Getting Started In Hunting With Archery Equipment
I have been a hunter/outdoorsman for as long as I can remember. From the days I tagged along with my dad in the squirrel woods to present day where I'm usually in the woods more than I'm out from September through February. I live in a state (Arkansas) where the deer season runs from October 1st to February 28th if you hunt with archery equipment. Although today's bows and accessories are much more accurate and easy to handle, hunting and harvesting a deer with a bow and arrow still remains at the top of the list for hunting challenges. Hunting with archery equipment is a sport I dearly love and I never pass on a chance to introduce people to the sport. I would like to give anyone reading this article some insight on what is involved in getting started in the sport of archery hunting.
First, a bow and arrow are not the type of equipment that can be used to hunt for the five months of the hunting season and then stored for seven months and then go hunting again opening day of the next season. This equipment requires at least some dedication to upkeep and of course, practicing. So I will warn you, if you are not the type person who will spend an hour or two each week practicing, don't go into the woods expecting any great degree of success. On the other hand, if a person dedicates some time to getting really good at shooting a bow, it can be as deadly and accurate as any rifle from 35-40 yards or less.
Now, let's talk about equipment. When I first started bow hunting compound bows had just recently made their debut into the world of hunting. They rapidly became a highly coveted piece of equipment with almost all bow hunters. The reason for this was because of the let off at full draw. Before the compound bow, the best bows were re-curve bows and holding them at full draw for even a very short time was difficult at best. A compound bow, by use of a pulley and cable system, starts at one draw weight and then at full draw lets off to a lesser weight. Most early compounds had between 40 and 50 percent let offs. This meant you could be shooting a 100 pound draw bow but only be holding 50 pounds at full draw. Today compound bows have evolved so far that you can now buy a bow that will let off of up to 80 percent at full draw. Of course the more bells and whistles the bow has the price increases also. There are so many good bows on the market at prices ranging from 200 dollars and up that I wouldn't even pretend to advise in this article which bow would be good and which not. What I will say to the beginner that is serious about this sport is to buy what you can afford but also don't make price the main factor. You may find a great bow in the 300 dollar price range but for a few more dollars get a comparable bow with more accessories or features. Most of all don't go cheap! Give yourself a chance to enjoy the sport without the aggravation of cheap, malfunctioning equipment. If for some reason cheap is all you have right now, consider saving for a while until you can buy quality it will be worth the wait.
Sights, some bows come with them, most don't. Don't get cheap here either. You can have a thousand dollar bow with a sight that won't stay sighted in or malfunctions and you might as well throw rocks at your target because you won't hit it with your arrow. Arrows are also a piece of hunting equipment that takes a little consideration. Most hunters like aluminum arrows because they are not as expensive when you lose or get one broken when shooting at your quarry. Most target shooters prefer carbon shafts for accuracy. Either one can be used for target or hunting and I believe this is just a matter of preference.