[phantomak47]

I am thinking about trying bowhunting this year since I just joined a huge 3000+ acre club and during bow season there is only one other bow hunter.

I was thinking about a renagade , but I cant see to find an online archery shop that sells them.

Other than that I found that cabelas has a PSE set up for 300.00 which is the price range I want to stay in since its a kit with everything. Does anyone know about PSE bows?Are they any good? I am really trying to get in a mid range bow and then buy a top of the line later if I get into bow hunting. Also what is the standard broadhead grain weight and what is best broad heads or mechanicals? thanks

[Newt]

I used to bow hunt quite a lot, but I've since slowed down quite a bit on my bow hunting. Seems like I remember the usual broadhead weight to be 125 gr. Seems to me that if you can find them in a smaller grain size, the better for range and speed though. At the risk of starting a flame war, I'm going to say Wasps for a brand of broadhead. That's just because it's what I used to use. Lots of options on broadheads.

As far a bows go, PSE makes a really good bow. You may want to check out a High Country or a Hoyt. Both also really good brands. Matthews is also a very good bow, but very pricy. Now a days, there are a lot of options you can get with your bow. You'll want to ask your local dealer about all the options you can get with it. Single cam, dual cam, overdraw, silencers, quiver, etc. Also, I would check out the IBO speed as well. I'm not much of a bow hunter anymore but I just thought I'd throw my 2 cents in.

Newt

[dakotasin]

pse makes a nice bow. i wouldn't hesitate on it.

for broadheads, i use 125 muzzys, but there are tons of options here, most are good. i would reccomend staying w/ 125 +/- grains on the broadhead.

i've never used mechanical broadheads because when i started they were fairly unreliable. i'm sure that's changed now, but i'll just keep my muzzys.

once you start bowhunting, you will become so much better at hunting that rifles will be almost (not quite, but almost) too easy.

good luck!

[dakotasin]

oh, yeah... buy the bow from a local dealer. you'll need lots of help getting going and that will likely be free service if you buy locally, or quite expensive if you buy elsewhere.

[rick_reno]

I'll second the suggestion to buy the bow locally - from a store that knows something about them. You'll need to make sure the draw length/weight is ok for you. You can estimate this using charts in some of the mail order catalogs, but for your first bow you'll want to do it right. Arrow length is dependent on the bow too, and the shop should have the tube cutter to cut your arrows to length. I use 125 gr. broadheads, I'm not picky about the brand. Remember before you go hunting to shoot your bow with your broadheads (or at least the same make/brand). They fly different than target arrows and you'll want to make sure your bow is sighted in for them.
Also make sure your broadheads are very sharp before you hunt with them.

Hang up a target and practice, practice, practice. You'll find a comfort zone that you can shoot well in. Mine is 25 yards or less, I can shoot and hit at 30, but I'm not confident and won't do it.

Bow hunting is really enjoyable. Here (Idaho) it starts in less than a month, I start shooting every day about 2 months before the start of bow season. This gives me an opportunity to tune equipment up, scout some locations. Getting ready is about as much fun as hunting is.

[zahc]

lessons learned in the few years i've been doing it--



Find a good shop.

pse's are good.

Use muzzy's they are simply the best.

I shoot a heavy arrow for a slow bow <255fps. Quieter that way and more accurate with broadheads.

feathers own plastic.

Carbon arrows don't bend.

Use a peep sight.

use a release.

get close.

get closer.

Shoot with both eyes open.

practice and get close.

MAN this makes me want to hunt again. Need a better job! Less work more toys and time to use them.

[Newt]

zahc makes some good pionts...

Feathers own plastic.

Carbon arrows don't bend.

Use a peep sight.

Use a release

I would recommend these to anyone starting out.

Newt

[Bruz]

Use a peep sight.

The above posts offer good advise...I would suggest a "No Peep" site though.

[zahc]

'No peep'=even better

[Lennyjoe]

Alot of things you need to look at when you buy a bow. Brace Heigth, draw length, draw weight, cams and sights make a big difference in your abilities.

First off, If you have never shot a bow before I would suggest getting a bow with a midrange brace heigth, Solo cam or round wheels and stay away from an overdraw.

Not many bows out there have the extreme hatchet cams anymore so thats not an issue unless its an older bow. Hatchet cams are tough to keep in tune. With string stretch and all its and endless job keeping them in sinc.

Round wheel bows are almost obsolete. But they are still out there. Not gonna find too many round wheel bows with great speed.

Single cam bows are easier to tune and give great performance. I would suggest a single cam bow.

Draw length is important. You dont want a bow that you can wrap the string around the back of your ear. Most of us are around 27-30" draw length. The local shop should measure you and adjust accordingly.

Draw weight needs to be something that you dont have to prop the bow with your feet and use two hands to pull back. Remember this, the colder it is and the longer you sit on stand the harder its gonna be to pull that dog back.

So find a weight that is comfortable for you and then move on to arrows.

Now for arrows.

Full length arrows offer alot of things over shorter ones. Noise control and kinetic energy are on the plus side with longer length arrows. Of course with heavier arrows speed decreases and arrow flight will decrease faster.

Shorter arrows of course fly faster and flatter. Noise level increases somewhat also.

I would suggest staying on the average of 6 grains per lb of pull weight. So if you have a 70 lb pull bow weight then a 420 grain arrow should suffice. Thats arrow and broadhead weight.

I use aluminum arrows just because its easier for me to cut down and doodle with. Also the price is right but carbon arrows are coming down in price.

I also use plastic vanes. Just dont want to worry about powder in the weather and the sound of a feather rubbing against something in a quiet woods is unnerving.

Us guys that have been shooting for a long time like to get lighter and faster and doodle just like everyone else.

Arrow rests and overdraws:

Overdraws are nice if your shooting in tournaments and want speed. I admit though that I have an overdraw on my hunting bow too. But I have been shooting for quite a long time. Shorter arrows and overdraws have a tendency to magnify a shooters bad habits. If you torque the bow just a bit, flinch or white knuckle a bow when that arrow is passing thru the rest it will hurt accuracy.

Pick an arrow rest that is user friendly. That is, one that the arrow wont fall off of when your drawing on that big buck. Buck fever gives everyone the shakes. Its just harder when your using a bow to keep complete control.

[Lennyjoe]

Part II

Sights. I prefer a sight that has the tru glow style fiber optic pins in them. They are great for low light situations. So many out there its hard to choose from.

I also use a peep sight and would suggest them to anyone. I would ream mine out to widen the view but now there are alot out there that are wide enough and dont need modification.

Some people use a kisser button. I dont. Cause I use a release and anchor the knuckle of my trigger finger in the same place every time.

Release/fingers.

I never shot fingers so I aint much help there. I shoot a caliper type trigger release with a wrist wrap. That way I wont drop it. You can adjust the trigger to your liking. I always keep my trigger finger behind the release trigger until I am at full draw and set up to shoot. That way I dont have an inadvertent release.

Also, get a wrist sling so you dont have to concentrate on grabbing the bow once you shoot.

Silence is the key.

Make sure you pay attention to the noise level your bow makes. I use a hydraulic stabilizer to keep the vibrations down. A bow that sounds like two 2x4 pieces of wood smacking together isnt gonna give you much of a second shot capability should your arrow miss. Cat whiskers help too. Also felt around the riser and bow lube on the wheels will help alot.

Quivers.

Most people use a bow quiver and thats fine. But I prefer a hip quiver. The extra weight that the bow has with them arrows and qiuver on it just make it harder to hold up when your at full draw and waiting on that last step so you can get to the vitals. It also throws the bow off balance a bit. Just my .02 worth on that.

One last thing. Make sure you paper tune your bow so your arrows are flying straight. You put a broadhead on an arrow that isnt flying straight, ie. fishtailing or porpousing and the arrow is gonna fly all over the place.

Balance the arrows and line up the blades with the vanes. It helps.

Above all, practice, practice and more practice.

I have shot deer and have recovered broadheads that have wounded the deer by other hunters but didnt kill them.

Archery is a blast. I love it almost as much as golf. Enjoy

[dakotasin]

good info by lennyjoe... i just want to add to be sure to check your regs where you'll be hunting. in s.d., there are minimum draw weights, arrow weights, broadhead weights, and broadhead diameters. there are also restrictions on sights.

a good local shop will walk you thru the process, make sure you are legal to hunt, and teach you to shoot. take advantage of the help, most of it will be free.

[phantomak47]

Thanks for all the help out there!!!

Alabama bow season starts on Oct. 15th so after a short trip back North for a week or so I will be getting a bow when I get back.

I know bow hunting takes a lot of practice, but what is the average distance that you are most comfortable with?

[litework]

PSE's customer service is top notch. PSE bows aren't bad, and they have a very informative web site. PSE is helping the local shops by offering a "Pro Series." I really don't like buying bows from catalogs, preferring to get my stuff from local shops. I think this is especially important when you're buying your first bow. There should be no guess work. Get measured, find a bow and shoot it before you buy it. If you don't have a bow that "fits" you, you're going to get out of archery fast. If you find a bow that fits you, you'll be hooked. As others have said, brace height, axle to axle length, cam shape are principle players in a bow's level of "forgiveness." Since we're talking about hunting, and possibly from a tree stand, don't forget to practice shooting while in a tree stand. Everything looks different when you're 20' in the air.

I prefer feathers to vanes (but sometimes use vanes), carbons to aluminum, and mechanicals to fixed (but sometimes used fixed). These are personal preferences, but I have my reasons. Once you get everything tuned to your satisfaction, and trust me, you never will, it will be time to buy a new bow (I'm currently on a two year cycle). I literally leave my check book in the truck so I can't make a spontaneous purchase. Now that you got me thinking about it, I'll probably buy that Mathews LS, even though I already own a Legacy.

[Lennyjoe]

Once you get everything tuned to your satisfaction, and trust me, you never will

The truth about archery finally comes out.;)

Phantomak 47, I tried to give you just the basics. Archery is so in depth that it will make your head spin. A wonderful learning process that will keep you busy for quite a while.

Its an awesome sport.

Enjoy yourself.

[rick_reno]

phantomak47 wrote "I know bow hunting takes a lot of practice, but what is the average distance that you are most comfortable with?"

I'm very comfortable at 25 yds. or less. The pins on my bow are set up for 20, 25 and 28 yards. When I walk outside to practice I pick a spot on the lawn and estimate my distance to the target - I don't shoot from the same spot very often. I'll then use my range finder to see how good my "guess" was. I think you'll find your comfort zone with practice. I've talked to bow hunters who claim to routinely shoot game at 35-40 yards - I won't do it because I can't be sure of my shot. A big part of bow hunting for me is stalking game, it's a great challenge to get close and still be able to take a shot. It doesn't happen all the time.

[dakotasin]

bowhunting is all about 'how close can you get?' my max range is 25 yards. i can shoot accurately out to about 35 yards, but the speed of sound is far faster than my arrow (295 f/s), and a deer's reflexes are quick. 'jumping the string' is what it is called. has happened to me, and it is so frustrating to bust the critter, have a perfect sight picture, proper anchor and release, and a clean miss. :o

[Lennyjoe]

I have shot deer anywhere from 5 yds out to 40 yds. I would prefer not to go farther than that. I practice 25 to 40 yd shots quite a bit.

Alot of shots in the 40 yd range are set up at 3-D tournaments. If you get the opportunity, go to one. Its a blast.

The reason I love bowhunting so much is because its a one on one challange between you and the deer. To see how close you can get to him. Heart beating, buck fever. What a rush.

[stevelyn]

Find a good pro-shop in your area and get fitted to a bow. The pro-shop will be able to outfit you with all the accesories that you need to start out and some have ranges on the premises where you can tune and test fire the bow under advice of shop staff.
The only recommendation I will make for specific items is broadheads. The idea is to get the broadhead to fly the same as a field points. I've found that Gold Tip Gladiators fly just like my field points and they are available in a range of weights to match your shooting style/preference.

[Lennyjoe]

get the broadhead to fly the same as a field points

Which is the hardest part of tuning a bow for hunting.

If you have your arrow flight tuned in your broadheads will have little to no impact on your groups when you shoot them.

I cant stress enough on the importance of arrow flight. Easton has a great flyer that they produce that gives you step by step instructions on tuning in your arrows.

If you papertune and get a good tear then try shooting an arrow without vanes at about 10 yards. Wait till you see where the impact area is. Might just be different.

Whenever you build your arrows be sure to spin test them with the broadheads on. Make sure they dont have any wobble at all. I usually stand them on the broadhead and spin them.

Alot of people use the mechanical broadheads. I prefer a cut on impact style broadhead. Satellite Titans are my favorite for hogs and bear. Chisel point broadheads are good too. Havent really tried the mechanical ones so maybe others will give their inputs on em.

Alright, I am done. Sorry about taking up all this space. Back to the guns, which is my third hobby.

[173abn]

Hey phantomak47,,I'll be hunting in Barbour County,,How about you?

[PALongbow]

Man I got stressed out just reading this thread with all the suggestions of gadgets...LOL! Get a recurve or longbow and a set of wood arrows. Keep your hunting shots close and practice as much as possible and you will see how fun bowhunting really is.

Ron

[Lennyjoe]

Get a recurve or longbow and a set of wood arrows

Which is my next venture in the bowhunting series.

Have shot a Recurve before and its a blast. Just havent bought one yet.

[phantomak47]

I hunt tuscaloosa county,bibb county and sometimes Greene

[PALongbow]

Lennyjoe,

Just do it. Going to traditional equipment is the best thing I have ever done
If you need some help just surf over to the stickbow.com or tradgang.com. Both sites are a wealth of information just like the highroad.org is for us.



Ron