Advice for a guy looking to start bow hunting.

[Gringo31]

Find the bow that fits you good and then watch ebay.  I recommend bows that are just over 2 years old and you'll find massive discounts.

[sneakyjake]

Subscribe to bowhunter and peterson's bowhunting.  Lot's of good articles.  I never quit learning.  I read a shot placement and blood tracking article tonight.  I have read a few of them, but we all need to be reminded.  Our trials and tribulations are much different then the others.  Get in the woods with your bow and find out what makes it good for you.

[mjbskwim]

Find the bow that fits you good and then watch ebay.  I recommend bows that are just over 2 years old and you'll find massive discounts.

Both of mine are from Wholesale sports and were 1/2 price 2-3 yo bows but new

[halflife65]

Bring your patience.  If you've got that everything else will fall in line.

[npaull]

Go with a traditional bow - recuve or longbow. It's the best, you'll never regret it. I hunted with a compound for awhile but switched years ago, would never look back...

[fisheral87]

Go with a traditional bow - recuve or longbow. It's the best, you'll never regret it. I hunted with a compound for awhile but switched years ago, would never look back...

Why?

[npaull]

It's hard to describe, really, but there's just something really pleasing about using and hunting with a traditional bow. You give up a little in range, for sure, but it's very nice not to have to worry about so many bells and whistles (sights, rests, releases, peeps, wheels, wrenches, etc). It just feels much more like pure bow hunting. You never have to worry about range finders if you're shooting instinctively. Never have to worry about whether or not there's enough light to use your sights. You can get away from the ridiculous obsession with speed that seems to be infesting bow hunting these days... lots of reasons.

It is harder to learn, for sure. Almost anyone can pick up a compound with good sights and shoot well at known ranges pretty quickly. But it's very satisfying to work with a traditional bow, get good at it, and hunt with it. They are elegant, light, simple, and very very deadly when well handled. I've just found it to be a more pleasing, challenging, and fun way to hunt than with a compound.

[fisheral87]

Thank you, I appreciate the response. I hope that question didn't come across as patronizing. I think that I may progress that way. but I would like to try a compound first. I fly fish, so I do like making things more difficult. 

[PolarBear]

The best chunk of advise that I can give you is once you are comfortable with your bow start practicing at ranges farther than you would shoot at an animal.  For example, I occasionally practice out to 90-100 yards.  What this does is it makes you super aware of every movement, anchor point, torque etc.  When you step up to take a shot at short range (under 40 yards) your groups will be measured in fractions of an inch instead of inches.

[Special T]

Silver Arrow Bowmen Is a club near you cots $40 for the year has a great indoor and out door range... We are on Facebook... E Hickox rd in Mt Vernon Exit old hwy 99... Our business meeting is the first Monday of each month... this coming Monday... lots of friendly people who shoot trad and compound...

[fisheral87]

I took a look at the Silver Arrow and I might check that out. Any thoughts on the Bow-tech Tomkat for sale in the classifieds? It looks to be a solid starter bow, versatile.

Al

[NWWABOWHNTR]

You can't go wrong with Silver Arrow... great facilities and people.  Joining a club and shooting with people there will get you a good start. 

[Snapshot]

...traditional bow... They are elegant, light, simple, and very very deadly when well handled.

They are the most versatile arrow-flinging devices known to man. Nothing can be shot more quickly from more positions than a bending, bare bow. Everyone who has spent time in the woods pursuing game animals knows that opportunities can come and go in a heartbeat and that being perfectly upright isn't always possible. And therein lies the reasoning for it being superior to the modern arrow-flinging device for close-range hunting.

[bearpaw]

Go to a good pro shop, shoot as many bows as possible. Buy what ever fits you the best. Then just really practice! it makes a ton of diffrence. The sooner you get your setup, the more time you will have to practice.

This is good advice, a good shop near your home is a smart move. Find a shop that has an indoor range and agrees to let you practice. A good shop will teach you how to shoot properly and will let you practice indoors to get better at it. Once you master the fundamentals with professional help, then you can find new friends to shoot with or set up your own outdoor range in your back yard or back forty. Just check your local laws to make sure you can shoot on your place if you are in a town or heavily inhabited area.

[let.it.fly]

get your setup, and shoot 3-d's look for the guys in plaid or just plane t-shirts, those are the guys you will have the most fun with. if there wearing a jersey then run the other way. lol sorry ryan and dennis from wholesale, those two are the exception to that rule.