Bow Hunting: Getting Started?
09-30-2019, 06:48 PM
#1
Spike
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2019
Posts: 2
Bow Hunting: Getting Started?
Hey,
I’m a college student live in central Kentucky. I have a been hunting whitetail since I was nine and for the last couple of years I’ve had the urge to start bow hunting. With that being said I don’t know how to start the process. I’ve thought about walking into my loft archery shop and asking them to get me set about but I have little knowledge on archery equipment and I don’t want to seem out of place. I’m just wanting to know what advice y’all have for me while I start the process of bow hunting and how I need to get started?
Thanks!
I’m a college student live in central Kentucky. I have a been hunting whitetail since I was nine and for the last couple of years I’ve had the urge to start bow hunting. With that being said I don’t know how to start the process. I’ve thought about walking into my loft archery shop and asking them to get me set about but I have little knowledge on archery equipment and I don’t want to seem out of place. I’m just wanting to know what advice y’all have for me while I start the process of bow hunting and how I need to get started?
Thanks!
10-01-2019, 04:20 AM
#2
Super Moderator
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Trumbull County, Ohio
Posts: 9,520
That would be a good start. As they can set you up properly and make sure that you have the right equipment and that everything fits. If you have the funds to do that, its the way to go. Archery can be an expensive hobby.
If funds are an issue (I encourage everyone to avoid debt and living above their means. But that's another topic.) Used bows are cheap. You can find $1,000 bows that are just a few years old for just a couple hundred bucks. Just how things are in the archery world. There are also some very good priced crossbow package deals out there if that interests you and is legal where you hunt.
A good bow shop can also help you set up a used bow that you get and check every thing over.
After that it's all about practice and becoming proficient with your equipment. For the most part gun hunting is easy. In the sense that almost anybody with just a little bit of experience could grab any suitable firearm out there and kill a deer at 75 yards. That's not true for archery.
Lots of practice, and learning your limitations. I've been shooting various bows for 16 years now. And I still limit myself to 30 yards. Just my preference, but a good example of the added challenge.
I got into archery because it gave me more time to hunt.. Not for the challenge or love of archery. I just wanted more time in the woods. I saved money from mowing yards and bought a used bow from the newspaper for $60. A retiring hunter gave me a good deal on it because I was a kid. He also threw in some hand me down extras to get me started. Nobody close to me at that time bow hunted. I learned allot from this forum, before I was even a member, and from books at the library.. lots of practice. Then just getting in the woods and learning.
Dad helped me build a wooden tree stand out back and I spent many fall evenings sitting in it. Watching. Learning. And eventually shooting my first archery doe. She was almost 130lbs and was the finest trophy I could imagine. I shot her with that used bow, and hand me down hunting gear from an old fella who was happy to see his stuff go to a kid. After that it got easier. And I got a couple nice 8pts, a 7 pt and lots of doe.
Made allot of mistakes along the way. Learned allot. Every time in the woods is learning. Learning how they react, how they move, how they interact, where they go, where they come from. Always learning.
The is allot of technical stuff to go with shooting bows too. And I get help you much there. I find a set up that works and stick with it. Based on the advice of my local shop.
I say all that to say.... If you can find a mentor to teach you, that will help allot. But you can do it yourself by reading, practicing, and learning. It's allot of fun either way.
-Jake
If funds are an issue (I encourage everyone to avoid debt and living above their means. But that's another topic.) Used bows are cheap. You can find $1,000 bows that are just a few years old for just a couple hundred bucks. Just how things are in the archery world. There are also some very good priced crossbow package deals out there if that interests you and is legal where you hunt.
A good bow shop can also help you set up a used bow that you get and check every thing over.
After that it's all about practice and becoming proficient with your equipment. For the most part gun hunting is easy. In the sense that almost anybody with just a little bit of experience could grab any suitable firearm out there and kill a deer at 75 yards. That's not true for archery.
Lots of practice, and learning your limitations. I've been shooting various bows for 16 years now. And I still limit myself to 30 yards. Just my preference, but a good example of the added challenge.
I got into archery because it gave me more time to hunt.. Not for the challenge or love of archery. I just wanted more time in the woods. I saved money from mowing yards and bought a used bow from the newspaper for $60. A retiring hunter gave me a good deal on it because I was a kid. He also threw in some hand me down extras to get me started. Nobody close to me at that time bow hunted. I learned allot from this forum, before I was even a member, and from books at the library.. lots of practice. Then just getting in the woods and learning.
Dad helped me build a wooden tree stand out back and I spent many fall evenings sitting in it. Watching. Learning. And eventually shooting my first archery doe. She was almost 130lbs and was the finest trophy I could imagine. I shot her with that used bow, and hand me down hunting gear from an old fella who was happy to see his stuff go to a kid. After that it got easier. And I got a couple nice 8pts, a 7 pt and lots of doe.
Made allot of mistakes along the way. Learned allot. Every time in the woods is learning. Learning how they react, how they move, how they interact, where they go, where they come from. Always learning.
The is allot of technical stuff to go with shooting bows too. And I get help you much there. I find a set up that works and stick with it. Based on the advice of my local shop.
I say all that to say.... If you can find a mentor to teach you, that will help allot. But you can do it yourself by reading, practicing, and learning. It's allot of fun either way.
-Jake
10-01-2019, 07:03 AM
#3
Spike
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2019
Posts: 2
That would be a good start. As they can set you up properly and make sure that you have the right equipment and that everything fits. If you have the funds to do that, its the way to go. Archery can be an expensive hobby.
If funds are an issue (I encourage everyone to avoid debt and living above their means. But that's another topic.) Used bows are cheap. You can find $1,000 bows that are just a few years old for just a couple hundred bucks. Just how things are in the archery world. There are also some very good priced crossbow package deals out there if that interests you and is legal where you hunt.
A good bow shop can also help you set up a used bow that you get and check every thing over.
After that it's all about practice and becoming proficient with your equipment. For the most part gun hunting is easy. In the sense that almost anybody with just a little bit of experience could grab any suitable firearm out there and kill a deer at 75 yards. That's not true for archery.
Lots of practice, and learning your limitations. I've been shooting various bows for 16 years now. And I still limit myself to 30 yards. Just my preference, but a good example of the added challenge.
I got into archery because it gave me more time to hunt.. Not for the challenge or love of archery. I just wanted more time in the woods. I saved money from mowing yards and bought a used bow from the newspaper for $60. A retiring hunter gave me a good deal on it because I was a kid. He also threw in some hand me down extras to get me started. Nobody close to me at that time bow hunted. I learned allot from this forum, before I was even a member, and from books at the library.. lots of practice. Then just getting in the woods and learning.
Dad helped me build a wooden tree stand out back and I spent many fall evenings sitting in it. Watching. Learning. And eventually shooting my first archery doe. She was almost 130lbs and was the finest trophy I could imagine. I shot her with that used bow, and hand me down hunting gear from an old fella who was happy to see his stuff go to a kid. After that it got easier. And I got a couple nice 8pts, a 7 pt and lots of doe.
Made allot of mistakes along the way. Learned allot. Every time in the woods is learning. Learning how they react, how they move, how they interact, where they go, where they come from. Always learning.
The is allot of technical stuff to go with shooting bows too. And I get help you much there. I find a set up that works and stick with it. Based on the advice of my local shop.
I say all that to say.... If you can find a mentor to teach you, that will help allot. But you can do it yourself by reading, practicing, and learning. It's allot of fun either way.
-Jake
If funds are an issue (I encourage everyone to avoid debt and living above their means. But that's another topic.) Used bows are cheap. You can find $1,000 bows that are just a few years old for just a couple hundred bucks. Just how things are in the archery world. There are also some very good priced crossbow package deals out there if that interests you and is legal where you hunt.
A good bow shop can also help you set up a used bow that you get and check every thing over.
After that it's all about practice and becoming proficient with your equipment. For the most part gun hunting is easy. In the sense that almost anybody with just a little bit of experience could grab any suitable firearm out there and kill a deer at 75 yards. That's not true for archery.
Lots of practice, and learning your limitations. I've been shooting various bows for 16 years now. And I still limit myself to 30 yards. Just my preference, but a good example of the added challenge.
I got into archery because it gave me more time to hunt.. Not for the challenge or love of archery. I just wanted more time in the woods. I saved money from mowing yards and bought a used bow from the newspaper for $60. A retiring hunter gave me a good deal on it because I was a kid. He also threw in some hand me down extras to get me started. Nobody close to me at that time bow hunted. I learned allot from this forum, before I was even a member, and from books at the library.. lots of practice. Then just getting in the woods and learning.
Dad helped me build a wooden tree stand out back and I spent many fall evenings sitting in it. Watching. Learning. And eventually shooting my first archery doe. She was almost 130lbs and was the finest trophy I could imagine. I shot her with that used bow, and hand me down hunting gear from an old fella who was happy to see his stuff go to a kid. After that it got easier. And I got a couple nice 8pts, a 7 pt and lots of doe.
Made allot of mistakes along the way. Learned allot. Every time in the woods is learning. Learning how they react, how they move, how they interact, where they go, where they come from. Always learning.
The is allot of technical stuff to go with shooting bows too. And I get help you much there. I find a set up that works and stick with it. Based on the advice of my local shop.
I say all that to say.... If you can find a mentor to teach you, that will help allot. But you can do it yourself by reading, practicing, and learning. It's allot of fun either way.
-Jake
Hunting has been something I’ve always had a passion for and there has been challenges that have taught me a lot along the way. Unfortunately, I usually have to learn about these mistake the hard way because no one I know is into the outdoors.
Im looking forward to this years gun season and I’m going to keep my eye out for a bow that doesn’t break the bank. I’ve heard of people finding used deals on Ebay and other websites. But personally I feel like that’s a risky move. Especially for me because I don’t know what to look for.
thanks for the help!
