Hey there, I am new to bowhunting and would like everyones advice and suggestions. I am looking to buy a bow but not sure which one to get since i am new to bow hunting. I use a rifle now but would like to bow hunt also. and there are so many different brands and styles out there. Any suggestions and advice would be greatly appreciated. thanks Jamie
For me , and this is how I do most things in life. First I start with a budget, then I look for the known brands. Then I asks myself a few questions. Intended use, obviously bow hunting in this case. But ground blind, tree stand , wide open? Is there support for it? I.E. local dealer, good customer service, a buddy for knows about them. That will narrow it down a bit and then go try them out and see what you like. Hope it helps a little, good luck
There are a lot of bows on the market. You can spend from $400 to $1200 just on the bow itself. Like KjKlump said start with a budget. I would suggest going to a local archery shop, not one of the "box stores" to look at bows. A local shop is more likely to fit you properly and help you find the bow that's right for you, rather than sell you something base on brand name or something like that. I'm not totally discounting the big stores because they can have some good information, but localy owned shops will give you some more personalized attention and focus on you and what you really need. I'd trust my local shop to give me good advice. I've already gotten some questionable advice from one of the big stores. Hoyt, Bowtech, Matthews, PSE and Bear are all quality manufactures who make quality bows. Hoyt's Charger & Bowtech's Carbon Knight, which I have, are both good bows that will not break your bank. Keep in mind a few accessories will also be involved so don't forget to add those into the spending pool. IMO the 2 most important things you will add to your bow are the sight and rest. If you have to decide to spend a little more money on those 2 items, it will be worth it.
I bought a Hoyt Charger last year, as my first bow, and love it. The main reason for the Hoyt, though, was because that's what the local bow shop carries. If they carried something else, I would have likely got something else. To decide which model to buy, I just picked the one closest to my budget. Since the Charger, including accessories, was slightly more than I wanted to spend it was the obvious choice for me. After reading some reviews online, that's what I decided to go with. I'd suggest doing something similar. Find out what local dealers are carrying and look at online reviews of the ones that fit your budget.
I understand that and as far as money goes Im not to picky and wont be money problem. Just want to get a good bow bang for the buck, you know. I will be in a tree stand, ground or in a blind, any of them since i tend to roam the land sometimes all day hunting. as far as brand names go i know mathews, bear, hoyt and PSE are good ones. Just trying to get some good insight and suggestions. Thanks
We also have a local Bass pro shop here in Hampton, Va that sells PSE, Hoyt, Bear, and there brand also. what is the furthest you can shot a bow and setup? Thanks for the info and appreciate it.
Welcome to the site Jamie! A Good Compound Bow = Hoyt. A Great Compound Bow = Mathews! If you have an archery shop close to you, drop by and shoot a few. Mission makes some really nice bows that will not break the bank.
Good advice. I'll add 2 cents more..... Bows have changed a LOT from the Bear I bought in the late 80's..lol. Wow. Last summer, I decided it was time for a new bow. I had my eye on a few, had been reading reviews/forums/etc..... I went to a store that sold/carried multiple brands, & lots of em. BUT.... the MOST important thing IMO.... a shop that has a range. One that will let you shoot different bows. Most new bows look awesome hanging on the racks. They don't all fit you personally. I went one day & shot 12 different bows. From high dollar to inexpensive.....then... I left. Came back a couple days later, & shot the 3 bows that I had liked the best from my previous trip. At that point it was obvious to me which one fit me the best. In my case it wasn't the most expensive, & it wasn't the cheapest. However, being as I plan on it lasting me a long time, I wanted to get the right one. A bow should be comfortable, & "feel right" when drawn, & when fired. Nothing worse than spending a bunch of cash, & not being happy. I had all my acessories installed there, & dialed in on thier range. After getting it home, I spent the next couple months getting aquainted with my new tool with lots of practice. My first live fire broadhead, passed through a lung & the heart of a nice doe. There's plenty of people that are great marksman with archery tackle. Plenty of people that can buy any bow, & give Fred Bear a run for his money. I ain't one of those......lol. It was imperative to get the right bow. That was my process, & it worked great. Took multiple deer last year, & starting to practice for this coming season. 2 months to go..!!!
Like most will say here - go to an archery shop and shoot various bows. See what fits and feels good to you. If money isn't a problem, you should easily be able to find the perfect bow. I got the Mission Craze. I like it because of the adjustability. It goes 15-70#. A new person can easily grow with it.
I appreciate the feedback and suggestions. I have never shot or pulled a bow and new to bowhunting so it will be a challenge to find one. I am used to hunting with a rifle but am interested in a bow and trying something new. Like i said we have a bass pro shop and a wilcox archery shop so i guess i will have to go shoot a couple and see how i do and feel with certain ones.
How far can most bows shoot? how many yards is the max? just curious. The craze looks nice and is not bad on the wallet either.
For every pound of draw weight on the bow you can shoot 2 yards. This was arrived at by shooting an arrow from a 5 pound bow. The arrow went 10 yards. The American Archery Institute endorses this formula. However, most would not recommend shooting a deer over 30 yards.
I just bought a bow so I kind of know what you're going through. While I had many chain store that carry bows near me I went to the local dealer to get a bow. Not only will you be dealing with someone that is an expert so you can trust the advice you are getting about a bow you can also generally get them to work on the price for you, especially considering that you will need to get a sight, rest, release, arrows, etc. Just make sure you shoot anything they will let you so you can see what you feel is best to you.
Thanks Yancey, Yea I am going to go to my bass pro shop or wilcox archery here in Va. How do you like shooting the hoyt? Im looking forward to getting a bow and shooting, might not make to bow season this year up here but at least I should have one and practice and get my aim right.
It shoots like a dream. After I shot a few bows then shot that one I was so impressed I just had to have it. If where you goes has them give it a shot you'll like what you see. Right now though I'm waiting on my local shop to get it in and all set up for me. I ordered it and all the accessories last week and it looks like it'll be probably Tuesday next week before they get it in and I'll actually be able to pick it up. I was hoping it would be in this week but it's been delayed and I'm kind of itching to shoot it. This will be my first bow and I'm just wanting to get it all sighted in so I can make opening day down here in FL. I've got 30 days till it opens and was hoping to get myself as familiarized with it as possible so I can make the best of this season.
There are 4 brands of bows that stick out in my mind- Mathews(mission), Bear, Hoyt and PSE. All good bows and looking forward to shooting them for the first time. Our season starts up here in Va about the same time as yours does. I wont bow hunt this year that I know of, yet . But I will during rifle season. Who did you order your bow thru?
I don't know of anything called the American Archery Institute and I think there's more components than just the DW. I'm pretty sure i could shoot more than 130 yards with the right setup and angle.....not accurately though.
Honestly I would buy a cheaper bow just to make sure you like the sport. Not trying to sound pretentious or any thing. Make sure you love the sport before you go head first. It takes a lot of practice to shoot a good group, and it takes a while to get your form right. Stay on this forum and ask all the questions you can. There is no dumb questions just stupid answers. I would not hunt with the bow until you get comfortable with shooting it. practice from 10yrds than go to 20yrds. Pick a small target on a block or bag. Keep shooting until you get proficient with your bow. Welcome to the sport and the sight.
