Hunters?? Competetive archers???

Got to shoot a little bow and arrow this past week. pretty fun. Thinking about getting me a decent compound bow.

Silent, and deadly.

I love archery.  I try to get out bowhunting every year!

It's very addictive.

Shooting a deer at 200 yds. is MUCH different than 20 yards.  Awesome.  

I've been hunting with a bow for 19 years now, I love it. And I just found out that I won a draw in hunt at Mcalister Army Ammunition Plant this fall!!

Without taking a lot of time, can you give me some basics to look for / think about??? Specifically on bow choice???

Garandman,

Maybe try a used bow first before you plunk down three to six hundred dollars on a new sledgomatic. See if you like it.  Archery has been exceedingly humbling for me.  If I had one cent for every shot that I have totally shanked!

Thing to do is to go out and shoot.  Shoot at decayed stumps.  Find a local 3-D range.  Shoot at a local archery club.  Be around people who can give advice.

Decide if you want to be an extreme traditional archer.  You know, the guys who make bows out of staves of yew and osage, and think that dacron nylon strings are heresy.  If not, then think about a compound bow.  

Next, set an upper price limit for all the equipment you want to but.  

You'll need:
1) a bow
2) an arrow rest
3) a release mechanism (fingers are cheapest, mech releases are more precise)
4) Arrows

Second thing to do is figure out what draw length (distance between arrow rest and the angled string at full draw)  you are comfortable shooting at.  

Then figure out what poundage you are comfortable shooting.  

Some bows are more versatile than others, because they allow you to change draw length as well as poundage.

Generally, Martin and Reflex seem to have a reputation for relatively affordable high performance.  There are a myriad of other makes as well.  

Really, you need to talk to people who are already into it.  Some of what they do will be @#$%^, but it's more than you or I probably know.  I'd go to a pro shop and see what kind of used stuff they have.  If you buy firearms, you'll get a feel pretty quick if you are getting ripped off or not.

Good flinging arrows

garandman. Are you going to shoot just with your fingers or use a release? If using fingers you will want a longer bow whitch is hard to find nowdays. If using a release the short bows work great and they are faster and handier. I shoot a Mcphearson Solo Lite and am very happy with it. It is about midrange in price I think I gave $325 for it. Set at 65 lbs. it shoots carbon arrows at 302 fps.

I too am interested in getting a bow.  It would be just for fun and a little target shooting.  I'm lucky that my IWLA club has an archery range.  Don't believe I've ever seen anyone using it though.  heh.

I'm left handed so that will probably screw things up.  

I figure to just go to Galyans here in Northern VA and buy a semi-cheap one and see if I like it.

I have been an archery deer hunter for 16 years.
I rarely gun hunt for deer anymore except for muzzel loader season. You really have to learn deer habits and signs to be a successful archery hunter. Within its effective range a bow is every bit as accurate as a firearm.

I have not picked up a bow in atleast 15 years.  In high school I took 1st place in the county juniors championship.  I got busy an stopped practicing.  My next door neighbor shoots in the backyard.  I have forgotten everything I once knew, and the equipment has probably gotten much better.  Does Bear still make archery equipment?  I had two pretty nice bows back then.

im thinking about adding an archery class to my college schedule next semster

that should be a good way to get my learn on about archery

Hello,

If you have a desire , Do it the sport of Archery can last you a life time and pass it on to others .

I have been a archer for over 25 yrs , i have enjoyed it in all of its glory ,iam NFAA cert instructor. i have over 35
whitetail,turky and all small game as well as coyotes. i have shot indoor 300 rounds for many years with my best being 300 54Xs, i have shot 3D since it first started, i have shot for many manufactures. i have had bows that once was setup cost as much as a preban AR and then some.
so dont let it pass you by enjoy it , and i have memories in the field that will last me a life time as well .
Good Luck Good Shooting
TargetShooter2

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I almost bought a bow upon release of my dollars held hostage by uncle sam from 2000, but I ended up putting glass on my rifle instead.

I was looking forward to longer seasons, warmer seasons, places it's not possible or practical to hunt with a gun. I'm probably a little late getting started now for this next hunting season, but I'm working on my elitist attitude. I might be ready in time for the bow season after next. [:-P]
[edited cause I can't remember the danged smileys]

Hell Ya! Go to the Black Hills of SD every year for a week to hunt White Tail & Mule Deer. It's great.

Garandman, the type of bow you should buy depends on your mindset and usage.  

I will recommend traditional archery, using instinctive shooting techniques, to anyone looking for an enjoyable hobby or great way to hunt.  It does take a long time to learn, and a lot of practise, but it is something you will do for fun.  If you regularly play darts, pool, or even golf, you will like traditional archery.  It requires the same Zen-like state to achieve proficiency.

Characters like Howard Hill, Fred Bear, Saxton and Pope can't be wrong.  

Archery does not have to be expensive or Star Wars whizbang gear you have to pay an expert to set up and tune.  A stick, some string, another stick.  

If the 'one with nature, become the arrow' approach sounds good, check out G. Fred Asbell's "Instinctive Shooting".  

On the down side, lots of people decided to go traditional in the '90's, so the price of sticks went up.  However, it is easy to make your own bow.  Really.

Happy Trails.

Garandman,  archery IMO is undoubtedly the most satisfying and challenging of all the hunting methods and it is hells of fun just to shoot in a friendly weekend league.

Archery gear runs the gamut from low end cheap stuff to high end mucho $$$.  I don't like to think about how much I have wrapped up in my gear. LOL!  But you can find quality gear at good prices if you do a little homework and test the water before you dive in!

It is like any hobby or in my case, obssesion, in that you will continuously upgrade your gear to a point where you feel comfortable but again like any of these outdoor shooting sports, we always want something new.  

My best advice is to visit a local pro shop and get a feel for what is out there and come up with a budget.  You would be surprised at how much a bow and the related gear can cost.  Ex.  I have over a grand in my new Mathews Q2 and accesories.  And as stated above there are many different brands out there and they are all different.

The most important things to keep in mind IMO are:

1:  Proper fit, have a pro shop set you up.  If you have an improper draw length it will cause you fits!
2:  Draw weight, do not over do it.  If you can't draw the bow without moving it up or down it's probably too much draw weight and this will only complicate matters.  Practice, your shooting muscles are paramount to good form, you can always turn up the poundage.
3:  K.I.S.S.  Keep it simple!  Don't get all caught up in the fancyschmancy stuff.  Remember a bow is probably the most efficient weapon ever designed when employed within it's limits.  Don't believe me?  Remember it was the mainstay of early hunters after the atlatal and was a fiece battle weapon in the middle ages!  LONG before there were fiber optic sights and power cams, etc...
4:  find an experienced shooter to practice with and watch and learn.  It is harder and takes longer to break bad habits and learn the right ones than it does to do it right the first time!

 Get a quality bow, a good sight, if you do not want to shoot instinctively, and a good adjustable rest.  Everything else is a matter of preference.  One thing you will probably want to consider is a release mechanism.  Not absolutley required but a BIG help in the accuracy area.  

If I was to add another thing, go with carbon arrows.  They are better than anything out there IMO.  The big down side is that they are pricy but you can get good deals at sport shows and the like.  The major benefit is durability.  One day I was shooting and a bee landed on my face while I was at full draw and I let the arrow fly and it went through a cinder block unharmed!  It was a fluke but they are extremely tough.  Either they are straight or they are broken!

If you enjoy a challenge than mastering archery is one of the biggest out there.  It is a whole new ball game when your trying to outsmart a big ol' 8 point at 25 yards as opposed to a random meeting at 200 with a rifle.  The woods suddenly becomes a much more humbling place.  

As for target shooting it's just as demanding if not more than benchrest or what have you.  A bow is a very unforgiving tool.  It requires infintesimly consistant form and execution  to reach full potential.  Hell thats the funnest part, seeing how good you really can shoot.  As a rule of thumb almost every bow out there can shoot better than the guy or gal holding it!  

So dive in, it's a great challenge.  I hope another brother is annointed!

Hello! I am new here but not new to archery. There is already a wealth of good advice in the reply's to your post, so I can't add much. I do believe that there is no reason to buy the best bow money can buy right off the bat. My instructor always said "it doesn't really matter how fast your arrow flies PAST the deer!" That being said I still have about a grand tied up in my Mathews right now, but a used PSE did just fine for three seasons while I did my homework to find what bow I wanted to buy. Just like a gun store, DON'T believe everything you hear from the sales guy...in some cases don't believe anything you hear from him. Go check out a local club or 3D shoot. And whatever you do, make sure the draw length of the bow you get is correct for you, and don't forget to include a release aid in your draw length if you plan to use one.

No comparison whatsoever to rifle hunting. Ive had better times missing deer with a bow than I have killing deer with a rifle. I absolutely love bowhunting. I have a PSE and love them. Best bow for the money.

RLTW

Mathews Q2. I got one in July of last year, practiced until deer season and bagged a doe the first week of archery season.  Can't go wrong with a Mathews.

Jett