Tools of the trade for new bow hunter

Hello folks. A friend and I are just getting into bow hunting. We are so new that we don't even have bows yet.

I'd be keen and grateful if you experienced compound bow hunters can let us know what gear you think we should consider purchasing before getting out into the woods. I'd love to hear some recommendations on specific products as well. I'm looking for everything from bow, binoculars, range finders, boots, etc. Also, do you guys take any additional security with you on hunts, such as bear spray?

We understand we are a long way away from getting our first game, but we're going to begin acquiring the equipment we need over time, and begin practicing with the bow.

Thanks in advance for any input.

Some quick recommendations.
- buy you bow from a reputable bow shop. They’ll set you up properly and you’ll leave with a well setup bow that fits you.
- buy a decent release. One that is adjustable especially for length.
- Don’t be temped to over bow yourself. Better to have a lighter draw weight that you can draw smoothly and shoot without fatigue.
- Get someone to teach you how to shoot.
- Don’t buy super light arrows for more speed. Momentum is more important than high speeds.
- Big 2” mechanical broad heads aren’t the best choice.
- Once you get you bow, 3D shoots are a really good opportunity to test your skills.
- For hunting boots it really depends on what your doing. If hunting close to the truck light Flexible boots are quieter and more comfortable than heavy mountain boots.
- Bino’s/ range finder, vortex has some affordable options and they have a life time warranty.
- I’ve never really worried about bear spray. But if hunting in grizzly country it’s probably a good idea.
- practice lots and sight in with your broad heads. If your form is off or your bow is slightly out of tune broad heads will hit different than your field points.

great tips, thank you for that.

I would recommend a used bow 4-6 years old to start that was a top of the line bow at the time it was new. Not sure how strong you are but start at a lower weight and work on your form first. It won’t take long before you can comfortably pull more weight. I started with a 60-70 lb bow but on the low end it was around 56 lbs. It was easy to draw starting out and as I got stronger I turned it up.

If you want to start low and turn up the weight later make sure you get arrows with the correct spine for the bow at the final weight you want. Too stiff of a spine is fine to get started but if the spine is too weak you won’t be able to tune it very easily.

Learn with older, cheaper but good quality stuff. I guarantee once you get half an idea of what you want and how things work you will want a bow with different specs.

Shoot as much as you can and watch YouTube videos from real pros.

Welcome to your new obsession.....

Oh and I carry short barrelled 12g bear spray.

Seek out a archery club where you might practice your bowmanship. Any archery shop that has shooting lanes and rental bows will get you started. If you think that just buying a bow and the ancillary equipment is enough to hunt with, you are sadly mistaken. You need to become proficient with the equipment first, then you hunt.