brushbustin

I decied that i would try bowhunting this year and bought me a crossbow.Well i practiced and practiced and changed everything i could change until i got tired of putting money in it.I just wasn't getting the accuracy out of it that i needed for me to take a shot at a deer with it,so i sold it and said that i wasn't going to bow hunt and i was just gonna gun and muzzleloader hunt.Well the past week if have been thinking that i just have to bow hunt.The whole month of OCT is open to bow hunting and i'll just be stuck sitting at home wishing for muzzleloader to open.So I have decied that im gonna stay away from crossbows and try compound's.First off i don't know my draw length.I went to a bow shop this morning and they just said you look like a 30 or 31 inch draw length.Is there a way i can measure my self?Im going to buy a used bow first as i don't want to sink alot of money into this like i did the crossbow only to sell it.So guys,i need all the tips i can get.What bows to look for and which to stay away from,must have accesories and must not haves!LOL.Help a fella out.Thanks!!

brucelanthier

If you couldn't get a crossbow to work for you then I am thinking that bowhunting is not for you either.

rybohunter

Well this is certainly the right place for advice. The biggest being NEVER go to a pro shop that looks at you and guesses at your draw. They should set up a bow and measure you.

Also, be a bit prepared that if you didn’t find the accuracy you desired from an X-bow, then you may be a little disappointed trying to get it from a compound as well.

RackLuster

you can get a rough idea of draw length. someone will have to correct me on the formula. I think it's:

(your wingspan in inches / 2) - 15" it's something like that anyway . I'd go to a pro shop and have them fix you up. they can at least give you a definite draw length. i don't like that the guy just said 'you look like a 30-31'. i'd probably go to another pro-shop.

craigslist sometimes has good deals on bows. I practically gave away my mathews q2 on craigslist.

brushbustin

I had a Horton HD150 and it would produce alot of flyers.You could split the arrows for a few shots and then all of a sudden the dang thing would be shooting 6 inches low or 6 inches high or way to the left or right.Very unpredictable.And i wasn't comfortable with that.It wasn't the scope cause i changed scopes and it wasn't the way i was cocking it either,had a ez cocking rope.I just think it was the bow in general.

Badger_Girl93

How much time did you spend on that crossbow? If you really want to bow hunt this OCT, I hope you are prepared to spend all of September getting proficient with your weapon. It would have been better to get started 6 months before the season, rather than 6 weeks. JMO.

brushbustin

I always thought that Compound bows were more accurate than a x-bow?But then again,I don't know too much about bows either!

brushbustin

I had the X-bow for 6 months and practiced with it alot and never could get it to do something.I just sold the X-bow about 2 weeks ago,so i know im cutting it close.Out bow season opens Sept 27,but i don't plan to start bow hunting until it cools off a little more,probly mid OCT.

kickin_buck

First, you would have be a pretty big boy to have a 31" DL. I would suggest first, finding a different/better pro shop. A good shop will take the time to measure you and help you decide what you are looking for. With that being said, you have to understand that these shops are in business to make money. Please don't walk in and say I am looking to buy a bow off of e-bay and need to know what my DL is. If the shop is anything at all, they should carry a good line of bows in all price ranges, so maybe you can look at their entry/budget type bows. Let them know you are just starting out and don't want to dump a ton of money in a bow right off the bat. Most shops will understand then and know that if they help you out know, when you are hooked and ready to move up to a different/better bow, they will have your business. Good luck in your search.

rybohunter

You can say that again.

You've really got to prepare yourself that you may not be very accurate. Learning curves on compounds can be fairly short if properly set up and any decent good advice is given howto shoot them. But the scary part is not being able to get the X-bow shooting well. Maybe you had a complete dud and there was something truly wrong with it, because you could be in for some sreious frustration dealing with a compound and trying to get it to shoot.