Accessories... What are some good accessories to outfit on a bow for a newbie? I plan to spend around $1k on just a bare bow. I’m going to attempt to try out several before I buy. Maybe have around another $500-800 on accessories. Keep in mind I have to buy left handed due to an eye disease claiming my right eye. What are some good manufacturers of rugged sights? I’ve been known to be a little rough on my hunting equipment. I don’t hunt with nice/high dollar walnut and maple stock firearms for a reason! Take in mind that I live in an area where shots can be up to the upper limit of archery range. ~60-70 yards depending on what terrain your quarry is in. So a multi pin sight will be needed for at least out to 60. No electronic sights in NM I’m told. Whisker biscuit? Not sure what that is but I was told to get one. Stabilizer? Release? Quiver? What else might I be missing? Main quarry will be coyote but also mule deer... Hopefully the store I buy from can help me some but I like to get other opinions from folks who actually hunt! Thanks guys and gals!
Sights: Black Gold, Spot Hogg, CBE Stablizer: Bee stingers, Wick sticks. Rest: QAD HDX, Rip Cord, HHA Virtus Releases: Carter, tru ball, Scott Quivers: Tight Spot
So even from a hunting perspective you’d choose a fall away rest? I asked my buddy who told me to buy a “whisker biscuit” (I thought he was trying to make a funny). He said that fall aways can sometimes cause problems while the whisker biscuit is usually problem free... Are some fall aways much better than others? Thanks!
Google was my friend. Drop over vs. whisker biscuit is a common discussion. Maybe I’ll buy one of each and see what I like better personally. Thanks for all the suggestions. I like the looks of those black gold sights. Nice setup they came up with using the fiber optics. That quiver looks very nice and lightweight as well. I’m going to have to try and play with a few different releases before I decide on those. Not sure what separates one stabilizer from another aside from length and weight. But I’ll look into it and ask around some more! Thanks again guys!
If you are hard on your gear you probably are better off with the whisker biscuit over a drop away.. a lot less to go wrong. I do really like my drop away but have been thinking about switching to a whisker biscuit for spot and stalk hunting. Your shooting form is important regardless, but will be more important with the biscuit because the arrow is in contact with the rest the whole duration of the shot. Also take a look at HHA sights, I used to run all HHA, but switched to spot hogg due to the single pin with 2 yardages. Other than the double yardage, I like HHA better in every way.
Yeah. For example... I went and spent around $5,500 on a Caesar Guerini magnus shotgun.... Beautiful shotguns btw. Custom fit to their owners. An excellent company. First day I took it out in the field... I fell while carrying it. Marred up the stock, forend, and put some good scratches on the bottom barrel.... I had never been so sad and angry at myself in my entire life.... Sold the shotgun to a friend who had them place new wood on it and refit it to him. He loves it. I settled for hunting with cheaper shotguns that I don’t care about as much. Some still have wood but it’s nothing fancy. Mostly synthetics now. All my hunting rifles are stainless/synthetic now days too. Same reason. I don’t cry when the stocks get chewed up... or the scopes look like they’ve gone through a dryer. Lol I don’t intentionally damage gear, buts it’s nice not having to protect it like it’s a priceless family heirloom too.
Sounds like you're going about it the right way. Definitely test out bows before you buy one. They all feel different when you draw. When you're testing the bows out, try different releases while you're at it.
Well I go either this weekend or next to go try some and pick one out. I got to shoot the mathews Traverse in right handed. Friend got one. Liked it a lot but I still am hoping I like the Hoyt more. I’m wanting to try the helix ultra specifically. I like the aesthetics of it better. But aesthetics are down on the bottom of my list for hunting equipment. Maybe for a range toy or something but I prefer durable and easy to use in the field. I’m buying left handed so I’m going to call the shop today after work and see what they have on the rack.
Any reason you are hoping to like the Hoyt more? I remember shooting the Hoyt RX-3 and Helix with the Matthews Traverse same day. I felt like all 3 bows shot well and felt good. Based off those 2 factors alone, I would have been happy with any of them. But it came down to personal preference and no offense to the Matthews guys, but I didn't like the look of the riser on the Traverse. Then I decided I wanted to go with a carbon bow this time so that made my decision.
Same reason as you. I don’t really like the way mathews risers look. The Hoyt bows are a more attractive design to me. Not sure if I want carbon or not. I may look at one but I was mostly wanting to look at the Helix Ultra. The RX-3 is a very nice looking bow though. I’m sure the Hoyt won’t disappoint. But I still want to try before I buy!
For sure, the Helix shot great and felt great to me but you will be able to decide for yourself when you shoot it. Depending on the dealer you go to shoot the Helix, you might be able to shoot the Traverse again setup for you so you can shoot them side by side. I ended up going with a Black Gold sight myself but in 3 pin but I'm mainly stand/blind hunting so I can see how you'd want the 5 pin. If you end up going Hoyt, then they have their own version of the QAD ultrarest and they also have their own stabilizers and quivers as well as the Fuse brand. If you want a quick detach quiver then the Hoyt Shorty is a good choice and will fit the smaller diameter arrows if you end up going the Injexion route which is something I ran into the first time when I switched to the Deep Six FMJ arrows and ended up having to buy a different quiver. Mathews is the same thing, they have their own version of the QAD ultrarest as well as their own quivers and stabilizers.
Lots of info here. I have a Whisker Biscuit on my bow. Wife has one where the cock feather is up rather than opposite the riser. Can't remember the name.
While I’m still going to pick up a nicer bow, I got a good opportunity at an economy compound bow. An acquaintance in hard times is selling a Bear Cruzer G2 in kryptec highlander camo, left handed RTH model. He insisted that I buy something from him instead of just taking a small amount of cash and paying me back later. It was the bow or an HK VP9. I’m more of a DA/SA guy so I passed on the handgun and took the bow. I carry an H&K P30 btw. Love that handgun. So I’ve got a new in box Cruzer G2 to play with till I can make it to Lubbock TX to buy a nicer bow early next month! I already picked up a nice Scott shark release, I was gifted some nice broadheads and arrows. I also bought a black gold pure gold 75 sight(5 pin) that should be shipped out to me in another week or two. Just need the bow, quiver, stabilizer, arrow rest, and some more arrows now! I’m working every weekend for the next few weeks so I’ll definitely have the spare $$$ for it. I just hope I can get a guaranteed weekend off to make the trip over there! :D
Whisker Brisket . Rubber stabilizer. Arm guard cheap bow Quiver and alot of arrows ... Also drop aways rests Suck no matter what People say they dont keep your arrow on your bow none of em are light as a Brisket so adds weight and they are less accurate because they leave your arrow just shooting off the string I have shot Alot of em Even the 200$ kind Not as Accurate or Reliable as a 30$ or Even 20 $ Brisket If you Paid more for one Fine thats you But I know from Experience Use your common since people Arrow being Guided Good..Arrow Shot off Sting Only Bad . Heavy rest Bad Light Rest Good . Rebel
Oh man this one almost made past me. We all enjoy a good " brisket". As for the drop away rest being heavier and not guiding the arrow. We could all learn from your vast 9 years of experience. Teach us please.
I have decided on a whisker biscuit just for simplicity. But will try drop away rests when I get a little more confident and better at shooting. I’ve been shooting that Bear Cruzer for a few days now, and I’m getting about a 4-6” group on average at 30 and 40 yard ranges. So not bad considering I’m a right handed person. I feel confident enough to take it out with a sighted in Broadhead and make a shot on a coyote inside 30 yards. Which I may or may not attempt this weekend. Maybe next though. We’ll see how I’m shooting on Friday. I’ve been shooting with the draw weight in the mid 50lb range (I think), but I’m going to increase it some. I am having no problem shooting 60+ arrows in a single sitting. I was concerned at first if I’d be able to draw back left handed but it turns out, it’s not that bad for me.
While I don’t always take someone’s written word or typed word as an indicator of their intelligence. Because this is “social media” and many use a type of “fast hand” if you will. Worst texter/Typer I know is my brother, who holds advanced degrees in mathematics, computer science, and engineering. He works on software and firmware for missile systems and rocket systems for NASA and Raytheon... can’t text or type a sentence for crap. And his handwriting is literally chicken scratch. But some minor improvements in grammar, going back and spell checking, and some punctuation would really help him out. He needs to use some sort of sentence structure or people can get lost in what he is attempting to say. And people will mock him as you guys are doing.
I will proudly state I’ve got over 200 arrows downrange with the left handed bow and haven’t slapped my arm with the string yet. I don’t seem to have much problem with vertical stringing, my accuracy problems are horizontal with flyers going to the left. Every flyer, I am watching my sights and the arrow lands exactly where I last see my sights before the bow starts to fall forward, so it is me making an error. Any advice on how to fix this issue? Am I grabbing at the bow or anticipating the shot?
