Do you really NEED it? Why?
 

Bow "accessories". "Need"........or "want"?

I'll give you "need" on a rest. For most of you guys, I'll concede a sight, as well (though, it's completely optional).

What else do you "need"? Why? Has perceived bow noise been an issue for you in the past? Have you tried to mitigate the problem with a heavier arrow? Maybe turn down the #-age?

What's Needed.....and what's "for show"? Nothing wrong with either.

Everything in Life is more want than need. Always has been, always will be. ;)

Dan

Besides the bow and maybe a rest there is really nothing else logically that you "need" to use with archery equipement.. I would say most extras are because of want.. But with that said I don't believe that the wants are just for show.. You may want to silence your bow, so you add the additional equipement for that issue, then you may not be comfortable shooting without a sight--so once again you add one of those, you may want a peep or kisser botton to help with consistency and or for comfort, maybe you then feel that your bow may not be balancing correctly/vibration so you add a stabilizer, then you notice the benifits of a string loop compared to no loop--and you throw one on your bow, and finally you get sick of holding onto your arrows so you get a quiver to hold them.. I have shot traditionally and enjoyed it greatly but with all the advancements they now have for archery equipement, I can't help but WANT it and not for show but for performance.. I'm shooting 2" spots out to 60 yards (probably could go further but haven't tried yet) and to me that is amazing, without some of the things I have that would not be possible..

Interesting. So is it you? No offense intended. Fair question?

Absolutely not, I have two different bows--one that I just love and don't want to get rid of and the destroyer which I just purchased.. Both of which I can do the same with as far as accuracy and distance.. When I did shoot traditionally I did just fine with no problems (there are limitations of coarse).. I shoot my bow almost daily and have done so for years.. I have won multiple tournaments and challenges as well as killed many different animals using archery equipement, its not me.. Some may be more comfortable with nothing but the bow, arrow, and rest--thats fine but I'll shoot against that person any day of the week.. People become comfortable with many different things and that is fine.. But as long as you are comfortable with what you shoot, how you shoot, and the consistency of your shooting I feel you are doing everything right..

Hey...no issues with that (naturally).

Do you shoot at game at long distances (I'm no ethics cop....lol...so that's not why I'm asking). I'm getting back to the original question.

Thanks for that very well thought out response, BTW.

Depends on how you define "need".
For me, I "want" my hunting bow to be as efficient as possible, because I feel that the shot should be as "automatic" as I can make it. In order for me to meet those conditions I "need" my silencers, peep, kisser, loop, release, & sight. I suppose my "need" for those things could be lessened if I had more time to spend becoming "automatic" with less crutches.
My want drives my need.

No, I have more respect for the animal then that.. I have never had to shoot further then 36 yards at any animal, I probably would stretch that to 40 yards--but thats it.. If I was out west I would make sure I was ready to shot out further but I think if everything is set up right their is no need to launch an arrow.. I enjoy shooting targets at all ranges to improve consintration and also for practice in regards to leagues/tournys.. Hunting and target shooting are to completely different things.

I'll just say, the things on my bow each have a specific function to help me be as consistant, accurate and quiet as possible. I "want" them on there for that reason. Could I shoot without them? Yes. Could I shoot WELL without them? NO.

Good post, I think that is what most people would say as far as the need and or want issue..

I used to think I had to have a shelf. But I have been shooting off my hand pretty good lately. I used to think I had to have D97 string. But I have been doing good with linen and sinew string (fragile), but I have narrowed it down to 5 things. Bow, solid one piece wood, string (can be linen or rawhide), wood arrow, weighted tip (can be obsidian, metal, glass, etc), and fletchings.

I don't need fiberglass backing, shelves, phenolic overlays, antler burr bevels, hand wraps, D97 string, or even silencers. But I like em

Good Answer! Obviously being as accurate as possible isn't important to some, as long as there is more challenge to it.

I BowHunt to Kill! If I didn't then I would be a nature Lover and take pics. Whatever allows me to be as effecient, and accurate as possible within the legal rules I will take advantage of.

I got all the challenge I wanted back in the late 60's, early 70's. I now make the sport challenging by limiting the size of animal I will put a tag on not by using equipment that I would obviously be less accurate with.

To each their own, and whatever floats your boat ;)

Dan

I'll bite, explain this one.

Heck I think it's all want as far as I'm concerned, but I'll play.

I think all that's really needed is a string and an arrow (bow and some kinda broadhead are a given) to get the job done.

I can remember shooting my first compound bow off the shelf for two weeks before I could afford a prong rest for it. The sights didn't get put on till the next year. Of course I didn't hit a damn thing but I was out there slinging em! LOL

What else do you "need"? Why?
IT IS SAFE TO SAY THAT WE DON'T NEED MOST OF THIS NEW FANGLED GEAR. BUT, THE HI-TECH EQUIPMENT IS PART OF THE EXPERINCE FOR ME. I LIKE TINKERING WITH DIFFERENT SET-UPS IN SEARCH OF EFFICIENCY AND ACCURACY. IF YOU WERE DROPPING ME OFF ON A DESERTED ISLAND FOR FOREVER, THEN I WOULD WANT A RECURVE WITH A SHELF AND NO SIGHT. BUT OTHERWISE, MY ONLY CONSTRAINT IS THAT I SHOOT A VERTICAL BOW. SOMEDAY, I MAY TRY CROSSBOWS WHEN MY SHOULDERS GO - WHO KNOWS?

A MODERN COMPOUND PROVIDES ME THE BEST OPPORTUNITY TO HARVEST WHITEAILS WITHIN THE ARCHERY SEASON. DESPITE THE FACT THAT SHOOT EVERY OTHER DAY, I KNOW THAT I COULD NOT KILL AS EFFICIENTLY WITH A TRAD SET-UP. I COULD RESTRICT MY SHOTS AND HUMANLEY HARVEST WITH A TRAD SET-UP BUT I LOVE KILLING/EATING THEM TOO MUCH. I GUESS I AM NOT MUCH OF A PURIST.

Has perceived bow noise been an issue for you in the past?
QUIETER IS ALWAYS BETTER.

Have you tried to mitigate the problem with a heavier arrow?
YES, CURRENTLY AT 425 GRAINS. I HAVE WENT AS HIGH AS 480.

Maybe turn down the #-age?
NO, I SHOOT AT THE TOP OF MY BOW'S RANGE (60 LBS).

Very Well said!!

Dan

FWIW....GregH has a cool photo of his trad. deer............from when he was a BOY!

Just sayin'.

Carry on.

GREAT answers KWilson! Thanks.

I think that pretty much sums it up. Cause and effect. We want to hunt so we need a weapon in order to hunt. We want to bowhunt, so we need a bow. We want to be more accurate, so we need a rest, sight or release (or a gun :s4:). We want to be more lethal, so we need the sharpest or biggest broadhead. We want to keep up with the Joneses, so we need the newest, fastest, flashiest bow out there with all the bells and whistles.

the real issue here is not who wants and who needs. the facts are clear. let me give you an example:

put two archers on the same shooting line at 25 yds. both are very experienced shooters. one shoots a compound with all of his 'fancy' accessories. the other shoots a traditional set-up(rest only).

now decide who you would be more comfortable with allowing to shoot an apple off of your head.

i mean come on guys, if you want to be deadly accurate, you do 'need' all the gear. it all helps. it wont make you perfect, but it will make you shoot better if you have experience with a bow. that is a fact.

P.S. Dan, i hope you read this. keep up the good work bro. :s4:

this post does not makes sense. Are you saying that only rifles with scopes should be allowed to hunt with? I disagree. Because anyone knows a rifle is more accurate of course.

Best statement I've read thus far. When it comes down to it like someone stated earlier, a bow and arrow with a sharp rock on the end is really about all the equipment you need. Heck our not so distant ancestors made it work for years :s4:

I love all the new bells and whistle's that come out each year. It amazes me how far along bowhunting has come over the last 15 to 20 years! Each year I can't wait to see whats gonna be the new hot bow or rest or sight ( love my limb driver by the way ). Do I need any of this to be successful, Nope but this is my passion and thats the difference to me.

I really, really, really NEED my Sonic broadheads:s4:

I guess all I really need is a SPEAR to kill deer.....

however, I prefer to have the best built gear money can buy.

I shoot a 13 year old compound with fixed pin fiber optic sights, a stabilizer, peep sight (no rubber tube = respect!) and a release. Only have rubber speed bumps on the string at each end, no other silencing equipment. I still shoot aluminum arrows and fixed broadheads.

I really don't need or want much of anything.

But you have that high tech camo on.

My two cents, a compound bow with all the bells and whistles (with an experienced archer) will with no doubt out shoot someone with traditional equipement only.. You traditional shooters may feel differently but it time to wake up and smell the coffee--you want to be more efficient, accurate, and gain the ability to shoot further, you need the type of equipement to make that possible, not just a bow, string, and arrow (rest).. I'm not at all trashing traditional hunters, because I respect what you do, but they are out matched when it comes to the new style of archery..

Gmmt, Actually to answer your question--"Do you think the guy with the scoped rifle could do the same to you?" NO... At some distances (like you stated) or better said, at the distances that I shoot my bow at, no I don't think I would get out shot.. Say for example, 40 yards and in, I would take that challenge every day of the week.. I'm shooting my bow free-hand so of course I would expect the riflemen to do the same.. I can hit spots all day long from these distances and I feel very confident in my shooting.. To be completely honest I do shoot my bow better then I shoot my rifle, reasoning being that I don't care about shooting rifles and love shooting bow, which I take great pride in..

Knock off all the bickering and get back to the topic or this thread will go away.

Does this mean you're getting a Hoyt Carbon Matrix? :s2:

Love the avatar!

Was wondering when someone was going to put a stop to this seems to happen whenever certain people start something with another certain somebody,only one missing is hch.

Okay, I cleaned things up. Now lets keep this thread civil and on topic or it's going away and some of the offenders will go on vacations. There's no reason why you gentlemen can't discuss the topic of this thread in a civil manner. Let's leave the personal beefs out of it. Thanks!

I am just shocked to death to see SWthomas in this forum myself. :confused0024:

Just don't have the words. :s4:

I am your huckaberry. I can pull off 0.5" groups offhanded. But if you can, you might want to look into an archery career.

I am not a very good archer.

Things I need:
Sight, can't hit the broad side of a barn without one.:s10:
Release, can't shoot a decent group without one.

I go where I'm needed. :happy0001:

Like I said in my "deleted post" (which you get carried away with), it's about choice, wether or not you participate in a given thread. If you don't like it simply move on. It's somewhat of a shame the way this site gets censored . I've been a member for quite a while and I've not seen the likes of it. It's no wonder many have gone elsewhere.

Exactly! That's excellent advice. Some of the folks that posted in this thread should take it. There's always someone who claims censorship when a post is edited or deleted. It's less about censorship and more about keeping the discussions on this site civil. The members of this site can have a passionate discussion about something without getting mad and getting personal. The owners of this site don't want people to post whatever offensive content they want and launch personal attacks on people at will. The vast majority of us are adults and we should act like it.

Must be nice. I shoot better groups with my bow than I do with my rifles.

Lets not get crazy here.

Personally.... I 'need' to have fun. And hunting is fun for me, on just about any level.

I need to be comfortable to have fun (usually).

As far as bow equipment goes. I feel that I personally need a good sharp head, on a decently heavy arrow. A bow (compound if you want me to bring something other than salad home), and some sort of sight reference. Currently, that would be pins (or pin).

I'm quite far from shooting a bare bones rig, but I have taken a step or two back from where I was two or three years ago.