I've been Deer hunting for 30 years using a rifle. I also hunt Turkey, Boar and Quail. Well, in California the A-Zone season for bowhunting started last Saturday. For some reason, it just struck me that day that I'm missing out on a very challenging and rewarding hunting experience. Could also be the 4 nice bucks I saw on my place 2 weeks ago.....

Anyway, I would like to hear from bowhunters about the bow you use and why, what arrows are accurate and perform best, and what equipment/manufacturers to consider and who to avoid.

I know that I'll need lots of archery practice prior to actually hunting so this years bow season is out for me.

 

PSE fire flight express, Old now but was close to the top of the line when I bought it.
1 7/8” Magnus 2 blade broad heads
Arrows have to be splined for the draw weight of your bow,
As with anything there are as many opinions as there are product
The faster the bow the more accurate you need to shoot.
More let off means longer holding time for the shot.

 

Don't bow hunt, but my brother swears by it. I hunt in Idaho where the 7 point royal elk still roams.
Yep, I did get one, but not in the last thirty years. I was only 12 then. I would give ten thousand bucks to have a picture of that. But my Dad didn't take the camera! But the picture lives in my mind folks, so vivid! Hell with todays tech, maybe they could print one off my mind!

Rick

 

I use a Hoyt bow with easton epic carbon arrows tipped with 85 grain Grim Reaper expandable broad heads. Everything I have is near the bottom of the fancy and expensive catagory, but it was fine for starting out with. Now that I have been bowhunting for a couple years I will be looking to upgrade. The 2 main bows are Mathews or Hoyt around me. You should do what I did and get a less expensive model to begin with, then if you still are into it later ( and you will be) you can upgrade to a better bow. The best advice I can give you is find a good, reputable, quality bow shop and talk to the people there. They will let you try different bows, explain the details of all the bows, see what you are looking for, etc... Since you have been hunting for 30 yrs I'm sure you know some people who bowhunt who can steer you towards the right pro shop. Good luck. It's addicting.

 

My dad and brother bow hunt and a lot of my friends from back home do too. PSE, Hoyt, and Mathews are what pretty much everyone uses. Unfortunately I don't know any specifics for you. Like Jmudder said, i'm sure you know other bowhunters or at least a good pro shop nearby.

My dad always said there is nothing like the rush you get when you draw back that bow, target in sight with a decent shot. Good luck!

 

I bow hunt. I use a Mathews FX. Its a old bow but it shoots good & is very quiet. I use Gold Tip arrows & Muzzy 100 grain broadheads. I'd buy a Mathews legacy or switchback if I was getting a new bow.

 

PSE Bruin mine is brand new and I bought Muzzy Broadheads and it is an excellent bow that the hole package only cost about 5 bills, after I bought the case, trigger, ect...

 

Thank you for the replies and info. I'm going to a Pro-shop in Simi Valley next Saturday. I talked to the owner, Don Smith, on the phone yesterday and he was very helpful and was patient with the multitude of questions I asked. They have Mathews, PSE, Fred Bear, Reflex, Bowtech and Hoyt bows in stock and a place to test shoot them. I'll post afterwards on how it goes.


Thanks again!

Russ

 

Good Luck it is a very addictive thing to do, I hope you have the fun with it that I have had.

 

I shoot a BowTech Allegiance now, switched over from a Hoyt Vortec last year, I'm also shooting a drop-away arrowrest (whiskerbiscuits tend to tear our fletchings off) and have used Gold Tip XT and Pro Hunter arrows for the last 4-5 years. My dad and I have also tried a lot of mechanical expandable broadheads like the Vortex, the Aftershock, et al, and keep coming back to the Rocket Sidewinders. I've taken countless deer and two black bears with them and my 65# bow.

You might try trolling around on eders.com in the bowhunting forums (towards top of page) Lots of great people and great information, and impartial reviews.

Speaking of reviews, here is a good one on broadheads- very interesting...
CLICK ME!

 

well i havent hunted with bow yet but if i keep practices im hoping to this year. i shoot instictive with a longbow and it is a blast. it takes a lot of practice as you have to train your mind to shoot the bow where you want as there are no sights as on a compound. try shooting traditional you might find it's a blast i know ill hooked a will never shoot compound. have fun thats the whole point of archery

 

Welcome to the addiction. Or at least you will have it soon.

Any of the brand names you mentioned will do just fine. I will let you in on a little secret as well. You dont need the newest whiz bang thing on the market. I have killed a lot of northern Wisconsin whitetails with an old martin speed flight, and even a few with a 189 dollar buck masters btr (same company that makes fred bear bows) that I bought at wal-mart. They both got the job done.

Due to a bad shoulder though I have switched to a Parker easy draw for most of my cold weather hunting however when it is warm out I still carry the btr once in a while.

Personally I recommend fixed blade broad heads, although they can sometimes be a pain to tune for, you get much better penetration. Not to say that the mechanical ones dont work, they kill them just as dead, I just like the fact that I can get complete pass through shots at longer ranges with fixed blades.

Personally I prefer carbon arrows and a good trigger release, but that is up to you. I started shooting with fingers and easton xx75 aluminum arrows and they did the job.

Oh yeah, I also hunt with a rifle, and the thrill of taking a good buck with a bow is twice the rush!

 

Hillbillywagon is right- you can get just about anything and be succesful with practice. I grew up shooting old Jennings, Bear and Martin bows without sights. I think that was a lot more challenging. I do enjoy the security of having sights now that I am shooting animals though. Simple rule for us- if you're not confident in your shot placement, do NOT shoot at an animal. Wounded animals shot by inexperienced hunters out of practice or hunting while enjoying excessive "cool beverages" give all of us a bad name.

This is th first season we've used exclusively mechanical broadheads, I used to shoot Muzzys, Thunderheads, and Rocky Mountains before, and always wondered why my Muzzys seemed to have a mind of their own- inch here, inch-and-a-half there, yada yada. Check out the broadhead test link in my previous post- very interesting info there, for what it's worth...

You'll love it.

I've been thinking about getting into a longbow- I know a lot of guys doing it, and they love it.

 

shooting traditional (longbow, recurce) is an absolute blast i invite all the compound shooters to try it a couple of times you might find it's even more fun.

 

I just got into bowhunting last year, and I'm already addicted. No matter what stuff you get for it, it seems like I'm always looking for an upgrade. I've put as much into the bow as I did to buy the bow. I shoot a Fred Bear compound. Its a lower model, but it still shoots good enough for me. It seems like talking with all the hunters I work with, arrows, rests and sights are all a personal preference. I shoot carbons, another guy swears by his aluminum shafts with feathered fletching. I shoot with a drop rest, and another guy wont ever buy one.