Bow Hunters I Need Help

[I luv herfrds]

Son has decided he wants to learn to bow hunt. :help:
Went into a sporting goods store and found a nice bow for him. Now I know nothing about bow hunting except what I see on the hunting shows.

All I know about this bow is it had Pioneer II on it, goes from 29# to 70#, has a primos peg sight and some funny little deal that is suppose to hold the arrow and be silent when being drawn. It also has those wheely things on the top and bottom. Sorry I don't know what they are called. It also comes with 4 pratice arrows and a quiver on it. A clerk helped us find it.

OK. Other then lots of practice, what else should I teach him????
He wants to go after elk and deer.

 

[dun]

OK. Other then lots of practice, what else should I teach him????
He wants to go after elk and deer.

Shot placement and most importantly, tracking skills.

 

[rattler]

Son has decided he wants to learn to bow hunt. :help:
Went into a sporting goods store and found a nice bow for him. Now I know nothing about bow hunting except what I see on the hunting shows.

All I know about this bow is it had Pioneer II on it, goes from 29# to 70#, has a primos peg sight and some funny little deal that is suppose to hold the arrow and be silent when being drawn. It also has those wheely things on the top and bottom. Sorry I don't know what they are called. It also comes with 4 pratice arrows and a quiver on it. A clerk helped us find it.

OK. Other then lots of practice, what else should I teach him????
He wants to go after elk and deer.

ILH make sure you get a bow that fit's him have him measured get the right draw lenth way to many folk's buy a bow thinking it is what they need only to find out down the road somewere it is too long or too short.Don't but a bow that the draw weight is set too heavy most compond bow's go say #50to60 or #60-70.When i shot i used a realese aid.Take your son to someone who know's what they are doing get them to measure him and ask their opinion chance's are the will set the bow up for him.hope this help's

rattler

 

[novatech]

After doing the above, try and find someone to instruct him on the basics. Add a good set of sights. And anchor (where you pull back to next to the corner of the lip) in the same place every time.

 

[I luv herfrds]

Thanks for the replies. He is taking both Hunters Safety and Bow Hunters Safety this coming spring.
Going to ask around town, there is a bow hunters set up near the county shop, will try to find someone to help him out.

rattler we took a few of those bows down to look at them and even I couldn't pull the things back. Finally figured it out on the tag what the draw weight was. We were trying 60#-70#. Ok bow release, anything else?

dun he is getting pretty good at tracking, his adopted "grandpa" has been teaching him, he's a trapper.

 

[rattler]

Thanks for the replies. He is taking both Hunters Safety and Bow Hunters Safety this coming spring.
Going to ask around town, there is a bow hunters set up near the county shop, will try to find someone to help him out.

rattler we took a few of those bows down to look at them and even I couldn't pull the things back. Finally figured it out on the tag what the draw weight was. We were trying 60#-70#. Ok bow release, anything else?

dun he is getting pretty good at tracking, his adopted "grandpa" has been teaching him, he's a trapper.

ILH i think novatech purty well sumed it up in his post.Just remember it is easy to sink alot of $ into a a good set up i have messed with bow's for year's my last bow was a Parker i really liked it but PSE and Mathews makes a really good bow's also but big $
I think Hoss is a avid bowhunter you might pm him for some info also good luck.

rattler

 

[flaboy]

I could write book on this but I am no pro by no means. I started shooting left handed (because I am) and ended up shooting right handed just due to lack of selection for left hand. Lots of good advice above. I would try to find someone who really knows the basics of good shooting rather than someone who shoots year round by instinct and is good. Good form, release techniques, anchor points, targeting, etc.

I would start him shooting with fingers and then later move to a trigger release. I got to where I could shoot pie plates easily out to distances of about 25 yards. Later I broke down and bought a trigger release and I found I could hit tea cups and the same distances.

 

[Fly-guy]

ILH - I have several pieces of advise since you asked. First, stay away from a pawn shop, more than likely they know even less than you do about bows and are interested in selling you anything just to make a sale. How old is your son and are you certain that he is REALLY is interested in bow hunting? For the amount of money it will take to set him up, you'd better make sure his heart is in it.

Pse, Parker, Bow Tech and Mathews will be excellent choices, unfortunately all of these bows are expensive. Which ever brand of bow you decide on, I would make sure it has cams instead of wheels. Next, put a "fiber" site on it, a whisker biscuit arrow rest, and a "string loop" to connect the caliper trigger release to.

I strongly suggest using carbon arrows with a good quality broadhead like a 100gr. Muzzy and a quick release quiver. Opps, almost forgot to have you add a peep site to the bow string, that will make a world of differance in accuracy. I would look for a Mom & Pop bow shop, Bass Pro or Gander Mountain to help select and set the bow up.

Just to give you an idea of the expense: Fiber sight $70, whisker biscuit $40, caliper release $40, string loop $2.00, 1 dozen carbon arrows $80, 3 pack of Muzzys $18, quiver $30, peep site $10, bow $250 - $700. So just be sure he is really interested in it.

I've hunted with rifle, muzzel loader, pistol and bow and can tell you that I've enjoyed the bow more than any other method. I don't get as many deer with a bow but I've seen many things in nature that a firearms hunter will ever see. One other thing, keep him interested in hunting and there is a good chance you won"t have to worry about drugs, alcohol and undesireable friends.

Good luck!

Fly-guy

 

[backhoeboogie]

Everything that has said so far is good. This can turn to a Ford/Chevy discussion. Most every bow hunter likes something a little different.

I like the T.M. Hunter arrow rest better than anything else I have ever used.

In '85 I tracked a deer for two days and never found it. No way it survived. I went to the trigger released after that and never lost another. Just like Flaboy says, the trigger release makes a world of difference no matter how good you are with a glove.

Bow fishing is fun and it teaches you a great deal on judging distance etc. Once he is good, take him to the river and let him shoot trash fish. Less boring than the target. Get a good spool tho. You don't want arrows coming back from the end of a nylon string.

 

[I luv herfrds]

Thanks Fly-guy.
We went to the sporting goods store and looked at a brand new bow.
Son is 11 yo. He has been hunting with me since he was 3. He is looking forward to next year the state gives all 12yo first time hunters deer, elk tags, fishing and bird lisences.

The bow we looked at has the whisker biscuit, site pegs and peep site on it already.

Thanks for the info on the arrows, didn't know that.

Thanks backhoe.
I am sure learning alot on this subject.
Already told his "grandpa" the trapper he gets to take him hunting elk. :lol2: :lol2:

 

[Fly-guy]

ILH,

If my son were 11 and thinking about bow hunting, I wouldn't be to interested in spending very much on archery equipment just yet. I would wait untill he is 14 or 15 before I got interested in good equipment.
It sounds like he has about 3 years to do some target shooting to see if he is really interested in bow hunting.

Fg

 

[bandit80]

Like others have said, you could write a book on this.

Be sure he can pull the bow back EASILY, and can hold it held back for a fair amount of time. The deer I shot yesterday morning, I had to hold the bow back for probably 45 seconds before I got the shot off. He can turn the poundage up as he gets older and stronger. Also be sure the bow fits him. Be prepared because he will out-grow this bow more than likely, and you will be shelling out more $$!!

Practice, practice, practice.

Having a bowhunter teach him the ropes would be ideal. I've never hunted Elk, but deer a lot of. He will need to hunt from a treestand or a good ground blind. I prefer a stand, as do most other people. He should hunt around food sources, travel areas, and areas where deer are "funneled" into traveling. A narrowing strip of timber in the woods, or a natural funnell caused by a ravine, pond, river, etc. Aerial photos are best at finding a natural funnel and/or travel routes. They will be his friend when choosing where to hunt a particular property.

Be sure to play the wind. Deer and elk live and die by their nose. The wind needs to be blowing away from the direction he expects the deer to be taveling to/from. Videos are pretty good at showing kill shots, but anymore they don't teach people how to hunt in my opinion. Only show the deer getting shot. Deer and Deer hunting has a good website. www.deeranddeerhunting.com They have a forumn much like here where he can ask questions and people will respond. That would be a good place to start as well.

 

[Horticattleman]

I've been a bowhunter for years and could go on and on about all kinds of details. I personally shoot Parker and love them.

Just make sure of the basics:

1. Dont spend a pile of money on the first one. Its a different sport and requires some different methods. He may not even like it.

2. DONT go over on draw weight. 50lbs is plenty to kill a deer. I have buddies who think it makes them more manly to shoot 80 lbs. I shoot 60 and can hold that thing at full draw for much longer if need be. And I can practice more because I'm more comfortable.

3. Sling some arrows. Bunches of them as often as he can.


One of the best websites for bows and information is http://www.huntersfriend.com. Everything you need to know about bowhunting and super prices on bows and packages.

 

[lilmac]

2. DONT go over on draw weight. 50lbs is plenty to kill a deer. [/b]

In my neck of the woods 40# is the minimum that you can hunt with legaly, so check your laws, and make shure that he can pull and hold that.
My 11 yo grandson has trouble with that much weight.
Mac

 

[Horticattleman]

Here the minimum is 30, and I feel that is still plenty to kill a deer with a good shot at a reasonable range.

 

[I luv herfrds]

Here's the bow, picked it up today. It is a Bear Pioneer 11

You can see the peg sight and whisker biscuit.

This was suppose to be the compound part. :???:

There we go.

 

[Fly-guy]

Just got back from my first Kansas bow hunt this year and can tell you that 65 lbs was enough draw weight to drop a 3x4 white tail. He was a 4x4 but had broken one point off - another good hunt anyway! I plan to go back in a week or two and try to fill a doe tag.

F-g

 

[rattler]

ILH look's like you done good fine looking bow now remember practice dont start out shooting for hour's at a time you are not built up to your bow ant you tend to pick up bad habbit's when you get tired .Good luck


rattler

 

[I luv herfrds]

Thanks rattler. Just going to take our time and sight it in first then start practicing for awhile every other day. That way he doesn't get burned out and builds strength in his arms.

 

[bandit80]

Thanks rattler. Just going to take our time and sight it in first then start practicing for awhile every other day. That way he doesn't get burned out and builds strength in his arms.

Don't even wory about sighting in all of your yardage pins the first time. Sight in a 10 yard pin and get comfortable at that range. Then move back to 20 and get comfortable there. Next 30, and so on. I go back to 40 yards. I try to set up so most of my shots are 20-35 yards.