bow help?

[fishblade2]

I am extremely new to bow shooting? I would like to know though where to get started on learning about them. I want to get a really really nice one but I don't know my options and what, for compound bows, can be put on them to make them better. I know some things like sights on a compound bow can be changed, that you can buy things like guards to keep from hitting your arm why shooting. I just would love any extra cool information (like even what pound pull back to start with) out there and not just about bows but also about arrow, arrow head types, and especially maintenance. Any websites selling great bows, any previous forum chat links over this topic, or any advice over this issue would be greatly appreciated.

 

[WayBeau]

check out www.archerytalk.com

All the information you could ever want is there.

 

[avs11054]

I just got into it recently too, and I think I had similar questions as you. I went with a Bear Charge RTH from cabelas, and it is awesome. It was $399, and then I had to buy my arrows, field points, broadheads, trigger, and case. The only thing that I don't like about the bow is that it is only a three pin sight. You can buy the Bear Strike RTH, though, and it has a five pin sight.

As far as putting things on them, if you want it for hunting, both of these bows come with basically everything you need on the bow for hunting. You can always buy other things to swap out with though. I did not get the thing to put on your arm to protect it. Proper form will prevent you from hitting your arm. The couple of times I have hit my arm, it really doesn't hurt.

As far as poundage, I got the 60-70 pound bow. I started at 60 pounds, and I have now maxed it out at 70.

I hope this helps. I by no means am an expert, as I just recently got started, but I like the equipment that I got, it is accurate (I've shot out to 55 yards) and it was great for a beginner.

 

[scythefwd]

Really nice = Matthews z7. I never even felt the arrow release. I drool over that bow. Just about anything produced today will be capable enough for a beginner. I actually moved away from compounds (sold it off) and have gotten into traditional bows (plus a laminated compound bow I inherited).

 

[JTW Jr.]

If you have an Archery Pro Shop near you visit them. Get measured up for your draw length , you will need this for shopping for a bow , especially if it is a compound. With the adjustable cam bows out now , you can find a decent range of adjustment.

I hit the local pro shop , and they let me try many different bows on their range until I found one I liked. I ended up with a Hoyt Avenger. Not a high end bow , but a nice starter bow.

Are you looking for target or hunting ?

If you are shooting target , you might want to go a bit lower on the poundage. I have mind set at about 48# now , and I can shoot comfortably for hours.

 

[jbkebert]

Stick with pro-shops. I well tuned bow that fits the shooter is a joy. A beginner trying to figure out something they picked up at a garage sale, Dick's, Cabela's is a lesson in frustration.

A good pro-shop will have a decent stock of used bows most of them fairly lightly used. They can get you fixed up with what you need. I hunt with a compound but target shoot with a recurve. I shoot Mathews i've got a Reezen 7 and a z7 but there are alot of quality bows out there.

 

[towboat_er]

Yep, the bow needs to fit you. I like Matthews

 

[wheelgunslinger]

Don't buy a bow with too much draw weight. Don't tell yourself "I'll work up to that" weight.
Focus on learning good shooting form. Learning to shoot precisely can take a lifetime, even with a compound bow that's sighted, stabilized, etc.
Lots of people buy a bow and think it's as easy to shoot as falling off a log. It's fairly easy to be accurate with a modern compound that has all the extras, but precision is what separates the men from the boys.
If you want a bow to play with, then go buy what looks neat. If you want to be a serious archer, then make your first step a carefully considered exploration into learning how with which bow as a secondary or tertiary question.

 

[JTW Jr.]

Don't buy a bow with too much draw weight. Don't tell yourself "I'll work up to that" weight.

Well said. Never fall into the my bow is a higher poundage that your bow trap. I have quite a few friends who shoot bows that are 65-70# , yet after 2 ends ( 60 arrows ) , their arm is about ready to give out.

I can shoot mine comfortably for hours , and usually do ( as long as it isn't 115 degrees outside ) , but as mentioned mine is at 48# now. And my recurve is only 35# , but that is plenty for me , any more on that recurve and I no longer find it pleasant to shoot for any decent length of time.

Find a good pro shop , one that can measure you up , one that provides service after the sale. They will work with you to get you setup. The box stores in most cases just want to make a sale , I stay away from Bass Pro.

You may pay a little more from a pro shop , but the service after the sale is worth it !

 

[jbkebert]

Agreed with the above. Don't fall into the draw weight trap. A good solid bow with a sharp broadhead will do the trick everytime. I shoot 52# with a fixed blade sharp as heck broadhead. My last 3 hogs, 15 deer, have all been pass throughs.

 

[fishblade2]

thanks for all the advice! I will look into matthews bows and will look for a pro shop because that sounds like my best bet with getting a personalized bow for myself. Can I get a run down on some bow prices along with the base set of stuff I need or that would be helpful to get? Also what are the things to look for on bow? For instance how you guys said that you should get the bow adjusted for my draw length. Also what are things that can be changed on bows and what brands do you recommend (for instance like sights,strings, arrows etc).

 

[jbkebert]

Archery acessories are a matter of personal opinion. There are tons of good sights, rests, broadheads and so on. Find what you like and listen to the folks at the pro-shop.


I personally use

Winners choice strings
Spott hogg hunter hogg it sights
Whisker biscuit rest
G5 monotech broadheads
doinker stablizer
monkey tail string silencers
Mathews eliminater peep sight.
Trantula MAQ quiver.

There are tons of good choices out there. This is what works for me.

Cost of accessories on a bow will vary greatly. In general you will spend at least $150 min for a rest,sight, peep sight. $250 mid-range, $350 and up for pretty nice stuff. This will be on top of the bow price. Then add arrows, release, you can quickly get into some serious money.

Don't buy junk but don't think you have to shoot the moon either. A few companies are putting out package deals that typically have a good rest, a quality peep sight. The sight pins are usally cheap. Those can always be up-graded. You can get into a good hunting bow that might not be the slickest or the fastest in the world. Yet deer are taken with them every year. For $350-$400 for a package. Nothing wrong with Bear, Diamond, Mission, PSE and several others.

IMHO the Mathews and Bowtech are cream of the crop bows in the compound world. I have around $1500 wrapped up in my bow and accessories. A little pricey but I shoot competitively with my hunting bow. It really pisses guys off when a hunting bow keep pace with a target bow.

Go feel some bows, sling a few arrows and ask questions. When you start narrowing down choices. Feel free to ask questions about those choices. Just remember its a matter of personal prefrence. A $50 sight will work as well as the $280 sight at 10,20,30 yards.

 

[JTW Jr.]

Do you have a price point in mind for a complete setup ?

I can't recall , but my Hoyt Avenger compound ready to shoot package was around $425 , but this was about 3 years ago. Since then I have changed the rest from the whisker biscuit to a lizard tongue , and changed the site to a single pin with 3x glass.

Some of the compound bows have adjustable cams to give you a range for different draw lengths , some are harder to adjust than others but something any pro shop worth its salt will be able to do easily.
Some compounds do not have adjustable cams and are draw length specific , most of the time these are higher end target bows , but not always.

With a recurve or stick bow , you don't adjust the bow for draw length.

I bought my son who was 16 at the time a Hoyt GameMaster II take-down recurve , that was around $500 plus a rest , he opted to not add a sight ( still hasnt ) or anything else. He decided to keep it simple.

Some bow manufactures offer ready to shoot packages , that will come with some sort of rest ( like a whisker biscuit ) , a basic sight , 3-5 pin , add some complete arrows ( yes these too should be sized and spined to match your bow poundage and draw length ) and you are ready for the range.

If you decide to go with a trigger release , you can get a release from anywhere from around $30 up to $200 , or you may decide to shoot fingers or tab.

With arrows , factor in about $80-$125 for a dozen arrows cut & sized with field points.

You can get a basic quiver to hold your arrows for $20 or go up to $80+.

If I need to get something online , I order from www.lancasterarchery.com , a friend favors this place : http://yeoldearcheryshoppe.com/

If you haven't checked out ArcheryTalk.com , be sure to drop in an check it out.

 

[WayBeau]

A lot of people have said it all ready (it can't be said enough), go to a pro-shop and get "fitted" professionally. Draw many different bows across brands and see which one you like the best. If the bow isn't comfortable for you, the most expensive accessories won't make a difference. Mathews, Hoyt, Bowtech. . .they're all good bows. You need to find which one you like the best, not the one that others like the best. When I started out, I didn't drop a lot of money on the top dollar stuff because I wasn't sure that I'd like it enough to justify the purchase. I'm working on putting together my "dream bow" now and am glad that I waited until I had some more experience. You can get good components that will work just as well as the top dollar stuff for not nearly the cost.

jmho. Good luck not getting hooked hard.

 

[courtgreene]

what they said. Unlike you, I didn't ask. Thus, I had to figure out all of this stuff myself. It started with a 40 dollar bow from a person who decided they didn't want to bow hunt. I couldn't hit a thing with it. I got a weight/stabalizer, peep sight, new front sight, better rest, and guess what... i still couldn't hit anything with it. What I needed was to learn how to actually shoot it. Unlike guns (OK it's similar in guns but magnified with bows) you are part of the whole weapon system. The way you hold your arm, the way you stand, etc... all become a part of the arrow's journey from bow string to target. Learning that is the most important part of the whole thing. In case you are wondering, I did finally figure it out. I'm still using the forty dollar bow, and it's putting arrows on bull's eyes.

 

[Zeke/PA]

If there is an Archery Pro Shop near you, it's your best bet.
Cabela's or Gander Mountain a second choice.
A good shop will fit you with a bow in every respect and tutor you in the style of shooting that you wish to persue.