Ok i'm not sure where to post so i'm giving it a try here because i did not see a section for newbies. I have done the search on the forum but i haven't found a lot.
I'm new to bow hunting and i'm starting with an old bow that i got for realy cheap a Darton excel. After i learn my basics i'll move on to PSE and beyond. I was looking for something more challenging and i think i'm on the right track. I would like some heads up and information from the moreexperiencedbow hunters. I am replacing the string on the bow because as i learned majority of bow hunters replace them every year depending on how much they use them. What else do you guys recomend for a noob like me.

Practice shooting as often as you can.

dont get frustrated when things dont work out, i had countless deer encounters over 4 years before i ever brought one down with my bow... this year was my first bow kill, after the first one it seems easier, no pressure i suppose...

thanks guys, now you think i can still take down abuck even with an old bow like mine. I haven't heard anything bad about Darton compound bows but i doknow that are ppl there huntingthe old school way too.I know the arrows that i'm going to use and broadheads.I'm going with the carbon arrows or the gold tip and the rage 2 broadheads.

i started out with a darton, very nice bows... make sure youre shooting fast enough for the two blade rages, i'd recommend g5 montecs or trophy ridge undertakers before the rage, thats just me tho

I'm the same exact way, i felt uncomfortable with my PSE nova, could hit my target everytime cause i shot atleast 30 arrows a day for months. But the thought of it being an old bow around all these newer ones and hearing all the talk about "you need this, and you need that" to kill a deer, made me extremely unconfident. But you gotta think, people years ago didn't have all the fancy new things we do these days, and they still kill deer. You'll definatly learn from yer mistakes, thats one thing i can gurantee!

Just stay confident, patient, and as early in said, shoot whenever possible, and i think you should be alright.

GOOD LUCK!

i have helped several people get into archery and bow hunting. here are some of the tips that have helped them.

your darton will work fine. i just bought a new darton as 300. great bow. before that i was shooting a darton that was eight years old. i would not have upgraded except i broke the old one. don't worry about the age of the bow. remember, for years people hunted with long bows and recurves. any compound will shoot arrows faster and more effective than a recurve.

carbon arrows are a good choice. carbons are more durable and faster. however, because your bow is older i would not recommend going with a mechanical broad head. your best bet is always to get a pass through. for your bow (you will probably shoot around 200-220 fps) i would get a replaceable blade or a cut on contact head. g5 montecs or strikers are a great choice (im partial cause i use the strikers).

set ur bow for a release aid. you can shoot with fingers, but that takes more practice and a release will aid you in being a better shot.

practice as ofter as you can. you will read about people taking 30, 40, 50 yard shots. don't worry about that stuff till later on in your hunting career. practice where you are comfortable. that may mean not taking over a 15 yard shot. i have been shooting since i was 7 years old. when i shot competition (age 10-17) i shot 30, 40, 50 yard shots. never have i taken a shot over 30 yards in the deer woods. actually my longest shot was just over 25 yards. i do not feel comfortable shooting at a deer at over 30 yards. remember, shooting at a target and a live animal are completely different. too many variables come into play. a deer can jump the string, you can misjudge the distance, brush is in the way, etc.

every time you go in the woods try to learn something. learn how to read a deer's behavior. over time you will learn how a deer acts when it is calm, excited, spooky, alert. never make something happen when ur hunting. let it happen. i have tried several times to try and make a shot happen on a spooky deer. guess what...i missed or the deer ran off before i got a shot.

the more you do it the more you will learn. it took me six seasons before i finally got a deer with a bow. be patient and it will happen. good luck.

Good Advice, but I'll go one step further. Find someone that is experienced and can school you in proper form and correct draw length.
Practicing with Bad form, improper draw length, and improper release technique can ingrain Bad habits that take a Lot of time, andpatience to correct.

Enjoy the Great sport of Archery!!

Dan

+1, and I can tell you from experience, it's tough to break those bad habits once you've "learned" them into your muscles.