New to archery
01-18-2016 | 05:33 AM
#1
Thread Starter
Spike
Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 12
Likes: 0
New to archery
I'm 50ish years old and except for a little bow fishing, have managed to avoid the archery bug.
Until now....
My daughters love deer hunting and decided they wanted to give bowhunting a go, so we took the bowhunting course late last summer and began shooting. The girls have Mission Craze bows and I have a Mission bow as well, the model escapes me but it looks more or less like a larger Craze.
I set up a range in the back yard where we can shoot out to 40 yards and from our deck we have a nice 25 yard elevated shot.
Our plan from the beginning was to be ready to hunt in the fall of 2016. There dosen't seem to be an indoor range in our area so we are waiting for spring to get back outside.
What surprised me most, was how much I enjoy shooting a bow. I found it to be a great way to unwind after work. I'd grab the bow and a handful of arrows and step out back and shoot for 20 minutes every night.
I'm sure I'll have many questions, especially about broad heads come next summer.
Until now....
My daughters love deer hunting and decided they wanted to give bowhunting a go, so we took the bowhunting course late last summer and began shooting. The girls have Mission Craze bows and I have a Mission bow as well, the model escapes me but it looks more or less like a larger Craze.
I set up a range in the back yard where we can shoot out to 40 yards and from our deck we have a nice 25 yard elevated shot.
Our plan from the beginning was to be ready to hunt in the fall of 2016. There dosen't seem to be an indoor range in our area so we are waiting for spring to get back outside.
What surprised me most, was how much I enjoy shooting a bow. I found it to be a great way to unwind after work. I'd grab the bow and a handful of arrows and step out back and shoot for 20 minutes every night.
I'm sure I'll have many questions, especially about broad heads come next summer.
Last edited by QuinnTheEskimo; 01-18-2016 at 05:42 AM.
01-18-2016 | 07:54 PM
#2
Nontypical Buck
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 3,695
Likes: 1
From: Illinois
It's a wonderful bug to catch! Take it from someone that has had that certain "sickness" for over 6 decades 
It sounds like you have done things just right so far, building practice sessions and dedicating time as much as possible. Also, practicing from elevation is one of the things I stress to most every new archer since most bow hunting is from tree stands with the occasional ground blind or stalk thrown in the mix. Come spring, take a chair outside with you and practice shooting from seated position from your deck and from the ground as well in case you decide to hunt from a ground blind. Many times I have had to shoot from seated position because I would have been busted trying to stand. You know how them old wiley bucks can just appear at 20 yards from nowhere and not to many ground blinds made that my 6'5" frame could stand up and shoot anyway 
As far as broadheads go, there are a ton out there that are good and a good few that are excellent. G5 Montech fixed broadheads and Slick Trick standards are my 2 goto heads. Neither have ever failed to put meat on the ground for me as long as I put them where they are supposed to go. As long as your bow is tuned well, they will both fly dead on even with your field tips and they both do a ton of damage as many on this forum can tell you. I tend to stay away from mechanical broadheads basically because they are just something else that can go wrong and with archery, anything you can eliminate that COULD pose a malfunction you want to.
One last thing, get yourself a quality range finder. Even after the many years I have done this, I can still estimate wrong in that heat of the moment. Crap happens so if you can again eliminate a malfunction (your own brain goofing up a yardage estimate being the possible malfunction) then do it
Welcome to archery and may you have many wonderful years in our beloved sport!
It sounds like you have done things just right so far, building practice sessions and dedicating time as much as possible. Also, practicing from elevation is one of the things I stress to most every new archer since most bow hunting is from tree stands with the occasional ground blind or stalk thrown in the mix. Come spring, take a chair outside with you and practice shooting from seated position from your deck and from the ground as well in case you decide to hunt from a ground blind. Many times I have had to shoot from seated position because I would have been busted trying to stand. You know how them old wiley bucks can just appear at 20 yards from nowhere and not to many ground blinds made that my 6'5" frame could stand up and shoot anyway As far as broadheads go, there are a ton out there that are good and a good few that are excellent. G5 Montech fixed broadheads and Slick Trick standards are my 2 goto heads. Neither have ever failed to put meat on the ground for me as long as I put them where they are supposed to go. As long as your bow is tuned well, they will both fly dead on even with your field tips and they both do a ton of damage as many on this forum can tell you. I tend to stay away from mechanical broadheads basically because they are just something else that can go wrong and with archery, anything you can eliminate that COULD pose a malfunction you want to.
One last thing, get yourself a quality range finder. Even after the many years I have done this, I can still estimate wrong in that heat of the moment. Crap happens so if you can again eliminate a malfunction (your own brain goofing up a yardage estimate being the possible malfunction) then do it
Welcome to archery and may you have many wonderful years in our beloved sport!
01-27-2016 | 02:18 PM
#4
Nontypical Buck
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 1,168
Likes: 0
From: gilbert az
glad to hear you and your daughters are doing things together especially hunting ! but why are you waiting for spring to keep shooting ? keep shooting in the nasty weather it will help prepare you for your hunts ! and before anybody say's anything i'm from buffalo originally so i can speak from experience unfortunately ! lol
02-19-2016 | 11:01 AM
#5
Spike
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 34
Likes: 0
From: Washington DC
Do you have a long hallway, or an area inside your house you can make into a shooting lane? I know this sounds crazy, but if done right, with safety in mind, it's a great way to shoot every single day with no excuses for weather or being too busy.
If I stand in the far corner of my dining room, there's a 20 yard shot to the far corner of my living room. I lean a piece of plywood against the wall to protect it, set a 22 inch Block target in front of it and pluck away.
For safety, I ALWAYS make sure:
-Nobody is in the house and the doors are locked so nobody walks in
-If there is somebody in the house, I make sure they know I'm shooting
-I NEVER DO THIS WITH KIDS AROUND!!!!
-I Know what's on the other side of the wall I'm shooting at!!!
If you miss, it takes 2 seconds with a putty knife and some drywall mud to patch the hole.
I don't have a wife... and when I do get married, it'll be to a woman that doesn't mind me shooting in the house.
If I stand in the far corner of my dining room, there's a 20 yard shot to the far corner of my living room. I lean a piece of plywood against the wall to protect it, set a 22 inch Block target in front of it and pluck away.
For safety, I ALWAYS make sure:
-Nobody is in the house and the doors are locked so nobody walks in
-If there is somebody in the house, I make sure they know I'm shooting
-I NEVER DO THIS WITH KIDS AROUND!!!!
-I Know what's on the other side of the wall I'm shooting at!!!
If you miss, it takes 2 seconds with a putty knife and some drywall mud to patch the hole.
I don't have a wife... and when I do get married, it'll be to a woman that doesn't mind me shooting in the house.
