New bow hunter
 

Hello everybody. I'm new here so I figured I'd start out with a post. . New to bow hunting. Actualy all hunting. Last season I gave it a try. Me and a buddy tried it out. He had his girlfriend go buy him a brand new Hoyt. Me on the other hand had to use my fathers old Jennings from the mid to late 80s. I did add new sights to it but it was a miserable time for me. It was nearly impossible for me to sight in the sights. I must have tried for 5 days in a row. With no success. I had better success just winging the shot then using the sights. After that my left forearm was a mess it had taken a beating. So hunting season came I didn't feel comfertable taking a shot from further then 10yds. So I was very limited. Where with my friends bow I was much more accurate I was hitting a 1.5ft group from 40yds. I'd like to try again this season but I'm not sure if It's my bow that's the issue or if it's my form with an un forgiving bow. Im in college and flat broke so a new bow is far out of my range. I love being in the woods. So I'd like to try again. An advice would be great. Iv already tried tradeing my new play station 3 for a newer bow but all people want to trade me is bows that are alston as old as mine. Any advice would be great

I first started shooting bows with an old Jennings side kick compound bow. I still shoot that bow, but use it for bowfishing. Did you take your bow to a bow shop and have them tune it up for you? As old as it is it might need a new string, cables, etc... That would be my first step.

left forearm was sore?
are you a lefty ? is that your drawing arm?
a +20 yr old bow, hard to say whether its the bow, or you.
by you i just mean you didnt learn the bow in the 5 days,
first what poundage is the jennings bow?
did you just pull the bow out the closet and shoot?
or have a shop set you up?
matching the arrows to the bow is important, if you just went and picked up some arrows, may not be the corrrect arrows for the bow.
i wouldnt give up on the jennings bow just yet, unless i was sure it was off and too costly to adjust.

I just got one of my buddies into bow hunting. He to shoots an old jennings. He put a new string, sights, and rest on the bow. It shoots like a dream for him out to just about 40 yards. but he also has a 30 inch draw length. But still i wouldnt give up on it.

I did bring it to a bow shop. He adjusted it for me said the string was in good shape sold me a thing of wax. He said that I could change the sights but would not be able to put a whisker bisquet on it. He said when I brought it in if it needed cables or a string it would cost way more then it was worth. But he set the draw to 29". I'm not sore from drawing the bow but either the string or the fletching is hitting my forearm and is bruising me with a rash. Iv shot the bow 3-5 times a week for maybe 6 weeks but I gave up on sighting in the bow. The sights adjust on every axis. But if I have the sight all the way down for the top pin to be where it needs to be the fletching hits the sight. Maybe I should give it another try this week. And I was sold arrows that the guy said were perfect for the bow.

if your getting forearm slap and feather contact,
somethings wrong,
for the forearm slap, try shortening your draw, less extension on forward arm, may move it out the way, can also try changing your stance, dont face the target but stand almost 90 degrees to it,
or could be as simple as wrist position,
for feathers contacting the sights, that may be the root of the problem,
try changing cock feather position, from cock up to cock down, vice.versa.
when shooting, is the problem consistent? like arrows hitting bottom left more often?
or are arrows all over the place?

They hit the same spot for the most part it's the fact I can't bring the down enough for a closer target ie a 10-15yd shot. It hits low So low I could use my lowest pin for the shot and if I try to lower the sight the fletching hits. I wondering why I couldn't put a new rest on the bow. The bow has like a stick on rest with a pin thing that has a spring.

10-15 yd is a close shot,
can it be set at 20 yds without hitting?
i would set 20 yds as lowest pin,
or 25 yds,
shouldnt be much of a change in setting from 15 yds to 20/25 yds,
if pin is accurate at 20-25 yds learn to just aim slightly lower with the pin
bow/site might not be able to be set for 10 yd, but can learn to use 20 yd pin for 10 yd shot

Maybe that's my problem. I was under the impression that the closer the shot the higher the pin. So the lowest pin is for the longest shot.

Well again I tried today to go enjoy myself with my bow. But this time I went to the range at my local bow shop. The guy watched me corrected my form a bit and then said the bow was my problem he said the draw was to short for me adjusted it to max which was 29" (I thought it was 29" already but I guess it was at 27" ) and still
To short. Handed me another older bow that had a 30" draw and bam much better. So it is my bow that is the problem. Guess I'll have to be persistint on cl and
Find someone will to trade me a more modern bow for my ps3. Might be good for my sanity to get rid of the damn thing.