Bow Hunting Combo for (Not so) Newcomer

[Dan856]

Hey Guys,

Having spent some time accompanying my buddy during bowhunting season this year am ready to get into it next season so thought I'd start early.
I'm an experience rifle hunter and have owned & shot a compound bow a few year back for casual target shooting-what sort of bow packages/makes/brands & budget should I be looking at?? How much should I budget for a decent soley hunting setup??

Thanks in adavance!!

Dan

[NBFK]

Sky's the limit for price. Set a budget and shoot every bow you can in that budget.

[6.5 shooter]

Most "bow packages" are like rifle packages... rifle is ok scope is crap etc. you get the idea.

Personally take NBFK's advice go try on as many bows as you can talk to the people in the reputable shops (NOT BP or WS). get some advice and test as many as you can read some on the net.

Bows are like woman, some are good, some are fast and some are the ones you want to take home to meet Mother!

[beaver hunter]

Just buy an APA.......done

[3blade]

Price: $1500-2000 all in. Bow, arrows, sight, stabilizer, quiver, rest, release, rangefinder, target, bow case, field tips/broadheads. Those package deals end up costing more, invariably you end up upgrading stuff.

Highly recommend spending a few days at pro shops, get advice from someone who know what they are doing. LOST arrow, accurate archery, jimbows. FWIW My latest is an APA, a lot of people who try them are converts from other brands.

The bow must fit you. If it does, shooting is like breathing, you don't even have to think about it. If it doesn't, you will have the second most frustrating waste of money on the planet.

[Celtir]

If the shop won't let you try it before you buy. Walk right out again. The bow fits the archer. Not the other way round

[gpelker]

been at the bowhunting sport for over 30 years and have tried most equipment out there. As noted: make sure the bow fits you and you like the draw cycle of the bow.
here are some tips I pass on to someone getting into archery.
For a rest, only go with QAD drop away, I have the new HDX, top of the line and worth the money, my first one I had for 4 years and put through probably over 10,000 shots and it started giving me problems with dropping early, they replaced no charge. Once set they work great and are a containment rest so no issue with arrow falling off. Great when it comes to paper tuning your bow for final set-up with broadheads.
http://www.qadinc.com/2011-Ultra-Rest.html
For a sight, the latest I bought is a G5 Optix, with 3 set pins and a 4th moveable, works great as the 3 set pins I have at 25, 40 and 50 yards and the moveable can go to 100. 99% of a person's shots are under 50 yards. the pins are 0.019, very fine for pinpoint shooting, try those or get the 0.029 as they work great for hunting. Also has a light option to “charge your pins” for last light shooting. Lots of other multi pin sights out there, tru-glo and spott hogg are high quality.
http://www.g5outdoors.com/category/28
Buy a sight cover, they are a life saver when tromping thru the bush, saves busting a pin.
For a peep sight, get the G5 hunter so you can see your sight ring when you draw, great for quick alignment for hunting, with max light during last minute shooting at last light.
For a quiver get a light one with a quick single detach point with 5 arrows max, I have an octane that is too heavy and distorts the bow when I shoot so I have to remove which is a pain.
For a stabilizer they are not really needed for the new bows as they are so quiet to shoot, try and see if you notice any difference before you buy.
For arrows, I shoot Carbon Express, expensive but worth it, get an arrow that is less than 9 grains/inch as it keeps your trajectory the flattest, still plenty of kinetic energy with a 65 or 70 lb draw. I shoot 68 lbs with a 375 grain arrow and get about 290 ft/sec with KE of 70 lbs.Other good arrows are Easton or Gold Tip. Don’t buy camo colored, a pain to find if you lose one. Buy a dozen to start with and see how they shoot with your broadhead set-up, need 12 for a hunting trip by the time you mix and match with 6 broadheads for tuning. Fletching is variable, I still like 4 inch vanes but the quick spins are good too. Get bright fluorescent colors, I use orange and white. Get white nocks for practice, easier to see the arrow flight. For final arrow tuning and hunting, you must have lighted nocks, buy Nocturnals, they never fail and simple to use. Worth the money to see exactly where you hit the animal and to find your arrow after the shot. Go with 100 grain field points, most common and usually work for 99% of the bows.
http://www.carbonexpressarrows.com/a.../maxima--red--
http://nockturnal.com/
For broadheads, only shoot cut on contact, I have tried just about every one made and the best is the Magnus Stinger straight edge 4 blade, 100 grain. They shoot almost identical to field points. They do great on penetration, we also get pass throughs, and easy to sharpen in the field, very reasonably priced. Other good broadheads are Muzzys and Slick tricks with replacement blades.
http://www.magnusbroadheads.com/cate...er-Broadheads/
Release is personal preference, try a bunch, for hunting I use a trigger style not a back tension. Get with a buckle so your setting is always the same. Mine is a Truball that has a swivel head so it does not torque the string with adjustable length and trigger tension. I have had it for 10 years, over 25,000 shots thru it.
http://www.truball.com/Wrist%20Straps.html
Put on a string loop to save your string.