[Backwoods]

I was just moving around some stuff this morning and came across my old bowhunting gear. Haven't really thought about it for awhile now but after this morning I started thinking it might be a good thing to get back into. We used to do a lot of it in our hunt club but a few years ago everyone just got more into muzzleloading on hunts and it kind of died out.

Anyone else here "Slinging Arrows"?????????

 

[Canadian]

I do archery for fun. But I've never bow hunted before.

 

[JeepHammer]

I got my shoulder broke in a military aircraft crash, and couldn't hold the bow correctly after that.

I have been looking at a hunting with a crossbow again...
They are FINALLY legal in this state, and bows are much more sporting than firearms, especially with small game.
(Deer around here stand under your blind and hang out... It's not much of a 'Challenge')

The problem is, I hunted with a 'Re-curve' bow, and I don't know squat about compound bows...
I shot re-curves when I left for the military, and compound bows were just coming into use, then I got hurt...
So I guess I need to do some research on crossbows!

Anyone got any tips where to start?

 

[Washkeeton]

I just got my first compound bow last fall... Im learning to hopefully be able to go bow hunting either this fall or next fall...for the first time. Totally interested in it.

 

[JeepHammer]

The biggest thing you have to do with bow hunting is learn to judge range...

The arrow will drop about 1" for every yard of travel...
30 yards, 30" of drop.
(every bow is different, but that is a general rule of thumb)

5 yard miss in distance judgment means a 5" miss of the target, and if you miss the vitals, your dinner just got away wounded...

You missing dinner isn't the issue,
Wounding the animal and it living crippled or dying a slow, painful death is the issue!

When you first start out,
Go out where you are going to hunt,
And mark off your field of fire in 5 yard increments.
Use a range finder or tape so your measurements are EXACT.

Known ranges will help you get a grip on accurately determining distance in the field under hunting conditions, and will make you a better hunter in the long run...

Remember, When Hunting,
Your duty is to make a CLEAN KILL, or let the animal go!
(letting him go today meas you get another crack at him tomorow!
Scaring or wounding him today means you don't see that animal again!)

This is alike any other eye and hand coordination thing...
PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE!
Doesn't matter how many fancy sights, bows, high tech arrows, ect. you have,
Nothing will take the place of familiarity with the weapon you are using!

People always ask how we can make 1,000 Yard shots with rifles...
Shoot about 10,000 rounds through that rifle, one carefully aimed shot at a time, and you will know EXACTLY what it's going to do at any given range!

Same with the bow!
When I was younger, I used to hunt everything from rats at the dump, to rabbits and squirrels, fish, even birds at times.
But we lived with the bows constantly and were constantly trying to 'One Up' the other kids with them...

I probably don't have the ability to hit rabbits or birds now, but fishing and squirrels shouldn't be too bad with a cross bow...

 

[Canadian]

Wash - Make sure your bow is properly adjusted and that the draw length and length of arrow used is proper for your height / reach. Use a good quality finger tab or "clicker" for a smooth release - I prefer the tab. Use good quality arrows. Sight it in before you go shooting. That's it. Make sure you've got the right tips and that you're shooting at least 45 pounds to kill a deer. You can take smaller game with less "oomph."

The only thing that will be a variable will be "steady arms" and your release. That's how it is with a compound bow. It's very simple to shoot tight groups with a compound. I like shooting a recurve composite bow because it requires a little more skill and has that old school feel. Even with the added variables I can still hit a post-it-note from about 40' with a dozen arrows. For hunting though I'd recommend the compound. Good luck and have fun!

 

[Canadian]

Oh yeah - Practice somewhere with a large backstop and a well mowed lawn. Arrows are expensive and they tend to get lost very easily if you miss. If the angle of the shot is shallow they slip right into the grass and are very hard to find. Use a backstop that's gentle on the arrows. You can bend or shatter arrows if they hit something hard. Also fire groups of 3 - 4 arrows and then rest your arm. Shooting large groups leads to tired arms and bad technique.

 

[krock]

i'm a bowhunter and have been for about 20 yrs.any questions,just ask.

jeephammer,
the newer compounds don't drop like that.i use the same sight pin from 5-35yds.i shoot 75lbs though,maybe the lighter ones still do.a compound with wheels is easier to draw than a cam bow.a one cam bow is easier than a cam,harder than a wheel.bows nowadays are lighter,stronger,and faster.my bow weighs 3lbs and is 32in long and has passed through deer from back hip to opposite front shoulder.i use aluminum arrows and a little heavier broadheads for penetration purposes.

i'll try to answer any questions you guys have.i'm not the best bow hunter i know,but have a pretty good working knowledge.

 

[Washkeeton]

Wash - Make sure your bow is properly adjusted and that the draw length and length of arrow used is proper for your height / reach. Use a good quality finger tab or "clicker" for a smooth release - I prefer the tab. Use good quality arrows. Sight it in before you go shooting. That's it. Make sure you've got the right tips and that you're shooting at least 45 pounds to kill a deer. You can take smaller game with less "oomph."

The only thing that will be a variable will be "steady arms" and your release. That's how it is with a compound bow. It's very simple to shoot tight groups with a compound. I like shooting a recurve composite bow because it requires a little more skill and has that old school feel. Even with the added variables I can still hit a post-it-note from about 40' with a dozen arrows. For hunting though I'd recommend the compound. Good luck and have fun!

Thanks for the advise... I went to an archery shop here locally that has an indoor range.. They were the ones that taught me to shoot... I hate the finger tabs and releases.. He taught me to both shoot with out sites on the bow and with a 3 finger release...That way if I am in the field and something breaks down I still can hunt and not relient on the rest of the "gear". I truly prefer the way I shoot cause he set up a bow for me with sites and a release and I couldnt hit the broad side of a barn.. Instinctive, I hit in a perfect 4x4 set everytime out. I was able to hit at 10 yrds, 20 yrds and 30 yrds... consistantly.

Alaska requires a min of a 40 lb draw for a caribou and a min of a 50 for moose and bear...(I wont hunt bear with a bow unless I am desperate and out of options) Personally I prefer the 50 lb option for the caribou and the 60 lb option for a moose. I cant pull the 70...

Alaska also requires you to take a hunters safety course designed for the bow as well as they require you to pass a written test and take a shooting test where you have to hit 100% or you do not pass. If you do pass then you get a certification number so that if you hunt in the bow only hunts you have to give them the certification number to qualify...

Jeep brought up good comments above about bow hunting. Alaska doesnt want a bunch of shot up animals with arrows sticking out of them wandering around...or dying slowely a horrid death....

 

[Backwoods]

I just got my first compound bow last fall... Im learning to hopefully be able to go bow hunting either this fall or next fall...for the first time. Totally interested in it.

I started off shooting a compound and using a trigger release but now I'm getting more interested in going to a recurve and a tab. Kind of getting "Back to basics"

 

[Backwoods]

Oh yeah - Practice somewhere with a large backstop and a well mowed lawn. Arrows are expensive and they tend to get lost very easily if you miss. If the angle of the shot is shallow they slip right into the grass and are very hard to find. Use a backstop that's gentle on the arrows. You can bend or shatter arrows if they hit something hard. Also fire groups of 3 - 4 arrows and then rest your arm. Shooting large groups leads to tired arms and bad technique.

Boy.......Can I verify that. When I started I made the mistake of setting up my practice target in the woods. I lost a fair amount of arrows there and to this day I find one every now and then. Good thing they were cheap bulk buy arrows

 

[Washkeeton]

I started off shooting a compound and using a trigger release but now I'm getting more interested in going to a recurve and a tab. Kind of getting "Back to basics"

I havent done anything recurve wise at this point in my career of shooting... right now I just want to get accurate on a compound...I eventually want to shoot a recurve and become accurate on it then move on to making my own bows and arrows... I eventually want to work toward traditional archery...I have about another 25 to 30 good yrs left to play till Im too old and cant maybe do this any more so no hurry... just wanting to learn...

Got any good books on how to make bows and arrows asside from the book the McPhersons put out would love to hear about them....

 

[Canadian]

I buy my arrows. I don't have access to a shop where I can make things so I'm forced to buy a lot of stuff. I've used carbon and aluminum arrows and right now I like the aluminum.

In Canada we have a store called Lee Valley Tools. They sell custom woodworking equipment. They actually have a longbow course where you sit down in class and make an english longbow. Perhaps there's a woodworking club near you that could help?

 

[Washkeeton]

Myself, I prefer the carbon ones.

Thanks for the info... I will look around. I had a co-worker at one time that made his own arrows mostly. He was a talented one... He moved on to another place and another job. Havent seen or heard from him since.