Hello! Well, it's been 10+ years since I last bowhunted. More to the point, it's been almost 30 years since I bought a bow and associated gear. Only bow I ever owned was a PSE with two wheels bought in 1991. But, I've decided to get back into it and I'm starting from scratch. I feel comfortable about the hunting part, the gear part is what intimidates me. Things have come a long way and I don't know what are the game-changers versus just a gimmick. I figured the best thing to do was join a forum like this and start lurking for knowledge. Honestly, the complexity of gear, of having to juggle all these different parts to be 'in tune', was a major factor in me getting out of the sport in the first place. So, we'll see where this goes. While my main target to start with will be whitetail deer, I want to buy and use gear that will seamlessly transition to elk. It is kinda exciting to be 'new' at all this again.
I don't know where you are in ID, but try to find a good bow shop and try out some bows and other stuff if you can. It will come with practice. Oops just saw you're in Boise. Try Dead On in Meridian or Archery Central in Caldwell. Fromw what I hear, the shops are having supply issues because of the virus and hunting season winding down.
you will be amazed at the technology and how well you will be able to shoot in a short amount of time.
Thank you 87! Yes, Dead On seems to be a dealer for may popular brands. Virginia - I'm already amazed, and again, intimidated! But I am looking forward to shooting. I'm happy with what I've found in the Bowhunt 101 page on this site. Very good resource. In talking with an experienced bowhunting friend of mine he gave me these pointers to start with: 1) Don't chase after the fastest bow. 2) Look for a bow with a ~7" brace height, makes for more forgiving shots than shorter ones. 3) Look for more rounded cams. The more extream the cam, the harder to draw. And again, more forgiving shots. 4) Try out as many different bow brands as you can. For whatever reason, one will just feel right for you.
those are good points, but I will say it again, the technology has changed a lot and what we used think was a harsh draw set of cams and a 6" brace was only for speed has changed. Go and shoot a Mathews Vertix, VXR, a bowtech Realm, Hoyt Rx3, and you will be delighted to see how smooth these bows draw. But he is right you may find a bow that has a 7" brace and less aggressive cams to shoot best for you.
