Hey guyz-

I need some advice......

I'm contemplating bow-hunting for the first-time.....

For one reason only.....

A friend of mine says I can hunt for wild boar on his private property......

But ONLY with a BOW......

I am a newbie to hunting and I just went on my first-ever hunt with great success..... Check out my post on the GENERAL BIG GAME FORUM here....

Anyways, I will always use my weapon of choice, a rifle when hunting all other game in the field.

But this opportunity arose several days ago with this friend who says he doesn't mind me coming there for boar hunting, but I have to use a bow, because of neighbors who might be startled by gunshots. I said no problem!

To my amazement after doing a GOOGLE search, Wow, there's a whole lot of variations in manufacturers, models, add-ons, etc.

And the prices are incredible, but they look darn worth it......

Here's my problem!

I really don't want to invest in an expensive top-of-the-line model bow, since I will only be using this for small-time boar hunting, once in awhile......

I got my $$$$ wrapped up in rifle hunting opportunities......

But I still want to recreational hunt for pig meat at my friends property occassionally.....

Here's the scenario of my hunt....

I'll be setting-up a blind with-in 30-35 yards
of a variety of fruit trees. These pigs come down out of a near-by mountain to eat the fallen fruits every evening like clock work. My friend said this has not changed for the past 35 years.

I can taste the sweetness of these pigs already!

My problem......

I don't know what type of inexpensive bow to buy?

I don't want anything fancy, but I do want it to be pleasureable to practice often with, and strong enough to take the intended game. They average maximum 60 to 80 or so pounds,according to his estimation.....

What type of bow should I consider?

I am 5' 11" tall and medium build; got any suggestions?

There is only one bow hunting shop in my hometown.....

I need some suggestions, so when I go down there hopefully I'll know what type of bow I need or should consider.

I'm hoping that with what you folks can recommend, I might be lucky to find a used one there, or at least one that is comparable.

My only desire is that it's smooth and pleasureable to shoot, since I want to practice alot to become "one" with this bow!

I want my finesse & deadly accuracy to negate the effects of not getting a premium priced bow that has all the bells 'n whistles and that can take down a rhino......

My game is maximum 80lbs to 100lbs, say more like 65lbs average size to harvest. Only if I see that big boar then I'll try to take him out for a trophy. But this is primarily a meat hunt!

Any ideas! I am open to all suggestions.....

If its too much of a hassle do you think I could trap them, or even using a snare...

I think all would be OK with my friend, but I have to check again, but he did mention it in passing.....

you can buy a ready to hunt package from Martin archery for areound $400. Jaguar and Orion models. first things first, go to an archery shop and have your draw length measured. shoot a few bows if you can. ask questions. visit archerytalk.com

Also, look around a few local archery shops for used bows. if you take a little time you can usually come across some pretty good deals. A word about used bows though. make sure you have a competent expert/employee from a shop look it over to make sure the limbs/cams/etc are not damaged or show excessive wear. make sure it is adjustable to your draw length, and feels comfortable (after trying out a few bows, you'll see a difference in each one). Since you're hunting hogs, a good fixed blade broadhead would be preferred for the extra penetration. I'd also advise using carbon shafts rather than aluminum, but that's personal preference. As far a manufacturers go, bows have come a long way in the last decade, and it would be hard to find a bow that isn't decent compared to the older models. Anything that feels good to you should help you shoot better. The more brace height (the distance between the string and the grip) a bow has the more forgiving it will be, which is critical for beginning archers. DO NOT consider any bows with less than 7" of brace height. Strongly consider using a mechanical release. Your fingers will thank you. It may seem like a lot to digest, but it's fairly straight-forward, and a ton of fun. Good Luck, and enjoy

gd

PS
If its legal, you may want to consider a crossbow as well.

Just going to add that you should go to that shop and get measured/fitted for a bow that fits you as the others have said. Tell them what you just told us and see what they have to offer.
Oh, and be prepared to get addicted, odds are you are going to dig it.... a lot....

You'll need to decide if you want a traditional bow (recurve or longbow) or a "wheelie" bow. Traditional bows are a bit quicker to get a shot off with, but take more practice if you shoot them instinctively. Their range is also shorter. I wouldn't go under 55# if you're gonna hunt boars.

Cam bows have sights and you can become proficient with them slightly faster. They boast ~100 ft/sec velocity advantage over stick-n-string bows so their range can be extended somewhat. These also have "let-off" so you can hold at full draw...can't do that with a recurve!

Try to find and shoot both before ya lay yer $$ on the counter. And, as others have said, prepare to become addicted. Getting within yards or feet of an animal is definitely more of a challenge and a thrill than picking them off at 300 yards!

quote:

first things first, go to an archery shop and have your draw length measured. shoot a few bows if you can. ask questions. visit archerytalk.com

+ 1

Find out your draw length and the poundage range that you can use. Shoot as many bows as you can. I suggest buying a package deal from a good Archery shop that will also teach you the proper form and that will cut down the mistakes that will cost you your game.
Your going to like bow hunting! BT