I am totally new to bow hunting and know very little about it other than the real basics. I am looking for advise as to what brand, pull weight, etc. I should start out with and not waste a bunch of money in the process.

The best thing I can tell you is get yourself to a qualified pro-shop that has many different brands to try.

Then plan on spending an afternoon shooting different bows to find the ONE that fits you, suits you and feels right.

Then that's the bow you should be hunting with.

I prefer my Forge Woodsman bow. It's adjustable from 40 - 70 lbs, and I like the way the bow feels when I shoot it.

There's no vibration, no recoil, and I find I can shoot it very accurately.

So for me, I find that Forge Bows work very well. But you might be different.

A qualified pro-shop will be able to check your draw length, advise you on anchor points and coach you through what feels right in a bow.

I shoot a Mathews Monster Seven. It's a twin cam hot rod.

Find a shop that will let you try three or four different brands.

Rich

Heres my opinion, BUT its an opinion that has come from more than 50 years of shooting all kinds of bows and bowhunting a LOT. I would start every new potential bowhunter with a cheap RECURVE bow. Why? A whole lot of reasons. One you can learn to shoot and love shooting without worrying that you have last years model, rest, sights, release etc.., you don't have to have a whole toolbox or go running to the proshop, to have something adjusted. NO EXCUSES, everytime I go to a shoot with compound guys, EVERYTIME they miss,"Its the equipment", some piece of their equipment gets the blame. Whenever I miss, they say "what happened", I say, "I missed". When I used to shoot a compound, I'd shoot for a few minutes and quit, why? I was BORED, when I go to the range all my compound shooting buddies want to try my recurve and then they won't let me have it back, why? They say "this is fun". When I shot 3-D, they would ocasionally have a target at four or five feet. You should have heard the compound boys whining about that, "I don't have a PIN for four feet", I'd say "just shoot it instinctive", they say, "I don't know how!", Even if you decide to hunt with a compound, starting with a recurve will make you a better HUNTER and a better shot.

Loboga, that sounds like good advice. I was told that very same thing a long time ago about a recurve. Learn to use it well and THEN move on to a compound. Again, I know nothing about bows.
What is a reasonable range for a recurve?

Rae as with any bow range depends on the shooters skill level.Most recurve and longbow shooters are generally good out to 30-40 yds or so.There's two ways you can go.Either find an inexpensive used bow or better buy a new takedown.Go with something light to start about 45lbs at your draw length.As your muscles/skill develop you can buy heavier limbs and use the light ones for small game.

I generally don't throw out links to other sites, but since you are in New Braunfels, I'm gonna throw this out to ya. Google up TexasBowHunter.com, and get on that forum. There are lots of guys on there right down in your area that would be more than willing to help ya. Get on the campfire and ask around, they will lead you to some bowshops, etc in your area to help ya out.

I would say go ahead and get a compound, they are so much easier to shoot and will get you up to speed alot faster. Don't worry about speed or power, nearly any compound out there has plenty of gas for whitetails. Get something smooth that you enjoy shooting, with a decent brace height, moderate cams, and not too short axle to axle and you should be good to go. Just get out there and fling some arrows and have fun with it.

I just had one of the best customer service experience ever with New Breed Archery. An from what I am reading on Archerytalk.com I am not the only one. I just bought a Cyborg. The company is new but the owners a vets of the industry. Worth taking a look at.

I've shot, owned and hunted with every kind of bow there is and I would start everyone out with an inexpensive pistol grip type recurve, learn all the basics, if you decide later that you want to shoot a compound, you can always keep the recurve for a backup, for when some part breaks on the compound. An average adult make can shoot a 40-45# no problem and without thinking about anything, but shooting. Starting out with a stickbow will make you a better hunter and shot.

Rae,,,like has been said,, go to a pro shop in your area, there are several. Normally you will find more experience there than if you go to one of the major retailers with a "bow" area in the store. There is a huge difference between many of the bows. I have been shooting for,,,,, too many years, what feels good and draws smooth to me may not do the same for you. When you are first hunting, a midrange priced bow may feel just as good as their top end,, and I assure you,, both are just as deadly. Put it in your hand and see what fits you and get some tips on proper technique from the pro there so you develope good shooting skills,, no different than golf, retraining yourself out of bad habits is tough.

I shoot a Diamond Iceman.....and I absolutely love it. Amazingly smooth shooting bow!!

Go to a good proshop and they'll put you into a good bow. I started with recurves as a kid and moved to a compound in my late 20's. I still like to mess with the recurves and longbows.

But I think I'd start with a compound if I were starting now. If I started with a recurve, I'd use one with a sight. And I'd make sure the pro shop knew how to set up a recurve. I like my Hoyt, but most of the target and 3D guys at my range shoot Matthews.

Hope this helps,
Steve

quote:

Originally posted by skl1:
Go to a good proshop and they'll put you into a good bow. I started with recurves as a kid and moved to a compound in my late 20's. I still like to mess with the recurves and longbows.

But I think I'd start with a compound if I were starting now. If I started with a recurve, I'd use one with a sight. And I'd make sure the pro shop knew how to set up a recurve. I like my Hoyt, but most of the target and 3D guys at my range shoot Matthews.

Hope this helps,
Steve

Steve's right. Everyone has their personal preferences as to what bow is "the best," kind of like a Ford vs. Chevy vs. Dodge argument.

Go to a reputable pro shop and talk to them. Let them know you're a novice shooter and if they're any good at all, they'll let you shoot a number of different bows so you can find out what feels best to you in your price range.

They'll also advise you on accessories like sight, release, arrows, find your proper arrow length and set the bow up properly for little or no fee.

Longbows and recurves are also deadly hunting tools, but if you're interested in actually hunting, require a much longer learning curve than a compound bow.

So my advice to you is to go to a pro-shop and let them advise you on the equipment you need.

Hey Rich did not know you are a bowhunter!!

Yes try out a whole bunch of bows and decide for yourself which one you like the most and with which one you feel the most comfortable with, dont let any salesman try and and push you to a specific brand.
I have always used Bowtech, but shot a Mathews Reezen the other day and got a BIG surprise!

quote:

Originally posted by Idaho Sharpshooter:
I shoot a Mathews Monster Seven. It's a twin cam hot rod.

Find a shop that will let you try three or four different brands.

Rich

This is a realy good answer, leaving out line #1

Another + to what Sharpshooter and Ted Thorn stated (except for the part about the Mathews bow).

I disagree with trying to start with a recurve. I'd start with something smooth and easy to draw and hold at full draw. I'd use a good (but not real expensive) release and a sight system that's easy for you to use.

I know, I know, EVERYONE that shoots a compound, thinks everyone else should shoot a compound. Absolutely no doubt a compound is easier to shoot, you can get the pro shop to set it up for you and few minutes of instruction and you will be go to go. However, you will have learned NOTHING about archery or tuning a bow or how to make an arrow fly right. I realize that the vast majority of people have no interest in learning anything and simply want to lay down their credit card and go. I also know that you get out of something what you put into and if it takes you no effort to learn, you aren't going to get much out of it other than the easy way to kill something.

quote:

Originally posted by loboga:
I know, I know, EVERYONE that shoots a compound, thinks everyone else should shoot a compound. Absolutely no doubt a compound is easier to shoot, you can get the pro shop to set it up for you and few minutes of instruction and you will be go to go. However, you will have learned NOTHING about archery or tuning a bow or how to make an arrow fly right. I realize that the vast majority of people have no interest in learning anything and simply want to lay down their credit card and go. I also know that you get out of something what you put into and if it takes you no effort to learn, you aren't going to get much out of it other than the easy way to kill something.

Thgere's some truth to what you say. BUT, most people don't have the time to invest in order to learn to shoot a bow accurately enough to kill at a reasonable hunting distance.

So, my question to you...

Is it better to have a beginner begin bowhunting with a relatively easy to use compound bow; OR get frustrated and give up with a recurve????

I test shot a bunch of market leader bows and then got my hands on a Genetix bow from New Breed Archery which is a smaller company. I fell in love with it.

quote:

Originally posted by SkyJacker:
I test shot a bunch of market leader bows and then got my hands on a Genetix bow from New Breed Archery which is a smaller company. I fell in love with it.

There are a lot of good companies out there that few people have heard of. Like Genetix, I found Forge Bows to fit me just fine, shoot well, and are just as quiet, lightweight and fast as any of the top "name bows" out there.

Check the classifieds. Biebs has a Bowtech Destroyer IIRC for sale there.
Hard to go wrong with one.

Rich

quote:

Thgere's some truth to what you say. BUT, most people don't have the time to invest in order to learn to shoot a bow accurately enough to kill at a reasonable hunting distance.

So, my question to you...

Is it better to have a beginner begin bowhunting with a relatively easy to use compound bow; OR get frustrated and give up with a recurve????

The fact is that the vast majority of new "bowhunters" quit within two years, regardless of what bow they start when they find out it isn't so easy as they thought. These days 90%+ of those new bowhunters will be starting with a compound, so the argument about giving up with recurve is invalid. In fact in my experience, since the compound requires little more than a cash investment, its actually the opposite. People that start with a stickbow actually enjoy shooting more and stay with it far longer, although many do end up switching to a compound for hunting.

Bow's are very personal equipment what works for one may not be the best for another. There is a wide range of bows for different needs out there. A lot of the market is driven by 3-D target shooting, this equipment has advanced the average bow tremedoulsy but is not necessary for most deer hunting.

You need to decide how you hunt and that will help tailer what type of bow to get, all wil get the job done some are better for a specific situation. Read the bow hunting magazines and check the forums that were sited above, it is very easy to get caught up in the equipment craze, it does help, but you are HUNTING get closer for the shot if you can't make a 40 yarder.

Do you hunt from tree stands, towers, blinds, spot and stalk? short axel to axel bows are better in Tree stands and Blinds. But creates nock pinch and are harder to shoot without a release.

Do you intend to shoot fingers or with a release,...most use a release now and that will get you shooting accurately quickly but is another piece of equipment to have, maintain, and if you loose or it fails in the woods you are SOL!

What range do you expect/intend to shoot, when I started in my state the average bow shot was 15 yards, it is proably 25 yards now due to change in field conditions and equipment. Out west and proably in texas 30-40 is proably more typical. You will want a faster bow aroung the 250-300fps Ibo rating. I have never had to shoot past 20 yards so far but I'm in some thick cover!

Do you have any interest in 3-d competion it is good practice, but to be competive in a tournament you use different equipment. Most do have a hunters class thought now.

How physically strong are you? The high let off bows 65-80% allow you to hold the bow a long time, but you should be able to pull the bow back in one smooth motion and not have to grunt and strain to get it back, 60lb draw is the typical but you can get lower or higher draw weights.

Once you narrow down things a bit people can give you some more specific answers, but it usually is a evolving proccess as your abilities increase and needs change.

That is why going to a good pro shop and trying lots of different models will give YOU some insight in what works for you. Have fun.

Hey RAE59-

It looks like you got some great advice.

Let us know what you decided.

Thx,

quote:

Originally posted by Idaho Sharpshooter:
Check the classifieds. Biebs has a Bowtech Destroyer IIRC for sale there.
Hard to go wrong with one.

Rich

Probably changed it for a bushmen stick and arrow Rich!

I second the motion to go to a Bow shop and try different bows. Mathews hard to beat though...