I'm looking to start hunting big game (deer/elk) with bow now (spent the past 15 yrs using a rifle). I know absolutely NOTHING about bow hunting. Any good recommendations on where to start/good starter bows? Thanks
Id say one of the best things you can do along with chatting with people on here, is to swing by your local archery shop and just hang out for awhile. See what bows everyone there are shooting, talk to the bow techs and get their opinion, try a few out and see what bows feel good to you. And if you have a budget Id strongly look at the Hoyt charger. Its a very nice shooting bow and the price is hard to beat.
Completely agree with Sidehill, I've been shooting a bow for 24 years. Spend time in an archery shop. Test out as many bows as it takes. One will feel just right. All the companies out now have really good products. If you don't want to spend a lot on a bow check out some of the subsidiary companies like Diamond(Bowtech) or Mission(Mathews). These bows have some high end features but not all so they are a little cheaper. The biggest thing is to find something that suits you. And as far as info, there is a ton on here and you can kill some hours at the range/pro shop talking to people.
been bow hunting for 34 years and learned allot over the years lots of it the hard way , You can find lots of short cuts to that learning on here, as far as a bow brand means nothing find one the feels good in your hands, every person is different.Learn to do some calling and spend some time getting to know your area, deer and elk are different animals in bow season than riffle and hang out in diff areas and and respond diff.Then sit back and wonder why you dident start years ago.
Dont get caught up in all the fancy gear. You dont need it but it sure is nice. As far as getting your first bow? I wouldnt worry about anything too much. If you buy an old used one it will still be better than anything most of the experienced archers started out with. And it will certainly do the job of killing a deer or elk if you place your arrow in the right spot. I would go to an archery shop to learn about the equipment but not about good deer hunting spots. People are a lot nicer and more giving in the elk world than they are the deer world in my experience.
What state are you hunting deer in? Mule or white tail?
In my opinion the common denominator for finding animals on public land versus private is understanding what the animals do under pressure and getting away from it yourself. How the animals travel at certain times of year........and the best part is the rut! for deer/elk
Feel free to PM me or keep posting questions on the forum here. I will try to help you out to the best of my knowledge.
I agree with what has been said already, The biggest differences between bow and gun hunting is the effective range, and the seasons. Typically the bow seasons are longer, in better weather, and at better times (the rut).
I think one of the hardest transitions of becoming a bow hunter from a gun hunter is feeling so limited with a bow. Almost any entry level bow will do the job, Tune your bow with some help from a pro shop,
I think the components are a better place to spend the money up front Quality sight, rest, release, quiver and arrows. Become proficient with your bow. practice, practice, practice and practice more. fine tune your hunting skills, and remember Location is the key in hunting.
don't think of your bow as a limited weapon, but as your weapon of choice.
Jimbow
All,
Thanks for the great info.
Brent-I'm in the military so I'm on the move every few years (just enough time to get to know an area then leave). Right now I'm in New Mexico and I'm from Washington State originally and I've noticed that both states tend to allow the bow hunters first crack at elk and deer during the rut. Plus, they usually have longer seasons for them as well. I love to hunt, I don't always need to kill, so the longer the season the better for me, especially being in the military.
Sounds like I need to learn the anatomy of a bow as well. I'm somewhat familiar, but a trip to the archery shop is in order!
