I just started bow hunting this year and reading through the threads am confused as to what equipment to use for hunting. I understand there is hunting, 3D and other kinds of shooting and having trouble desciding on what equipment to buy for hunting? Are there different arrows one for hunting and one for 3D? How about sights,rests, releases are they the same for both or different? I currently have a Reflex Excursion and love to shoot it and harvested a doe this year. I want to be clear about what to do and not to do when bow hunting. How do I shift through all the great information from you guys?


Bones

Congrats on the doe and welcome to the board!!!!


Lots of good info here. Lots of great guys and gals here too!!! As to your question. Many people use their hunting setup for 3D. However, most serious tournament archers have completely different setups for hunting and for 3D. The 3D setup is usually geared for lighter arrows and faster bows with fancy sights and long stabs.

List your setup and everyone will give you opinions on what you've got.

I'm a die hard bowhunter and here is my setup:

Hoyt Protec, 75% letoff, 62 lbs, 27 inch draw
3-39 Easton ACC, 385 grains
Impact Cosmic Sight
Removable Bohning Quiver
Sims Stabalizer
100 grain 3 blade Muzzy heads
String loop and tru ball release

Bones the best thing you could do is join a local archery club as these guys are always helpful to share there secrets. Its very important that you get started off right and if you don't, you won't know what your doing wrong and you'll pick up some bad habits or just loose intrest in it.
Matched arrows for your bow is probably the most important factor in shooting good. You will use the same arrows for target practice with that you use for bowhunting by changing the tips from broadhead to field tips or vise versa. Make sure that your field points are the same weight as the broadhead and they'll get pretty close to each other. Good luck and welcome to the forum. Bobby

bones? Welcome to the board! And with that sead I don`t think you could ask for any better info than what has already been added from the others. Great info and great class of people. Can`t beat-em

Welcome Bones.

DC pretty much gave you all the info you need. Unless you're planning on shooting tournments, IMO it's best to shoot 3-d with you hunting set up. Shooting at life like targets is great practice and unless the targets have marked distances it'll make you a better judge of distance and more proficient with your bow when you hit the woods to hunt.

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For what it is worth, I also am new to bow hunting and I put my faith in our small and only bow shop here. A small shop is going to want your business, they have to compete with the big boys so they are not going to sell you what you dont need. One of the guys at the shop has also taken the time to help me achieve better and tighter groupings..
Just a thought.

hey bones DC hit the nail on the head. there is another question though,are you going too shoot 3d or just hunt with it or both. i have a friend who uses the same setup for hunting that he uses for 3d and is pretty dang on good at both. good luck

I am only going to hunt. I guess my problem is desciding when shooting what is good enough. I have already descided that it be best that I do not shoot at anything over 30 yards. At 20 and 30 yards I can hit a 4 inch circle 9 out of 10 times and the 1 miss I think that was the one that I probably shot at the deer while hunting. I will probably never be satisfied if I got them all in the circle then I would want them grouped closer. I can really say that I havn't enjoyed anything as much as bow hunting or shooting a bow in years. One reason is there is always room for improvement.


bones

I agree with Davis. Small bow shops are the best way to go. At the shop I go to, the owner does all the work on the bows and he knows what's going on. Of course he can't know and try everything and that's where this forum really comes in handy. If you go to a larger store, all the products can really get confusing. At a small shop, they know if they get you hooked you're going to keep coming back. Good luck.