Bows

[ObsidianOne]

I've been wanting to get into archery, never done it in my life. I think I should try it before buying into it, but that aside...

What is the economic way of getting into this? Is it possible?
I'd just like a simple bow, nothing really special. What are my options?

 

[Fergy35]

I will confess much ignorance where archery is concerned, but I have been looking into it lately myself. I am personally thinking about one of the take down style recurve bows. Yes, some of them can be expensive, but there are a few models that won't break the bank. You can always move up to a more expensive bow later if you fine you really like it. My thought has been that I could start off at a modest draw weight and by heavier limbs later on if the need arises. The downside of the recurve is that there is now let off, you will be holding the full draw weight.

The local shop near our house will let you try out some of the bows, on their indoor range, if you are serious about buying. You may want to check with your local shops to see if that is an option. Tell them what you have in mind and they could probably set you up with a few different options to try out.

 

[Kingcreek]

the most economic way is to try as many different archery options as possible before spending your money. If you are new to archery, do yourself a favor and find a full service archery shop with a good reputation. I wish I had a nickel for every bow bought on ebay or yardsales etc that was then put aside due to poor fit, poor component mating, or poor understanding.

 

[No Man's Land]

Get a copy of The Bowyer's Bible. Made my first bow with a $15 oak board and ordered a $15 string. Made my tillering string from spectra fishing line that I had laying around. Probably had another $100 in new tools.

Or you could browse http://www.possibleshop.com/menu-archery.html

 

[Sniper X]

Since I have taught about 300 people to shoot a bow, and continue to teach 4H kids, I have a few suggestions. BTW, I have also worked at a bow shop part time as a fun job and to get my needs cheaper!

Here is what I suggest, first make a decision on whether you want to shoot a traditional bow like a long bow or recurve. I suggest if this is the case, start with a modern recurve as long bows are harder to shoot and are more physically demanding because of the fact they are no where near as smooth to shoot. So a new shooter doesn't have as much fun shooting a longbow as he does a recurve. Recurves are a ton of fun and challenging to shoot. They are cheaper to shoot than a compound bow because all there is needed is a bow, a string, some string wax, arm guard, finger guard, a rest and some arrows and a quiver. At first at least.

You also don't need or really want sights with a recurve.

Compound bows are so much better shot with sights, and a release of some sort so can get really expensive to get into. At least they can get expensive to get REALLY into! Sure they are fun, but I feel there is more FUN to shooting a receive especially for a new shooter. Heck, I even have more fun shooting recurves and I got my first one in1963 when I was 5, then my first custom one 1968 when I was ten. I still have my first custom bow too. Still shoot it!


I'd suggest (highly) a new recurve and aluminum arrows. Buy a take down well, because they are so packable. You can take it apart in seconds and pack it in a backpack, then put it together in seconds and be hunting or target shooting. I suggest aluminum arrows because they can be straightened, and are much cheaper to buy than carbons. You need to know a few things about buying arrows for a recurve though, buy arrows with fletching, as in feathers as opposed to plastic fletch because a recurve shoots them better. I also suggest a glove as opposed to a finger tab, tabs are harder to use for a new shooter, take that out of the equation.

Go to a local bow shop, have them fit you into a bow that you can afford and buy from them. Hopefully, if they are a full service shop they either have a try out range or a time range you can go shoot in to practice when outdoor shooting is hard or impossible due to weather or city ordinances.

please feel free to ask any more archery questions and WELCOME to the sport!

 

[Sniper X]

I'd get something like this PSE....nice bow for the money.

http://www.pse-archery.com/products/category/445.5.1.1.16352.40945.0.0.0#.TlPhbah3sno

Oh yeah, the other thing about a recurve is usually get limbs in different draw weights for the riser (handle part) and use it as a Target bow, a small game bow, and a large game bow with three different limb sets. Back in the old days, I had a Bear 3 piece take down and a set of 35lb limbs, a set of 45lb and a set of 65lb limbs. I should have never sold it because now I could get 3 grand for that set up!

 

[DaisyCutter]

Go to the best & most hardcore archery store you can find. Get yourself "fitted", by a professional.

Don't buy the new $700 bow.


Instead, go on ebay and get a used bow that's the equivalent size, weight, and draw length.

I got a Hoyt Fast Flite bow a few years ago. I paid $90 on eBay. It was the flagship in 1995ish.

Some red-butt Alabama boy killed 40 deers with it, and finally upgraded.

I tweaked it, tinkered, changed the rest, etc.


It's not quite as light or nifty as the newest high dollar bows, BUT it's still wickedly accurate (even in my novice hands).





Bows are amazing, because they are VERY repeatable. IF you hold the same target, the arrows will hit the same spot. Vastly more accurate than a handgun (for me).

Below is a couple tries I took at severing a string on a straw bale. I was probably 20-30 yards away.



Almost pinpoint.

The difficulty is estimating range. Because the arrows travel so slow (in comparison to a bullet) they drop fast. IF you misjudge the range by a few meters, you're off the target.

(Note, when my form is sloppy or I get tired, I shoot to the left. But that 's a different topic.)

http://youtu.be/vF8Rmv-Iurc

Here's a video my boy shot. He caught me dusting the bow off.

BTW, the range and ammo is free for the bow. I've only had to retire 2 arrows in 6 years.


If I were to practive regularly, I could be very accurate. As it is, I only take the bow out when I "find" it in the closet.

 

[DaisyCutter]

BTW, the secret to drawing is in your chest, not your arms.

 

[nmlongbow]

The secret to drawing any bow is in your back, not chest or arms. Its not really a secret because anyone who's shot a bow for very long will realize this.

Find a good pro shop to get setup on accesories and more importantly form.

I just shoot recurves and longbows and will be hunting elk and mulies with mine in 12 days. Modern longbows are just as fast and smooth as recurves and many come with recurve style grips. Straight end longbows are usually more quiet and smooth to draw but have some handshock if you're not accustomed to the grip.

There's 100's of great shooting stick bows on ebay for great prices if you know what you're looking for.

 

[DaisyCutter]

I stand corrected, it's the back muscles that are pulling.

It still amazes me how easy I can draw my bow, and most people I've let try can't draw it.

 

[USAF_Vet]

I picked up my Hoyt Eastman compound bow at Goodwill after bow season for $20. It was stripped, but a set of sights and an arrow rest later, I had a fully functional bow. I've put maybe $70 into it, so my investment on the bow, arrows, arrowheads and accessories is still below $100.

If you can find one used, like I did, that is really the best way to start. If I decide to ever sell it, I could easily break even, if not make a little extra.

 

[Sniper X]

I will also add this, a well set up compound bow and a bunch of range time will garner such high accuracy, one will be robin hooding arrows. I had to stop shooting my carbons at the single target and go to 5 dot targets because I was ruining so many expensive arrows. I have probably got twenty double robin hoods left after giving as many away, and have had a few tripple robins in my life. Interestingly enough, I did a tripple robin one night at Groves archery lanes firing someone ELSE'S bow! AND it was a right handed target bow, a recurve, and I am left handed! yes it had sights but that was a great night.

But just to be waned, a recurve won't get you near the accuracy as a well set up compound bow with sights and a release.

 

[horing]

Halo I live in south africa and recently got into archery I got myself a pse nova 70lb compound bow and would like to know where to mount that piece of pipe that seperates the two side strings from the main string I don't see where it mounts if anyone can help me please I am still a rookie

 

[Sniper X]

There should be a hole in the back of the riser (handle) for it.

 

[dprice3844444]

obsidian,find a local archery club nearby.

Archery Barn
Lake Havasu City, AZ 86403
(928) 680-6091

go to yellow pages.com type in archery

 

[Sniper X]

A few close ups of my Groves.
Got it in 1968, Harold made it for me.

 

[nmlongbow]

Sniper X,

Nice that you still have that bow. I got my first real bow used From Harold's shop in 79'.

I have an old Mag I that I'm refinishing now and have been looking for a Mag II, 2 piece for awhile.

 

[scythefwd]

dont get caught up in draw weight. My grandpa, who was more of an archer than I will ever be, missed qualifiying for the olympic team with a 45lb bow. That'll take a deer at 20-30 yards properly too. 60lbs on a compound is more than enough.

 

[Sniper X]

NMlongbow, try Noble at the archery shoppe. He has or at least HAD a bunch of Groves bows in righty that he was willing to sell.

 

[Sniper X]

You are absolutely correct on draw weight. Many take deer with 35~45lb vows and have since the dawn of time. My Groves is a 45lb and has taken over 50 deer, and a few black bears. One Deer was at almost 100 yards, a totally Hail Mary shot that was about a 45deg angle, and got lucky. Dropped it where it stood. 5ft behind my truck!

 

[wheelgunslinger]

A few close ups of my Groves.
Got it in 1968, Harold made it for me.

Very nice, sir.

 

[Axel Larson]

Least expensive in Archery is to go with a recurve not as nice for hunting as a compound but it is more 150 instead of 500. I taught Archery for over 4 years.

 

[Sniper X]

The other benefit of recurve is is FUN, and fast target acquisition. It is much easier to hit rabbits and such on the walk or run with a recurve bow than it is with a compound bow, at least with a release.

 

[nmlongbow]

Recurves and longbows are just more fun for me plus they work just fine for hunting. They're the only thing I hunt big game with.

Good used trad bows can be found from $75 - $150. Used compounds can be the cheapest way to go in archery because they lose their value so fast.

Production trad bows run about $300 - $700 and customs can cost $400 - $2500+.

These are the best of times for archery do to all of the custom trad bowyers and efficiency of the wheel bows.

 

[JTW Jr.]

Go to the best & most hardcore archery store you can find. Get yourself "fitted", by a professional.

Don't buy the new $700 bow.


Instead, go on ebay and get a used bow that's the equivalent size, weight, and draw length.

While that may sound like good advice , if you go into a bow shop and they take time to fit you up and measure you and give you advice , why not buy there ?

If you decide to buy on ebay after they take time to work with you and you return with your ebay bow needing service , chances are good they will remember you. Perhaps not in a good way.

Most bow shows have used bows.

When I got fitted up for mine , I was able to try 20 different bows. Service like that deserved to be rewarded with a sale.

Just my opinion of course.

Find a good bow show , preferably with an indoor range. Those guys are shooters as well as salesman ( speaking of the pro shops , not BASS Pro Shops ) , and the tips , tricks and advice you will get are worth it.