Hey guys, new to the forum and love reading all the reviews and stories on here. I am a new bow hunter just starting out, but not new to hunting. I hunt mainly turkey but thinking of getting back into deer if I can. I need help selecting a bow, accessories, and arrows. I want to get a good bow that will last me for a while, I've read the reviews and looks like Bowtech is a great buy so I've looked at the Destroyer 350. I know its the higher end but doesn't bother me really, I love hunting and I used to shoot a traditional bow a while back for recreation and loved it so I like bows. But I'm clueless as to what accessories make it easier and are a must have for hunting turkey and deer. Also what arrows are the best right now? Love to see your guys thoughts on a bow, arrows and accessories. Thanks guys!
First piece of advice is go shoot a lot of bows before you decide. You might like the most expensive one out or you might find that a different one feels perfect for your shooting style. Find a good pro shop that is willing to help you look at numerous bows and not just sell you the top of the line. I love my Mathews, but it wasn't their top of the line bow. Even in their current line up I don't care for the "top of the line" bow. Do your homework on your arrows. You will need to match the correct spine with your draw weight and length. There have been lots of good threads on this subject.
If you're a beginning archer, I don't think a Destroyer or ANY speedbow for that matter would serve you best. Best advice is to go to a shop, get measured, and then shoot a few bows that are in your draw-length, and in a weight that is comfortable to you. Look for bows with a 7.25" or longer Braceheight, and something with speeds under 320 or so fps, they are going to be more forgiving options, and likely to serve a new archer better. Just about any bow will last a good long time as long as you take care of it. I have a 23yr old bow that I still shoot occasionally, but the difference in performance is off the scale. All bow makers make good bows, all makers have an occasional bow failure, MANY are related to USER ERROR, if USER ERROR can be prevented/limited, then nearly any bow you buy will be a good shooter and serve you well for a long time to come.... Remember though, it's not just the BOW, you also need arrows, a release, a rest, a sight, a quiver and a lot of guys like a stabilizer on the bow. A GOOD target is also a must. Build yourself a budget, and then factor in how much you want to spend on EACH item. You may start out spending $800 on a bow, then another $50-60 on a release, another $50-75 on a rest, another $50-100 on a sight, another $75-100 on arrows, and then you still need a good target which you may have another $100 in..... Will a $200 bow kill a deer as dead as something ridiculous like a $1500 Carbon Matrix....YEP, as long as the archer does HIS job. Find out what DL you are, and what weight is reasonable, and check out this link, the BEST used bow market in the world.... http://www.archerytalk.com/vb/forumdisplay.php?f=19
I'll echo what Doug says about the high end speed bow not being right for the beginning shooter. Heck, I've been shooting for over 25 years and I won't touch one for hunting. They just aren't pleasant to shoot and they're not forgiving in the field. You want something that draws smooth with a moderate brace height and moderate speed. Doug's guidelines are good but I'll add that if you have a short draw length you can get away with a little less brace height and a shorter axle to axle length than someone with a long draw and still get the same level of "forgiveness" out of the bow. The big thing is to get someplace where you can shoot as many bows as you can and find what it is that you like and dislike. Throw all the advertising crap that you've read out the window! All the companies make a good bow. You just need to find one that's right for you.
passing on a helpful site I am also new to the archery world. I however did not go to a pro shop. I got lucky in that the staff at the local ****'s Sporting Goods was super knowledgeable and tough me proper form as I was testing out bows. After purchasing a Bear Strike package a staff member told me about this website. Hunter's Friend if you scroll down on the left side there are "buyers guides" that i found very helpful when choosing my arrows. Not exactly sure how accurate the site is if one of you experienced guys wanna glance it over first but the arrows i bought shoot like a dream and are supposedly spine matched for what my bow is supposed to shoot. Hope this helps
I echo everyone else in saying that for a beginning archer, a speed bow wouldn't be a good choice. My advice, find a good, reputable bow shop in your area and pay them a visit. Ask a lot of questions. Have them help you choose a couple of bows to test shoot in the shop and you decide which one feels better. They'll be able to check your draw length, set poundage, etc. It's imperative that you have your equipment setup properly to begin with. A good shop will be able to do all this and get you out hunting in no time.
Thanks everyone for the comments, I really appreciate it. I have called a local pro shop and they are going to let me try out different bows and see which best fits me correctly since they have 300 bows in stock. Thanks again, but if anyone else has any advice on accessories for the bow I choose, let me know.
When getting accessories I have a few things I keep in my mind; Durability: make sure it's simple and bomb proof. Nothing will ruin a hunt or hunting trip faster than equipment failure. Durability: It's got to be proven and dependable. It doesn't have to be the least complex or simple thing but it has to be proven in the field. I'm not going to field test some company's new design on a multi $K hunt. Durability: It's got to handle the abuse that AK dishes out on a daily basis; salt corrosion, freezing, snagging in brush, drops from treestands, banging around in skiffs, crawling over rocks, immersion in rain... Did I mention durability? And it's got to be relatively light weight because I'm carrying it around, up and down mountains all day long.
Accessories are hard because there are so many good brands out now. And a lot of it comes down to personal preference. I am a big fan of the Ripcord drop away rest and I also love my Alpine Softloc quiver. I don't have a sight that I am in love with yet.
I shoot a VERY forgiving speed bow that even a beginner could be great with! 7" brace height (forgiving) Dream Season GX (342 IBO) Mine is pleasant to shoot, has killed many animals, and in my 20 years of bowhunting it's my favorite bow so far!
I settled on a bow package, the PSE Brute lite. Supposedly their workhorse of their bows. It fell 20 feet from the stand....no damage. PSE has great customer service. I got the bow, sight, whisper biscuit rest, and quiver for $525. add arrows, a release, some broadheads and a target. I walked out spending about $800 bucks. The PSE Brute is rated at 308 fps depending on your set up.
I agree with these guys. A beginner should have a smooth bow. A little longer axle to axle and a longer brace height. It will be more forgiving. Learn a good form and release and practice....practice...practice. Go to a pro shop and get fitted for draw length. Worry about accurate releases. Enjoy the sport and then go to a speed bow. Until you get your form down, a short, fast bow will magnify all inconsistencies in your form. Go comfortable, you'll still be able to hit your mark and stick the arrow in the ground after a pass through!!
My son and I just started as well. We have been shooting our bows for about 3 months. Our local shop measured our draw lengths and then showed up all the bows. I bought two PSE's because they were a very good price. Now, I noticed that local pro shops will really help you. They set your bow up right from the get go, then all you have to do is really practice. They told me form is everything, so practice your form. I am learning about arrows, I shoot a 340 spine, good for up to 70lbs. My son has a 500 spine good up to 50lbs. I bought a really old bow to save money, and its working great. I am looking at getting a new bow during tax season. While I have heard about many bows and such, I have found that handling and shooting them is the best way to start seeing what 'feels' right. I tested a Mission bow by Matthews and it draws back smooth as silk.. I will look more into this bow as tax season comes. Everyone on here has had great advice, and I hope this helps too!!!
Hey guys, I really appreciate all the comments and advice. I went and shot a mathews Z7, diamond rock, diamond stud, and really liked all of them. I didn't get to try a PSE but honestly of the 3 bows they all drew back fairly smoothly. I was measured at 28.5 draw length and 65 # draw weight. I really liked the 80% let off on all the bows. So I'm trying to decide on which to get because all three were fairly smooth, it may boil down to price which would elimnate the mathews bow because they are crazy expensive. I wanted to shoot the binary cam bowtech destroyer but didn't get to, just so I could see the difference. Anyway, any of you guys out there have these bows and offer up some feedback?
ive had Lots of bows...im 16 so my information may not mean much to you guys but heres what i know...I had a parker buck shot maxed on 50lbs when i was 11 and dont rember much about it the bows i had before that were just to learn on (which im still doing). I then went to my dads old Parker bow which was at 60lbs and i shot that for a long time. He then got me a Redhead xp-35 which was also set on 60 lbs and i shot that all this year and last year. Longer brace height and short axel to axel set at 29 inchs which was too long. I then got a new bow this year, actually a few days ago, Mathews Monster set at 74 lbs and 28 inches 6 inc brace which is much faster but also harder to shoot. I really have to watch my form when shooting. But over the years of practice ive learned alot about my form. So like everyone else said Longer brace longer axle to axle and smooth draw. Look for solo cam bows for smoother draw.
im also kinda a new archer this year was only my second.....but i started out with an old pse which was definately not a speed bow and also had a 7 in brace so it was easy to shoot for beginners, just yesterday i bought a 2010 rytera alien x.It is a dual cam and is pretty fast i have it at 60lb. It is extremely quiet and there is no hand shock at all! I got it for $550 for just the bow and im in love wit it.............I would still consider myself a beginner and this bow is perfect for me the only thing i had to get used to was the tougher draw cycle wit a dual cam its exremely smooth and accurate. but it also is pretty quick
I have many years under my belt nothing compared to lots of archers on here but lots of traditional shooting and hunting and have learned alot...beginer archers need a comfortable set up of it will be hard to get use to and learn...speed isnt everything but i sure doo love it!!!! =]
