christian0oo - Posted - 05/22/2012:  11:24:48

I wanna take it up as a hobby maybe. I just started thinking about it for some reason. Anyways, if anyone here is into this sorta thing, whats a good bow and arrow set to start with and what things should I know if I decide to go into it?

Thanks!

dawgdoc - Posted - 05/22/2012:  11:51:20

Man, I'm not even sure how to suggest how to start.  Quite a few years ago, I had a deer jump my arrow because the compound bow made a horrible cable noise.  I gave it away and got ahold my Dad's 50 year old hunting recurve (plus the damn thing was heavy carrying around).  The new technology is mind blowing.   Go find a really legitimate archery shop, or even better a local club.  Folks will let you try their stuff out.  I taught archery classes for awhile to kids.  Decide what you want to do.  Target shooting and hunting are two very different things.  I have my Dad's old target bow which is a dream to shoot, but you'd never take it out in the woods for hunting.  If you haven't already, find out your dominant eye.  You can get away with shooting a rifle with the wrong eye, but you're really screwed if you try the wrong bow (and don't assume its the same as your hand; I'm right handed and left eye dominant.   I shoot everything left handed)

Red-Ryder - Posted - 05/22/2012:  11:55:15

Pawn shops and yard sales are good sometimes to get started but as far as options,they are endless.

Recurve, longbow, compound and crossbows.Do you like technology with 80% let-off or the satisfaction of shooting without sights and triggers.Look into groups near you that shoot,maybe you can take a class and build one. Endless. Here's a link to a good place to browse.

Good Luck it is a worthwhile hobbie for sure.

3riversarchery.com/

Edited by - Red-Ryder on 05/22/2012 11:56:19

blockader - Posted - 05/22/2012:  12:04:45

i see from your profile that you rebuilt an old banjo. if you can do that then you can make yourself a pretty decent self bow and get enjoyment on two fronts, building and shooting. just type "make a self bow" into google. you can also buy bow "kits" and staves in varying degrees of completion from lots of different sources and then finish them yourself. the 3 Rivers link above should lead you to some of those. all you need are a few hand tools. people get pretty crazy with it too. kinda like banjos actually...

-justin

figmo59 - Posted - 05/22/2012:  12:18:57

Bad shoulder....here...

Use ah crossbow...

steve davis - Posted - 05/22/2012:  12:24:33

Get an inexpensive compound or recurve bow that performs well and buy really good arrows.
Find a club or set up a good target/backstop and start putting steady practice time in.

mike gregory - Posted - 05/22/2012:  12:40:57

This old boy designed and built a self-cocking crossbow, when his arthritis got too bad.

BConk - Posted - 05/22/2012:  12:41:18

shoot arrows? I prefer targets that aren't quite that skinny.

gshall - Posted - 05/22/2012:  13:21:10

I quit because it got too expensive buying arrows after I knocked the knocks off them, defeathered them, or split them. There are several things you want to look for. You don't want a draw length that is less than someone else drew on a bow, i.e. don't buy a used bow unless you have a very long draw length. If you draw the same way and release the same way, you'll hit the same spot every time (unless someone with a longer draw length has drawn it). The advantage of the compound bow is that it might shoot with 100# but hold at 50#. When you're hunting, sometimes you hold for a long time. A recurve is hard to hold. Get a short hunting stabilizer and arrows with replaceable heads. It's important that you practice with the same weight arrow you shoot. Also, a good set of aiming beads will help put the first arrow on target. Do most of your practice at 20 yards, but go somewhere that has a variety of targets at a variety of ranges to help you accurately judge the range for putting first arrow on target. If you miss the first shot, you won't get a second (usually). If you don't use a releaser (I don't know what they call them officially), learn to release the little finger first, followed by the ring finger, the middle finger, and the index finger in rapid order. DON'T try to go from finger release to mechanical release, as that shortens your draw. Go to an archery shop and let them order your arrows based on your draw length. Good hunting!

dat - Posted - 05/22/2012:  13:37:30

if you were closer I'ld sell you me PSE Diamondback and carbon arrows,     I haven't pulled the bow since my back surgery a few years ago. it's old now but probably hasn't been hunting but about a dozen times.   something like that you need to try for fit or actually have set up for you at a bow shop.  if I remember right it's a 75% let off

Edited by - dat on 05/22/2012 13:38:55

rinemb - Posted - 05/22/2012:  14:00:05

did long bows early in life,  went to compounds in my hunting days.  My rig was a fairly old fashioned Bear rig:  wood riser, fiberglass limbs.  Here is difference:  my rig with alum arrows had about a 3 inch spread between the ten yard pin and the 50 yard pin.  My hunting buddy with all of the latest gadgets: cammed composite bow, composite arrows, etc sighted with one pin-aim a tad high for the longer shot, aim a tad low for the short shot, sight through the single pin for a 25 yard shot.  Me, I miss-judge the distance by ten yards-its a miss.  His bow, would get a hit with nearly twenty yards miss-judged distance....or something about like that as I recall.  If I were target shooting I would settle in on a nice recurve.  There are custom builders and manufactured bows of all qualities and prices.   Lots of gadgets to buy to get rigged up, possibly.  triggers, counterweights, peeps, fluffies, sights, arrow repair equipment, etc.  It is a fun sport and a satisfying hunt.

Good luck, Brad

steve davis - Posted - 05/22/2012:  14:00:27

I don't like to hunt with a bow,just targets.

banjoman56 - Posted - 05/22/2012:  14:44:23

The new technology in bows is amazing. They just keep making them faster, better, lighter and quieter. I have a Matthews Q2 that I have killed a lot of game with and really like, but I traded for an Archery Research bow made by PSE a couple years ago that is the most accurate bow I have shot.

KANINJACK - Posted - 05/22/2012:  15:18:06

Started out with some old Bear bows, went through the wheels then back to longbow. A piece of wood just feels better to me these days. Only "drawback" is hunting from trees.

steve davis - Posted - 05/22/2012:  16:14:56

I like my $35 Whitetail compound.

Coonskin - Posted - 05/22/2012:  19:11:13

I got turned onto Atlatls(google them buggers), and I have great fun with them!

My dad helped me make an English longbow when I was a teen, and that's the only one I ever owned. The compound bows are like rocket launchers!

Brian T - Posted - 05/22/2012:  20:52:10

Any old compound bow will do. Solid aluminum arrows, Muzzy points. 400lb braid on the reel.
Nail a 40lb Buffalo in the head, they can tow the boat around like bass-akward water skiing.

mike gregory - Posted - 05/23/2012:  07:00:11

There's an old poem which starts

"I shot an arrow into the air.

It fell to earth, I know not where."

Be sure your kids are taught that it is foolish and dangerous to shoot an arrow just to see how high it will go.

todaystmj4.com/news/local/152259135.html

They know EXACTLY where this one came down, and they're very interested in finding out who launched it.

steve j. - Posted - 05/23/2012:  07:32:48

start slow, I overdid it with my first oak, poorly tillered longbow,,, and the shock messed me up for a while. A recurve is fun to shoot, dont go too heavy at the start

christian0oo - Posted - 05/23/2012:  08:05:55

wow! Thanks everyone for all the replies and suggestions!