Seeking Information

[paul.eshelman]

Hey all! So im looking at buying my first bow to hunt elk with in colorado. i have researched a couple different bows and have a general idea of what im looking for. With that i will be the first in my family and hunting group to take up hunting archery so I dont have many resources locally to ask questions hence why i am posting on here. Anything i should look out for when purchasing a bow? Any tips and pointers for shopping for a bow? Any information will be greatly appreciated!!

Paul

 

[JohnCushman]

The biggest pointer I can give you is to shoot as many bows as humanly possible. It's cool that you did research, but one of those bows may not feel right in your hand or draw cycle or backwall. Shoot as many as you can get your hands on and make your decision from there. Don't get caught up on speed, which is the selling point of most companies. Find a bow you like and get it tuned as well as possible and get arrows you can afford (properly spined to your projected draw weight) and then worry about broadheads last. At lower poundage and lower speed you'll want a cut on contact head. Another piece of advice I can give you is to not start out at too high of a draw weight. Form and consistency is eveything, so get a lower draw weight and get your form down. Bows now a days are built to a point where you can shoot a lesser poundage and still get awesome performance, so there's no 'tough guy' complex about drawing as much as you can possibly pull. Find a weight that you can hold back comfortably for a minute or so and go with that. The last bit of advice is practice practice practice. You can never shoot too much. Practice from your knees and sitting and elevated and whatnot if you hunt from treestands or blinds or whatnot. Practice for every possible encounter you might have. Most of all..have fun!! Archery is a fun sport and can be frustrating at times, but worth the effort to get your first animal with a bow. Look at joining a local bow shop 3D league or get range time with an instructor. It's really easy to get frustrated and want to give up, but don't! Work on your form and everything usually falls into line.

 

[kenton]

as much as you can, don't go into it looking at this brand over that brand. Find shops where you can shoot a bunch of bows and go with the one that feels right for you.

 

[p_ham]

For me, i dont like aggressive cams that stack the peak weight as you approach the valley. I also like a solid wall, something i can pull against and keep steady.

As said above, shoot a lot bows and dont over do your draw weight. You want to be comfortable when you shoot so make sure you like the balance and overall feel of the bow. Dont get hung up on brands, take into consideration what your pro shop says, but dont take it for gospel. Get what you want, not what they want you to get.

 

[JohnCushman]

^^ Each different pro shop is going to push the bows they sell. Don't fall for it. Shoot as many different brand bows you can shoot from however many proshops it takes to find the bow you want.

 

[elkhnter]

One thing I’d throw in is, look at a longer ATA bow. They are more stable and easier to shoot. Shorter bows are the rage, but are better suited for treestands. Remember, speed doesn’t kill, accuracy does. As a good friend of mine used to say, it’s no good to miss the target faster than everyone else.

 

[NYSKIER]

Like already stated above I'd shoot as many bows as you can until you find something that feels comfortable and in addition to looking at a longer ATA bow you may want something with a longer brace height being a beginner every little bit helps. I second what John said you don't need to go muscle man and pick highest draw weight bow you can find. You don't need 70-80 lbs to kill and elk. After that it will be whatever feels right. When you shoot the right one you'll know.