[Jim]

Just starting out for the spring to learn how to bow hunt. Does any one here recommend a bow for a beginner adult and youth he's 9 to start out with. Big sale at Grandtroutfitters upto 75% off and I believe it ends this weekend. Moving the store just found out. Now bow hunting on a budget - LOL any ideas. Looks like a great sport very primaitive but I will probably only target shoot first year. Thanks in advance and I have read some stuff but all sales stuff. They are trying to sell.

[RedCat]

I shot targets for about 3 years before I felt I was ready to shoot at live critters. I now hunt only with a bow. Black bears and whitetails.

I would recommend that you get a forgiving bow, that usually means a longer brace height and also a longer axle to axle length. My first now I got used had a brace height of almost 8" and an axle to axle length of 36", my second bow I got new was a Bowtech Tomkat, it was a kit. Came with everything except arrows. It had a BH (brace height) of 8" and an ATA (axle to axle length) of 32". My newest bow is a Ross Cardiac, it has a BH of 7" and a ATA of 34".

Now I would recommend that you go as close to 8" as you can get in BH, I find the 7" BH is a little more difficult to shoot with my cold weather gear on. I am hunting in MB and sit all day in weather as cold as -30 or so at times. Don't lwet the salesmen get you on a speed bow, they have a very short BH and can be unforgiving to shoot for a beginner. For your son I would say get a Bear Apprentice, it will grow with him in the sport and won't break the bank. It has a draw weight adjustment from 20lbs to 60lbs. Check the regs in ontario to see what the minimum draw wieght is. Here in MB it is 45lbs I believe. Weight doesn't kill per say with a modern bow it is a well placed shot out of a well tuned bow. For you, the adult I would recommend a 60lbs max draw weight bow. A set of carbon arrows will last the beginner for years, don't spend big just get a basic set. I shoot Beman ICS Hunter shafts, althought the Beman bowhunter series if available is cheaper to get started. The difference is in the run out or variances in straightness. That variance is measured at 31" and for guys like me who shoot 27.5" arrows.... well I get much straighter arrows for way less.

How tall are you? Are you fit?

Here is a buck I shot a few years ago with my bowtech Tomkat. I shot him at 17yards, it was an easy recovery he only made it 25 yards from where I hit him. Shot was slightly quartering to, you can see the exit hole in the pic


PM me with any questions if you would like

[Jim]

Thanks for the report back it will be very helpful. 3 years I would be comfortable to shoot live if I ever do...lol. My son is the reason I believe the Belwood conservation weekend for kids they put on has him hooked. They do an incredible job based on kids education, involvement and conservation. Well his first try at a bow he was hooked - 1 plus hrs later we left that station. 2 hunting games and many hrs watching on TV he really wants to start his bow training. Nice buck too. Thanks again.

[georgianbaydrifter]

did that deer have 2 uptines or was it asymetrical, i have been considering bow hunting for awhile too. is it important to get a bow fitted or can you just buy used?

[RedCat]

That buck was 2.5 years old. I should say that I shot him because I wanted him..... I did but I also passed him up on 3 other occassions. He was young, I wanted a mature buck. BUT it was colder than a witches tit and I couldn't take him going by me day after day. The end of season was near and he would have been my biggest buck with a bow. I took the shot. I AM very proud of that deer. It was a one shot kill and he died very quickly. I mouth grunted at him when he was in my shooting lane and he stopped for the shot. He scoerd in at 99 14/16, just 2/16ths of an inch under a book buck for MB archery. He is a mainframe 4x4 with a split g2 on the right side. Turns out another hunter killed his older brother or father the year before, the racks were identical except mine was smaller. The older buck scored in at 152 gross and 148 and change net.

To cap off this story, in the next few days I continued to hunt. I still had a doe tag left to fill. After I killed this buck I had a 120" 4x4 buck go by and had him in the same shooting lane in which I killed this one. I had to pass as I already filled my buck tag. Thats hunting folks. The 120" 4x4 would have been my best with any weapon. It made me sick.

I am very proud of this buck! I am sure it shows in my face!

Georgianbaydrifter, you can buy used and get it fit for you after. Most bows nowadays come with either draw mods or an adjustable draw length. Each manufacturer has a slightly different draw length. My first bow was a 28" draw length, my second a 28" and my third is a 27.5". I would recommend getting a bow that adjusts without mods if you are buying used. Just remember that if you buy used then anytime you take it to the shop you will pay to have it worked on. Most shops where you buy new will do any minor work for free. The work that you have done adds up in time or you will learn to do it yourself. It might be a better idea to buy new but lower end to start with. A real pro shop is always best to buy from and not a big box store, the box store may even have a real bow tech in the shop. Accessories can be bought used at most pro shops so can dampen the cost. Go with the KISS methyod to start. Less moving parts the better. I am not saying go buy a recurve. Get a good compound bow that you shoot a trigger/release with. Just don't jump into the drop-away rest right away. The whisker biscuit is one of the best rests out there.

Any other questions I would be glad to help. I used to be rifle hunter...... then both.... now bow only

[georgianbaydrifter]

tree stand or ground blind?

[RedCat]

Treestand. But both are good under the right circumstances