New setup

[Gravelyctry]

Used bows are the way to go, although this might be a tough time to find one. Lots of guys buy the latest and greatest every year, and compounds depreciate quickly. A good b4and such as Mathew’s Hoyt or Bowtech would be what I’d look for in a used bow, then look at model specifics To see if it’s what you want.

Accessories add up quick. Id recommend a whisker biscuit for a rest. About as perfect as you can get - cheap and reliable as heck. I’d stay away from any drop away because there’s more than can go wrong.

Black gold 5 pin sight like their Rush. Again, least amount of things that can go wrong, and it’s made well, pins are plenty bright. And rock solid.

Quiver would be a Tite Spot 5 arrow. Attaches solidly, easy to remove if you want, holds arrows well, and keeps the bow setup width a bit narrower than others.

Releases are personal preference, and I think a lot of it has to do with what you start with and get comfortable with.

 

[Bob-WY]

Used is great IF AND ONLY IF you know what you are looking at, you dont,, no offense.

What brands does the shop you are at carry? Most will have multiple "kits", everything you need in one price. Don't overloom that. Almost all are very good quality

 

[fmnjr]

Today I shot 4 bows. PSE, Hoyt, Elite, Hoyt Carbon Fiber. Went with the Elite Terrain, QAD HDX drop away, HHA Tetra sight, wrist sling, peep for $1,317 total. If I had more time I'd go the used route but the timeline is too short to mess around. The bow will be ready early next week and I hope to be shooting it almost daily. Thanks for the suggestion about shooting it from different positions, will do.

 

[shannerdrake]

Good call getting the setup package. It will save you time chasing around issues.

If you didn’t already, make sure you get 12 matched arrows. You will break/damage/lose a few in the next few weeks and don’t want to be that guy trying to get arrows built two days before you leave. I wouldn’t head out west without 6 matched arrows with me.

Not all practice is similar. With that short of a turn before season make sure you are doing some quality “one shot practice” as well as mixing up your ranges and elevation. Also once you get dialed in, make sure you practice with your hunting arrow meaning that first arrow you will shoot at an animal with the broadhead screwed on and lighted nock pressed in (if using). I’ve seen a lot of guys a day or two before season switching to their final hunting arrow and learning about broadhead planing for the first time in their life and wonder why they are 5inches low.

I can pull my bow out, walk back to 60 yards, take my time, shoot three arrows with my slider adjusted to 60 and a feel real good by that 3rd arrow.

However, what about when my heart is pumping, I’m at some odd distance, and the animal is above or below me, I have to stop him in my shooting lane and I got one second to shoot?

When I get close to season I’ll get real intense and jog to get my heart rate up, pick an off distance that I don’t have a set pin for, nock, range, shoot, as quickly as I can but still be controlled. I’ll also mix in a shot where I have to hold back for 1-2 minutes before shooting. That’s a very practical exercise.

7 weeks is enough time if you are diligent and practice regularly and intentionally. I’m a big fan of blind baling or even shooting at 10 feet in my basement. I can still work on my draw cycle and my release not to mention muscle development and memory. That’s a great time to practice holding back for a long time but practicing a clean release.

Good luck! Archery is addicting.

 

[Dan O]

Curious what weight you settled on? When it comes to practice make it count... meaning stop shooting when you get tired or lose your concentration. Don't push yourself to where you develop bad habits. Being a new shooter start slow and develop a deliberate procedure and practice it each shot. Once that arrow is sent downrange ask yourself did you cover all the steps? And where did that arrow go, where you aimed or elsewhere. Analize it then work on your next shot.
Remember bad practice creates bad habits, don't fall into that trap.
Good luck and have fun.

 

[shannerdrake]

Curious what weight you settled on? When it comes to practice make it count... meaning stop shooting when you get tired or lose your concentration. Don't push yourself to where you develop bad habits. Being a new shooter start slow and develop a deliberate procedure and practice it each shot. Once that arrow is sent downrange ask yourself did you cover all the steps? And where did that arrow go, where you aimed or elsewhere. Analize it then work on your next shot.
Remember bad practice creates bad habits, don't fall into that trap.
Good luck and have fun.

This is amazing advice. I went through a bought of target panic and I developed a 6 step shot routine that I repeated verbally (under my breath) through ever shot sequence. It really took my shooting to the next level.

 

[Jezz]

Used bows are fine “if” you have shot the model. IMO bows are like woman…some fit, some will work in a pinch and others you’ll regret.

 

[fmnjr]

Curious what weight you settled on? When it comes to practice make it count... meaning stop shooting when you get tired or lose your concentration. Don't push yourself to where you develop bad habits. Being a new shooter start slow and develop a deliberate procedure and practice it each shot. Once that arrow is sent downrange ask yourself did you cover all the steps? And where did that arrow go, where you aimed or elsewhere. Analize it then work on your next shot.
Remember bad practice creates bad habits, don't fall into that trap.
Good luck and have fun.

60 lbs for now. This almost exactly what I was trying to do at the range today. Was deliberately going through the steps; laying in the arrow, fixing my hand position on the riser with loose fingers, being sure to get the anchor exactly right, squaring up my hips, opening my shoulders, then just holding there for a while to feel everything before ever so slowly pulling the release. I can tell I'm going to really like archery.

 

[fmnjr]

Good call getting the setup package. It will save you time chasing around issues.

If you didn’t already, make sure you get 12 matched arrows. You will break/damage/lose a few in the next few weeks and don’t want to be that guy trying to get arrows built two days before you leave. I wouldn’t head out west without 6 matched arrows with me.

Not all practice is similar. With that short of a turn before season make sure you are doing some quality “one shot practice” as well as mixing up your ranges and elevation. Also once you get dialed in, make sure you practice with your hunting arrow meaning that first arrow you will shoot at an animal with the broadhead screwed on and lighted nock pressed in (if using). I’ve seen a lot of guys a day or two before season switching to their final hunting arrow and learning about broadhead planing for the first time in their life and wonder why they are 5inches low.

I can pull my bow out, walk back to 60 yards, take my time, shoot three arrows with my slider adjusted to 60 and a feel real good by that 3rd arrow.

However, what about when my heart is pumping, I’m at some odd distance, and the animal is above or below me, I have to stop him in my shooting lane and I got one second to shoot?

When I get close to season I’ll get real intense and jog to get my heart rate up, pick an off distance that I don’t have a set pin for, nock, range, shoot, as quickly as I can but still be controlled. I’ll also mix in a shot where I have to hold back for 1-2 minutes before shooting. That’s a very practical exercise.

7 weeks is enough time if you are diligent and practice regularly and intentionally. I’m a big fan of blind baling or even shooting at 10 feet in my basement. I can still work on my draw cycle and my release not to mention muscle development and memory. That’s a great time to practice holding back for a long time but practicing a clean release.

Good luck! Archery is addicting.

The shop I'm working with is builds 12 arrows as a part of the package one buys. Going to use 6 of them to practice with. I like your method of getting the heart rate up and then shooting, I'll do it.....thanks.

 

[Aperventure]

I am glad to hear this recommendation. A month ago I bought a new Bowtech bow, 5 pin sight, tied in peep, drop away rest, tight spot quiver, wrist release, 12 arrows for $1300 out the door.

Set up for 60 lbs.

been practicing 60-120 arrows per week and still have a ways to go

7 weeks before your first archery elk hunt? yikes.

Go mid grade or better archery equipment. No sense in cheaping out an getting the cheapest stuff. There is a reason its the cheapest stuff.

Go with a simple QAD drop away thats cable driven, mid grade arrows, and a wrist rocket release, you dont have enough time to get proficient with a handheld. I like black gold sights with a tied in peep cause they are simple and bullet proof. Your going to have to shoot a ton the next 7 weeks.

Make sure you are at a draw weight that is really comfortable to pull back. 70lbs is not your huckleberry if your a newb. Lower weight with a simple cut on contact broad heads kill elk every year. No sense in tearing up your shoulders cause you dont know how to draw back properly. go 60lbs or less on draw weight.

 

[Indianajoe]

7 weeks before a hunt and no archery experience? that's rough, buy a good used setup and shoot it as much as possible. I always like to turn my bow down and get good form before lots of weight. good luck and keep us posted on your hunt.

 

[elkhnter]

I would recommend that you take 5 days and do a cold bow challenge, it will open your eyes.
If you feel you’re ready to take a 30 yard shot at an animal, that’s your range. Take one shot a day, no practice. If you can keep every arrow, preferably with a broadhead, in a 6” circle, you’re ready.
I know the zone on a elk is bigger than 6”, sometimes.
Good luck and keep us informed.

 

[fmnjr]

Update - the unit I was to elk hunt in CO was changed from OTC to draw. Those that I was invited to hunt with neglected to let me know until it too late to make other plans. But I now have an OTC AZ archery deer tag in my pocket, will be hunting there January 2023.

Crikey, new archery gear costs are petty steep. At least I can say I got more for my $$ than, say, someone who bought a French Bulldog for $3-5K!

Got a gear question, what is the preferred way to backpack carry a compound bow?

 

[kiwi hunter]

Update - the unit I was to elk hunt in CO was changed from OTC to draw. Those that I was invited to hunt with neglected to let me know until it too late to make other plans. But I now have an OTC AZ archery deer tag in my pocket, will be hunting there January 2023.

Crikey, new archery gear costs are petty steep. At least I can say I got more for my $$ than, say, someone who bought a French Bulldog for $3-5K!

Got a gear question, what is the preferred way to backpack carry a compound bow?

good luck next month,, look forward to that

 

[4ohSick]

Got a gear question, what is the preferred way to backpack carry a compound bow?

My take? In your hand. I've stumbled into elk on the approach before light, and I've run into them hiking along trails. Granted I still haven't gotten one with my bow, but I've had enough close encounters to know that it happens quickly and having your bow strapped to your back could be the difference. My only caveat - if I've hunted until last light and am hiking out in the dark in rough terrain or lots of deadfall, I'll occasionally strap the bow to my pack so I have both hands. My Mystery Ranch pack has two horizontal straps that hold the bow pretty well; it will vary by pack, but most will have some sort of compression straps that you can use.

 

[fmnjr]

Yeah, so I found out from elsewhere that I could hack a bow carrier from the kifaru gun bearer. Seems pretty stable and drops right out into my hands when I pop the top buckle. We'll see how it works.

 

[fmnjr]

Did a broadhead check out yesterday, went miserably. I'm torquing the bow somehow and causing the arrows to fall left 6-8 inches. Will be buying a block and some 100 gr broadheads to get this figured out. I'm doing the bleeding, instead of the deer!

 

[Wind Gypsy]

Did a broadhead check out yesterday, went miserably. I'm torquing the bow somehow and causing the arrows to fall left 6-8 inches. Will be buying a block and some 100 gr broadheads to get this figured out. I'm doing the bleeding, instead of the deer!

How do you know you're torqueing the bow and it isn't just out of tune? What broadheads are you using?

 

[Wind Gypsy]

Got a gear question, what is the preferred way to backpack carry a compound bow?

Are you asking the best way to carry it on your backpack or in your hand while backpacking? Lots of example videos out there for various packs, main thing is keep in mind is protecting the bottom cam from damage - avoid putting your pack down and having all the weight on the cam.

 

[fmnjr]

How do you know you're torqueing the bow and it isn't just out of tune? What broadheads are you using?

Rotated through a wide sample of broadheads over 1.5 hour period of shooting. Midway, we stopped and did some paper tuning. Up to that point, shots were consistently pulling left 6-8 inches. After tuning, things improved but still have a ways to go.