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Post by JS84 on Jan 23, 2024 13:44:16 GMT -5
With the majority of rut activity near me being around the end of September/beginning of October, I figure I better start hunting archery season to increase my odds. I'm hoping to get ready before next season as well. The questions is, how do I go about figuring out the best draw weight, length, arrow setup, etc for me? What about bow manufacturers? Any to stay away from? Any other tips that will help a beginner are welcomes as well.
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Post by Crkr 23 on Jan 23, 2024 13:55:15 GMT -5
Go to local archery shop and let them help you. Do not go to a big box store. If you are in the Ocala area I would check with Jerry's Indoor Archery,352-351-3766.
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Post by tampaspicer on Jan 23, 2024 14:32:31 GMT -5
Yes go to your local archery shop and have them measure you and get you setup. Practice practice and practice some more. Shoot from elevated positions as well. Also don't go to much on your draw weight. Things get a little harder to pull back in the cold.
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Post by Crkr 23 on Jan 23, 2024 15:24:02 GMT -5
TS is correct on draw weights, 50 lb compounds of today probably as fast or efficient as 65/70 lbs compounds of 25 years ago. Another thing, I wouldn't buy a flagship model to start with. A lot of the bells and whistles that you're paying are not necessary especially when you are just starting out. Once get started check-out Archery Talk Forum and Bow Site Forum. There's a lot 9f good information on those forums. Good luck, it is a great sport/hobby.
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Post by james243 on Jan 23, 2024 19:11:01 GMT -5
If you are going to be passing through Gainesville you can try stopping by the Bear Archery pro shop. I would call ahead and make sure they are open. They have been good to me in the past for warranty replacements/work and you can buy blemished bows for a handsome discount at times. They have bows that you could shoot and will spend time getting you set up. I’m still shooting a bow I bought in 2009 that developed a splinter lifting on a limb a couple years ago. They slapped new limbs on for no charge. I asked about the bow limbs becoming out of stock or obsolete and they said they would just make a new set for me if it ever got to that point. So far I’ve never had a reason not to be happy with this situation, living 20 minutes away from where it’s made has benefits.
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Post by richm on Jan 23, 2024 20:11:38 GMT -5
Dont try to be a strongman. 50# is fine for any deer or hog around here.
Pick 1 arrow and 1 broadhead your bow shoots well.
Then shoot the bow very regularly until you can pick yourvshots snd know excactly where itll hit.
I wont shoot past 25 yards cause every deer past 25 yards run off w arrow never to be found.
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Post by JS84 on Jan 23, 2024 21:05:49 GMT -5
My time is split between Palm Harbor and Old Town. Pretty much any place in between is viable. I do have a small archery shop about 2 miles away in Tarpon but don't know anything about them personally. I appreciate the feedback so far guys.
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Post by Crkr 23 on Jan 24, 2024 7:25:15 GMT -5
Arrowhead Archery in Tampa used to be a great bow shop years ago, I don't know anything about them today. One way to save money is buy used. I would only do it from a reputable shop until you are more educated on what you need. When buying used most times you are getting a ready to shoot bow bow with all the accessories that you need and trust me, you can spend more on accessories than you did on the bow itself. A lot of archers are buying the newest "best" bow every year or 2 so there can be some pretty decent used bows in the shops that are great deals considering that they are RTS. The main consideration for a first time buyer should be how the bow fits you and that's where a good pro shop comes in. I would visit several before making a purchase. Now I'm going to give you a warning, be very careful. You are fixing to step into a world that is very addicting. It was like crack to me. There are very few days in the last 40 yrs that I haven't shot a bow daily, I hear it's the same with golf for some people. The few days that I haven't shot a bow I was probably sitting in a stand wanting to shoot it. I'm going to say it again "Do yourself a favor and start with a pro shop",. Good luck!
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Post by One Man Gang on Jan 24, 2024 9:04:30 GMT -5
If you were willing to travel to Palm Beach I could point you to Stu and big nut Billy at Wicked Archery. They are personal friends and Stu has been in the archery business in Vermont for 40 plus years before he transplanted here. A few years ago I went to them to shoot in the back yard and found I badly needed a new string, at risk of injury. Stu was headed back to Vermont that evening and said he would take my bow back and make a new string, then send it back. The problem was that I had a bow hunt the next day at a distant wma... No problem, his son had just traded in a bow here so Stu tweaked it to fit me and loaned it to me for the weekend. The next morning I was sending him and big nut Billy a pic of a dead deer with the loaner bow. A week later my bow was returned with a sweet custom string that I'm still shooting. Anyone who I've sent to them have been more than satisfied. Stu knows his stuff when it comes to archery and he is good people, but it's a bit of a drive for you.
All of what you've been told so far is dead on. In most cases you can easily buy a great used bow from a highly reputable manufacturer for a fantastic price. These modern bows will also have you busting bulls eyes at 25 yards in about 2 or 3 shots, fyi, but practice from a elevated platform and bend at your waist to shoot down. It's not the same as shooting at ground level and you're most likely going to miss if you drop your arms to shoot. Also, keep your head down on the sight. If you raise your head to watch the arrow you WILL miss... in other words, follow through with the shot, rock steady. One last thing, practice shooting while sitting. That's where a lighter, more comfortable draw weight comes in. Years ago I had the buck of a lifetime bust me in Iowa while trying to get situated from seat to feet in a ladder. I shoot 70lb draw and I can shoot that comfortably while seated, but I couldn't get turned to my right to make that shot. So, make sure you practice for any circumstance. It's not nearly as easy to get off a awkward shot with a bow as it is with a rifle.
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Post by ogbohica on Jan 24, 2024 9:20:17 GMT -5
Make it a point to practice with the hunting clothes you plan to use as well. Ill never forget the time I walked in the woods with the Gilley Suit and tried to draw on a hog.... good luck
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Post by JS84 on Jan 24, 2024 9:53:27 GMT -5
Great advise from the clothing to the body positioning. Things I would have only learned from experience had they not been mentioned.
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Post by meateater on Jan 24, 2024 10:17:01 GMT -5
all good tips, pro shops, clothing, draw weights, heres my 1 cent, you dont need to go high tech for your first bow, prime,hoyt,mathews all make fine bows but my 799.00 bowtech shoots amazing. 799.00 was ready to shoot, quiver,sights,rest,stabilizer ect. i did change to a whisker biscuit rest and a simple 4 pin sight but that was pretty cheap. i also practice a lot and only with the broadhead im gonna be hunting with, same brand ,weight ect. i know most guys use field points but im a little crazy bout it, same as sighting in a rifle or turkey gun you always use exact ammo your gonna be hunting with.
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Post by One Man Gang on Jan 24, 2024 10:18:03 GMT -5
Loose clothing will screw up your day. That's a great point. I had a little 6 point of front of me at Corbett one time and rolled up the bottom corner of my unzipped bug tamer in a cam when I drew back on him. I'm not sure what would have happened if I hadn't noticed and let fly but I wasn't about to risk it. Yep, that deer busted me too, and lived another day. So did I!
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Post by One Man Gang on Jan 24, 2024 10:29:34 GMT -5
Agreed on the big dollar bows. I'm still shooting a 25 year old Parker that I bought from Bass Blow and it has killed far more deer than two of my buddies big dollar Mathews bows, my nephews Hoyt, and Bohicas Hoyt, combined. The point being, you don't have to spend thousands on a bow to hunt successfully.
I personally like the whisker biscuit or some iteration of it as well because it captures the arrow and is always silent... I got busted (again) one time when my old aluminum Easton arrow lightly tapped a different style rest on a old Bear Kodiak Magnum I had.
Thankfully I have learned more from my failures than my successes.
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Post by Crkr 23 on Jan 24, 2024 12:40:38 GMT -5
There has never been any truer words written than OMG's last sentence. Lol
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