Bow recommendations please

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I am celebrating another birthday in a couple of weeks and I have decided to buy myself my first compound bow. My ultimate intention is to learn to bow hunt. I have no bow experience and close to no knowledge.
It doesn't appear to be too big of an investment, but I would still like to make it count. Any suggestions would be appreciated. I think I am going to pick up a youth bow for my kids as well - ages 7-9.
Thanks all.
 
Happy birthday and welcome to the insanity we call bowhunting.

Bows need to be fitted so the best place to start is a local archery shop. You might want to start with something used as you can easily drop a G note on a new top bow package with sights arrows and quiver etc.

I would also recommend a few lessons to get started. It speeds up the learning curve and prevents starting with bad habits.

Bob
 
I don't think I have seen bows for sale anywhere but Cabela's and Bass pro. Are those my only choices? I'm in metrowest.
 
I will give you one piece of advice. Place your hand on a vertical post and loosely grip it. Now, with your arm fully extended, rotate your arm counter-clockwise. This is going to save you some blood vessels in your arm. If the string hits your arm when it is not in this position, the bruise will cover your arm. Where the string hits it. Nice and black.

My wife tried archery on our honeymoon, once.
 
I don't think I have seen bows for sale anywhere but Cabela's and Bass pro. Are those my only choices? I'm in metrowest.

Noooooo. Stay away from a big box stores. You want an archery shop where that’s all they do. I’m sure that there are some but I don’t know what there is out there.

Bob

ETA:

This thread has a lot of shops listed:
New to me bow. Where to get adjusted?
 
I don't think I have seen bows for sale anywhere but Cabela's and Bass pro. Are those my only choices? I'm in metrowest.
How far are you willing to travel?
300 Archery Rindge NH
Pelletier Sport Shop Jaffrey NH
Grrr Gear Inc Orange MA
R&R Sports Shop Belchertown MA (near the intersection of Rts 9 and 202)
 
I will give you one piece of advice. Place your hand on a vertical post and loosely grip it. Now, with your arm fully extended, rotate your arm counter-clockwise. This is going to save you some blood vessels in your arm. If the string hits your arm when it is not in this position, the bruise will cover your arm. Where the string hits it. Nice and black.

My wife tried archery on our honeymoon, once.
My wife also dry fired a bow once....once. Nasty bruise ,lasted weeks
 
How far are you willing to travel?
300 Archery Rindge NH
Pelletier Sport Shop Jaffrey NH
Grrr Gear Inc Orange MA
R&R Sports Shop Belchertown MA (near the intersection of Rts 9 and 202)

Do not go to Cabela's or Bass Pro for this. If your new, go to a shop.

Grrr Gear is going out of business....so don't go there.

I recommend Pelletiers, they carry the Mathews, Bowtech, and PSE and others. You won't see many that carry Mathews and Bowtech, which are basically the two top tier brands as far as sales go. They take the time with new shooters to go over needs and wants and fit. They set up the bow very professionally and paper tune it. There is no tax on your purchase.

As far as the youth bow, your lucky, they make some very highly adjustable bows now that will grow with the kids. Again, Pelletiers will have those as well.
 
I believe that the string hitting your forearm and dry firing are two separate issues.

When the string of a drawn bow is released the energy stored in the bow limbs is transferred to the arrow. With no arrow to transfer the energy to the energy is dissipated in the limbs, this can cause de-lamination of the fiberglass limbs or other problems like having the string jump off the pulleys. Dry firing then is not a good idea.

It is always a good idea for beginners to wear an arm guard to protect their forearm. Poor technique and/or lack of muscle tone can result in the string brushing the forearm resulting in that nasty bruising.
 
You may also consider finding a club with an indoor range and joining an archery league.

It is a bit far from you but as an example, A unique club that offers choices for family outdoor adventure enthusiasts! Townsend Rod and Gun Club has a 20 yard indoor archery range that is accessible to members 24/7, except when the room is being used for other functions. Functions are typically club meetings, archery leagues, game dinner and the occasional rental.

You do not need to be a member to join one of the archery leagues.
 
Big Al's in Salisbury is a decent shop. If you are serious about bow hunting (and you will or have taken the course to get an archery hunting license) than there is nothing better than a Mathews Bow. I have the Triax... it's compact, quiet and fast. Great for stands or blinds, but they have other great models. You have 10+ months to prepare for next season!
 
In Massachusetts the archery course isn’t required, but I recommend it anyway, as the hunting license is sold as a Sportsman’s license which includes archery, shotgun, and muzzle loader seasons.

In states like Connecticut that sell the licenses separately you will need the archery specific course to buy their archery hunting license.

Bob
 
It's funny, I rarely saw deer in my town at my properties, especially my home, until I started considering hunting again. The past 6 months I have seen does and even bucks regularly. Yesterday morning at about 6am an 8 point buck walked to within 15 yards of my home office window. Very motivating. Planning a trip to Reedy's.
 
Oh man... if you ask 12 different people they will tell you 12 different brands are the best.

Fact is a great many are good. Bear, PSE, Mathews, Bowtech, Hoyt, Mission (which is the Mathews value line), Prime..... just to name a few..

Go to an archery shop. Reedy’s is awesome if you’re in SE Mass. Try different bows and get the one YOU like. Grip size, angle, balance, feel, over all length, etc.... Plus a bow does need to be sized to your draw length. Then it needs to be tuned to your preferred draw weight and arrow selection. This is best done by people with experience (another reason you should hit up a pro shop and not big box) Big box is a no fly zone for this.

I have about 1700 bucks into mine with all the accessories they require... sights, quiver, arrow rest, and what not... it’s not an insignificant amount of money. So a pro shop will help you get it right..

I do all my own work now. Tuning, string changes, cutting shafts and making arrows, etc... It’s addicting if your a tinkerer.
Started off just looking for a way to extend the season and now I’ve got a archery workshop I’m my basement.
 
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In Massachusetts the archery course isn’t required, but I recommend it anyway, as the hunting license is sold as a Sportsman’s license which includes archery, shotgun, and muzzle loader seasons.

In states like Connecticut that sell the licenses separately you will need the archery specific course to buy their archery hunting license.

Bob

It is a sporting license but you still need the archery and primitive stamps if hunting with a bow or muzzleloader equipment. They’re cheap though, like 5 bucks a pop.
 
It is a sporting license but you still need the archery and primitive stamps if hunting with a bow or muzzleloader equipment. They’re cheap though, like 5 bucks a pop.

I remember when it was a single primitive weapons stamp and there were no doe tags. Either sex with a primitive weapon. Seems like a lifetime ago.

Bob
 
I too am an archery noob. Over the summer I bought a Diamond Infinite Edge Pro. It was about $240 as a package. It was then $30 for a fitting at RnR in belchertown.

I didn’t want to drop a fortune on a first bow and the one I got reviewed well on amazon.

I can recommend RnR or arrowspeed in Chicopee.
 
I remember when it was a single primitive weapons stamp and there were no doe tags. Either sex with a primitive weapon. Seems like a lifetime ago.

Bob

Yeah...remember those days. You could take a doe in archery or muzzleloader anywhere anytime.....

I actually do prefer the way they do it now though, they have more control with zonal doe tags as long as people don't shoot a doe in one zone and check it in another.
 
Yeah...remember those days. You could take a doe in archery or muzzleloader anywhere anytime.....

I actually do prefer the way they do it now though, they have more control with zonal doe tags as long as people don't shoot a doe in one zone and check it in another.
Are you supposed to check your deer in the zone where you took it? I have a few spots I may hit spread throughout 4n and 4s. My check station would be in 4S.
 
Take a drive to Big als archery in seabrook. Shoot several, don’t get hung up the latest crap. You can get a good bow off Craigslist even where you get it at a 40% discount then just have it set up for you at an archery shop. It’s gotta feel right or you’ll hunt once and hang it up. If your draw is 50 lbs so be it if it’s 70 great the point is if it feels good and you should good , that’s your bow. Good luck!!
 
Consider a cam with high let off,
My hunting bow doesn’t have it,

One time as a doe approached I drew the bow , and the deer went behind a tree
Peeking her head out looking up at me.

Just as I couldn’t hold the draw anymore and released it back down,
The deer popped out and trotted away. Doh!
 
75 to 80% is pretty standard these days. Even in the speed bow lines. Aggressive cams won't give you much of a valley though. It will come quick and will be very short with a hard back wall. Personally, that's how I like my bows anyway.

You don't need the latest and greatest to keel deer... Although I will admint this has caught my eye:

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gnX3yGeEALg
 
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I didn't have any problems with my bought and tuned PSE bow that I got on sale at Bass Pro. I shot it 6 times was while it was being tuned and then not again for three years. When I broke it this season I decided it would probably be a good idea to take a few practice shot to see where it groups before heading into the woods.

My 12th total shot took down this 135lbs field dressed guy at 40 yards. He ran 35 yards and crashed (thank you Rage Hypodermics)
I wouldn't overthink your equipment but try to get the highest draw weight that you can pull. A $50.00 bow will kill deer it's finding a good spot that I feel is the biggest challenge. If possible hunt as close as possible to your ride. Having to drag a deer a long distance sucks.

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You need to go to reedys archery shop in midleborow. Chris reed is the man ! Seriously the best place ever !

This place hands down. there is a facebook group Boston Bowhunter i am on and they rave about the place all the time. (i think they are doing a furhandling seminar soon since there is a large coyote hunter contingent as well.)

I also regret to inform you that it is not "not too big of an investment." It will cost you money. Buy once, cry once with your bow. the rest of the accessories can be tuned to your liking but start with a solid base. I had a Mission Riot that i was completely happy with, and then I won a Mathews Halon 6 in a raffle. Holy crap I didn;t know what i was missing.

And the other unfortunate part. You can't skim one off the dirt without repercussions. Arrow cost adds up as well.

Definitely do not take this as a warning not to pursue it, but simply a warning that it's not as cheap as you think.
 
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