What % of hunters go out in the field every year, hunt and kill animals without tuning their bow and arrow? Just pull out of the case or buy from the shop and step out and hunt... I would say a good 65-70%.
My first few years I was one of those guys.....I learned my lessons and came to a simple formula. Get the right spined arrow, use a fixed blade broadhead, and make sure my field points and broadheads are shooting very similarly.
I would say begin practice around Aug or early Sept..shoot maybe 3 times a week about 50 arrows a day.
I used to do it every year. I put in practice time, and a pile of time in the field but I had never heard of tuning a bow. It didn't stop me from killing deer. In fact, back when I shot Aluminum arrows out of a cheap Jennings bow tipped with thunderheads I had never practiced with, I rarely had to track a deer . sometimes I wish I could go back to when things were simple.
I began hunting with a bow that did not produce enough speed to use the expandables I was shooting. I lost a couple of deer because I for the life of me could not get a pass through. I had no idea how to tune anything. I then went to carbon arrows that were spined correctly and put on Muzzy's. Then I slowly moved my site around and cranked up the DW until my broadheads and field points flew very similar. Once I did that I began to get arrows that would blow through deer. It was not very complicated once I slowed down and began tinkering with my set-up.
When I look back at the set ups I used to kill deer with, I can't help but laugh, yet be a little embarassed at the same time. But back when I started, "bow tuning" was some kind of voodoo black magic. I will say though that an "untuned" bow never cost me a deer. The mistakes I made would have occured even with the most highly tuned equipment.
I think that 40% of bowhunters buy a bow, "carbon arrows" and whatever tip floats their boat. They hunt about 7 to 10 sits a year.
I think you guys are giving "bowhunters" the benefit of the doubt. I would put it at 70-80% that don't tune or don't tune correctly. The funny part about it is a lot of guys that I have run into look at you like you are crazy and think I am being way over anal when you talk about the steps you take to tune a bow. I'm serious, they think I am nuts.
I'm not sure but It wouldn't surprise me If It was fairly high. I was lucky and had a great teacher In my dad.
Of the buddies of mine around here that bowhunt, I can get the same reactions as you Brad. Whenever I mention tuning they look at me like I'm speaking a foreign language.
Most guys I know think Im crazy...just the other day one of em said.." I just want my arrow to hit where I aim, never tuned anything before, Im not like you about my bow, and I kill deer every year..." I said ,yep you do, I do too, but that's why you lost a doe with a Rage head b/c your bow was out of tune, not the broadhead's fault like you said..he said well you lost one too, I said yes, but it was poor shot placement not equipment!
When I started hunting I had a rubber flipper rest, shooting fingers, and a metal bracket with a brass pin (that was bent). Not much you can do in the way of tuning with that set up. For a lot of hunters setting up a bow should be done by the shop. Shooting the animal is done by the hunter. Today's equipment is so good that a guy can walk into a shop, buy a bow and get set up, and be shooting darts at 20 yards in about an hour. To me, this is both a blessing and a curse. It's a blessing because the equipment is forgiving for guys that won't practice so they still have a chance. It's a curse because they get a false sense of confidence and don't take into account that shooting in the field is different than at the shop so they make poor judgement calls.
If you asked 100 random members of BH.com - "Is your bow tuned"? They'd tell you - "yes". The sad truth is.....a large percentage of them wouldn't have the 1st clue how to do it. And, the next largest group.really doesn't care. The smallest percentage would be those who have at least tried.
I've never really been that guy in my short bowhunting career, but that mostly has to do with my brother and or course this website.
I can relate to this thread. When I got my first bow I brought it home and practiced. I had no idea how to tune a bow, none of my family or friends bowhunted. 3.5 years later I still have a lot to learn. The Mathews pro shop gave me my bow and told me to have fun. I wonder how many people you mention are like me and on their own?
many people are on their own. my best friend and hunting partner for over 20 yrs help a lot guys out around here with paper tuning and fletching, and arrow weights, etc...most people don't know the weight or spine of their arrow nor what center shot is...we are glad to help all we can. Im certainly no tech myself, but Im not blind or ignorant to the terms
