Bow hunting

I

iBlade

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Jul 24, 2008
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I am toying with the idea of bow hunting, game would be deer mainly, but in the past i have also shot possums, rabits, boar as well as deer (all with rifles mind) - over here we have no bears, big cats, wolves or anything scary like that.
like the fact that you can also shoot fish i understand.

the question is what to get?

Do I go for a cross bow or a normal bow, and if a normal bow do I go for a traditional bow or one of those fancy pulley jobs?

I have no idea, and am keen and curious, however there is not much info about it in the country I live in, nor many shops or clubs so am asking you guys, brands would be a plus...oh i am 5'10" and about 150 lbs is that makes adiiference, I run, cycle and kayak and tramp so am fairly fit and strong but no Hulk by any imagination.

Cheers
 
well I had a mathews bow, traded it for a horton legend crossbow, and haven't looked back since. It's heavier to lug around then a bow, so if your worrying about the weight I'd stick with a bow. IMHO I'd try to find somebody around your area that has a bow or crossbow, and try them out, you'll have to get a feel for it, for the money mathews is the best bow, and horton is the best all round crossbow, just my opinion......forgot, I've used my crossbow for turkey, deer, coyote, and groundhog!!!!!!!!
 
What are the local laws regarding crossbows? In the U.S., they vary from state to state and even hunting areas within state. Most any type bow can be configured to bowfish, even crossbows, they are pretty popular around here for gator hunting. I know guys your size that have no problem pulling heavier bows, and compounds are easy to hold once pulled. Maybe MountainFolk Mike will be along, I would consider him the local traditional bow expert. If you do find a shop, most those guys are usually all too happy to get people started.
 
Depends really what you want to do. A crossbow like the paradox (i forgot who makes it) has similar kinetic energy to a high power rifle with great accuracy. Not that much different than hunting with a rifle but it is a pain carrying it around the bush. I also hunt with a recurve which is great when moving around scrub but the challenges are greater, less power, less accuracy but more satisfaction as the skills required are greater.
As far as which particular bow/crossbow big topic even once you have decided what particular style of weapon you are going to use. If you are hunting in heavy scrub, bows like the korean horsebow are fantastic, lightweight, short with lots of power. Good for instinctive shooting etc . If you get similar short bow in a compound you need to have a release because of finger pinch and
it is harder to use for instinctive shooting etc etc. These considerations are important for your own health so you potentially don't become the hunted ie: large game in heavy scrub.
Your decision will have to take into consideration what type of hunting and in what type of bush. You mentioned deer so your greatest chance of success would most likely be with a compound crossbow or bow. I prefer traditional gear as all facets of your skills have to be at a higher level and it gives the animal a chance.
 
right on.. i have been an avid tradiitonal archer/bowhunter for the past 8-9 years now.. i love it... both of my boys shoot and the misses finally gave into the madness... she's a natural too...:) i never cared much for wheel bows, started off shooting a 42# recurve...

this subject comes up often... there are a lot of good sources out there online, for both trad arhcers and compound shooters...

check out this thread... it has a lot of good info..
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=574170&highlight=archery+bowhunting
 
One thing you should ask yourself is how much work/practice do you want to put in to it in order to be a good enough shot to go hunting.

A crossbow will take the least amount of work being similar to a gun, followed by the compound(wheels), followed by a traditional bow which will take the most investment of your time to get accurate with. But, in my opinion the work you have to put into traditional would be well worth the satisfaction it gives you. I'm also a traditional archer so of course that is going to be my opinion.

Another thing you need to look into is the laws. If you just want a longer hunting season that the archery season gives you a crossbow may allow you to do that with little extra work, depending on your laws. If the laws don't allow crossbow, or don't allow it to be used in the archery season, then you will definitely have to look into the other two options. Also, find out what the minimum draw weight is for a bow, or crossbow, they will be different. If you go the traditional route, you will be shooting a lot lighter draw than with compound. Think 30 to 50 lbs for the average male depending on strength and fitness for traditional, as apposed to 65 to 75 lbs for a compound.

P.S. If you get into traditional archery, Mtnfolk Mike is your friend. He and Boomstick are the ones who got me into it, they know a lot, they do fantastic leather work, and Mike makes some really nice arrows.
 
I'll defer to Mtnfolk Mike if he disagrees but I recommend a reasonable quality 45lbs or 50lbs recurve bow to start out. Add some silencers, a glove, an arm guard, and a dozen matching arrows with screw in field points. The recurve will force you to learn form and how to shoot properly and not break the bank. Try to get someone knowledgeable to show you the basics so you get started correctly.

After a season in the field you will know if you want to continue on and if you want to invest in a compound (wheels) bow or an even more "traditional" traditional bow.

Oh, be sure to know which of your eyes is dominant, that is usually the deciding factor between a right hand or left hand bow.
 
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