Greetings all... Wanted to sign up and say hello. I'm Jason ... you can call me Jay. I'm from northeastern Illinois. Looking to get started with archery and bowhunting. I've been toying with the idea for years, but never really had the chance to give it true attention. My oldest son (8 years old) won an archery set from selling popcorn with the Cub Scouts this year, and he's given me the kick in the butt I need to get into this finally. I figure shooting is something he and I can do together now, and eventually we'll be able to hunt together when he's a bit older. My dad hunted ... but for birds and with a rifle, and never took me. So I'm looking for information ... any and all would be welcome. Also ... I'm looking for insight/tips/information on a good bow for me to start with. Like I said, this is my first venture, so I'm looking for something I can shoot from now, through the summer, with an eye toward doing my first actual hunt this fall. Thanks for reading ... I look forward to being a part of this community. J
Jay, you will find a bunch of good information on here. Just keep checking the forum and read everything you can. I wish I could tell you everything you need to know, but I have been bowhunting for over 25 years and I still learn new stuff all the time. Like I said, just hang around here, read and join in on all the discussions. You will start picking things up quickly. GMMAT is a good example of this. I believe he just completed his 4th season and is always posting and asking questions, you cannot learn if you don't ask questions. As far a bow goes, I would suggest looking at something in the used market. The quality of bows that are produced now is really amazing and you don't "have" to have the latest and greatest to be successfull in the field. A used bow would be your cheapest way of getting into this game, which can get very costly. Someone on here might have a bow that they are looking to move, so check the classified area and ask around. The one tip I will give you on this is to find a good/quality pro shop and go get measured to find out what your true draw lenght is. That shop might also have some good used equipment for sale or they might carry a good mid-line such as Mission, Fred Bear, or Browning. I believe Raceway is from up your way, so he might be able to recommend a good shop in your local area. Bowhunting is a blast, a great way to spend some quality time with your son and if you are lucky it will start to consume you like it has so many on here. Good luck!
Thanks man ... I appreciate the welcome and the info. Midwest Cimmaron is in my neck of the woods, so I was thinking about heading up there first (hopefully this coming weekend) and getting measured, etc.
Welcome to the sport, kickin_buck had some good points for you. One thing that I would mention is that you should check the local archery shops and shoot as many different bows as you can so you can find the bow that fits you. As far as buying a used bow, it can save money but you just have to be careful about how the bow was taken care of. If the previous owner dry fired the bow and caused it some damage then you could waste more money on getting it fixed than it would have cost you to purchase a new bow! Definetly head to a shop though and have them help you get measured for a bow.
Welcome to the website Longway! As others said, just go to your proshop and try out as many bows as you can. Once you find one that you like it is completely up to you as to whether or not you decide to buy a brand new bow or a used one. I've always had used bows, and haven't been let down by one yet. I just don't have the kind of money it takes to buy a brand new one. You could consider buying a new '08 bow that shops are trying to get off of their shelves to make room for the '09 models though. I don't really have any more recommendations though. Feel free to ask anything at all once you get a bow and are ready to take the next step. There are a lot of knowledgeable people on this site! Welcome again!
welcome! What type of bow did your son win? Are you planning on shooting the same? If its a traditional style bow, ie, longbow or recurve, it will take more time to become proficient and will require more practice to stay proficient. It is also much simpler.
Welcome aboard Longway!! New guys such as yourself often get taken advantage of In allot of the Archery shops being these pro shops try selling there big dollar compounds. Be careful, the most expensive bow Isn't always the best bow for you. Not all shops are like this by any means but a few I've been at I've witnessed It 1st hand. Archery/Bowhunting Is becoming ridiculously expensive so spend your money wisely.
Hey guys thanks again for the new replies. My son's bow is a Bear Warrior 2, and I'd like to shoot something similar. (Actually it's a pretty nice set, which was nice, considering we sold a metric A$$LOAD of popcorn for him to win it.) Anyway, like I said I want it to be something he and I can do from time to time, and then this fall I'd like to start hunting (hopefully). As for being taken advantage of, thanks for the warning. I've been doing some research on my own before joining up here, and I'm figuring I'm looking in the $300 - $500 range, NOT including arrows. Anything more seems a bit much at this point.
You should be able to find a good setup for that kind of money. Try out a bunch of different ones and get the one thay fits/feels the best for you. Welcome to our addiction. And by all means have fun.
Jay, welcome to the forums. You said you are from North Eastern Ill. That puts you fairly close to Garden Prairie Ill where we have third annual Bowhunting.com Get together in June. You ought to come over and meet alot of the guys. They are great guys and alot of knowlage floating around camp. Look for the G2G thread
Saw that thread earlier ... been reading the forums rather than working today I'd like to go ... both weekends coincide with my weekends with my kids (I'm divorced) but that's not to say I can't make it. It's really not too far away. Thanks guys!
