody knows that wearing camo is absolutely critical to a quick clean kill.[8D] j/k Sorry, I know what you are getting at. I know a bowhunter who only shoots one or two arrows before a hunt - the only practice he does all year, and not with BHs! The worst part of it is, he does pretty good (a gagger almost every year) but still wounds way too many[:'(]. I wonder why...

RE: concerning
 

Damn, I thought only crossbow hunters bought their gear and then went charging off to the woods with little or no practice[8D]

RE: concerning
 

I am not speaking badly about new hunters. I am speaking about hunters (new or old) who take their gear out days before the seaon opens and then head out to the woods without being able to hit the broadside of a barn. We owe it to the deer the practice in order to be able to make a clean ethical kill. If you can do that with one or two days of practice great, but the guys I see at the pro shop cannot and that is a shame.