Whats it cost to take up bowhunting/shooting?

You could go the old fashioned route and shoot a recurve or even a long bow. :eek:

Less complicated plus it's got all the romance of a day gone by.

Stickbow is a good place to go for info on traditional archery.
 
Matt,

Dan gives some good advice.
Here's a site that has some really in-depth discussions in archey.
http://www.huntersfriend.com/
If you've got questions, there's a lot of answers there in their articles.
I'd recommend finding a store that has a range, so you can try bows out before settling on one.
One more thing. If going hunting in the cold, practice shooting with all the gear on, as shooting in short sleeves is WAY different than in thermals, shirt, coat, gloves, etc... ;)

Howie
 
Thanks for the link, I already read a lengthy article there on choosing a compound bow :D found it on a google search though, will have to look over the rest of the site.
I have a few friends that bowhunt, I might see about taking thiers for a test spin sometime. I don't know of any stores with ranges nearby, will have to look into that.
 
I didn't say that a used bow *would* be out of whack, but it *could* happen.
Anytime there is an adjustment screw, there is a good chance that someone will have to turn it.
Since you can't adjust a recurve or straight bow, that chance isn't there.

I'm sure there are plenty of good bows out there.
Prolly just about all of them.
But when you're starting out, who wants to fiddle and adjust when you rather be shooting. If it was out of whack, a newbie might think it is him not the bow.
 
You change the length by adjusting how the bowstring hooks up to the cam - has several places to hook it up. At least, that's how it is on my bow.

Nothing bad about any of the bows, actually. Just, that the names I mentioned are considered the Best. I'm not a bow snob....mine cost $40....:rolleyes:.....but there are some things I'm willing to live without.



Now, if I go here, I find that the MSRP for a Parker Phoenix is $619.95 (probably inflated, but what the heck). http://www.parkerbows.com/phoenix36.html


Hmmmm.... one minute of searching on ebay turns up:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=20838&item=7113881924

Currently around $200 and advertised as Brand New.



So....go to the local shop....pick up all the Parker's....decide which you like best and nab one on ebay. It's not evil....ok, maybe it is....:D.....but we all do the same thing with knives....(try in the store, buy online)


Here's a few more tips:

Get the tallest bow that you can hold at draw length for a minute. Longer = more accuracy. Don't fall for the smaller-is-lighter fad that's going around right now.

As has been stated....55 lbs. is plenty. Getting a heavier weight will only make hunting unpleasant because your stamina and accuracy will deteriorate quickly.

Make sure the bow feels well balanced in your hand. When you shoot, the bow will tip forward slightly....this is normal...preferred, actually. So make sure it doesn't feel "back heavy".

You don't need a sight. If you get one anyway....you really only need 2 bars on it. You'll never shoot past 40 yds.....and probably won't need one inside of 10 yds. Set it at 20 yds and at 30 yds and let your eye do the rest. ;)

Get a good arrow rest. Metal is more stiff, but can make noise when you load up your arrow "in the field". A sturdy plastic one is fine.

Get a balancer.

Buy your arrows all at once and have the shop cut them equally and put them together (provided that they are competent...most are).

Ask the guy at the shop to show you proper drawing technique. Really does make all the difference in the world. Of course, his style might not match your own, so get a few different opinions. Should feel natural, not forced.

I do not use a forearm strap and if you shoot right, you shouldn't need one either. Work at it until you get it right.


If you should come upon some spare time....:D....there is a pretty good forum on this stuff = archerytalk.com

Be careful, though, there is rampant consumerism on the board. :rolleyes:
 
Thanks again for all the advice Dan
I'm not against Ebay at all, I just want to be more comfortable that I know what I'm looking at. I completely understand getting the best bang for your buck, thats what I'm all about ! :D
 
I went to gander mountain today and they have a Bear promaster that looks pretty nice in a kit for $299. Comes with the bow (think its 60-70lb, 28-29-30" draw, still don't know if that will fit), arrow rest, 3 pin sight,quiver, and 3 or 4 arrows. Guy at the store told me I'd have to buy a peep sight and release for it if I really wanted to be accurate. Not sure about that but we'll see.
I think I will probably get one. I looked on Ebay and found the same kit for about 20-30 bucks cheaper but they don't include arrows, and when you add shipping I'm not saving anything. I saw some other bows on there for cheap that look promising but a lot of them don't have cams, and the guy at the store said that made them pretty inneficient for the speed you get vs. draw weight. They also didn't include any of the other stuff the package has, so who knows how much it would all add up to. At least with a package deal I can do some shooting right off the bat.
I'm going to watch ebay for a few days and think it over though. I also want to look for a store with a shooting range, and possibly try some of my friends bows before I buy.
Still open to any suggestions, and I appreciate all the advice so far.
 
Thanks for all the advice everybody. Last night I bought a Fred Bear promaster or something like that (its not one listed on their website and the store didn't name it on the tag).
Its about 36" axle to axle, with a big cam on the bottom (supposed to shoot up to 300 fps). Came with a rest, peep site, quiver, and carbon arrows. On sale for $250. The pull was set at 72 lbs and wasn't really much of a challenge to draw, has a 75% let off so holding to aim is a breeze. I had to put it on layaway so they could get a module to extend the draw length though. It was set at 29 and they told me I was probably at least a 30. Like an idiot I went to look at a bow the same day I pulled my left shoulder, so it was kind of painful to lift that arm up all the way. So its probably better to go back and get fitted later on anyway.
The other stupid thing I did was tell my parents they could give this to me for christmas, so now I'm not allowed to shoot the damn thing till then :grumpy: It'll be alright though, I've got a ton of work to get done in the shop before then anyway :D
 
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