So I want to get into Bowhunting

[4ptbuck]

I want to get into bowhunting. I know nothing about archery, other than the surfing I've done.

I've measured my armspan and it measures 67". I am guessing I am looking for a 27" draw length.

Does anybody have any suggestions on how to get into this sport?

Hmmm...

tia

4pts...

[oldtimer]

Don't know where you live but go to a GOOD archery shop and start asking questions. If you know a Bow Shooter have him tag along to sift out any BS you might hear. That is just to start.
You need to decide what kind of bow you want to use, traditional, recurve, compound . You say bowhunting, do you want to shoot 3D as well or indoor FITA, all decisions that will affect your choices . Mike

[sealevel]

I would find a shoot at this time of year there is shoots going on all over the place. At these shoots the are pretty much every kind of bow made and most archers love to talk and show there gear. Depending were you live going to a shop can be a bad idea. Most small shop realy don`t have much you can try. Tell us were you are and someone will tell you a good place to go.

[bsa30-06]

I just got into the whole archery thing myself a few months ago so all i can do is tell you how i did it.First i asked the guys on this site alot of questions,there good people and will help if they can.(Dont be afraid to ask questions).Second i found a place that had lessons and as luck would have it they provided all the equipment so you could try all the bows they had and make a better informed decision as to what type of bow you wanted.Third i found a archery shop i liked to deal with and once again asked alot of questions,they were alot of help when it came to draw length, draw wieght, arrow selection, and selecting items such as a rest, release and sights.Fourth i practiced lots and found a local 3D to shoot and meet with some of the members from the site here, you be surprised how much you can learn at a 3D by just watching others and asking questions,and oh yeah they are also alot of fun.I guess the best advice i can give you is keep an open mind and never stop asking questions no matter what you ask there are some very knowledgable people on this site and i found that they were always more than willing to answer any question asked.Thanxs again for all the help you guys provided.4pts if you live in my area i'll tell you were i went and who i dealt with , when it comes to this type of question it really helps to now were you live(city), so that we can recomend shops to help you out.Good luck.

[huntwriter]

As it has been said here, find archers and an archery pro-shop in your area and then hang around them and ask questions, lots of questions. If you are ready to buy a bow, buy a secondhand bow and some cheap arrows. Have the bow set up by a professional and then practice, practise and practice some more.

Caution: Do not get caught up in brand names (brand names are not important) and gadgets. Start with basic equipment. All you need is a bow, a simple pin sight and a dozen cheap arrows to get you started.

As you become more familiar and better at shooting a bow you will find out what you need and prefer.

[greybark]

:D Hey 4ptbuck , You basicly have a choice of Traditional or Modern . If success at 3-d and harvesting animals is important to you then I suggest you go modern . Then after scooping your 3-d trophys and have harvested several animals then if you wish go to Traditional .
Good advice in the above posts .
Good luck in your archery and bowhunting adventures .


REMEMBER -- Keep Your Fingertab On --

[FullDraw]

Hey 4ptbuck if you want to learn about traditional archery come out to the TBBC traditional championships May 20-22 2006 at the Semiahmoo F&G club in South Surrey. Would be a good place to learn how to shoot a bow and lots of bow hunters will be on hand swapping stories and telling tall tales:D

FullDraw

[sealevel]

I sure don`t agree with all huntwiter said one is there are no cheap arrows get as good an arrow as you can.Like he said don`t get cot up in gadgets but get quality stuff there is nothing worse then a sight that will not stay put . You have started rite by asking help.

[Bow Walker]

huntwriter..........why give advice like that??? Now the poor guy is stuck with "cheap" and "second hand" equipment. As soon as he is competent enough he will undoubtedly want and need better and quality equipment.

If he listens to you he will have nothing with which to either trade up or sell so that he can upgrade.

Please advise him with information that he can use both now and later.

[Walksalot]

What ever type of archery you decide upon practice and confidence in your equipment are the keys to being a successfull bowhunter. Stay within your effective range. As you become more confident in your ability your effective range will follow suit.

[huntwriter]

Bow Walker and Sealevel, to start with a good second hand bow, a inexpensive pin sight and a dozen game tracker arrows are more than plentyful good. There are many guys who purchased top of the range equipment for 1000 and more dollars only to find out archery it is not for them.

I still shot a 10 year old bow, a BuckMasters with a 3 ,steel, pin sight and aluminum arrows. It's as good as any set up and never let me down. I lost count how many folks I itroduced to archery and I started them all off with something decent but very affordable and then as they gained experience and like it they purchased a new bow and still had a good back up bow. On the other hand I have trained guys with top notch everything and they lost interest and where stuck with a very expensieve bow. There are plenty of very good second hand bows out there as there are archers that trade in their bows for the newest model every two years to stay fashionable.

It's like Walkalot said practice and confidence in the equipment is more important than spending 1000's of dollars. Start simple and affordable that's my advice and I stick by it. Of course if someone has money to blow left right and center go ahead buy the very best of everything but it want make you a good archer or hunter.

[JohnS]

http://www.archerytalk.com/vb/index.php

[4ptbuck]

So does anybody know of any archery show near Richmond BC?
Guess the location would gave helped:lol: .

I was thinking used to get into the sport. I've got a scoped 742 in 30/06 I was hoping to trade for a used package.

[bsa30-06]

4ptbuck, try talking to the guys at boormans in new west on columbia st.
they'll be able to tell you when pro-am archery has there next classes and also will most likely have some used compound bows in the store you can look at, if that is what you want to use.The classes pro-am offers for beginners are 5 nights 2 hour each , i believe they were around $95.00 and focused primarily on proper form.They provide the equipment so you wont have to have your own bow before going and they will have compound bows, recurves and a couple long bows.I learned alot at these classes and they were alot of fun.

[bsa30-06]

4ptbuck, also take a look thru the thread "archery shops" in the target archery forum there are some good shops listed in there.

[FlyingHigh]

Get new equipment for sure. Archery is kind of like computers. New and flashy one year, and 1-2 years later it's obsolete. make sure you get a bow that feels good too. i'm uograding to a bowtech equalizer becasue my PSE Venom feels a bit heavy and large in my smaller hand. The guys on this forum for the most part know what they're talking about so heed their advice.

[J_T]

4PT,

I have no idea how much a brand new compound riggin can cost ya. It's really a question of what you can afford, and what you want to do.

If you want to see if you like archery, great, if you want to consider hunting with a bow, great, welcome aboard.

If you can afford, top of the line etc. Go for it. If cash is an issue, there is no need to go nuts. Just be reasonable, and find happiness and contentment in that.

I have a bow that I picked up second hand in 1994. I have other bows, but it is the only bow I shoot and hunt with. We all get better with age.

Technology can force you into a tail spin, if you aren't shooting well, you're blaming the bow, when simplicity might allow you to just enjoy the effect of shooting a bow.

JT

[BlacktailStalker]

I just started with a bow 3 years ago. I'm a firm beliver in do it once, do it right and everything is serving me well. My biggest help was doing tons of research and talking to lots of diff people and then just experimenting and learning most things on my own. It is better to "do' than to be "told." It's fun, good luck !

[huntwriter]

4PT,

I have no idea how much a brand new compound riggin can cost ya. It's really a question of what you can afford, and what you want to do.

If you want to see if you like archery, great, if you want to consider hunting with a bow, great, welcome aboard.

If you can afford, top of the line etc. Go for it. If cash is an issue, there is no need to go nuts. Just be reasonable, and find happiness and contentment in that.

I have a bow that I picked up second hand in 1994. I have other bows, but it is the only bow I shoot and hunt with. We all get better with age.

Technology can force you into a tail spin, if you aren't shooting well, you're blaming the bow, when simplicity might allow you to just enjoy the effect of shooting a bow.

JT
That's great advice. My kind of thinking.;)

[FullDraw]

4pt call up Boorman Archery and sign up for the pro-am archery school. They will show you what you need to know and you call try the diffrent types of bows and then decide what works for you.

FullDraw

[Bow Walker]

4pt call up Boorman Archery and sign up for the pro-am archery school. They will show you what you need to know and you call try the different types of bows and then decide what works for you.

FullDraw

Now that is the best advice I've read yet. Boormans start you out with stick-n-string (or they used to) and then you get the general idea of shooting. You can try a couple of different bows at Boorman's store, like compounds of different brands. They have a small shooting range there that you can fling a few shafts. Great way to try out some different brand name bows.

Find one that feels just right and you are well on your way.

[Nails]

4pt Boormans is the closes place I can think of for you, with a wealth of knowledge and they will treat you right. Try to get yourself out to some 3D shoots and see what is going on. I am sure if you asked any of the guys here on the site, they would let you tag along with them on a 3D shoot.

[greybark]

:-D Hey 4ptbuck , Lots of 3-d ing this weekend at the Semiahmoo Fish & Game Club .See what the traditional side of archery is all about for comparison purposes.

REMEMBER -- Keep Your Fingertab On --

[J_T]

Hey 4ptbuck , Lots of 3-d ing this weekend at the Semiahmoo Fish & Game Club .See what the traditional side of archery is all about for comparison purposes. Greybark is right, there will be a ton of good stuff going on at the SF&G site this weekend. 1284 184th in South Surrey.

[4ptbuck]

thanks guys. I kinda did a bit of the cart before the horse and picked this up....

I have a PSE nova compound bow, 60-70 lbs draw weight, 28 inch draw length. It has been through a proshop within the last year and I have not used it since. It has a new string and was tuned up at the shop. also included is nearly new carbon express arrows with thunder head broadheads and field points, several new broadheads and broadhead blades, a couple of judo points for small game, a whole tool box of archery accessories and spare parts. Also includes a trufire release, arm gaurds, new doinker stabilizer, cobra fibre optic 3 pin sights. The whole package includes everything you need to hit the archery season this fall. the bow shots well i just don't have the time to pirsue bow hunting at this time.

If I brought this into Boorman's do you think they set it up for me?

[bsa30-06]

4pt call up Boorman Archery and sign up for the pro-am archery school. They will show you what you need to know and you call try the diffrent types of bows and then decide what works for you.

FullDraw

Thats what i've been trying to say.I took those classes and found them to be very helpfull.

[Bow Walker]

4pt......
Boormans will certainly set it up for you. You should even be able to shoot a few to test things out using their indoor range.

Nothing the matter with a setup like you described either. Now your set for lots of practice, practice, practice.........well, you get the idea.

[FullDraw]

Boorman moved a few doors down i don't think he has the test range anymore but i good be wrong, BSA took lesons from Pro-Am and he shots well. Money wel spent.

Full Draw

[bsa30-06]

He shoots well, who you kidding, but i'am getting better.No they dont have the range in the store anymore, but the indoor range is 2 doors down and they will take you over there so you can try out your set up.I purchased my bow from them and all the accesories they did excellent work and are very happy to help you out.

4pt, where are you going to be shooting at?The burnaby archers have a outdoor field , and there is the indoor range (18meter) in New West beside Boormans.Boormans phone # is (604)-524-1674.

[4ptbuck]

I was thinking about shooting in my backyard for practise. Is that a no-no?

I am in Richmond, so bby/NW is pretty evenly space out.

[bsa30-06]

Nope i shoot in my backyard all the time.Having said that i'm in burnaby and your in richmond you might want to check on that.I shoot in my yard all the time and usually the nieghbor watches from his window.

[4ptbuck]

thanks for all the help.

Guess now I need to get my hands on the bow, and fit it for me.

[Walksalot]

thanks for all the help.

Guess now I need to get my hands on the bow, and fit it for me.


True to some extent but you must fit the bow. A bow which will not allow draw length adjustment to fit your draw length or the draw weight is to heavy for you is usless to you and not fun to shoot.

Remember, the way to proficiency is through practice and practice has to be fun, not a grewling workout trying to pull to much draw weight.